jadechimera: Bush’s whole problem was that the people running LA were idiots. He did everything he was ALLOWED to within the LAW. Unless the Governor asks for help (she REFUSED FEDERAL AID for DAYS after the hurricane hit); there is nothing the President can do.

Larger hurricanes hit Florida, Texas, Mississippi (yes, even Mississippi is better prepared for stuff then LA).

Local & state officials have all the decision making power in the event of a disaster (because someone in D.C. can not run something from across the country). If your local &/or State officials are idiots – then you are screwed.

*I’m not a huge fan of Bush, however, Katrina was not his fault. It his Mississippi just as hard (actually harder) – and then rolled through Texas. Two weeks later another hurricane of the same category hit Texas – who had sent a huge about of their responders & Guard to help LA – and dealt with it fine. LA was caught with their pants around their ankles. The only question is why the Governor & Mayor did not go to jail.

Source of info – I spent time in Jefferson & New Orleans Parishes right after Katrina hit. Jefferson Parish had a competent local response (the cops, Fire fighters, Paramedics and so forth did not abandon their jobs, local officials had response plans and a way to integrate volunteers and federal respondsers). Jefferson Parish was evacuated after the storm because all of the power lines, water & sewer lines were destroyed by up rooted trees and the like. Meaning that until repairs could be done, living their was a health hazard.