As of 1981, if not before, the effect of a big hurricane was already well-known--the Times Picayune ran their warnings each hurricane season. Not to mention Betsy and Camille, two big actual hurricanes that hit in 1965 & 1969, causing similar damage.
That isn't true. ASAICT, Bush's administration cut funds for a study only, one which would not have been completed until next year, and which then would only have given recommendations and assessments of the existing system. Improvements to the levy system are and have been ongoing for decades.
You've attributed motives based on the false premise that Bush cut levy funding. He didn't, so your conclusions don't follow.
The fact is the Army Corps of Engineers rationally, deliberately, and with premeditation, designed the system for Category 3 storms, after public debate decided this to be an acceptable level of protection. (200-year-flood protection was the criterion I heard one Corps engineer mention.)
Silly. Money spent elsewhere in no way reduced our ability to pay for Katrina. Though it may seem crass, as a practical matter, donations in the form of money are simply easier to organize and apply directly to the problems at hand. Donations of blankets, for example, might not have been that useful to people sweltering in their attics.
Very generous of the people of Cuba, and appreciated, but would adding more people to the chaos really have helped? Adding more programmers to a late project usually just makes it later.
Blaming Bush does not follow. The levy system predates his administration by decades. He didn't cause the hurricane, nor did he block the response.
FEMA is a group of 2,500 employees who hire contractors to do things. Hiring contractors, however, does not magically transport them into inaccessible areas surrounded by flood waters. Mother Nature prevented that. Further, government agencies have a need to make prudent assessments before springing into action--that takes time. Many levels of people far removed from the situation had to--despite loss of communications with the city and its absentee mayor--learn, appreciate, and then respond intelligently to the situation -- government is inherently slow.
If you want to compare, consider the situation in Europe TWO WEEKS into their 2003 heat wave, a much simpler crisis in which everyone still had power, where there was no loss of access, transport, or communications, etc.:
There are many valid criticisms of the President, but attacking him for everything simply dilutes one's credibility. Why not keep your powder dry for those occasions?
All in all, the Katrina response went about as well as could be expected given the scale of the thing. Government simply isn't, can't--and must never be--big enough to save everyone from everything.
Regards, James Arthur