Posted on 09/01/2005 2:22:16 PM PDT by zencat
It makes no sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that's seven feet under sea level, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said of federal assistance for hurricane-devastated New Orleans.
"It looks like a lot of that place could be bulldozed," the Illinois Republican said in an interview Wednesday with The Daily Herald of Arlington, Ill.
(Excerpt) Read more at wwltv.com ...
Presidents Pierce and Cleveland said it in 1854 and 1877, respectively. Of course, that was well before Amendment XIX became the law of the land.
Tell that to the DUTCH.
Rebuild the highest parts by taking fill from the lowest parts, then let the lowest parts be reclaimed by the lake or river or sea.
Duh.
"Now Muttly, you must put on your Thinking Cap before you Post replies to statements made by someone other than the person who posted it.
How would you like it if someone did that to YOU ?!
Now apologize to the nice zencat.....yes, I know...but right is right.....and you were a bad Muttly."
I know. I'm sorry.
The Corps of Engineers has been "keeping it where it is" for several generations now. If not for their herculean efforts, it would have long since diverted itself to the course of the Atchafalya river, which already carries some of the flow of the Mississippi from just south of Natchez, near where the Red River flows into the Mississippi.
I am not a liberal, and I find it insulting that you would call me that.
I just will not tolerate the idea of abandoning such a charming city. It has not had major catastrophic damage on this level in 200 years, if we abandoned every city just because of catastrophic damage, we wouldn't have San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, or New York. Also though we have mostly moved away from there for better opportunities elsewhere, my family still considers N.O. home, and it breaks my heart to know that I would be on the opposite side of many fellow conservatives who I agree with 99.9% of the time (believe me I also hate the corruption and graft that has taken hold in that city--public official complain about the looters--I say they are the supreme looters--the Democratic Party of the State of Louisiana should look in the mirror.). Kathleen Blanco has blood on her hands, and the culpability of the looters for her incompotence..
but there is no question we should rebuild...
You could protest mother nature! Call Cindy Sheehan and all her PR types and let the world know that she is a killer! Mother nature has been in charge too long! Now NO is the latest victim and just before a glorious gay festivity in the city. Go for it. Then you could spawn a boycott of mother nature's products. Best wishes. Rebuilding NO without serious consideration of ramifications in the future and possible changes to alleviate destruction is very near cited.
I agree with the idea to preserve the historical parts of NO but at least consider alternatives to the rest. I have read of the reason for your attachment to NO and you have my sympathy.
Oh Come ON!!! They will rebuild it so our Grandchildren can rebuild it again in 70 years.
Ever heard of Lake Michigan?
It almost jumped in 1973. It could happen 500 years from now or next year. But IMO it's best to be proactive, especially since we are faced with rebuilding anyway.
If those cities were economically viable, then it wouldn't matter if we "abandoned" them (i.e., didn't give them federal taxpayer handouts, which is what you seem to be advocating). They'd have sprung up again anyway. The same goes for New Orleans. If it's economically viable to have a city in that spot, then one will grow back up again there.
Could they?
I never said not to improve the safety barriers. I believe that city needs to be overprotected from the hurricane/flood threat..
If built up with earth moving equipment etc to bring to sea level, it would probably make due with the existing technology in levees and canals et al. But that would be a monumental task of billions of millions of dollars to do. However, for much less it could be barriered with proper concrete levees and walls to wall in the flooding waters away from the city. I don't care for the worst of the decadence and the corruption that plagued that city. I pray this current crisis might prune those elements out...
I do think the flood control should be improved, for sure for sure.. NO was only protected against up to a category 3 hurricane, and that's direct impact. New Orleans was directly hit by a category 5 during the initial landfall, and it maintained a category 4 status throughout its duration in the area.
failure to protect through the full range of storm capability, imho, is stupid.
A major portion of NO will be bulldozed; structures submerged for days and/or severely wind damaged, torched or pillaged are uninhabitable.
The question is, given the corruption, the sad welfare subsistence of at least one-fifth of the population, and a stagnant economy, is the cost of rebuilding -- financed by everyone's tax dollars -- worth it?
I don't consider looking at reality, and the long-range factors that contributed to this disaster, to be "handwringing." For centuries, whole populations have migrated or died out due to acts of nature and the economic unfeasability of existence in areas prone to natural disasters.
Rebuilding the levees to withstand a Cat 5 storm will take billions, and that's after the billions it is currently costing in disaster relief. And that's just for starters.
Your point is well taken. I always appreciate another angle I hadn't thought on.
well with the proper hurricane/flood protection, at that level it shouldn't matter. it was only protected against cat 3...
The game the demonrats play with our troops is this:
"We support the troops. We have no reason to be in Iraq, there were no WMDs, we weren't attacked, it's illegal. To the mothers of the dying, although we've just besmirched the necessity of the cause that claimed your child's life, we want to say again, We support the troops.
"We support New Orleans. There was no reason to be 7 feet below sea level, the governor didn't mobilize her troops, she's ignored the Stafford Act that calls on the governor to direct the efforts of the federalized troops so the Posee Comitatus act isn't violated, she's allowed the place to go to hell, there's no reason to rebuild it, there's no hope for the people, there isn't enough food and water, and shovel a hole out for the deceased and deceasing. But, we want to say it again, We support New Orleans."
Builds hope, strengthens morale, doesn't it?
/cynicism
Jeepers... Thanks for the insight, dear brother in Christ!
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