Submitted by Micky Hingorani on Wed, 11/01/2006 - 10:12am
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The midterm elections are less than one week away, yet, as the Center for American Progress points out to us, very few candidates are talking about Hurricane Katrina, an issue that should be at the forefront of all our minds.

In the latest edition of their newsletter, The Progress Report, CAP notes that after the initial media buzz in August - accompanied by big promises from our elected officials - the issue quickly faded off the radar of the media and our national legislative agenda. 

Among the facts noted by CAP:

  1. The Population of New Orleans has remains 57% smaller than its pre-storm levels.
  2. 50% of the city's doctors and nurses have not yet returned.
  3. A lack of basic services - like electricity - are keeping residents from returning and repairing their homes.

The third item in particular hits home for me.  My girlfriend is from New Orleans and a friend of her family has been unable to move back from Houston because there is no electricity running to her home.

I recommend reading the full report from CAP, and also remember to check out our Katrina materials if you are looking for information on rebuilding the Gulf Coast.