Time to start moving some folks to East Texas (temporarily)

[SoCalDem]

The US government needs to set up some sort of housing and feed them there..away from the rubble and toxins.

It's an opportunity for Texans out of work too..

Trying to cope with clean up AND caring for displaced people all in the same destroyed space is a nightmare.

East Texas has lots of wide open areas, and these people are not going to find meaningful work anywhere right now, so why not just move them to safety, and to a place that's not damaged..

Care for them there until the mess is as least cleaned up enough to allow them back.. But even then.. where will they go.. where will they work? live?

People cannot exist on air (probably toxic at that) for months..

The poor people who lived in ramshackle apartments and houses that are now gone...they will probably never be able to find a place to live there again.. The landlords will take the FEMA money and will NOT rebuild housing for poor people..

To lots of innercity landlords, the storm was a blessing.. They did not live there, and probably didn;t want to spend the money to tear those places down, and then Katrina did them a favor.. She got rid of their "tenants" and the rickety housing ..in exchange for a big fat check from FEMA..

[RPM]

1. is this why FEMA built those concentration camps

is the purge beginning :tinfoilhat:

[rodeodance]

2. msnbc said the hospital is evacuating pts to the DOME.

[rodeodance]

3. I do not think DeLay wants a refugee camp in his state.

[SoCalDem]

4. SCREW DELAY

:grr:

[SoCalDem]

6. I just read that there is already 2 feet of water around the dome

and it's rising.. What next?/ another evacuation from there??

[hlthe2b]

5. I know a certain 1600 acre "ranch" that would be perfect...

And, Barb, Jenna, and Laura would surely be wonderful hostesses!

:eyes:

[coffeenap]

7. Eminent domain?? We need a place for a refugee camp now!

1600 acres of fairly flat, accessible land. We know helicopters and trucks can get there, don't we?

[Bridget Burke]

8. Not many "wide open spaces" in East Texas.

The refugees definitely need help, but hiding them in another state is not the answer. Should they be kept in "camps" forever--since you suggest they should not return to NO?

WHY isn't affordable housing available? That was a problem before the storm.

[SoCalDem]

9. Not "hiding" them.. taking care of them

a dry place to sleep, a place to secure what little they have.

For the ones who bugged out, CNN just said they might not be able to return (martial law in effect, ya know) for MONTHS.. Are motels going to allow them to stay for free? Could YOU afford to stay in a motel and eat out for a month?? (I couldn;t)..

They need to be in a place that does not have flood damage, so they can be away from the damaged area.. These people are NOT going to be part of the clean up. They are people who need caring for..

Think of the elderly poor who lived in the old apartments. They can barely care for themselves in GOOD times..

It severly stresses the caretaker organizations when they have to house and feed their own volunteers and do it in a devastated area with few facilities..

It makes more sense to help these people "escape"..even if only for a while..

If I were in their shoes, I would be first in line for the bus..

[jpak]

13. FEMA doesn't pay for evacuation expenses

I know

Something is going to have to change.

I simply cannot fathom why ChimpCo hasn't mobilized military helicopters and amphibious vehicles and deployed them to NO.

Those people have no way out, and many will be suffering from severe dehydration within the next few days.

They need to have helos in the air taking in food and water - and taking people out - NOW!!!!

[SoCalDem]

14. That would be the BEST use of FEMA money right now

handing out donuts & blankets won;t do much for people who have lost everything..Nothing is open..even if they had money, where would they buy stuff? where would they store it? where will they sleep?

First things first..

First you get the people who are not part of the clean up ...OUT of the area.. More people to care for in an emergency is useless.. It's like trying to cook a big meal in a small kitchen.. guests want to help, but the more people in the kitchen, the bigger hassle it is..

Caretakers may have a problem even getting in now that martial law has been declared.

[pop goes the weasel]

15. This article might explain some of the federal sluggishness

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/29/AR2005082901445_pf.html

Destroying FEMA


By Eric Holdeman
Tuesday, August 30, 2005; A17


SEATTLE -- In the days to come, as the nation and the people along the Gulf Coast work to cope with the disastrous aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we will be reminded anew, how important it is to have a federal agency capable of dealing with natural catastrophes of this sort. This is an immense human tragedy, one that will work hardship on millions of people. It is beyond the capabilities of state and local government to deal with. It requires a national response.

Which makes it all the more difficult to understand why, at this moment, the country's premier agency for dealing with such events -- FEMA -- is being, in effect, systematically downgraded and all but dismantled by the Department of Homeland Security.

[SoCalDem]

10. affordable housing is not an "issue" that rich people

care much about.. It never was and sadly, never will be. Poor people have to scramble for the crumbs they find..New Orleans(the new and improved version) will be devoid of all the housing these poor people used to occupy.. mark my words.. It stinks, but I'd bet money on it..

The landlord with the FEMA check will not build a "residence hotel" for poor people with the money.. He will probably sell the property and pocket all the money:(

[pop goes the weasel]

11. Texas is already helping

And the state is full of refugees. We'll take them all, if necessary. Louisiana would do the same for us.

So, what's California doing? Or the other states? If your state isn't already sending aid, get on the phone and demand your governor act now.

[SoCalDem]

12. They are flying out of March as we speak

:) and money from here will flow too..:) californians always help out.. We were in OKC and WTC and anywhere there's a need..

[Bridget Burke]

16. So load up the planes with refugees for the return flight.

Surely, they'll be happier in a Blue state.

[SoCalDem]

17. I actually do have extra room

wouldn't mind a bit..my son even has a few jobs available for framers:)