A Letter to the President-Elect Regarding Katrina

America's incoming president faces many challenges, but perhaps none so iconic as the continued geographical, social, and ethical deterioration of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Through both neglect and malfeasance, the federal government has done little to ameliorate the damage and, as a result, has elevated the nation's worst natural disaster into a symbol of failed response by government. Louisiana's political culture and lack of local leadership are definitely obstacles to progress, but they substantiate even more poignantly the need for effective federal intervention. Here, in straightforward language, is what needs to be done now.