[oceanview]

we need a southerner to head up thie reconstruction effort - I nominate Zell Miller. he will clean out this mess.

but I don't know the legal means by which Bush can essentially "federalize" New Orleans, how do we remove the state and local officials from the food chain?

[McGavin999]

but I don't know the legal means by which Bush can essentially "federalize" New Orleans, how do we remove the state and local officials from the food chain?

That's pretty much been done. Bush has waived the usual 75-25 split between federal and state funds and agreed to pay 100% of the costs. This takes the locals out of the loop, but I'm sure they haven't figured that out yet.

[maryz]

I found on Google that Washington DC was placed under federal receivership in 1995. I also found articles about various city or state agencies being placed under federal receivership. I don't know much about it, but I believe the Boston schools were placed under federal receivership back in the 1970s (related to busing) by order of a federal judge.

Sounds as if it can be done.

[Seattle Conservative]

I'm not sure and have no experience w this - I suspect there's at least 1 FReeper out there who knows. It seems to me that the Fed Gov't should at least have control over the foreign funds that have been donated and the $s - Katrina Governors's Fund that GWHB and Bubba are working on.
I also think that before $.01 goes out of any fund, there needs to be a detailed plan and the GAO or some auditing team needs to get detailed receipts and account for every penny spent. There also need to be detailed RFPs for all work proposed and whichever companies win the proposals need to sign a contract w a limited contingency fund and limited overrages - we don't need any Big Digs down south.