PaPaPeng wrote:

And yet when it happened no one was prepared for the consequences.
"Some 200,000 remained, however, the car-less, the homeless, the aged
and infirm, .." makes one ask why wasn't there a plan to evacuate
them. Why wasn't there a plan to house and feed them in the
evacuation zone? Why wasn't there any survival literature on what to
do should they chose to remain and face the flood? .

There was at least one plan. I cannot reach the sites I found on Google,
though.

Some people who lived in the area say the public is informed of the
danger every year when the hurricanes start. What do you suggest? Strap
people down and put megaphones against each ear and blast the info into
their heads at a million watts?

The person who was supposed to set the evacuation plan in motion was
Mayor C. Ray Nagin. He dropped the ball. His backup was Gov. Kathleen
Babineaux Blanco, she dropped the ball.

Bush suggested they start evacuating.

They refused.

Bush requested they start evacuating.

They refused.

Bush begged them to start evacuating.

Finally, they started. Too late.

FEMA? They fill a role something like a building contractor. They have
to be called in by the people authorized to call them in. That's the
Mayor and the Governor. The President can put them to work, but he is
supposed to let the people on the spot handle the problem as they are in
the best position to know what needs to be done.

The National Guard, is under the control of the Governor, unless the NG
is called up by the feds. The Governor did nothing. The Governor and the
Mayor actually blocked emergency procedures.

The Democrats, the News Media, the Governor, and the Mayor are trying to
deflect blame on Bush and FEMA.