Posted on 09/02/2005 7:21:59 PM PDT by military cop
Consider this concept: Rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast through an initiative I would call The Gulf Coast Authority.
Consider this concept: Rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast through an initiative I would call The Gulf Coast Authority.
The program would be patterned similar to the actions which brought the Tennessee Valley Authority into being and would strive to accomplish some of the very same things: Create the infrastructure to rebuild the great cities Gulf Coast while simultaneously putting those displaced to work doing it.
We have a blueprint. The Tennessee Valley Authority brought the Appalachian infrastructure into the 20th Century while putting huge amounts of unemployed citizens to work in the process.
This would be a concept that would have to move quickly and would need a figure that would represent the finest qualities of leadership and unity. For this position, I would recommend Former Secretary of State Colin Powell- a man who literally transcends both demographic and racial stereotypes.
The idea's not nearly developed but, it's a start.
I hope all take a shot at adding to the concept or sling another if the ideas come.
RLTW
Save the historic areas, but move the business and residential districts further inland. The Port is the reason the city exists, but the people do not have to live near the port. I think resurrecting what was is a bad idea. We can take this as an oportunity to create something better.
Interesting idea, but I would consider the problem in two pieces for purpose of analysis.
First is the Gulf Coast apart from the City of New Orleans - here the damage is normal but severe hurricane type damage; complete destruction for the 1/2 or 3/4 mile from the beach across 90 to near the railroad tracks, with inland in much better shape. Very similar to Camille, except the storm surge may have been a bit higher and tornadic activity inland a bit lower than Camille. I'm not sure why private insurance recoveries combined with typical aid from the Federal Government as in situations like Hurricane Andrew isn't an appropriate approach in this case.
New Orleans is a completely different matter. It's really the fact that the city has been nearly completely flooded from the levee breaches that is the problem, not so much the direct hurricane damage. An assessment will need to be made as to how much we should spend on rebuilding and strengthening the levees, whether lower-lying neighborhoods should not be rebuilt but be essentially condemned as unimproved land flood zones, etc. Perhaps a special authority would make sense for dealing with the New Orleans situation.
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