Katrina link round-up

This is a special double-edition of Unbound, mostly because I don't think I'll have time to rant and rave tomorrow night. Some of these are from yesterday, mea culpa.

• Katrina is turning into an ugly mess of partisan bickery, and I'll be honest and say I've taken sides too (though I do feel the local and state governments have some 'splainin' to do as well), so it's hard to know who to believe. Over at the Washington Post, they address facts and rumors surrounding the Katrina response.
  
  
• Speaking of local government, the Houston Chronicle talks about what went wrong in New Orleans over here. USA Today points to Houston as an example what happens if you have a plan and y'know, actually follow it.
  
  
• Despite knowing about the coming storm, despite having an order from the President to act, and a request (and permission!) from Governor Blanco, FEMA waited until roughly 5 hours after the storm hit to ask for help. You can read about it here. If that isn't bad enough, the Salt Lake City Tribune has a story about firefighters serving as PR props instead of using their skills, as per FEMA. And just to drive the point home, Salon goes on in more detail about what exactly went wrong with FEMA. I gotta say, if there was ever a case to outlaw cronyism in hiring decisions, Michael Brown would be exhibit 1. Someone needs to get fired and I suggest 'Brownie'.
  
  
• Apparently we have a National Response Plan. Did you know that? I didn't. And in the plan, the President is given power to assert control over major disasters. If this drowning of a major city and the wipe-out of the Gulf Coast isn't considered a major disaster, then, well, I'm at a loss.
  
  
• Slate had a couple of interesting articles. First, how race shaped Bush's response (it's not what you think) and is it really worth rebuilding New Orleans?
  
  
• Can someone give the Bush family a lesson in tact when it comes to speaking in public?