Posted on 09/15/2005 6:50:47 PM PDT by anonymoussierra
President George W Bush has promised the US government will do and spend whatever it takes to rebuild the hurricane-hit Gulf Coast. Speaking from New Orleans, Mr Bush said billions of dollars would be spent on the reconstruction - "an unprecedented response to an unprecedented crisis".
New Orleans' mayor said three districts would re-open next week, and the historic French Quarter a week later.
Meanwhile the confirmed death toll from Hurricane Katrina rose to 792.
The president's prime-time speech from the French Quarter came on his fourth trip to the region since Katrina smashed communities across the Gulf Coast over two weeks ago.
It is two days since Mr Bush said he accepted responsibility for the failings of the federal government's response to the hurricane. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'Great city'
The BBC's Claire Marshall said it was a surreal scene as Mr Bush stood in a deserted Jackson Square, in an empty city, addressing millions of people via the airwaves.
"Throughout the area hit by the hurricane, we will do what it takes. We will stay as long as it takes to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives," Mr Bush said.
"There is no way to imagine America without New Orleans, and this great city will rise again."
The president needs to put in a convincing performance to counter falling approval ratings, the BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says.
'Life, commerce'
Mayor Ray Nagin earlier announced that residents will be allowed to return to some parts of the city from next week.
The move should allow about a third of New Orleans' 485,000 people back home.
"The city of New Orleans will start to breathe again," he said.
Mayor Nagin said the first section to re-open to residents would be Algiers on Monday. The city's uptown areas would follow in stages next Wednesday and Friday.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"We will have life. We will have commerce," he said.
Residents of three suburbs have been returning home since basic services damaged during the storm and its floods were restored.
Some of those allowed back into Gretna, Westwego and Lafitte at daybreak on Wednesday found their properties relatively unscathed, while others were piles of rubble.
However, much of New Orleans still lacks basic amenities such as clean water and electricity, Claire Marshall reports from the city.
It is thought that around 40% of the city is still rotting under the fetid flood waters, our correspondent says.
People are being advised that the receding flood waters contain hazardous substances, such as e-coli, lead and arsenic.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Baloney. Prove it.
And, btw, you should know that I believe the Wall Street guys before I believe some freeper I've never heard of. And they have never mentioned this president raising taxes 20%. But good try.
Hi, Dave. Where do you live that the feds ignored you? Can you link a newspaper article to what happened?
And just what do you think should be done with New Orleans?
Please explain how that is? A legit and prudent business has both property insurance and business interuption insurance. Certainly that won't make them whole, but it's hardly a financial hole.
If government help was needed, and I don't think it is, they'd focus on providing mass transit to/from NO from areas outside of the city proper. Since 80% of the NO workforce comes from areas outside the city from communities like Slidell that would be a wise investment. Simply leave the residential areas of NO the sinkhole that they are and turn it into green space.
Instead we simply get the usual political response of showing how much pols "care" by giving away our money. When money is freely given, and American's have shown themselves to be fully capable of that, it's compassion. When it's taken by force it's called theft.
I'm hosting two evacuees. I wonder how many politicans have taken into their homes?
I was responding to inquest. He said the businesses were in a financial hole.
If anyone, a legit business would be over the corrupt ones I was referring to to make my point about eminent domain.
"Christ-like is not forcibly taking money from someone to give to someone else. You're free to give as much of your own money as you choose."
I'd rather pay taxes for things like national defense and helping our people when they've been destroyed by natural disasters than for things like the public school system (as it is now), or funding for the arts (as it is now), etc. I am glad Bush lowered taxes, I hope he keeps lowering them, but if he has to raise them - because of this hurricane and our war on terror - then I'll do my part. I trust this man and I'm glad that we live in a country that is prepared for the worst and can pay for it too.
I don't think anything should be "done" with New Orleans except getting the port and the Western Rivers up and running. That part even comes squarely under interstate commerce. And national security. And doing that alone will provide tons of work and jobs.
I think the property owners, investors and entrepreneurs will do the rest on their own, with or without government help. Most likely will do it better without. Again, lots of blue collar jobs.
The government is going to spend money like a drunken sailor though, regardless. I just hope some of it does some good, and not too much of it does harm.
It's true that we've transformed our society into one in which millions of citizens are dependent in part or in whole, one way or another, on the government.
I have to agree that when a large number of them, including many poor ones, are suddenly hit with a disaster, like now, it's not the right time to go cold turkey. But I wish that we could start reducing the role of government in our lives. I dread, though, that this whole thing is going to be a major catalyst for great increases in the government role.
Some? From the article:
"'Throughout the area hit by the hurricane, we will do what it takes. We will stay as long as it takes to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives,' Mr Bush said."
That's a huge open-ended commitment, involving many billions of dollars, much of which will go towards the same state and local governments that are largely responsible for this mess. And with that much money going down for such an extended period, it will lead to the feds running everything, even if that's not in the formally drawn-up plans right now. What government funds, it ends up controlling, one way or the other.
I think that some here have failed to see , and it is understandable in light of the Media blitz, how vital New Orleans is stratrgically, both in security and national commerce.
I never said it wasn't important. My only point is that the market will take care of what's needed on its own.
I'd like the idea of taxes and foolish regulations being cut permanently throughout the country. But as for cutting taxes only in that one region, that runs afoul of the constitutional requirement that taxes be uniform throughout the country.
Yes, that, but also his signing of CFR, his willingness to sign the assault rifle ban, his refusal to take a stand on eminent domain and his general attitude that government should play a large role in the ordering and arranging of society.
I guess if we are going to use military without regard to the wishes of state government and just take over when the president decides that state leaders are inept, we have pretty well rid ourselves of the original construction and concept of the United States. Imagine Hillary having the power to decide state leaders are inept, and the ability to take over when she decides that.
I don't think we should sacrifice our principles because there are times when total government power could make things happen more quickly. It can make life hell on earth too.
It's not like you'd have a choice at that point. But you have a choice now. You're perfectly capable of doing "your part" on your own initiative, if you think it's that important. There's no need for the government to get involved, especially to the scale that it is. New Orleans is practically going to become a federal district under this plan.
I trust this man
First of all, there's practically nothing he's done to earn the trust of any conservative, except get liberals to not like him, which isn't all that hard. Secondly, he's not going to be in office forever, and this is a very open-ended commitment.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.