Why blame the feds for a local problem?

I wish I could find a way to make this blog red, white and blue. Something is really nagging at my innards and has been eating at me ever since last summer: specifically, ever since Katrina roared ashore in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. who or what has incurred my mental wrath?
The powerful press and media of The United States have managed to make an act of God into a blame game and are making up our minds for us with their inaccurate reporting. True, the whole hurricane was a disaster from the time it made it's way across the tip of Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico. Naturally, Florida was ready and equipped to contend with whatever catagory the storm became, but was fortunately spared the worst of the storm. As Katrina blew her way aross the Gulf, I worried and most of America worried about New Orleans, perched precariously below sea level at the mouth of the Mississippi. The winds blew, the sea raged and the waters inundated the city. Was anyone surprised? If we all have known for years that this city would flood in the event of Catagory 3 or larger hurricane, why are we all acting as though we were caught unaware? Blame must be assigned whenever something happens that we cannot get our minds around. The media have spent seven months trying to pin the tail on the top of the pyramid and work downward. The pictures during the storm, immediately after and continuing to this day are totally unbelieveable --- but there is no direction for the massive clean-up necessary. The displaced residents may never be back in New Orleans and I for one believe that despite the fact that it is an historical city, it should never be rebuilt! The figure put on the recovery is $200,000. for every person affected and what do we have to show for that money?
Why are we spending so much time trying to figure out what to do? Why are the networks trying to make a natural disaster into a political football? If we all knew that it could happen, why didn't the citizens of New Orleans have a personal plan for evacuation? Do modern day people think that someone other than themselves will be responsible for saving their skins? Katrina was wandering about in the Gulf, getting stronger and stronger and the Weather Service began to warn that this storm was going to get really nasty. What word did individuals not understand? Why didn't people with cars, trucks, busses , motorcycles or bicycles get themselves out of town to the safety of higher ground? Why didn't the mayor use those empty school busses to transport his citizens to safety, instead of letting the busses sit and be flooded in the heart of town? Why didn't the govenor ask the federal government to be prepared for disaster assistance the minute Katrina's backside was out of sight? For many months, all we have heard is that President Bush and FEMA failed to take care of this catastrophy. I understand that the federal government cannot go into a state until the govenor of that state has asked for help. But, here we are ---embroiled in the "blame game" and the mold, stentch and filth remain and are growing bigger every day. Couldn't the govenor call together a group of people to plan for the clean-up of the state, the relocation of the parts of New Orleans most likely to flood again in a hurricane and check the official accounting of the emergency funds allocated for this work? Can't we stop kicking this football around and get down to business before the next hurricane season? Is Marti Gras more important than getting this show on the road? Americans would pour into the area to help clean things up, if only the local, state and federal officials would pick up the reins and decide on a plan of attack. New Orleans and the Gulf coast need to get started on a clean-up before the next natural or terrorist disaster is upon us. People of New Orleans --- don't go back! Stay where you are and stay safe.