Why is it always what the government does not do after a major natural disaster and not what people didn't do?

Question

Why were the public buses and school buses in New Orleans underwater? Why didn't local government do something about getting out their people, most of whom voted for that same local administration. Why does the government have to save you when you can save yourself?

Answer 1

Technically the government IS the people.  I think that people think they are not part of making the government work just because they aren't an elected official.  But they are part of it.  So whatever each person is capable of doing, is their contribution.  Unfortunately, people don't take being a citizen very seriously.

Answer 2

the govt should have been more pro active in shoring up the levees years ago so New Orleans wouldnt have flooded.

And it is the responsibility of the govt to protect its citizens. If a natural disaster hit where you lived, you would be crying for them to help....

Answer 3

The government of New Orleans was is such disarray (Ray Nagin ran on a political promise to clean up the corruption in local government)  that many of those buses had been robbed of parts and wouldn't run.  

Some news reports have written that the local system of dependency made the situation worse than it should have been.  Others have charged that the politicians paid for the votes by using public money for subsistence programs and then abandoned the people at the time of need.  The most harsh criticism has been targeted at the local politicians rather than the national agencies in the post disaster review of problems in New Orleans.

The poorest of the people that believed the politicians had programs and plans in place to help them were left to perish as the politicians ran for cover.

The way our form of government works with states rights and local control Federal agencies can not get involved until requested.  The governor of Louisiana sat on her hands and complained about Ray Nagin's actions rather than making the request for help.  The dikes failure after the passing of the storm rather than being as direct action of the storm caught her of guard and she hadn't anticipated the need for Federal action.  The slow response by the state officials made it impossible for Federal assistance to reach the people in need because of the extent of the destruction.

This is probably why you didn't see any Federal help in your case.  The local officials didn't declare the flooding a disaster and request Federal help.

Answer 4

Those people(about 10% percent of the local population) who DID stay didn't have a way to help themselves out.

Nagin screwed up, I agree. I can't stand him and most people around here can't either. There is major speculation that he won because of absentee voters he bused in from Texas that don't live here anymore and proabley never will again. It's sad.

You also have to realize the poverty levels here. Many people DO have jobs and are working to rebuild, but many of those jobs don't pay enough to compltely rebuild your home in a short amount of time.