And what's even more sad about your observation is that New Orleans, unlike Biloxi or many of the smaller cities, is a major US city that has recieved substantial federal funds for any number of projects. Heck, I'm dying to know just what NO has recieved as part of the Homeland Security budget since they are such an important city.
Yet, even with all these resources, it is evident that the local government has done nothing but waste that money. We're not even talking about an unexpected terrorist attack...but a hurricane with at least 48 hours warning. Were where the evacuation plans for the city (especially the poor) when even after Ivan last year, the city was informed of its inadequate emergency plans.
I don't know if others have seen the story from last year after Ivan, but even the Red Cross warned of these problems:
"It's always been a problem, but the situation is worse now that the Red Cross has stopped providing shelters in New Orleans for hurricanes rated above Category 2. Stronger hurricanes are too dangerous, and Ivan was a much more powerful Category 4.
In this case, city officials first said they would provide no shelter, then agreed that the state-owned Louisiana Superdome would open to those with special medical needs...Mayor Ray Nagin's spokeswoman, Tanzie Jones, insisted that.."Our main focus is to get the people out of the city,"
Yeah...and that's why we see flooded parking lots of useless school buses that could've been used for evacuating the poor. Hey mayor...forget the Greyhounds from around the country; you had the resources right under your nose to move these people. Just as you (and the Governor) had a National Guard that could've stopped the looting before it got out of hand.
My colleague is from NO, and said what's happening is typical of the incredible corruption there dating back to Huey Long. He claims it doesn't matter which party is in power, but I disagree. The difference between NYC on 9/11 and NO now is like night and day.