While finger-pointing from New Orleans toward the Feds has grown exponentially over the last few days, many have been reluctant to place any blame where it should lie — on Governor Blanco and squarely on the shoulders of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin.

As the head of the governments of Louisiana and New Orleans respectively, I feel that Blanco and Nagin failed miserably in their duties to their constituents. Granted, aid from FEMA and the National Guard seemed slow from the vantage point in my living room, with access to 24-hour video feed via Fox News, CNN, and others. But it is the failure of Blanco and Nagin that has caused the need for such a massive response.

Where was Nagin when the flood waters were merely inches but rising? Where was his leadership? Why weren’t city buses, school buses, and other high-occupancy vehicles rounded up to begin to move those people to safety before they were dying in sweltering puddles of urine and feces? Why was Nagin missing in action for three days before blasting FEMA for not being there? Why did people go without food and water for days in evacuation centers? Why was there no generator power at those evacuation centers? Why weren’t medical teams at the evacuation centers with triage units and basic supplies? Why were people gathered at the Superdome and the Convention Center complaining that no one was in charge? Where were YOU Ray Nagin?! Didn’t you hear the weather reports that a category 5 hurricane was headed to destroy your city?

Instead of working to mobilize the poor in New Orleans, he waited until it was too late; and then blamed the federal government for not rushing to their aid.

When Katrina was a category 5 hurricane with winds of 175 mph and was predicted to hit New Orleans, why didn’t Nagin send out his emergency evacuation crews to the low-lying areas to get those people out? Why didn’t he send out medical evacuation crews to get people out of those hospices, nursing homes, and hospitals? Why weren’t there lists of disabled, invalid, and elderly people that would need special help during disasters like this?

Isn’t that what disaster planning is all about — planning? Isn’t that part of what a mayor of a city that lies 10 feet below sea level and surrounded by two lakes, a river, and the Gulf of Mexico should be planning for?

Nagin and Blanco knew very well that the levee system was not designed for a category 5 hurricane like Katrina, so why didn’t they do anything BEFORE Katrina struck?! Why was there no planning? Where was their leadership? Why were they scrambling at the last minute (and beyond) to try to prepare for this predicted catastrophe?

I am very sorry that so many people have lost their lives. While the federal response in a huge disaster like this shows that many improvements need to be made in coordination and preparation, I feel like most of the blame should land squarely on Governor Blanco and on supposed Mayor Ray Nagin.

— Mark

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