hat an amazing natural disaster this country has endured in Mississippi and Louisiana, with the hurricane scattering about a million evacuees across the country. This is probably the largest migration or dislocation ever experienced in the United States. It seems likely that even more people have been forced out, or impelled to move, than occurred in the Dust Bowl. It is most likely a larger migration than that caused by the Civil War. Hurricane Katrina's aftermath will be with us for a very long time and cause many changes in FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency), the shape of a future city of New Orleans and the role of local, statewide and federal emergency services. This morning we witnessed the first traffic alerts caused by vehicles returning to the embattled zone - very few found what they had left.
There has been so much suffering, so much bravery, so much selfless giving by the people of the community afflicted and by the people of the Nation.
New Orleans had already become unique from the standpoint of population. In 1960  "the Big Easy" was home to 630,000 people. Just prior to being struck by nature's fury the population had declined to 445,000. One unknown is simply, when the city is rebuilt, who will live there and in what numbers?
The President, slow off the mark to get involved in the tragedy ,has just completed his third visit to the disaster areas... to improve his standing in the polls. We need inspirational leadership... do you detect any coming from this administration?I don't!Mr. Bush is still determined to bring about further tax cuts to benefit the more fortunate amongst us, but shouldn't the President be considering increasing taxes on the wealthy, to help pay for the expenses which are expected to top $200 billion? Mr. Bush is surely  aware, that - pre-Katrina, next year's budget deficit was estimated to be over $314 billion.
Overall the Bush administration's handling of Hurricane Katrina has been criticized and deplored on all sides of the political spectrum. As the water is going down, so does the President's popularity.
To quote Texas Republican Congressman Tom DeLay, (who might well be considered the most powerful person in the House of Representatives) speaking to a group of poor evacuees in a Houston shelter, said that their experiences were not all that different from attending summer camp. He was heard to say "Now tell me the truth boys, is this kind of fun?" What an ignorant and stupid statement.