Where’s the leadership?

Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007 | 10 p.m.

Two years ago today Hurricane Katrina was ravaging coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. In flooded New Orleans the worst was yet to come -- levees would break within a day, resulting in most of the city being suddenly and deeply submerged.

Our first response back then was to write of our confidence that strong leadership, pride and spirit would prevail over this tragedy. We spoke too soon.

President Bush made a few grandiose speeches, but went on to prove himself detached from the suffering and damage. Federal emergency response was shockingly inept. Governments at all levels fought with one another over money and services, binding reconstruction in layers of red tape.

Today reporters for local and national outlets are filing bleak stories.

Two years after the hurricane the city has an estimated 80,000 vacant houses. About twice as many homeless people live there now as before Katrina, with many squatting in abandoned buildings. Tens of thousands of people remain living either in homes that remain badly damaged or in federal trailers.

A city program to inspect, and ultimately repair or raze flood- and fire-damaged homes, thousands of which are near collapse and pose immediate health and safety hazards, is so far behind schedule it is virtually unresponsive to most complaining residents.

A state and federal “Road Home” program for people driven out of the city is hopelessly overwhelmed and snarled as Louisiana and federal officials fight over a $5 billion shortfall.

Dozens of streets remain damaged and many schools have yet to reopen.

The homicide rate in New Orleans has doubled since Katrina. The city police department has shrunk, forcing military police to still be on patrol.

In a commentary about the current condition of New Orleans, and crises ranging from infrastructure to crime facing most other communities in the country, Associated Press writer Ron Fournier wrote, “Katrina showed governments failing to prevent a crisis, moving sluggishly to respond to it and refusing to be accountable … We live in an era of failed leadership.”

We believe he is right. How much longer we accept it is up to everyone of voting age.