[ronald_reagan]

I have been to New Orleans 3 times, spending a little over 3 weeks, and yes it is a disaster area. I sopke with many locals and I continued to hear the same thing from all of them. They Hate FEMA, and they despise their Governor Blanco,for her lack of ability to handle the sitituation. I am far from a Bush defender, Bush met with Mayor Nagin and the Governor and offered the National Guard which has to requested by the Governor and she said they (LA) could take care of their own. The Mayor asked for help and the Governor didnt want federal intervention.
Nagin made several mistakes the biggest was waiting to declare a manditory evacuation.

But if you visit the area and review the reasons that the city flooded it wasnt the hurricane its self but the failure of the Levee system and the construction of MR.GO which caused the water to be funneled into New Orleans.

The army corps of engineers created the mess with poor construction and little forsight. The same is that as I left I visited where the 14th street Levy was being repaired to the proper heights and depth for a catgory 3 not 5. Which was not done when designed in the 60's.

Bush's failure was not doing something much sooner. Our nations failure was not going there to help. and understanding how bad the city was hit. TV coverage does not do it justice, the devastation in beyond belief.

How can you speak the truth and say that Bush couldn't send in the National Guard (constitutional issue).... and then turn around and say he didnt' act soon enough?

The problem isn't with Bush... with the governor... with Nagin.......

Its with the beaucracy that exists in Washington DC. FEMA, its a joke. Homeland Security, a joke. The federal government as a whole... a JOKE. And its none other than LBJ's fault. The great society he spoke of..... LOL How great it is when we can't even protect and help our own because of the red tape.