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Is there somewhere that actually shows what the federal responsibility is? I keep hearing "FEMA hasn't done something" and I think "are they supposed to?". I watched a program yesterday on CNN that showed the 9th ward (I think) that still looks like a war zone and the commentary was that FEMA STILL hasn't fixed it up enough for people to come home. I couldn't help thinking that it might be best to just bulldoze everything and start over but, that aside, isn't it the city and state that should be deciding what to do? Isn't direction of cleanup a local thing? I doubt the federal government would receive any kudos by going in and knocking it all down on their own. Is it really FEMA's responsibility to make these decisions, coordinate the work and pay all the bills?

A follow-up criticized FEMA for having their own TV channel and showing some of the "good things" FEMA has done. My question was "why shouldn't they show the positive results?", it's their channel. Are they expected to show only the negatives that CNN is already showing?

I guess my real question is - Is FEMA and the federal government doing its job or not? Where are the rules? Is W. really to blame?

http://www.fema.gov

Will give you everything you are looking for.

Look here, too: http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=20824

What is Disaster Assistance?
Help After a Disaster: Applicant's Guide to the Individuals & Households Program

Disaster assistance is money or direct assistance to individuals, families and businesses in an area whose property has been damaged or destroyed and whose losses are not covered by insurance. It is meant to help you with critical expenses that cannot be covered in other ways. This assistance is not intended to restore your damaged property to its condition before the disaster.

Most disaster assistance from the Federal government is in the form of loans from the Small Business Administration. Applicants to FEMA may be required to seek assistance from the Small Business Administration first.

http://www.fema.gov/about/process/dis_assis_process.shtm
After You Apply FEMA will mail you a copy of your application and a copy of “Help After a Disaster: Applicant’s Guide to the Individuals and Households Program” (available for download) that will answer many of your questions.
read this page: http://www.fema.gov/about/process/dis_assis_process.shtm

There are a LOT of requirements to qualify for FEMA assistance, and I think this may be where the problem in NO lays. The residents have no proof of ownership and no proof of insurance. It appears that FEMA sees its mission as supplementing household insurance, not as being the sole insurer of property. A lot of the displaced were renters or in government housing or HUD assisted housing. They have no "ownership" in NO and no reason to return (or to vote in their Parish).

It appears that the Dims have created their own demise in NO. Instead of helping people own property, they've played the roll of Landlord to the Poor. You reap what you sow. So to speak.