What would be different if we had responded "perfectly" to Katrina?

What if every level of government -- from local politicos in New Orleans to FEMA to Congress and the President – had responded perfectly to Katrina?

Perhaps fewer people would have died.
There might be less devastation, at least less flooding in New Orleans.
The economic impact might be slightly less.

And what would be the same?

People would have died.
The physical damage would still be enormous and take years to clean up and rebuild.
500,000 citizens would still be displaced from their homes.
The living conditions in these areas would be precarious at best for months.
Gas supplies would still have been disrupted.
The port of New Orleans would still have sustained enough damage to keep it closed for weeks.
The impact would be greatest on the self-employed, the poor with little or no insurance, the physically weak, and anyone without extended family to help them.
Americans would have responded to meet the needs of fellow Americans with passion and sacrifice.