This is probably going to be my last and most complete post on the subject with the possible exception of the column I have prepared for the Daily Illini.
First, we'll start by what three things that aren't to blame and go into what went wrong.
Levee funding cut by Bush
STATUS: Non-issue
The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for the levees and floodwalls in and around New Orleans. They were designed to protect against a weak category 3 hurricane. There were no plans to upgrade that protection to category 4 or 5. Originally the plan was to have category 5 protection; however, environmentalists sued the district and stopped it. It would have taken 25 years (if it worked) to get the upgrades in to make the levees and walls protect against a category 5. (Source: Riverside magazine by the Army Corps of Engineers).
New Orleans Police Department
STATUS: Two-thirds of the police force is gone
That's correct, over 2/3rds of the New Orleans police department just left and now they are trying to entice them back with taxpayer funded trips to Vegas
The Last Days And Death Of New Orleans Caught On Video -- Saturday night I went down to the famous Bourbon Street to possibly document the last night on the town, ever! People were in a carefree mood, nobody seemed to care what was happening or that the hand of god was about to come down on the big easy.
Congrats, backhoe - another fine list of links.