You’ve read the online conspiracy theories that weather can be manipulated by now. Marjorie Taylor Greene stepped in it again when she claimed that a mysterious “they” had done just that – manufactured a hurricane and sent it to swing states in an attempt to destroy Republican prospects for 2024 throughout North Carolina and Georgia.
While the theory is far-fetched at best, one thing is clear: The Biden-Harris administration is dragging its feet in helping Americans in the affected zones. And even though MTG’s claims are absurd, her evidence does support something a little more believable. Her electoral map overlay shows that Helene hit conservative areas hardest, with rescue efforts at a minimum.
Overall, Hurricane Helene is causing challenges for voters and election workers in Georgia and North Carolina. Flooding and power outages have forced people out of their homes, delayed mail delivery, and affected election offices throughout the Southeast. This disruption might make early and mail voting harder in some areas and discourage people from voting.
The storm has killed over 200 people, with about half of the victims in North Carolina, according to The Associated Press. Many still don’t have water or electricity, and rescue teams are working to help those stranded or missing in the debris.
During a Tuesday press conference, Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of North Carolina’s State Board of Elections, explained that the level of destruction is unlike anything experienced before, and the uncertainty so close to Election Day is overwhelming. She described the storm’s impact on the western part of the state as something that has never happened in their lifetimes.
According to Michael Bitzer, a professor of politics and history at Catawba College, almost 17 percent of registered voters in North Carolina, or about 1.3 million people, live in areas that FEMA declared disaster zones last month.
NBC News reported that about 190,000 ballots were mailed out just a few days before the hurricane hit the state after delays due to re-printing. Officials warn that the storm has already affected early mail-in ballots.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections website reports that twelve election offices are closed, and postal services across the state are suspended. As of October 1, Poweroutage.us reports that over ten counties are still dealing with significant outages, and 28 counties have been labeled disaster areas. Among the disaster counties are 299,877 registered Democrats and 499,062 registered Republicans. Notably, NC Governor Roy Cooper had asked for a federal disaster status for 38 counties, receiving only 28 in response.
Liberal talking head David Axelrod could barely contain his excitement as he noted that most of the people in North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene are Trump supporters who will find it hard to vote in the 2024 election. He added that Democrats from Asheville, who tend to be more liberal and wealthier, will likely figure out how to vote. He noted those from western North Carolina, especially in the mountains, are Trump supporters who will have a harder time getting to the polls.
As the Biden-Harris administration seeks to squash rumors that it is hindering emergency response to affected areas, their claims are at odds with those on the ground. Residents of a small North Carolina town nearly wiped out by Hurricane Helene have had to manage independently after FEMA said it couldn’t get past a “Road Closed” sign to help them. Chelsea Atkins, a 38-year-old local, said FEMA called her to inspect her house but later said they couldn’t visit because they “weren’t allowed to drive around the sign.”
Stories abound of volunteers turned away, rescuers forbidden from helping, and residents left to fend for themselves with their one-time $750 government check. FEMA has said it’s out of money, and Biden shrugs his shoulders as he confirms there is “no more money” to send struggling North Carolinians.
A helicopter pilot tearfully told the story of being forced to turn away from a family on a mountain, forbidden from helping. He returned later and rescued the mother and child, leaving the father behind. His story is just one of dozens trickling through the mainstream media censorship machines.
Of course, it’s absurd to believe that Helene was manufactured, but it’s a crisis too delicious for Democrats to ignore. Democrat Rahm Emmanuel said it best when he paraphrased Winston Churchill in 2008: “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.”
Things like deliberately engineering a disaster response that leaves conservatives in the cold? It’s becoming an uncomfortable fact that Democrats can no longer hide.