New Orleans was fucked up before Katrina, what makes you think anything would change?I'll bet the citizens of Texas are glad they didn't secede from the US.
We're pretty good at handling this stuff at the state level. We're not Louisiana or New Jersey; we don't sit and cry until 'everybody else' runs in and does anything. Prep here started over a week ago, well organized, lots of volunteers lined up, trucks loaded, medical supplies rounded up, power companies sending linemen and trucks from around the state ahead to assembly areas, etc. They're already responding to non-emergency calls today in many places.
Yep...we've long since recovered from Ike yet N.O. is still fucked up from Katrina.