Bush questions reopening of New Orleans

[sabra]

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/special_packages/iraq/12686431.htm

Bush questions reopening of New Orleans

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Monday questioned the plan to allow residents to return to New Orleans, saying there are too many concerns about additional flooding and safety in the city.

"The city needs to re-emerge," the president said after a meeting of his Homeland Security Council. "It's a matter of timing."

Bush spoke as residents began trickling back into the city Monday morning as part of a reopening plan by Mayor Ray Nagin one ZIP code at a time.

...

Bush said there is "deep concern" about the possibility that Tropical Storm Rita, which was headed toward the Florida Keys on Monday, could drop more rain on New Orleans and breach the city's levees again.

[pitohui]

1. who cares what he thinks

he's a proven incompetent

ppl want to come home & they are coming home & heaven help you if you stand in the way

[gWbush is Mabus]

2. "I'm a FEAR President"

[doublethink]

3. Just heard a few comments from him * on this on CNN ......

My first impression was returning residents kinda puts a crimp on his cronies possible 'land grab' down there. :shrug: ..... peace.

[Ben Ceremos]

9. James Baker III...

spends his "free time" searching the public record to see what properties he can acquire for pennies on the dollar, insurance policies left "unclaimed, etc. N.O. represents a bonanza of potential "pickings" for these vultures. The people of Louisiana better wise up or the BFEE will own N.O. "legally".

[doublethink]

12. That somehow doesn't surprise me .......

I was reading up on the 1927 flood down there and how the venture capitalists came in and pulled the same thing back then. Anyway welcome to DU Ben Ceremos !!!!! Peace. :)

[bee]

13. my thoughts exactly. n/t

[HoosierClarkie]

4. I am confused.

Is it really a safety concern or are they concerned with the people of New Orleans putting a wrench in their plans and taking their city back?

[Mass]

7. There is a real concern about safety

THere us still no current water, sewer, or electricity in NO. Should another tropical storm come, the levees would break again and they dont have any phone system to alert people and there are NO way they have done the environmental studies necessary to be sure that it is safe.

We can understand that some people are eager to go back home, but this is what leadership is about. If Allen is asking for a couple weeks more so that they can secure the situation, Naggin should agree and not call for 100,000 people or more to come back in the city this week.

(some environmental organizations agree with Allen, it is not only the administration).

A few examples of risks

http://www.nrdc.org/news/newsDetails.asp?nID=1834

[tx_dem41]

8. Not necessarily true....Algiers which is part of New Orleans...

on the West Bank (and where I am from), is being opened up today. The water is on a separate system.

All told though, you are correct in stating overall safety concerns for other parts of the city.

[Carni]

14. A question since you are from Algiers

Is Algiers on higher ground like the French quarter?

What I am driving at is...if another storm were to hit the region and another section of levee gave way could Algiers flood as other areas did? (God forbid and God forbid that I am even giving anything that asshole in chief says, any consideration)

I have been to NO and know where Algiers is but I don't have any knowledge of the lay of the land as far as what's high, what's low etc.

I think bushit probably just wants to keep people out so that he and his cohorts can make their land grab but on the other hand I am worried about Rita taking the same course as Katrina (I personally think it will hit Texas or the panhandle but that is just my hunch)

[tx_dem41]

17. About the same. We were a few feet above sea level where our ..

house was. Generally, over a large area, its some of the highest ground in Orleans Parish. But, the main thing, of course, that saved us this time is the fact that the Mississippi River (and its leveees of course) are between us and the canal levees that broke (i.e. we are the only part of New Orleans outside of the infamous "bowl").

[Carni]

23. Ok, I get it now

We stayed near the river part of the time (I think we were near the aquarium on Gravier street)

When I looked across at Algiers, I didn't know I was even IN a bowl at the time (glad I didn't know)

It seems like the areas with the oldest structures are the ones on higher ground (which makes sense hence the reason they have held up all these years)

Thanks for the info and I am so sorry you all are dealing with this horrific ordeal!

[earthside]

16. Return Now is Dangerous

I agree.

With such a lack of municipal infrastructure and another hurricane on the way, allowing open return to the area is just plain stupid ... it is so stupid that even the Chimperor knows it is stupid.

I think this has more to do with the pro-corporate, pro-development mayor of new Orleans wanting to look good and get his business pals up and running.

[anotherdrew]

22. that danger is a choice for individuals to make, not the nanny state

If they want to go back it's their choice, many areas like the one opening today, are safe-ish, some area more toxic will no-doubt remain closed much longer. I don't think they're opening up for people to just move home, I think it's mostly about letting people get in, get stuff, and get back out. Other's will stay and start cleaning up what they can, others just need to pick stuff up from their apartments and take off again. Let them.

Bush has no business opening his mouth about this, to hell with bush.

[LeahD]

26. The lack of environmental studies concerns me.

I heard last week that the even the air is toxic. Your home may be in an area that has been largely unaffected...no flooding, no mold. But the air?

[OzarkDem]

24. Bush concerned about safety? Pshaw

The reason they're worried and the reason Nagin is letting them move back is the plans Bushco had for the 3 G's: grab the land, gentrify and gerrymander.

[Mass]

27. Even an idiot can be right once in a while - Bush does not care,

but he could be right whether he cares or not.

Environmentalists agree that it is too early to bring massive populations in NO.

Naggin is dismissing the risks too lightly.

[Wickerman]

5. If you send the people back to NOLA the Rain wins

:eyes:

From our Fear-based President

[Seansky]

6. there are flushing out their plans on how to get the must $$$

wouldn't surprise me

[noonwitch]

10. The business owners in the safer areas at least need to get work started

I saw the interview with the owner of Antoine's restaurant in the French Quarter this morning. He's not talking about moving back in this week, he's talking about cleaning up, assessing damages, and starting up business in a few weeks, when all the services have been restored. He said he can't open as long as his staff have no place to live, but wanted to get started on fixing the building up. If he springs for the port-a-potties and the bottled water for his work crew, he and other businesses should be able to at least get started rebuilding and recovering. It's key to the city's recovery.

[rfkrfk]

11. this is not Bush'es call

this important decision belong to the locals.

I suppose this important decision, in theory,
belongs to the Governor, bit I'm sure
she will respect the wishes of the Mayor.

Somebody tell Bush to butt out.

[Kagemusha]

15. This opinion does not originate on Bush nor relies on his credibility

The levee system's pretty fragile right now.

Go hate the man all you want, go say it's a local decision all you want, but the words, on their own merits, are not mistaken. It's just that neither he, nor the engineers from whom this opinion originates, can know if it WILL happen, or not.

Edited in case someone gets offended.

[OzarkDem]

25. So they should fix the levees

perhaps it would help if they pretended the levees were actually oil wells or refineries. That would get the job done very quickly.

[JVS]

18. Have they cleaned up the toxic sludge yet?

Is it safe to go back?

[Im_Your_Huckleberry]

19. oh, so NOW he's worried....

[confludemocrat]

20. Only HE can go there to save his ass, but no one else to save their place

what utter bullshit. he seems concerned for their safety. But with all those Blackwater boys and the rescuers and a retooled (they are, right?) FEMA, any new flooding will be a piece of cake to fix, right? I mean our President thought it was safe enough to give a bullshit speech to save his ass from there, why not anyone else with an imperative to be there. He's not KING yet! I mean mountains are moved to make sure he has a fucking photo op but no one else can return?

[pitohui]

21. bravo

best post in this thread

[godai]

28. Blame game?

People coming in are DRIVING in and they can DRIVE out if needed. I think there needs to be a small functioning presence established to avoid a total 5-10 year shutdown of NO for alleged contamination reasons. They do need power, phones and water ASAP but having people there is an incentive to get this moving. Seems like I still see empty streets, with little repair activity ongoing.

Sounds like a CYA by *, just in case another hurricane hits. More like an 'I told you so' preamble to the Blamegame.

A story on NPR this morning indicated people have been coming back all weekend, and being let in, with warnings about drinking water etc.

[musiclawyer]

30. I agree it's CYA

But for other reasons. The Feds know that the the soil and water is almost Cheyrnoble-like. And when the cancers and illnesses come calling in the future, they can point to the record and say the feds urged caution and then place all blame on the locals.

[genieroze]

29. I agree with him, we can't have the people who used to live there

move back. That defeats the whole purpose of getting FEMA to get rid of them in the first place. Only the rich should be allowed to return.
:sarcasm: