*sigh*

do what you can folks...speculating about how much the government was responsible for the disaster isn't going to do those people down there one damn bit of good. If you've been through a hurricane you know what a hideous mess it is before, during and afterwards. If you live in a hurricane-prone area you understand the peculiar mentality that goes with those who have been the veterans of several hurricanes. If you live in a poor area of the south, you know that most likely folks have no means of transportation, no radio or TV to warn them about the hurricane and tend to be extremely clannish, that is they trust family first and are more likely to go to them for help or to stay to weather out a hurricane. So you have to deal with finding people to give the supplies to and you have to navigate an swampy area that is covered with flooded roads, downed trees, live power lines and desperate people who have been reduced to the most primitive means of survival. How big is the population of New Orleans? You have to take those factors into consideration. You also have to consider that other places besides New Orleans have been hit and flooded out and that disaster relief has to go to those people as well.