Poor Government Planning To Blame For Chaos After Katrina

Newsday ^ | 9/1/2005 | James Pinkerton

[churchillbuff]

What makes some of the problems in New Orleans so inexcusable is that this is a major city that has received millions of dollars and resources (like others) from the federal government (under Homeland Security) to handle most emergency situations. """

Homeland security == HUGE BOONDOGGLE. Another rathole for our federal tax dollars. Another reason why we can't have our taxes lowered to reasonable levels.

[mewzilla]

If federal authorities had not forced them to make the call...

And a lot of these people, of the ones who could leave, still didn't leave. That's not any government's fault.

[cbkaty]

I couldn't agree more. I lost my home and had only the clothes on my back in the big fire in the S.F. area a dozen years ago.

My brother was a chef in a restaurant in San Francisco when the 1988 earthquake hit.... He would have provided free cooked meals for people....but many simple stole the food..... They were entitled...you know?

[cbkaty]

Isn't it odd....that all local & state failures end up being the fault of the federal government......? Seems that sh__ runs uphill too......

[hardworking]

My brother was a chef in a restaurant in San Francisco when the 1988 earthquake hit.... He would have provided free cooked meals for people....but many simple stole the food..... They were entitled...you know?

Yes, indeed I know. Immediately after the fire, I (along with many others) set about to rent a house for my family and I looked at a house at 1 PM and was told what the monthly rent was. I was also told that 10 other families were also trying to rent it and I would be told who was 'chosen' that night. The landlord called me to say that they wanted to rent to me, but by the way, the rent was now $500 per month more than what was quoted 8 hours earlier. I've seen the ugly side of tragedy, just as your brother did.