The political storm over Katrina

Re “Put to Katrina’s Test,” Sept. 11

How predictable that The Times, in its analysis, totally ignored the incredible incompetence of the Democratic mayor and governor in Louisiana. The list is endless: Their complete failure to implement much of anything in the way of a local and state response, their dithering indecisiveness and the city buses left to sit unused in an evacuation. The local “leadership” made any possible federal response far more difficult than it should have been. No doubt FEMA has some explaining to do, but your bashing of the agency (and Bush of course) while ignoring local Democratic leadership culpability is par for the course at The Times.

ROBERT MCCARTHY

Newbury Park

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Thank you, Michael Kinsley, for your opinion piece (Sept. 11).

I immigrated to America almost half a century ago. I was impressed by the pragmatic, problem-solving approach of the community: Solve the problem, recriminate later. With Katrina I have been saddened by the tragedy itself and by the politicization of it. Please, let’s solve the problem; there is plenty of time to fix blame later.

GIORGIO INGARGIOLA

Narberth, Pa.

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Re “A Comeback for Big Government,” Sept. 10

All that conservatives such as Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma can think of at this time is to cut the federal budget? He said: “That’s my greatest disappointment. We don’t have that leadership.”

I would reuse that quote to describe his lamentable attitude and that of our current federal leadership, but I would change the last two words to read “the humanity.”

RICHARD MALLERY

North Hollywood