Looks to me Like New Orleans is Just Gone.

[leftyladyfrommo]

I'm not sure how we just completely lost a whole city but it looks like we did. I don't really see any signs that it will be rebuilt in any meaningful way.

Something like half of the residents are still gone.

Doesn't really look like anything much has been rebuilt.

New Orleans was such a wonderful, different place. It is really sad. Especially since I think we have spend billions to not rebuild it.

[Riddler]

1. Didn't you know that it's more important to spend those billions

rebuilding Iraq instead of providing for our own? New schools, new hospitals, new police stations, new infrastructure...all for Iraq. For New Orleans? A day late and a dollar short from this bullshit administration. THIS, if for no other reason (of which there are many), is reason enough to impeach this piece of shit pretending to be president.

[Deja Q]

4. But, like Iraq and India and Iran and China, we are nation-building.

Ours isn't a nation, it seems.

(again, it's hard to build a world by sacrificing yourself.)

[azureblue]

17. 8 Billion

Think of this for a second- Bush got 8 Billion in Cash and spent / lost it in Iraq. Just gave it away like it was paper. Did you see the pix of the money on palettes? Gigantic blocks of US dollars, handed otu to anyone who wandered by with a good story.

So why can't the Congress take a tenth of that in cash to New Orleans and give it to people who really need it to rebuild their lives. Give the money to Americans. 8 Million will go a long way to help the city.

But I am especially angry at Pelosi & company, for they have not said one word about New Orleans. They have turned their backs on an America city in ruins, that needed help a year ago. New Orleans cannot wait another day for help. The city cannot wait for an investigation or a committee to be formed and a contractor to be hired. They need help right F^&*(g now.

[jmowreader]

19. A tenth of $8 billion is $800 million, not $8 million

Eight hundred million dollars would probably rebuild half the homes and small businesses in New Orleans.

I think the real reason Bush isn't rebuilding NOLA is that NOLA residents didn't love God the way Bush wanted them to.

It's not for oil. The oil around NOLA is mostly offshore; oil platforms can be staffed with people who live just about anywhere.

It's not to turn NOLA into a rich man's playground. The only reason rich people would want to go to NOLA instead of, say, Vegas or Atlantic City to play is because of what New Orleans was. If you turn it into some sanitized Jesusland, no one will move there because you're still talking about an area that's below sea level with about a million percent humidity.

No, no, by allowing Southern Decadence and Fat Tuesday the citizens of New Orleans made the baby Jesus angry so, as the baby Jesus' ambassador on Earth, Bush is required to punish them for all their wicked sin.

[acmavm]

2. It will be rebuilt the way the wealthy developers and the racist

land owners/officials want it rebuilt. Republican, white, and no large population of poor people.

[tavalon]

24. Correct!

This was a spectacularly successful racial clensing project. It is nauseating.

[radfringe]

3. same as all the

"progress" we've made in Iraq re-construction

[spanone]

5. Hey, the football stadium works, now that's priorities.

:sarcasm:

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. Of course, part of the problem is that insurers won't cover that area

any more. Too dangerous.

I don't think it is just New Orleans - its the whole Gulf Coast.

[leftyladyfrommo]

7. Really tho, we have spent billions in the Gulf Coast -and I sure

can't see where the money went. Doesn't look to me like much of anything has been done in the last two years.

[azureblue]

15. No "We" have not

The money went to the middle men- the contractors & Bush's friends. The money went into a holding account and trickled out in pitifully small sums. Do yourself a favor and research before you post.

[BOSSHOG]

8. I'm slightly more optimistic

Progress has been mind numbingly slow and the increase in crime has not helped one bit but there are small pockets of life and a heart continues to beat in the city. And yes the football stadium works and it brought in more then 300 million dollars to the city in the last three weeks. I have seen new construction in New Orleans East and construction crews are at work every day in many parts of the city.

[Bill McBlueState]

16. that's a good reason to root for the Saints!

and against the Bears -- hosting the NFC championship would be a big plus

[bdamomma]

9. I just think it is so sad that a beautiful vibrant city like New Orleans

and other neighboring states are not a priority to this sick administration, what makes anyone think that this wicked administration will rebuild cities in OUR COUNTRY, they have not done a thing in Iraq, except to bomb the hell out of something else's country. Impeach the bastard, or just lead him away to a padded cell in a psychiatric hospital.

[dogday]

10. My In-laws drove by the area on their way

back to Florida and they say that the place looks like a bomb hit it... Nothing has been done on hwy 90, it was a mess... It is a freaking shame.....

[Captain Hilts]

11. We shouldn't rebuild below the floodplain. nt

[azureblue]

14. How stupid

OK, then we shouldn't live in Florida, California, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, or any other state beset with disaster problems. Hell they always rebuild Florida. They rebuilt Los Angeles.
Or maybe the Netherlands should simply close up shop & move to higher ground?
What idiocy!

[gatorboy]

18. We ALWAYS rebuild Florida.

It seems every year we have to rebuild the coast there and no one makes a peep.

[Captain Hilts]

21. Don't ask taxpayers to pay for it. Or subsidize its insurance.

Building in shore-based flood plains has expanded dramatically the past 30 years. Used to be Nag's Head, etc. was a beach. Now it's all houses. This has happened all along the East Coast.

Build all you want, but don't make taxpayers subsidize their flood insurance.

[Capn Amerika]

30. One day building in disaster prone areas simply won't be sustainable.

And yes the Dutch will probably have to move out one day.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

26. Tell it to the Dutch.

[Ezlivin]

12. And wait until the next generation of blues wailers comes out of there

You think we've heard the blues? We haven't heard anything yet.

[azureblue]

13. Look at the blogs

And count how many diaries are devoted to New Orleans. A sickly few. Write a dairy and see how fast it scrolls off the list. Make a comment and people go, "oh, that's so sad.." Try to get a blogswarm going, and the effort just dies from lack of interest. i guess New Orleans isn't a hot issue anymore.

It is amazing that America has chosen to ignore the destruction in New Orleans.

It is amazing that Pelosi & co. have not said one damn word about fixing New Orleans. Wait I retract. I think someone said they were gonna investigate. Yeah, right, like an investigation is going to help fix the city.

Nowhere on the incoming Congress's list have I found a plan to fix New Orleans. the Democratic leadership sits in their comfortable houses and sips coffee while a city rots. They are proving that they don't care about what goes on outside of DC.

Dems, the time to do something is yesterday. If Bush can get 8 billion in cash for Iraq, why the hell can't you get a couple of million in cash and go to New Orleans and give it to the people who are struggling to live in horrible third world conditions.

WHY DO YOU IGNORE NEW ORLEANS?

[leftofthedial]

20. the repukes have spent billions for no discernible purpose

in Iraq, other than to sow the seeds of chaos

and billions more in New Orleans for no discernible purpose other than to field an NFL team



Oh, yeah. And to enrich repuke campaign contributors beyond any of our wildest dreams.

[warrens]

22. My daughter's school is spending a week there in March

Things are still very tough, but NOLA is coming back. And major props to Emeril, who reopened all three of his restaurants ASAP and is providing hundreds of jobs, but reportedly losing a ton of money.

If you want to help, schedule your vacation for NOLA.

[kskiska]

23. Here's something recent:

Survey: 9th Ward Can Be Rebuilt

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The predominantly black neighborhoods known as the 9th Ward can be brought back largely as they existed before Hurricane Katrina flooded them, a survey contends.

The finding contradicts the common perception that the neighborhoods are so damaged that they need to be rebuilt from scratch, said urban planners who conducted the survey.

``The structural integrity of the buildings, even in the most devastated areas, are in much better condition than has been reported,'' said Kenneth Reardon, chair of Cornell University's city and regional planning department.

Urban planners and students at Cornell, Columbia University and the University of Illinois carried out the survey, which was sponsored by ACORN, a national group that works to improve poor and moderate-income neighborhoods. The findings were released Saturday.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6329290,00.html

[alfredo]

25. It is political. NO was a bastion of Democratic voters.

It held great political power in La. bush wants to rebuild it in his own image. The longer they drag out the rebuilding, the more difficult it will be for the poor residents to return.

[dem91203]

27. Making of Safe Republican House seats via Neglect

What happened in New Orleans was no accident and was foreseen by a number of groups from President Clinton's FEMA STA ( Strategic Threat Assessment ) briefing for George Walker Bush just before his swearing in to Scientific American (New Orleans warning) 2001. When George Walker Bush had to find revenue cuts to pay for his 2001 Tax Cut⁽¹⁾ a value judgment was made George Walker Bush chose PORK for the The F.O.G. Elite over the lives and property of the U. S. citizens living in New Orleans, over 1500 died as a result of George Walker Bush'sdecision . Bush's neglect of the SELA ^{(2) (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)}. Was part of an effort to clean the Democrats out of New Orleans ^{(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)}

The developers have spoken and they want the Poor out of New Orleans. The developers want to build a "theme park" not a city with real people . There will be no room for lower middle class and the Poor and Democrats. This is the stall the pause that cleanses all the poor out of New Orleans . With no money no savings and no place to live if the did return to "rebuild" every day is another poor person that can't return. Just wait them out .

What would you do for a few $ DOLLARS $ more??

[mikehiggins]

28. If that pesky movie is correct

all of the Gulf Coast is gone, probably within my lifetime, and since I'm 61, that is indeed a scary thought. I'm looking for some nice seafront property in the Poconos.

[seemslikeadream]

29. Shes got blisters on the soles of her feet

She calls out to the man on the street

sir, can you help me?

Its cold and Ive nowhere to sleep,

Is there somewhere you can tell me?

He walks on, doesnt look back
He pretends he cant hear her

Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there

Oh think twice, its another day for

You and me in paradise

Oh think twice, its just another day for you,

You and me in paradise

She calls out to the man on the street

He can see shes been crying
Shes got blisters on the soles of her feet

Cant walk but shes trying

Oh think twice...

Oh lord, is there nothing more anybody can do

Oh lord, there must be something you can say

You can tell from the lines on her face

You can see that shes been there

Probably been moved on from every place

cos she didnt fit in there

Oh think twice...



Thanks again to Phil Collins for the words
My heart to the people of New Orleans