Seems to me today when most people say "government" they mean the Feds.
Yet most of us live under three, sometimes four, governments- city,
county, state, then federal.

Where were the local governments in all of this. State and local
governments seem to have made the decision to evacuate. Did they do
anything else other than tell folks to leave? Did they provide
transportation for those without cars? Shelters for those evacuating?
Telling folks where these shelters were? Provisions for communications?
Some officials seem to be amazed that phones in flooded cities don't
work well. I am amazed that they work at all.

I remember when FEMA was basically a reconstruction agency. Its job was
to help people rebuild. It was up to local and state officials to do
rescue, but they could request help from Coast Guard if needed. Today
it seems like we turn to feds as first responders. It looks to me as if
there were indeed snafus at federal level. But hey, the local
governments are the ones with the best understanding of what is needed,
and if the states were really doing much to help, it wasn't evident on
TV coverage.

Lets face it, local governments are and will always be more responsive.
The officials are your neighbors and if the neighborhood decides they
did a bad job, they won't get reelected.

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
No disrespect intended Gunner but I think you need to spend a few days
on a roof in New Orleans with no water and food and then reconsider the
subject....I think your opinion would change.

The Feds HAVE dropped the ball BIG TIME.

I see that the White House has now decided that maybe they should make
a quick trip to New Orleans for PR.

Meanwhile New Orleans burns...

TMT