“Republicans have the singular distinction of accusing government of being incompetent, and when they take office, doing everything they can to make it so.”

By contrast, CNN has detailed coverage and a racially and ethnically diverse field of reporters. I think the coverage of Katrina was their finest moment, and also proves the logic of The Situation Room format.

What I am asking the readers is: What would have been adequate?

How about we use the tsunami in a 3rd world country like Indonesia as a benchmark for comparing effectiveness of rescue/recovery?

They said it was too dangerous for individuals to go in with there boats and help.

So, they should have organised an armadda of boats. Every boat owner in the area should have been mobilized, equiped with food and medical suplies, and sent in.

This would not be that hard to organize. i am sure that everyone who can afford a boat, can alos afford an internet connection and a cell phone.

What this gov’t consistently fails to do, is utilize its most precious and abundant resource: the american people.

Yet you don’t even see the governor complaining about it. All he does is parrot whatever shrub’s saying and praise the Federal agencies that are “here to help.” But I can put you in touch with many people who’s homes were damaged or destroyed by the hurricane and some of them will tell you they’ve not seen the first federal aid worker.

Evacuate the Superdome by Friday instead of Saturday. Start the evacuation on Tuesday instead of Wednesday? (No evacuation was requested by Nagin until Tuesday.) There is a lot of complaining, generally, about what a “disaster” the federal response to the disaster was. But, there are very few specific instances that anyone can name, with any veracity, where the feds could have been bettered.

I’m willing (actually, I’m wanting very badly) to believe your story, and even to accept that it may have more than anecdotal value, but it does not jibe with what we heard from the guys at the top of FEMA, namely Brown and Chertoff.

I don’t doubt that there were elements in FEMA which responded beautifully, as well as could be expected, but given the confusion which we saw reigning at the top of FEMA, I believe the overall effort was sadly lacking.

This is consistent with the story you tell–and good for your aunt and her team! On the evidence available to us so far, she and her team outperformed her organization, or at the very least, outperformed her organization’s management.

The feds serve at the pleasure and request of the local authorities. They facilitate and enhance the local plan for the disaster. In this case, the local authorities were so corrupt and inept that the Feds had to make it up for them. I live in Houston and there are numerous transplants here from Louisiana. Nobody I know from New Orleans is the least bit surprised at how the community disintegrated during this crisis.