The U.S. state of Texas was recently struck by a catastrophic flash flood that has claimed more than 100 lives so far. Julian Castro, former U.S. secretary of Housing and Urban Development, stated bluntly on a television program that the tragedy stemmed from a failure of leadership at all levels of U.S. government. He highlighted that federal budget cuts and staff reductions had led to critical positions being left unfilled. He also pointed out that the state legislature rejected a proposal to allocate funds for strengthening the early warning system. Castro called for the appointment of leaders who truly understand government responsibilities and are committed to effective, pragmatic action.