Has the US learned?

For the past few days I've been watching Hurricane Gustav as it has strengthened and pointed itself at the US gulf coast. Now it's heading for New Orleans - and residents have been told to evacuate. Which means we get to see whether the US has learned anything from Katrina a few years ago - whether it will bother caring for the poor, the sick and the elederly, or whether it will leave them to drown, starve and die.