Ask the people in the Carolinas and Florida if they think that mandatory evacuations should be taken lightly. They have been evacuated so many times and had such a hard time getting back that they don't even leave anymore.
Do these people not have TV or radio? Why do they need to mayor to tell them to evacuate? When storms roll through Georgia, I couldn't care less what some politicians have to say. I listen to the weather service and make my own decisions.
This is getting just as bad as the democrats blaming Bush for everything under the sun. I know you feel a need to blame someone, but sometimes bad things just happen to good people.
The problem with the mayor and governor's inaction was that it prevented the evacuation of those without the ability to evacuate. There are people without money, without vehicles to travel. Instead of being able to get those people out on some form of public transportation, the failure to act has put them in a last ditch effort to stay alive by riding out the storm in the Superdome.
When the mayor and governor have to be told by the President that they need to evacuate their cities, something is seriously rotten in that state's chain of command. Crucial hours were lost because that mayor was consulting with lawyers over the legalities of trying to save lives. I think there's plenty of blame to lay at their feet.
You clearly don't get it. No other location is located in a bowl 8' below sea level. Completely different situation from evacuations in other parts of the country. The storm surge is where massive death occurs, and this is the only place in the US where such Bangladesh-type deaths could occur on a massive scale. There is a good chance that by this time tomorrow nights we will have had more deaths than any disaster in US history. A completely preventable WTC, predicted for decades, yet the city and state ended up being far too unprepared.
I don't think this is an accurate statement.
You obviously don't know what you're talking about; the people left in the center of New Orleans are the poorest, least educated people. They don't even have cars to leave with.
No preparations were made to evacuate them.
Of course, the mayor was busy helicoptering HIS family out of town.