To BTilke:

I think that this is a very interesting question, and I'm glad that it's resulted in some thoughtful responses. I agree with those that say we'd be throwing away money to rebuild in such a vulnerable place, but I believe that ultimately NO will be rebuilt. It has too much historical and emotional importance. Of course, I'd like to believe that we will rebuilt smarter this time, but only time will tell.

To nytraveler:

I agree with your point, but think you're overlooking a very basic element. Your analysis presumes that most people vote with their wallets. The reality is that many, many people vote on the basis of moral values, and I think that explains why so many poor people voted for the Bush administration. I think the following example says it best--during the last campaigning period, one of the major TV networks interviewed a man who had lost a decent paying job he'd held for many years under cicumstances that could be directly attributable to the Bush administration (don't remember the exact facts, but that's how the reporter framed it). This man had lost his house and was now working at three separate part time jobs and making less than half of his prior income. Yet he said he would vote for Bush again in a heartbeat. When asked why, he replied "Cause I want to make sure those &!%& gays don't get the right to marry."

I think that says it all.

Humm, were Berlin, Hamberg, Nurenburg, Nogasaki, Hiroshima, and St. Perersburg rebuilt? Yes NOLA should be rebuilt and the dikes rebuilt in an adjacent location. Only repairing old dikes or levees makes no sence. NEW dikes would be a very wise national investment.

You may ask "where did the flood-control money go?"

Well, some probably will be used to build a multi-million-dollar bridge in Alaska to connect the mainland to...an uninhabited island.

Does anyone have more info on this bridge? If it's in Ketchikan, that might be for tourist dollars, as that's a huge cruise ship port.

NOTE: I am not saying I approve of this bridge, but maybe there was more of a reason for building this than meets the eye? I probably wouldn't agree not matter what the reason b/c I have a tendancy to prefer my nature more natural. I'm odd that way, I guess.

Re the whole pork issue, I remember from my poli sci classes that Americans tend to dislike Congress as a whole but like their own Congressment (or women). And while we decry pork in everyone else's state, we usually are grateful for any that comes our way. And tend to vote out Congressmen/women who don't deliver our "fair share" of that pork pie.
Is a puzzlement.

Anyway, thanks to all who responded. Unlike Sobelik, I don't feel this question was "all wrong" and I do hope NOLA is rebuilt stronger and safer with more respect for Mother Nature. I also hope that relief efforts sone get to all the people stranded in tiny towns and rural areas who seem--at the moment--to have been completely abandoned.

Several points;

Sobolik -

What does Kerry's money have to do with anything? I don;t care what the rich candidates do with their money. I object to what they're doing with my money - and your money - for their own benefit. It's policies that matter - not if the president;s wife has a fur coat or not.

As for morality - I fail to understand people who somehow believe that morality is limited to sex. Morality and ethics are very comprehensive issues - comprising treating others fairly, helping the poor, respecting the rights and differences of others - and not allowing your wealthy cronies to cheat their own employees out of their life savings in order to buy a 6th vacation house for themselves. Or falsely accuse others of being draft dodgers when they were obviously so themselves. Or send other people's sons and daughters to die in a war based on lies, lies and more lies - and with no end in sight.

As for sex - the only commandments I remember are not comitting adultery - or coveting one's neighbor's wife. The people that poor fool is trying to interfere with are doing neither - simply trying to live their own lives and mind their own business.

I sometimes think that the first subject taught in any public school should be logic - if people could only learn to use their heads for something other than hat racks we would all be much better off.

(It always amazes me that conservatives - who claim to want to get government out of people's lives on every level - are so obsessed with other people's sex lives. My old grandmother told me she thought it was because they had none of their own.)

You may ask "where did the flood-control money go?"

Don't forget Iraq, Homeland Security and tax cuts.

<http://www.editorandpublisher.com/ea...id=1001051313>

I must have missed something -- what does sex have to do with anything?

I guess you forgot -- It's an All Volunteer Force

Try thinking outside the box.

And for all you pissed off about the tax cuts, send your tax cut checks back to "Treasury of the United States"

Rebuild NO? Only if they fire the incompetent Mayor and Governor and put a Guiliani in charge.

Old truth: "Follow the money."

How come the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers' requests for strengthening the levees at New Orleans were cut?

Well, the last time I looked, their budget was the responsibility of the Secretary of Defense, Mr. Donald Rumsfeld.

NO is not Cleveland, Houston, etc. You cannot simply throw up some high rises and have it be a city. Lots of New Orleans income comes from tourism. Unless the same atmosphere is in place, there will be no New Orleans. It is sad, sad, sad, that people are blaming those suffering the most. There but for the grace of something go I.

Why, Why, Why??

Why did the levee break where they least expected, why did the pumps fail, why didn't the Mayor have a plan to evacuate the city, yada, yada, yada.

nytraveler:

I remember a couple of years back,news reports of doubts/worries that the levee in Holland was going to hold during some unusual weather. My german friend says this occurs now and again. So far, their luck has held, but whose to say when it won't?

I was born in NOLA, raised not too awful far from there and I agree with Judy 24. If it were a popular vote, I'd vote 'no'.

But it will be rebuilt. If they could either raise the city level (I know that's near to impossible, but I've seen impossible things done before!) or institute some regulations as to 'building up' on pilings, IMHO, it would be wise.

The actors, actresses and muscians, among others will not rest until NOLA is rebuilt.

The resorts in HI are open air lobbies.
I presume this is for wind and floods. I would like to at least see some of that type architecture in the cities involved when they are rebuilt.

Belle

Budman: Why did the Governor not request military troops/chinook helicopters, etc. on MONDAY?? Why did the President responding to Diane Sawyers question regaring this state "They haven't asked."!!!???? THEY HAVEN"T ASKED????

Someone I know works at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery and says they were prepared to send help on Monday, but 'weren't allowed'!!

I am ashamed and apalled at how this was handled from the President on down!
I was shaking my head, even as they were being led into the 'Super Doom'!!

Belle

It's up to State & Local Government to handle the situation. When they finally find out they are in extremis (which happened), they can't expect to twitch their nose and get instance response to the rescue.

Where was the evacuation plan? This blame Bush and the Administration crap is nothing more than an scapegoat.

All alone with your rants on a Saturday night, Budman?

Yea, that's me.

I think another point that has to be made here is that New Orleans is a very poor city and Louisiana is a very poor state - they are dependent on Federal Government funding for all sorts of programs and resources that richer cities and states provide for themselves.

So - when Bush starts cutting programs and services - the poorest - like Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi - get hurt first and most.

Yes- Giuliani did a good job in NYC - but he did it at least in part because there was a large standing Office of Emergency Management, there were long-term multi- state plans in place to handle emergencies (resources from upstate NY, CT and NJ were on there way in less than an hour) and there were massive local resources to put against the problem. Extra security is still costing New Yorkers huge amounts of money every year and most of the money promised to New York after 911 by the federal government is still being used to protect cows in Montana from being kidnappd by Al Quaida.

Also- although the disaster was shocking and killed a significant number of people - it did not destroy the entire area - although it did cause some short-term paralysis.

The difference is that in NO there were days of warning - and no one acted. The destruction was largely inevitable - but the deaths and human suffering were not. And for that the local officials must pay the price.

So - even sending Giuliani to NO - is not going to help unless he has resources to work with.

Yea, some seem to think the Federal Government is their Mother. When am I going to get my handout? Don't you just love all these excuses.

Well Budman, I know I heard The Pres say help was on the way when it wasn't. I usually support Bush, but this time, he really did show his ignorance!

He even admits the assistance initially deployed was inadequate. He is not alone in the blame, the Govenor was an emotional mess...I wanted to shake her and tell her to snap out of it and get with the program on Monday and every day I saw her interviewed thereafter!

The mentality of even the weatlhy and educated (not just the poor and ignorant) in hurricane areas is that they need to be accessible to and protect their property.

People are always expecting the hurricane to miss them somehow. I know, I tried to get all my family and friends (in the affected areas) to evacuate to our home (once we were reportedly in the clear)....none came!

It's usually a wait and see game...faith in the weather forecasters is not great. Initial reports had Katrina heading straight for our area, but I didn't bother to get too concerned upon hearing that...I know that it usually is changed 3-4 times before actual landfall, which did happen.

Hurricanes are just too unpredictable. However, I do start reviewing supplies,etc. as early as possible.

Judy24 had a grade for each government official and the public...I think she was right on!


Belle

I am going to piggy back off this post and start a new one as it is the logical direction it is heading anyway. Answer here or there.

Will the NO disaster finally force error correction? What 911 type impact?

What is the likelihood that this massive disaster will force the Gov. and others to stop repeating the mistakes and excesses of the past? And what 911 type impact is this going to have to airlines and other businesses as we know it? Tip the scale on what was balancing by a thread?