The picture on the right is the result of a responsible local goverment, the one on the left is an example of a clueless local government. It works like this; The chain of responsibility for the protection of the citizens in New Orleans:
1. The Mayor
2. The New Orleans director of Homeland Security (a political appointee of the Governor who reports to the Governor)
3. The Governor
4. The Head of Homeland Security
5. The President
What did each do?
1. The mayor, with 5 days advance, waited until 2 days before he announced a mandatory evacuation (at the behest of the President). Then he failed to provide transportation for those without transport even though he had
hundreds of buses at his disposal, as seen to the left!!
2. The New Orleans director of Homeland Security failed to have any plan for a contingency that has been talked about for 50 years. Then he then blames the Federal Gov't. for not doing what he should have done.
3. The Governor, despite a declaration of disaster by the President 2 days BEFORE the storm hit, failed to take advantage of the offer of Federal troops and aid until 2 days AFTER the storm hit.
4. The Director of Homeland Security positioned assets in the area to be ready when the Governor called for them.
5. The President urged a mandatory evacuation, and even declared a disaster State of Emergency, freeing up millions of dollars of federal assistance, should the Governor decide to use it.
Oh and by the way, the levees that broke were the responsibility of the local landowners and the local levee board to maintain, NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. So please stop blaming Bush for every little thing that happens. It's gettin' old!