[Disasters Will Happen: The Costs of Political Marginalization and Legislative Inertia]-[Disasters Will Happen]

The Intersection of Crisis and Political Agency

In the piece "Disasters Will Happen," Amy Davidson Sorkin offers a critical examination of two distinct American crises: the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the mass shooting in Las Vegas. Sorkin posits that these tragedies are not merely isolated accidents but are inextricably linked to systemic political failures—specifically, the lack of political capital in Puerto Rico and a profound lack of political courage regarding gun control in the United States.

Puerto Rico: The Vulnerability of the Politically Powerless

Sorkin frames the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico as a "case study of what happens when people with little political capital need the help of their government." Despite President Trump’s performative visit, where he praised the "nice people" of the island and tossed rolls of paper towels into a crowd, the reality remained dire. With nearly half the population without clean water and most lacking electricity, the island’s struggle was exacerbated by its status as a territory. Because Puerto Ricans lack full representation—specifically, they cannot vote in presidential elections and their representative is a "resident commissioner" who cannot vote on legislation—they lack the leverage to "demand" aid.

Sorkin notes that while politicians in the mainland diaspora could respond to the crisis, those on the island were treated as "ingrates" if they dared to criticize the federal response. The President’s expectation of an "absence of criticism" in exchange for aid highlights the transactional and often dismissive nature of his administration toward a population that lacks the electoral college votes to hold him accountable.

Las Vegas: The Pathology of Legislative Inaction

If the Puerto Rico crisis illustrates the cost of a lack of representation, the Las Vegas shooting—where Stephen Paddock killed 58 people—represents the "consequences of a lack of political courage." Sorkin argues that the Republican Party’s tendency to frame such massacres as solely the result of an individual’s "evil" is a "standard GOP line" that ignores a "distinctly American political pathology."

Sorkin highlights the glaring accessibility of weaponry, noting that Paddock owned over 40 guns, including "semi-automatic AR-15-style assault rifles." The controversy surrounding "bump stocks"—devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to mimic fully automatic fire—reveals that current gun laws are effectively a farce. While machine guns are technically prohibited, the ability to purchase bump stocks legally demonstrates that regulations are easily bypassed. Despite overwhelming public support for "common sense gun legislation," such as universal background checks, the influence of the gun lobby ensures that politicians treat donors, rather than the electorate, as their "true constituents."

A Republic of Lowered Expectations

Sorkin concludes by critiquing the tendency to view these disasters as "mere quirks of chance." By dismissing climate change as a factor in intensifying hurricanes and treating mass shootings as isolated "aberrations," the current political leadership avoids necessary systemic reform. The "atmosphere is packed with carbon dioxide" and "American homes are filled with high-powered guns," yet the political response remains stagnant.

Ultimately, Sorkin argues that we currently reside in a "republic of lowered expectations." Both the climate crisis and the epidemic of gun violence demand a "political response" that transcends partisan bickering. The essay serves as a call to action, urging the citizenry to "insist on more" from their leaders, emphasizing that these disasters are not inevitable fates, but consequences of policy choices that can and must be changed.