Poll Suggests that Hurricane Katrina May Overshadow 9/11 Events for 2008 Election

In a new press release issued last week by Zobgy International, Pollster John Zogby underscored that according to his extensive surveys, the devastation and aftermath cause by Hurricane Katrina may be of great importance to Americans in the coming 2008 election year. Zogby believes that Hurricane Katrina will be as much of a defining moment in the U.S. as the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The Hurricane Katrina disaster was estimated to have caused more than 150 billion dollars in damage and displaced more than 1.36 million people in the gulf area. According to The Louisiana Department of Health, as of late August 2006, the official death toll stood at 1464. Approximately 135 individuals still remain on the official missing list of the Louisiana Family Assistance Center.

In the wake of the storm, there was intense public criticism of Federal and State Governments for their lack of response to assist many of the victims mostly residing in and around The New Orleans metropolitan area. In addition, many local and state organizations denounced Federal Officials due to their perceived negligence and mismanagement of the disaster.

A summary of Zogby's polling results will be included in the June edition of Campaigns and Election Magazine. In this article, Zogby states that "Barely 30 percent of Americans think the nation is now headed in the right direction, and 73 percent say the U.S is in a serious crisis"

One issue that Zogby found lingering in the minds of surveyed individuals was that new perspective that many Americans have with respect to their local, state and federal government and what is expected of them in the future.

He also added that "This suggests a need to redefine the very nature and structure of U.S. federalism. In our post-Katrina polling, we found a hunger nationwide for a new model for the federal government. In many ways, I believe Katrina, over the long haul, will prove to be more of a defining moment in American history than the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001"