See:
And the reason she did not deploy the NG as a "law enforcement" mechanism...as granted by her state constitution, was because she didn't want to be responsible for the deaths of "poor, black people" should confrontations arise.
From the beginning Blanco has treated this crisis as a "political" issue.
Whether it was her (or the Mayors) failure to declare mandatory evacuations (for fear of what happened after Ivan and the near miss), using the NG for deadly force...or even refusing federalization for her own political reasons, the governor has politicized this crisis from the start
Your piece about disaster preparedness and responsibility contained in the link you provided was great. It was thought provoking and very helpful, especially the suggestion about having a disaster kit. Probably something all of us should have, whether we live on a flood plain or in hurricane/tornado country or not. Thank you.
I might add one more thing to the disaster kit, if no one else thought to do so: Medication (that is, the usual daily medicines taken by those who have chronic illnesses). A friend of mine has a disaster kit something like the one you suggested...she's diabetic, so she keeps a certain amount of her diabetic supplies in her kit. She goes through the kit every several months or so and replaces the insulin so whatever she has on hand is fresh.
You make valid points about being responsible for oneself and not relying on government to take the initiative. I know if I saw flood waters rising or a hurricane or tornado approaching, I'd be long gone away from the trouble.