Feds optimistic that New Orleans is storm-ready

Feds optimistic that New Orleans is storm-ready Really? "The levees are back to where they were pre-Katrina, and they're on their way to being the best, better and stronger then they have ever been.” This said by Don Powell, President Bush's Gulf Coast coordinator. Well if they are pre-Katrina then they are NOT ready. The fact that they are on the way "to being the best" implies they are NOT ready. Of course, Katrina is back in the news with the approaching anniversary and the development of a new storm, Ernesto, which may or may not even being head towards New Orleans. “The U.S. Army Corps, which says it repaired and reinforced 220 miles of levee walls, has been closely monitoring the storm, which could hit soon after the anniversary of Katrina.” (From USA Today story) That’s all fine and good, but I don’t think it begins to solve the bigger problem that affected New Orleans. Sure the storm was bad, the flooding was horrible, but Nagin trying to run the city from Dallas is unforgivable. The local government is where the real failure took place. By this time we have all seen the pictures of school buses sitting parked. The fact it took Governor Blanco days to ask for federal help. The lack of any sort of actual disaster plans for the city. Though they have tried to put all the blame on the federal government, city and state are really to blame. After spending years busing poor people to the polls to stay in power, Nagin was unable to bus people out of danger. I wonder how it would have been if it had been an election year? Until we get these people out of office, New Orleans will never be “storm-ready”. (Originally posted at KP Cubed - LA)