Spencer Overton writes of the need to address certain assumptions about race, politics, and Katrina, including the following assumption: “Louisiana is a ‘swing’ state, and because many evacuees from New Orleans were African American, Republicans have incentives to insure that those evacuated permanently settle in other states and do not return to Louisiana.” He concludes with the question: “Can we have a real conversation about Katrina, race, and politics that is more than political sound bites?”