U.S. senators seek post-Katrina "Marshall Plan"

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N14476519.htm

U.S. senators seek post-Katrina "Marshall Plan"

WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Senate Republican leaders on Wednesday urged President George W. Bush to establish a "Marshall Plan" for the recovery after Hurricane Katrina, similar to the massive post-World War II effort to rebuild western Europe.

In a letter to Bush, Majority Leader Bill Frist and the rest of the Senate Republican leadership called for a "Marshall Plan" to establish a "coordinated and comprehensive plan to help the Gulf Coast region."

They did not spell out precisely what such a plan would entail, but lawmakers are beginning to consider ways of assembling a public-private partnership to redevelop the shattered region in the coming years.

...

Despite the bickering over how to investigate the disaster, Frist and Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada announced they would lead a 14-member delegation to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on Friday. Both Louisiana's senators, one Democrat and one Republican, would take part.

[hardrainfallin]

1. well, the Marshall Plan wouldn't have worked if

Hitler hadn't first been removed.

[tonkatoy57]

2. Now hold on a second

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't these guys big government haters? Now they want a Marshall Plan, like in Roosevelt/Truman Marshall Plan? You know, big plans, big government, big money spent on infrastructure and all the rest of that boring, mundane shit. There seems to be some kind of disconnect here. Oh, wait a second, now I get it. It's their ox that got gored this time. What a bunch of dumb asses.

[sabra]

3. bingo. and welcome to DU!

[tonkatoy57]

4. Thanks for the welcome

I've been around as a regular reader since shortly after 911, but never got around to registering.
For the record, these nitwits are about to drive me to drink (and if I had a car I'd drive myself to drink).

[IrishBloodEngHeart]

5. i think we need to have a nationwide marshall plan

with a focus on katrina rebuiding, but also a focus on rebuilding infrastructure (dams, levys, mass transit) and planning for future disasters by putting money into prevention and mitigation, rather than throwing a ton of money at the problem.

Imagine how much money and human misery would have been saved with proper investment in the LA levy system prior to Katrina.

We need to be forward thinking!