I don't think Brown is particularly bright calling a whole state "dysfunctional" when two other states were left with no aid also. That aside, I think we are setting up a dangerous situation by not clearly stating what individuals should do to preserve their life in emergencies, and defining realistic expectations about the quality of life in the day after a disaster such as Katrina.
I get this picture of people flopping around like jellyfish waiting for the government to scoop them up.
The government should help if possible, but most of the responsibility should fall on the individual. Bring some of the people from the Dome and the Convention center and find out what they did in the days before and after Katrina.
There were dumb decisions made at all level of government, but overwhelmingly, the dumb decisions were made by the individuals that stayed behind. How can the government protect someone who hasn't the common sense to fill a few water bottles or a bathtub before a major hurricane? How do you educate someone griping about not having a hot meal right after a major disaster? I think there is time in those hearings to tell the people that stayed behind, what *they* did wrong.
