It shouldn’t be the job of the federal government to save all the morons who decided to live below sea level right next to the ocean.
That would be like Pittsburghers living on the edge of Mt. Washington with cracked foundations and waiting for the Feds to save them every time a house falls down the hill.
New Orleans is a joke of a town, and the whole idea of living below sea level right next to the ocean is ridiculous.
Our government is a joke, but not for the reasons you suggested.