Life After Katrina

Watching a very eloquent woman named Carlanda on CNN Live today who has been struggling in the Atlanta region following her family's evacuation from New Orleans. She's speaking about the continued struggle to move forward toward stability, and hearing the newest deadline by FEMA: No more funding for your living expenses after December 1.

Some of her thoughts, paraphrased, of course:

• I have no choice but to continue trying to make my life on my own. There is nothing else the government is willing to do to help.
• FEMA and other assisstance organizations have misappropriated funds- they had enough money allocated and donated: as of Oct, they had over $400 million dollars, more than enough to assist all of those still living in temporary housing for six months [not the 2 months provided]. [Over 150,000 people currently live in hotels, and many more live in temporary apartments, etc]
• The government has definitely failed us. All I can do is continue to try to find work and pray.

Anybody want to explain to her, to me, and to all of us, why our country is so inept that it still can't figure out how to help citizens meet their core needs after this disaster? This is incredible, and horrifying.