I remember the heat wave in Chicago. There was a book on it that I kept wanting to read for a couple years, but never did.
However, I think FEMA has a lot more of a role to play in something like the Katrina aftermath than the Chicago heatwave. The situation in New Orleans demanded a lot more logistically, which I don't think a local government would be prepared to handle. Even if the death tolls are similar, the massive infrastructure damage and tens of thousands of evacuees make it more of a job for the largest authority.
For the main topic: The Bush administration is done and it isn't.
They couldn't get anything done on Social Security. They won't be able to invade another country, after all that menacing talk towards Syria and Iran. They will not effectively roll back any major entitlement programs.
However, they will continue to push for tax cuts, consolidate partisan power, centralize authority, appoint loyalists over professionals, and give cash away to their CEO buddies.
The Bush administration is a complete, utter failure at governing this country. As a Tammany Hall style racket that uses the machinery of civil service to enrich the well-connected, it's pretty decent.
