September 29, 2005
Louisiana - Money they don't need - Yet
Katrina - A disaster that was bound to happen. A disaster that effected an enormous area. A disaster that displaced thousands. A disaster that destroyed many many homes, schools & businesses. Another ‘disaster’ is waiting to happen. While our Nation still has strong feelings of empathy, for the people of New Orleans and Louisiana, their Politicians are trying to take advantage of our ‘goodwill’.
I do not have the transcript from Senator David Vitter's (R) interview on Hannity & Colmes last night but he essentially said this:
We have to do this now. Now. While the disaster is still fresh in the minds of the American people. You know how it works. Americans have short attention spans. People will move on to other issues and because what happened with Katrina won't be fresh in their minds we may not get the money later. Mary Landrieu(D) was invited to join Vitter but declined. Does this give them the 'right' to request, and possibly receive, money they really shouldn't get? No.
The American people will not forget what happened BUT they may say 'Stick it.' when they realize what LA is asking for.
So what did they do to come up with this 250 BILLION DOLLAR figure? It sounds like they just put together a 'wish list' of everything they ever wanted. They will put together a group, called the 'Pelican Commission', that is supposed to represent the 'people' of Louisiana.
Here is how 'the group' was described by the 'Washington Post':
"The bill, unveiled last week, would create a powerful "Pelican Commission" controlled by Louisiana residents that would decide which Corps projects to fund, and ordered the commission to consider several controversial navigation projects that have nothing to do with flood protection. The Corps section of the Louisiana bill, which was supported by the entire state delegation, was based on recommendations from a "working group" dominated by lobbyists for ports, shipping firms, energy companies and other corporate interests."
Also from the Post:
"Corps funding is only part of what Louisiana wants. The 440-page bill also includes $50 billion in open-ended grants for storm-ravaged communities and $13 billion for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, along with mortgage assistance, health care, substance abuse treatment and other services for hurricane victims. It also includes hefty payments to hospitals, ports, banks, shipbuilders, fishermen and schools, as well as $8 million for alligator farms, $35 million for seafood industry marketing, and $25 million for a sugar-cane research laboratory that had not been completed before Katrina.""This bill boggles the mind," said Steve Ellis, a water resources expert at Taxpayers for Common Sense. "Brazen doesn't begin to describe it. The Louisiana delegation is using Katrina as an excuse to resurrect a laundry list of pork projects."
And this:
"If Vitter, Landrieu and the rest of the delegation get their way, the final decisions will be made by the nine-member Pelican Commission -- which would have at least six Louisiana residents -- on the basis of a plan provided by the Corps."
'Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief and Economic Recovery Highlights' prepared by the office of Senator Mary L. Landrieu.
Was NOTHING in Louisiana insured? Were their school buildings not insured? ($2 billion dollars to assist areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina to repair, renovate, alter, or construct educational facilities.)
Were their police and fire departments not insured? Their court buildings and town halls not insured?
Did their hospitals and banks not have insurance?
Did the fishermen and shipbuilders not have insurance?
Their farmers? $10 MILLION to pay for cattle losses & $11 MILLION to buy new cattle? Double compensation? $35 MILLION for seafood marketing? They need money to 'market' seafood? I suppose, since the majority of us never heard of seafood. $25 MILLION for sugar-cane research?? Substance abuse treatment? People are suddenly addicted to drugs because of Katrina?
Other than requesting money for buildings and business losses that should have been insured and money for projects that can be described as 'pork' ...
Part of the problem with the money they are asking for is that it is based on the population BEFORE Katrina. The officials in LA have absolutely NO IDEA how many people will actually return to the areas destroyed by the storm.
Here is an old poll of evacuees.
It says that 43% are planning on returning and 44% are going to relocate.
Anybody have a new poll? Point us to it.
Many people with children that have already been enrolled in new schools, in different parts of the country, may decide they don't need to go back and take a chance they will put their families through the same disaster again. They will not want to uproot their children - again.
Many people will like the new communities they moved to better than the one they came from.
Many will find out they have more opportunities than they ever had before. There was a couple on MSNBC last night, relocated to Denver, that are not going back. Their children are grown.
Mayor Nagin is disappointed with the 'trickle' of people returning. What did he expect? What would they return for?
I don't know how many times I heard from that region - 'We have to rebuild the casinos so people have jobs.' Are these good, high paying jobs or are they more concerned about the tax revenue from gambling? I hear dealers make pretty good money but what about the rest of the employees? Where would they live? FEMA homes? On the cruise ships that are already rented? I don't imagine there will be enough places to rent and/or buy in the areas that were not flooded.
New Orleans should request money as needed. Some businesses are opening and some residents are returning. As the area begins to 'regrow' it will be more obvious where funding is needed. They need to make sure people will be safe from flooding before they start building new schools and homes.
When will the person who is to be in charge of these projects/monies be appointed? Has it happened and I missed it? I've heard names. He/she better be good. It better happen BEFORE more money is promised. The person needs to be objective and filter out the 'pork'.
Posted by Dawn at September 29, 2005 01:46 PMDawn, great topic. And the rush for pork is bipartisan, Republicans and Democrats alike are rushing in to accomodate their constituents in the upcoming feeding frenzy at the public tax revenue trough. No bid contracts for rebuilding infrastructure is an economic disaster in the making which my daughter and everyone’s children will pay for in increased taxes for many years of their work lives.
And beware of the Republican offsets to pay for Katrina. Republicans as we speak are trying to run through a bill to vacate regulations and laws and monies for their enforcement, proven to sustain and protect environments, species, and aesthetics in America the Beautiful.
And of even greater threat is Republicans cutting more than 1/3 trillion dollars from programs designed to protect the American public from bioterrorism, epidemics (Avian Flu is on its way) and other pandemics that could be devastating to Americans. Yes, Republicans are proposing cuts even to the Center for Disease Control, at a time when bioterrorism threat is at an all time high.
Beware, Americans, these politicians Democrat and Republican see a window of opportunity to “play” politics at its most mean spirited - the kind of politics that cares not one whit about the good and welfare of Americans and taxpayers. Their power struggle is their only priority, and we the American people will be the big losers for decades to come, if not longer.
Posted by: David R. Remer at September 29, 2005 03:28 PMYes.
I realized I should have pointed out how the two parties are actually working together in LA after I posted and drove off down the road to the grocery store.
We can only hope that this disaster and what will follow will actually wake us up.
We will see how well ‘The Incumbent Protection Racket’(Matt’s article) works next time.
Compared to the numbers being thrown around today, the Boston Big Ditch debacle hardly even registers on the Bee-Ess-O-Meter.
Some folks seem to have the idea that politicians genuinely want to do the right thing for the nation. That is, of course, a crock. The Gulf Coast giveaway should wake up even the most gullible. Sadly, it will not.
But hey, no problem. At least our great-great-grandkids will get to feel all warm and fuzzy while they’re still paying to rebuild Underwaterworld…and Social Insecurity…and Medicare…and….
Posted by: Owl Creek Observer at September 29, 2005 03:48 PMAnd the “Big Ditch” was(is) … drumroll please …. Democrats.
I don’t think the ‘You get more pork than I do’ claim will work anymore.
Now that the LA pork is quite obviously bipartisan they should really have no problem getting it as long as the rest of them get theirs too.
That is why these requests should be FILTERED before they actually go in for approval.
Maybe we need someone from outside our country to do the filtering?? Someone with no ties to either party for sure.
Dawn,
Thanks for the information.
I want to pose a question to you.
Do you think that the Federal governments mishandling of the Katrina relief effort and the fact that millions of Americans saw poor and minority people left behind at the convention center and the dome have anything to do with the fact that G.W. has opened up the purse strings with so little thought as to how the money would be spent and where because he is trying to save his tarnished image?
Honestly? Yes.
I don’t doubt the same would be happening if a Democrat were President right now.
Though I do believe calling Bush a racist was out of line.
He didn’t force people to live there. He didn’t neglect to evacuate the city.(It wasn’t his job.)
It’s not like Hurricane Pam was a secret kept from the Mayor and the Governor. They had a plan - they failed to ‘pull the trigger’.
Now that more information is out, the Feds are not getting all the blame.
Dawn,
Good article on just how dumb the Louisiana delegate is. What impresses me most through is that out of 440 pages not one recommends that any and all buildings destoryed by Katrina or Rita be replace by Category 5 building standards.
Surely by now it must be known that a Category 3-5 is going to hit the state again. What I’m worried about is that the Media seems to be not interested in pushing for a mandate on this issue. Although I can’t find the exact number FEMA has paid the Gulf States since 1992, I do know that it only took a 100 mile an hour wind to level all these new buildings that was replaced by hurricane Ivan let alone the rest of the hurricanes that we have paid for.
What happens in two or three years after they spend the $250 Billion dollars and Hurricane X hits New Orleans head on? Are we suppose to spend another $200 Billion to repair the damages in Louisiana and Mississippi? Just like Florida after Hurricane Andrew and North Carolina after Hurricane Floyd was witheld recovery funds until they passed the Category 5 Building Codes, so should all the Gulf States have their recovery funds witheld until their State passes and enact Category 5 Building Codes for those living within a 100 miles of the Coast. You know you have to wonder why the Banks and Insurance Conpanies didn’t require it. Thus, they to should be held accountable for most of the recovery funds needed to rebuild the area.
This issue should be taking up by President Bush as well as pushing to build the area back up “Green” for that would be a better way to spend our children’s money. But heh, what should we expect from a Republican lead government?
Posted by: Henry Schlatman at September 29, 2005 05:27 PMI live in a coastal region of N.C. that has been hit by hurricans for many years. Our state and citizens took the respondsibility of rebuilding our losses. Why should the federal government be respondsible to rebuild? We pay high insurance premiums to live in coastal areas and I assume government property are also insured. If the Governor and Mayor of LA. had evacuated properly,it would not have been such a major expense to rescue and care for those poor people left behind. I have made my personal contribution to help those in need and was pleased to do so. This country is in dire need of new leadership, in both parties of Government, who will lead with COMMON SENSE! It is time for the citizens of this country to say enough is enough!! This run away pork barrel spending and aid to foreign countries is going to be the down fall of this once great nation! May God Bless this country and we pray for real senseable leadership on all levels of government.
Posted by: Nancy Williamson at September 29, 2005 05:33 PMOh come on Henry.
Clinton declared the most disasters of any President and FEMA handed out boatloads of money under his reign.
He practically called disasters based on weather forecasts. It might snow - better send FEMA.
Both sides spend money they don’t have to get a vote and we all know it.
With the kinds of money they are talking about, everybody who lost a home in the region will end up with a home valued at far in excess of what they had before. They collect insurance then collect the dole and then go back to their former ways of living. The politicians of all parties are maybe even more in error for even allowing this kind of mismanagement of our tax dollars.
Posted by: tom at September 29, 2005 06:09 PMDawn,
Yes, President Clinto did hand out alot of FEMA funds diring his term in office; however, he placed haevy burden on the states that recieved them. After Governor Jeb Bush pushed new building codes in Florida in 1993, President Clinton made the Mississippi River region buy the lands of citizens who’s lands kept getting flooded every year, made them rework the levee system, and countless other little details before he would sign the paperwork. During Hurricane Floyd, NC had to accept new building codes, purchase 1,000’s of acres of land, and a host of other issues before President Clinton would hand over FEMA money.
However, can you tell me one thing that President Bush has done to offset future FEMA payouts for the four hurricanes that hit the Gulf states last year? Did you know that over half of the buildings along the Mississippi Coast have been built or rebuilt using FEMA funds which couldn’t withstand a CAT 3 let alone a CAT 5 because it “Cost to much and would prohibit economic development?”
No, I don’t have a problem with spending the money to help the citizens effected by Katrina and Rita, but for President Bush and the Republican lead Congress not to require that any and all buildings meet CAT 5 Building Standards cinsidering that we know that these large hurricanes are going to hit the Gulf States again within the next 5-30 years is just plain dumb.
Posted by: Henry Schlatman at September 29, 2005 06:41 PM“After Governor Jeb Bush pushed new building codes in Florida in 1993, President Clinton made the Mississippi River region buy the lands of citizens who’s lands kept getting flooded every year, made them rework the levee system, and countless other little details before he would sign the paperwork. During Hurricane Floyd, NC had to accept new building codes, purchase 1,000’s of acres of land, and a host of other issues before President Clinton would hand over FEMA money.”
Henry,
Are you saying the rules set forth by Clinton have expired?
How did we get to the point where we constantly identify one group of people and offer them entitlements which others are denied? We did so with affirmative action, with busing, with the Americans with Disabilities Act, we’re doing so with gay marriages and gay civil contracts. Now we want to pay for the cost of losses in one city, to the tune of $250 billion dollars.
Here’s what our forefather’s belief was in terms of equality. Everyone, no matter his/her race, sex, religious affiliation, health, etc. is entitled to equal treatment under the law. The key word is equal. Minorities should not be given preference over others, children should not be used to correct past discrimination by being bused to neighborhoods where parents and teachers have little contact with one another (so much for Hilary’s “It takes a village to raise a child”) so how can parents and neighbors be effecive in raising children to be principled, well behaved, citizens? While everyone who has compassion and character sympathizes with those who are disabled, far too much money is being used to conform to incredibly stupid laws which are forged to eliminate the disability (you can’t). I’m thinking of the young man who wandered away from the mental hospital because he couldn’t be held in house after 8 a.m. nor before 10 p.m. He wound up wandering down to the pond near here during a freezing storm. The result was 10 frozen fingers which had to be amputated. I’m thinking of the homeless who are often mentally incompetent and no longer have mental hospitals as places of refuge. Now, on the subject of gay marriages and gay civil unions. Many want these rights in order to entitle themselves and their partners to health, retirement and insurance benefits. I’m sorry, but people’s sexual preferences are private, as far as I’m concerned. I don’t want to hear about these behaviors from my friends, much less strangers. Where is granting this group such rights going to lead? Let’s get back to remembering that rights are to be equal. Period.
As far as spending $250 billion dollars on one city whose citizens have suffered terribly, we can’t do this unless we agree to spend the same for every city and state in this country when tragedy strikes. Wildfires are raging in California today, as I write. Are we going to spend another $250 billion to help these victims out as well?
How are we going to explain these outrageous expenditures to our grandchildren, who will bear the tax burden?
Posted by: fed up at September 29, 2005 07:22 PMNow why aint I supprised by this?
It’s business as usual in Washington.
No bill that has spending involved can make it through either house without it being porked to death.
I think it was Will Rogers that said.
“Nothing is safe when Congress is in session.”
David R. Remer
Beware, Americans, these politicians Democrat and Republican see a window of opportunity to “play‎ politics at its most mean spirited - the kind of politics that cares not one whit about the good and welfare of Americans and taxpayers. Their power struggle is their only priority, and we the American people will be the big losers for decades to come, if not longer.
Most likely longer.
Henry Schlatman
What happens in two or three years after they spend the $250 Billion dollars and Hurricane X hits New Orleans head on? Are we suppose to spend another $200 Billion to repair the damages in Louisiana and Mississippi?
You got it!
Posted by: Ron Brown at September 29, 2005 08:00 PMDawn,
In Florida and North Carolina you can’t get a building permit unless you have a plan that meets the Category 5 building codes in hurricane pron areas. However, that is not the case in Alabama. Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. In fact, if you look at the area effected you’ll notice that none of the new buildings or homes withstood a Category 3-4 Hurricane.
The reason that I know this is because I was amazed that none of the buildings in New Orleans were built to withstand a CAT 5. After doing some research, I was amazed that these states didn’t accept these new building codes because of politics. Even after Ivan hit Alabama in 2004, the state did nothing. In fact according to FEMA only the cities of Orange Beach (2003) and Gulf Shore (2004) adopted the higher building standards.
If you really want to take a look at sometime read Models show ‘massive devastation’ in Houston wrote in the Houston Chronicle on 2-20-05 that tells what could of happened if Rita would of come to shore in Glaveston Bay.
Mississippi and Louisiana leaves it up in the air. While I can’t find any debate due to the hurricanes in 2004, the fact is that the elected officials have been side stepping the issue of making the building codes mandatory. And since building codes are Local and State Law, the only time the President and Congress can push the issue is when they hand out large sums of money.
Posted by: Henry Schlatman at September 29, 2005 09:05 PMTo top it all off, Sen. Frist has prevented the majority of appropriations bills from ever coming before the Senate for amendments and votes. The fiscal year ends TOMORROW! This paves the way for yet another omnibus spending bill, a favorite piece of legislation for porker politicians due to the ease with which hundreds of pork projects can be hidden into the voluminous bill, and which must be passed in a hurry (so they tell the people) because the fiscal year end has come and gone and the Government has no money on which to operate.
There was ABSOLUTELY no excuse for this happening. The budget was presented to Congress in February I believe. There was time aplenty to get this most basic work of safeguarding the taxpayers money done on time and avoiding another wasteful pork laden omnibus process.
2006 simply must become an anti-incumbent voting year or voters can kiss responsible government goodbye for yet another election cycle.
Posted by: David R. Remer at September 29, 2005 09:20 PMDavid, the problem with kicking out incumbents is that their replacements become incumbents and the whole thing starts over again.
The problem isn’t incumbency, per se. It’s the fault of the citizens they represent who consider “pork” to be what the other guy is getting—never what they’re getting. The fact remains that people vote for the guy who can the goverment to spend money on THEM.
Therefore, the problem runs much deeper than incumbency—it requires everybody to stop thinking of the goverment as the teat that never stops giving milk.
Looked at this way, we need smaller goverment programs across the board which means (and liberals will hate to hear it) that we must starve the beast.
Posted by: sanger at September 30, 2005 12:01 AMSanger,
Starving the beast will not fix the problems all of Americans are facing. Intellegent use of our funds and programs on the federal level will. That is why IMO a political party would be smart to seperate the “Pork” from the necessary spending of our federal government. Thus you can operate the necessary programs through equal and fair taxes while requiring our representives to go back to their communities to raise the money for “Pork Programs” through the sell of Treasury Notes.
In this manner, the political party can take a real conservative stance because that is the way our forefathers did it before the Republicans talked the Democrats into taxing every American just because. Besides cutting alot of self serving politic games out of the system, our representitives would actually have to work for their money.
Posted by: Henry Schlatman at September 30, 2005 12:12 AMNot to go on a tangent, but illogical reasoning bugs me.
fed up, you said:
Now, on the subject of gay marriages and gay civil unions. Many want these rights in order to entitle themselves and their partners to health, retirement and insurance benefits. I’m sorry, but people’s sexual preferences are private, as far as I’m concerned. I don’t want to hear about these behaviors from my friends, much less strangers. Where is granting this group such rights going to lead?
However, you fail to show how letting people have the same legal benefits as married couples makes it so you have to hear about their sexual preferences. Won’t you have to hear about it more if they have to, for example, sue for insurance benefits?
dawn: nice article. I do not think people realize that tragedy is no reason to spend thoughtlessly and ineffectivly.
Posted by: Erika at September 30, 2005 12:49 AMDawn,
I did answer your question (Henry,
Are you saying the rules set forth by Clinton have expired?) yesterday, but it got caught up for review since I posted several links on exactly what has been done on the Category 5 Building codes. Hopefully it will post up here soon.
However, you must realize the Building Codes are regulated by the State and Local Governments so unless a President can use their power of “The Dollar” to change the minds of Local/State Authoritys than not much can get done. Nevertheless, you and everybody needs to check out the Houston Chronicle’s article that was published in Febuary of 05 that told what would happen to Houston if it got hit by a CAT 4-5 Hurricane with a 20 foot tidal surge. It would of made New Orleans look like childs play.
Posted by: Henry Schlatman at September 30, 2005 10:23 AMNice article, dawn. Why is it that only Democrats are warning we shouldn’t borrow the $250 billion from China?
This paves the way for yet another omnibus spending bill
IIRC, Congress hasn’t bothered to go through a budget process at all since Republicans took over in the 90s.
Sanger, you miss the point. They don’t become incumbents unless they act far more responsibly than their predecessors. That is the point of a grass roots anti-incumbency movement.
Posted by: David R. Remer at September 30, 2005 12:31 PMI don’t care what party your from, this bill is completely out of control… To early to really know what is needed, to much pork, just too much!
Many of you thinkers here at Watchblog have probably already done the math but the population of the greater New Orleans area is somewhere around 1.334 million people. Using that population that would come out to $186k per person! The government could give every man, Woman and Child in New Orleans a check for $100k each (irrespective of if they had insurance or not) and it would save the taxpayers 1.16 Billion!
Obviously this is completely unrealistic for many many reasons (such as there are more people in LA effected by the hurricane than just NO) so I am not proposing this as a real solution… But I think you get my point. This is a rediculous amount of money to be asking for. First, it’s based off of a population that may very will be less than 1/2 of what it was (a good thing IMO). Second, as it is currently designed will be used to make the same mistakes over again (because of no change in the building codes). I could go on an on…
Much of this is a wolf in sheeps clothing. Or should I say Pork dressed up as “disaster assistance”.
Are there any politicians in Washington that have any common sense left? Sombody cry Wolf please!
Posted by: BradM at September 30, 2005 01:12 PMDawn,
I’m not sure what happen to my posts last night, but here is the web link to the Houston Chronicle’ story back in Febuary of this year. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3046592 If you live in or near Houston, I strongly suggest you take the time to read it.
A storm surge, topping out at 20 feet or more, would flood the homes of 600,000 people in Harris County. If the storm comes up I-45, “many older buildings could not withstand such winds.” And that is with winds 120 mph even inland. According to Roy Dodson, president of the engineering firm Dodson & Associates. With a Hurricane like Ivan the estimated cost would be between $40-50 Billion dollars just for Houston.
Now do you see why President Bush and others should mandate the the Local and State Governments change their Building Codes? Otherwise, we will be paying Texas or the other Gulf States every time a CAT 3 or better comes to shore.
Posted by: Henry Schlatman at September 30, 2005 02:11 PM“Now do you see why President Bush and others should mandate the the Local and State Governments change their Building Codes?”
Why another “mandate” which would further erode states rights?
Why not just tell them that they will only get fed money for things that follow fed codes?
kctim,
That is a mandate. Although the Federal Government can’t require them to change the Building Codes, President Bush can MANDATE that no FEMA Funds for recovery be issued to the Local and State Authorities until those Building Codes are in place.
Sort of what President Clinton did back in the 90’s for Tornado Alley, the Mississippi River Flood, and Hurricane Floyd. In fact, in North Carolina he made the State purchase 1,000’s of acres and home from people living in alot of the flood plains.
Posted by: Henry Schlatman at September 30, 2005 08:00 PMYet another angle…environmental issues. Heard that the Army Corp of Engineers was successfully sued twice re plans in N.O. I believe the last time was in 1993 by the Sierra Club. Apparently they have concerns over nearby wetlands. Sorry, don’t have more details, maybe someone can verify or elaborate. Point is, above and beyond the rebuilding becoming a financial-political quagmire, there may be enviromental-legal goblins waiting to appear.
P.S. Stephan D.: Re a previous blog, you were right about Illinois and the electoral count. I stand corrected.
“kctim,
That is a mandate. Although the Federal Government can’t require them to change the Building Codes, President Bush can MANDATE that no FEMA Funds for recovery be issued to the Local and State Authorities until those Building Codes are in place.”
I agree … BUT … I don’t recall anything happening to Clinton that has happened to Bush.
There are people out there who are saying explosives were found in the levee breaches and that crators 26 feet deep were discovered. People who have for many years claimed that the Feds are purposefully trying to keep minorities down.
People who are claiming that the poverty rate in New Orleans was because of Bush.
The city has a black mayor. The city voted him in and has to suffer their own consequences for it.
There is another thread that is trying to prove that religion has something to do with the crime rate.
We have people screaming about what Bill Bennett said - who I think is one of the more honest people in America - who is actually trying to make America better — he is NOT racist and only points out things that most of us are afraid to bring up.
He is the ‘white’ Bill Cosby. He is trying to get people to stand up for themselves and stop playing victim.
Look who he is up against: Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakan, Nancy Pelosi.
It is Bill Cosby and Bill Bennett against them.
‘They’ have a head start and ‘they’ have convinced black Americans (who mostly live in areas like N.O. - where the whites are the minority) that they are somehow being discriminated against because they are black.
If people would HONESTLY look at the situation - affirmative action DOES NOT work in areas where the majority are black.
Mayor Nagin is stupid - have you heard anyone say that? No. Because he is black. If a white Mayor screwed up as bad as he did it would be front page headlines all over the world. I don’t care what color he is - HE SCREWED UP !!! Can anyone imagine what the headlines would be if Nagin were white?
He is now pleading for all previous residents of N.O. to come back. He knows he will NOT be re-elected if the blacks don’t come back. If he is lucky - just the ones who vote because of race will come back.
Maybe he will win again. I doubt it though because he is up against the people who were able to regain their lives and not those who voted for him just because he was black.
Affirmative action only works in communities where the minority (black) population is less than 12%. Bush didn’t set those standards and if people were actually honest about it - those who were ‘displaced’ by Katrina will be better off.
Posted by: bugcrazy at October 1, 2005 03:15 AMThere are news reports (major network) stating statistics such as the present 67% African American population of NO will be reduced to 30% after revitalization and, the entire total population of NO will be reduced by one third (1/3).
NO and the surrounding area is a sandbar for want of a better description. Parts of Southern LA are economically vital due to oil, gas, etc.
Any reconstruction IMO should adhere to very strict building, rezoning and safety codes.
This disaster is going to happen again. The day will come where the area that NO is presently located will be a bay and the “coast” will be the city of Baton Rouge.
Posted by: steve smith at October 1, 2005 11:05 AMSteve,
Rebuilding the Gulf State shore line from Alabama to Texas should be taken on from the Federal Level as a comprehensive package. From building up the Barrier Islands to a whopping 35 feet high to building levees to protect against Tidal Surges. Reworking the Delta of the Mouth of the Mississippi River. and restablishing the sea floor to it’s natural state. All envirovnmental issues that is sure to get both sides of the proverbial “Coin of Life” upset.
However, lets look at th issue from the third side of the Coin of Life. In taking on such a project America can work on the terra forming the entire area so that future hurricanes do not have such a big impact. Also, our universities that teach Ocean studies (to many to list) would have a great “Living Lab” as their students can work on the different projects to design the sea floor/shore so that they increase the fisheries in the area. Additionally, the jobs that would be created would be long term and lead the area back to building a better economy. A bigger and better Port System in and around New Orleans would make it safer for all Americans that export and import into the country.
Now, this would not help us tomorrow or even next year from an Ivan or Katrina; however, 10 years from today we could look back and know that what we have spent our “Recovery Funds” and investments will make the Gulf of Mexiico shoreline safe for generations to come.
Of course this idea would take alot of political will of our elected officials, but I do believe that “We the People” have shown the political will to do something other than talk about what should be done. Yet, I fear that the Democrats and Republicans lack to intellect and leadership to see past the next political dollar let alone doing what is in the inherent best interest for All American Citizens.
Posted by: Henry Schlatman at October 1, 2005 12:52 PMDavid R. Remer
There was ABSOLUTELY no excuse for this happening. The budget was presented to Congress in February I believe. There was time aplenty to get this most basic work of safeguarding the taxpayers money done on time and avoiding another wasteful pork laden omnibus process.
Your right, but how else will Texas get The David R. Remer Library? Or Georgia The Ron Brown Hunting and Drag Racing Park.
Ron,
If our Representives are as good as raising money as they are at rasing political contributions than your The David R. Remer Library? Or Georgia The Ron Brown Hunting and Drag Racing Park can be financed through the sell of U.S. Treasury Notes to Texas Residents and other Citizens of the World.
Thus, you get your libary built by Federal Dollars, the Representives look good, and the Citizens of Texas wins by investing rathering than being taxed. Oh yea, The American Public wins because they get to come to your project and spend money in the local economy.
Posted by: Henry Schlatman at October 1, 2005 01:21 PMNot to go on a tangent. I said I didn’t care to hear about other people’s sexual preferences. Seems clear to me that gays want entitlements based upon their sexual preferences-which they have to announce in order to collect the benefits. What’s so difficult to understand? I have no problem with gay relationships, but do have a problem with constantly enlarging the entitlement base.
Posted by: fed up at October 1, 2005 07:57 PMSubject: The Other Side of the Coin?
Subject: The Other Side of the Coin?
>> Been
sitting here with my panties in a wad, wanting
>> to speak out
about the bullsh*t going on in New
>> Orleans.
>>
>> For the people of New Orleans… First we would
>> like to say, Sorry for your loss.
>>
>> With
that said, Lets go through a few hurricane
>> rules: (Unlike an
earthquake, we know it’s coming)
>>
>> #1. A
mandatory evacuation means just that… Get
>> the hell out.
Don’t blame the Government after they
>> tell you to go. If
they hadn’t said anything, I can
>> see the argument. They said
get out… if you
>> didn’t, it’s your fault, not theirs.
>> (We don’t want to hear it, even if you don’t have
a
>> car, you can get out.)
>>
>> #2. If there is
an emergency, stock up on water and
>> non-perishables. If you
didn’t do this, it’s not
>> the governments fault you’re
starving.
>>
>> #2a. If you run out of food and
water, find a store
>> that has some.
>> (Remember, shoes,
TV’s, DVD’s and CD’s are not
>> edible. Leave them alone.)
>>
>> #2b. If the local store is too looted of food
or
>> water, leave your neighbor’s tv and stereo
alone.
>> (See # 2a) They worked hard to get their
>>
stuff. Just because they were smart enough to leave
>> during a
mandatory evacuation, doesn’t give you the
>> right to take
their stuff… it’s theirs, not
>> yours.
>>
>> #3. If someone comes in to help you, don’t shoot
at
>> them and then complain no one is helping you. I’m
>>
not getting shot to help save some dumbass who
>> didn’t leave when
told to do so.
>>
>> #4. If you are in your
house that is completely
>> under water, your belongings are
probably too far
>> gone for anyone to want them. If someone does
want
>> them, Let them have them and hopefully they’ll
die
>> in the filth. Just leave!
>> (For goodness
sakes, it’s New Orleans, find a
>> voodoo warrior and put
a curse on them)
>>
>> #5. My tax money should not
pay to rebuild a 2
>> million dollar house, a sports stadium or
a floating
>> casino. Also, my tax money shouldn’t go to
rebuild
>> a city that is under sea level. You wouldn’t
build
>> your house on quicksand would you? You want to
live
>> below sea-level, do your country some good and
join
>> the Navy.
>>
>> #6. Regardless what the
Poverty Pimps Jessie Jackson
>> and Al Sharpton want you to
believe, The US
>> Government didn’t create the Hurricane as a
way to
>> eradicate the black people of New Orleans;
(Neither
>> did Russia as a way to destroy America). The
US
>> Government didn’t cause global warming that caused
>>
the hurricane (We’ve been coming out of an ice age
>> for over
a million years).
>>
>> #7. The government isn’t
responsible for giving you
>> anything. This is the land of the free
and the home
>> of the brave, but you gotta work for what you
want.
>> McDonalds and Walmart are always hiring, get a
damn
>> job and stop spooning off the people who
are
>> actually working for a living.
>>
>>
President Kennedy said it best… “Ask not what your
>> country
can do for you, ask what you can do for
>> your country.”
>>
>>
>> Thank you for allowing me to rant.
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Steve,
You do have a right to rant; however, if you are going to rant lets get the record straight.
1.) Mandatory Evacuation: This policy is in place so that our Local, State, and Federal Lawyers can CYA themselve. Yet, the problems created by this policy when executed is usually in vain for most of the citizens.
While NOAA has made great advancements in hurricane projections over the last 15 years, their 3 & 5 forecasts show way to big of a strike area to be taken serious by most local citizens. Hurricane Rita is a perfect example of this problem faced by our Elected Officals when calling the ball to fall on the mandatory evacuation order and the area it will cover. Even through I wrote to David and Stephen (In The Bulleye: Comments: September 21, 10:45 AM) that Hurricane Rita had made a turn toward the west side of Louisiana and would most likely miss Houston, the Media and State on Thursday kept reporting that Rita was still projected to make landfall around Galvetson. Thus, eveyone who evacuated west of Galveston & Houston did not have to evacuate.
This imperfect prediction of our leaders has lead many of citizens to search out information on their own. Call it Human Nature, but if I am looking down a barrel of a shootgun the question is will or won’t the trigger be pulled. It is the same way for citizens who live on the coast. Although the Government says the hurricane will make landfall and cause this and that, my local knowledge of the area tells me that I can ride the storm out. However, even if the storm hits, I can rely on our local commerce to come back on line within a few hours. Even after Hurricane Floyd hit North Carolina and Ivan hit the Gulf States, the local stores opened up the next day or two.
2.) If the local economy does not come back on line, our local community leaders should of been the ones going into the stores to acquire the food for distribution to its citizens. This act is actualy allowed under the State of Emergency Act. By them doing it, the stores are protected and can be paid back for goods taken and the citizens can obtain the food that they need.
Looting of other stores is always present during this time and must be dealt with by enacting stronger laws that will detour most people. In North Carolina if a person gets caught Looting during a State Of Emergency that jail time is only 2 years. By ramping up that jail time to a mandatory 10-15 years, people would think twice before they took advantage of the situation.
3.)If someone begings to start shooting at the people trying to rescue you than join in with the police by firing back at the person. 50 guns to his/her one should discourage them from shooting our rescue workers.
4.) Levee breaks and Tidal surges cause a wall of water to come at you and your home at a very fast rate so out running it is out of the question. Therefore, you must go up. And unless you have a tall two or more story building than your only option is to find something that will float. In New Orleans 9th Ward this was the problem and the Locals knew that the Levee had been weakened by Katrina on Monday so everyone should of been moved to higher ground that day.
5.) FEMA only covers the first $150,000.00 of a home covered by flood insurance. Although other insurance companies will protect your loses for hurricanes, IMO they should require that the million dollar home can withstand the impart of a CAT 5 and the flooding that is naturally followed by it. However, as I pointed out on eariler post that is not the case.
However, building below sea-level is ok if the area is willing to pay for a redunant protection system. Although I can’t recall the name of the town in Louisiana, there is a city leader that got his citizens to pay taxes so that the government could build a bigger and better levee system that withstood both Katrina and Rita.
6.) Regardless what the Poverty Pimps Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton says we do not owe the victims of Katrina a check like the one paid to those of 9/11. It was a bad idea than and it is even a worse idea today. However, that does let the Local, State, and Federal Government off the hook.
Watch and mark my words, within the next months some Lawyer is going to attempt to bring a law suit against our elected officials for not thinking and acting in a timely manner prescibed to in the Law.
7.) In the Preamble of the Constitution of The United States of America it clearly states that our government is suppose to “Provide for the Common Defense of our Citizens” Thus, by default our government is responsible for ensuring that the “Playing Field” be such that it allows every American to have the means necessary to protect themselves.
However, the Democrats and Republicans have both been MIA on this issue for years. JFK was right when he said “Ask not what your Country can do for you, but what you can do for your Country.” Nevertheless, the politics of today and for the last 25 years has been how can you screw your Country not if your Country should screw you.
Yes, Katrina and Rita showed Americans how weak our government is agianst the power of Mother Nature, yet both storms were not as bad as they could of been. Could you even imagine what the Gulf States would look like today if they came a shore as CAT 5 Hurricanes? That job has to be addressed by our Government because they are the only organization that has the ability to man such a job. It is either that or we change the ideology of our society due to the fact that as it stands now, all Americans are here to serve our society.
Posted by: Henry Schlatman at October 2, 2005 02:41 PMI’m sorry to sound totally unsympathetic, but I say screw the bastages. I realize most of you saw the awful photos and the terrible dismay of the LA residents. Personally, I don’t feel too bad for em. I don’t believe in God, but if I did, I’d say this was his way of erraticating a giant mistake.
Now that you’re all boiling over with anger, let me explain myself. I lived thru Hurricane Andrew. I too was one of those moronic idiots that disregarded the “Mandatory Evacuation” and held out to party thru the storm. And yes, I assure you, before all this misery set in, tons of Hurricane Parties were goin full force….just look at the first places to get looted….liquor stores.
Now here is where my sympathy dies. After being thru Andrew, I learned my lesson….my house wasn’t destroyed, my Jeep wasn’t destroyed, I lost virtually nothing but power and a fridge full of food. But I learned my lesson. I drove thru New Orleans after Andrew….you know what? It hit them too. These idiots had been thru it before. Only then, Andrew was only a Cat 3 and was only 150 miles wide. This storm was GIGANTIC!!! Anybody that didn’t wet themselves when they saw this requires 24 hour care! if you haven’t been thru a hurricane, I can understand your ignorance. These people had tho! They new what they were in for.
And I know, you all are going to say, but they didn’t expect the flood! Yes they did! They expected it in Andrew, they damn well expected it now! LA, Mississippi….all of em….let em rot….don’t pay for squat. I didn’t get federal funding when an uninsured illegal alien totalled my Jeep. Why should we pay because they were too cheap or too stupid to get flood insurance which IS READILY AVAILABLE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I say screw ‘em! I won’t send a penny for relief, and I’ll be damn upset if I have to pay one damn tax dollar to fix their own f*** up!
You wanna spend 250,000,000,000 dollars? Supply my friends in Iraq with adequate armor! Save those that save us. Don’t save those that are apparently too stupid to live.
BTW, you see how fast TX hauled ass when they saw one coming….one most new wasn’t gonna be squat. That’s because they learned from somebody elses mistake. Those in LA didn’t even learn from their own in Andrew.
And for those that wanna blame Dubyah for the Katrina response…you know why you didn’t see federal blame after Andrew? Because Jeb didn’t have his head in ass until the flood waters were so high he had to pull it out to breath!
Just my $0.02
