On 29 October 2012, Federal Emergency Management Agency boss, Craig Fugate, suggested that Presidential elections be postponed, or even canceled, because of the mess caused by hurricane Sandy: “It [elections] needs to be safe and secure. This will be led by states and their election commission supervisors.”

This is because of the flooding and electrical shortages, which are also affecting several nuclear power plants: Constellation Energy Nuclear Group’s 630MW Nine Mile Point 1 nuclear reactor, in upstate New York, shut down.  Investigation ongoing as to why.  Power reductions at Exelon’s Limerick nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, and at Dominion’s Millstone plant in Connecticut. New Jersey’s Exelon’s Oyster Creek remains on alert because of flooding: “Oyster Creek is still in an alert but may be getting out of it as long as water levels continue to drop.”-Neil Sheehan, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

The NRC reporting that half a dozen nuclear plants were shut down, or have reduced power output because of the hurricane.

President Obama declared New Jersey, and New York, major disaster areas (most of the north east has been declared emergency areas).

FEMA is now in charge of the declared disaster/emergency areas. Since FEMA director, Craig Fugate, wants Presidential elections delayed or suspended, then he could probably get his wish.

Under U.S. State of Emergency laws, Congress is not needed to make such decisions.  The National Emergency Act allows such declarations to remain in effect for two years, and can be extended by Presidential decree.

In fact, the United States has been in various states of emergency since Bill Clinton’s first term as President.  Bush Jr and Obama have only expanded on those emergencies (in the name of fighting terrorism).

Now we have Hurricane Sandy wreaking havoc across the most populous part of the United States (home to a crap load of nuclear power plants), and reports that even Mitt Romney will kowtow to FEMA and Obama’s emergency declarations (some reports say Romney will reverse his anti-FEMA stance).  Sounds like the perfect political storm.