Elections Unscathed (or "What's China?")

One of the biggest annual migrations of our species goes on every year in China. Hundreds of millions of migrant workers move away from the booming coastal areas to go home (often their only opportunity all year) for the Chinese New Year. That coupled with the worst winter conditions China has experienced in more than six decades has lead to some of the biggest news of recent memory. Millions of people were stranded in train stations, on roads and airports with little supplies. The weather conditions are also hampering an already strained coal supply effecting energy output and causing rolling blackouts in some central provinces. This also means no heating. Roads were also closed, fueling a decrease in food supplies. In short China is experiencing one of the worst natural disaster/humanitarian crises in the last half century. Even with the New Year celebrations under way many of these problems remain unresolved. There are also more long-lasting effects, such as the destruction of crops and maybe more importantly possible political consequences.
It is not getting much attention in the American media. In fact slim to none. I have asked more then a few people if they had heard anything about it and all but a few said they had. Even those had only some scant idea. I find it incredible that our election season can just swamp our media like this. I also find the political implications of this interesting. The Chinese government is in a mad scramble to solve these pressing problems. These kinds of situations have a history of causing political instability. In a rare face saving measure the Chinese prime minister came to a crowded train station to apologize. Such unprecedented acknowledgement of government failings is practically unheard of in China; such is the breadth of this issue. I found this forum composed of people who lived and are living through this and want to make it available:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7214937.stm