ept. 7, 2005 - President Bush, Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff and a host of federal officials deserve much of the intense criticism they've been under for failing to leap into action when Hurricane Katrina's destruction brought on human misery and lawlessness, especially in New Orleans. But the finger-pointing ignores a massive local failure. Yes, FEMA Director Michael Brown moved painfully slowly. But the flooding that has nearly wiped New Orleans off the map was rooted in years of infrastructure neglect—and now state and local officials also need to be held accountable.