States may lose some rights, but the standard or criterion should be responding effectively to the victims to reduce suffering and save lives. When you have an unprecedented major disaster such as Katrina, there may need to be exceptions or thresholds concerning Federal intervention and States' rights. If a suitcase nuke goes off or the Big One hits California, no state can respond by itself or should call the tune. They just don't have the expertise or resources.
This is a hard lesson learned about why State politics are so important. LA politics has been rotten to the core for generations now. If a State insists on not helping their own it is going to take days to give them help even if they think they don't need it.
The Governor tried having control of the Feds instead of working things visa versa. You need to be demanding answers from corrupt politicians in LA not the Feds.