Weather Disasters Political From Moment First Rain Drop Falls-No Matter If We Like It Or Not

Please CONTRIBUTE

​





Weather disasters are political.

Houstonians know this well. Hurricane response and the politics of who gets disaster relief and who does not are political even if it should be otherwise. 

The right will happily use natural disasters to hurt people they don’t like and to spread lies. And of course we can have no meaningful discussion of how climate change causes big rain events. 

With the missing still not accounted for from the ongoing Kerrville flood, Marjorie Taylor Green says people  are altering the weather. This echoes claims in the 2024 Presidential campaign that Democrats were directing hurricanes to Republican areas. 

​We can't just dismiss this stuff no matter how it sounds to us. If we don't assert ourselves right off, we'll be stuck (Or more deeply stuck.) in exchanges about Jews and trans people with weather machines and how excessive rainfall means we should hire more ICE agents. It's not how it should be. But we know from the endless calls to "not politicize" mass-shootings, that little from the right is said with true concern for victims. 

The right also likes to shift blame. The State of Texas blamed the National Weather Service for a forecast the state says did not accurately project the Kerrville/Central Texas floods. 

Channel 13/KTRK meteorologist Travis Herzog tells the accurate story:

"I have looked back at the timeline of warnings issued by the National Weather Service…. and I agree with assessments I’ve seen from other meteorologists that the National Weather Service issued timely warnings.… The first Flash Flood Warning for Kerr County was issued around 1 a.m., and the first Flash Flood Emergency (highest level of flood warning issued..) was issued around 4AM, which automatically triggers a “Wireless Emergency Alert” to all cell phones within the warned area (unless users have elected to turn off those alerts). I’m also told by Houston’s former NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist Dan Reilly that flash flood warnings issued hours earlier also contained a “considerable tag” that would’ve also triggered cell phone alerts in the middle of the night where cell service was available….It certainly didn’t help the situation that the Austin/San Antonio NWS weather forecast office is understaffed by 22% and without a Warning Coordination Meteorologist, but I see no evidence yet that it hurt the situation either with what I know." 

I’m glad Mr. Herzog is speaking quickly to fight misinformation and to highlight reckless federal cuts. You know it is just a matter of time until someone falsely says that since the National Weather Service missed the floods, it should be privatized or sold off.

Weather journalist Herzog has been willing to speak up before which is very much appreciated. 

State Representative Christina Morales from Houston has also been quick to join the fight. 

Here is part of a Facebook post from Rep. Morales:

Our region is facing increasingly extreme weather—yet we’re rejecting common‑sense investments in public safety. We can deploy sensors, live water‑level gauges, and automated alerts today, as so many experts have long recommended.

The ask:

 1. Hold leaders accountable—Texans deserve answers from Lt. Gov. Patrick on why these commonsense bills were shelved.
 2. Push for infrastructure now—support equitable flood protection in every vulnerable county.
 3. Raise your voice—tweet, write, call to demand transparency and action: Why isn’t flood safety a top priority?

Here is a post Rep. Morales linked to from Texas Rural Reporter about productive policy legislation that would help keep people safe in floods. 

It's exhausting to be on the opposite political and societal side from consistently terrible people. You'd like to be able to disagree without the knowledge the person you're talking to is content to take your rights and ruin people's lives. Until a better day however, we must be relentless in our advocacy and not feel that somehow we are above the fight. 

I'm on the Egberto Willies Politics Done Right Show every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 AM for the Houston Democracy Project segment. You can hear the show on the radio, stream it on KPFT or watch later Egberto's YouTube channel.​​

Here is a fundraising pitch for the Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort. ​​​​​​​

---

Please Contribute