Hurricane Katrina: Natural Disaster, Human Catastrophe

A leading conservative ideologue, Grover Norquist, once quipped: "My goal is to cut government ... down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub."

Here are the results: Much of the Gulf Coast remains devastated, and hundreds of thousands still struggle for basics that American's should never be expected to sacrifice: a home, a job, functioning schools, and health care.

Many of those greatest hit—from New Orleans' lower 9th ward—were actually making these sacrifices before Katrina struck. The fact that they continue to struggle disproportionately today makes one thing clear: The President and conservative lawmakers still aren't serious about rebuilding the Gulf for those most in need.