Bush brushes aside rebuilding cost concerns

MSNBC/REUTERS ^ | 09/17/05 | Reuters

[drt1]

WASHINGTON - President Bush Saturday underscored his goal of a massive rebuilding effort to make storm-battered Gulf Coast communities “better and stronger,” brushing aside growing Republican worries about the impact on the budget deficit.

“Out of this tragedy comes an opportunity to harness the good and gracious spirit of America, and deliver new hope to neighborhoods that were suffering before the storm,” Bush said in his weekly radio address.

Bush has said the federal government will assume the bulk of the costs for what he says will be “one of the largest reconstruction efforts the world has ever seen.” He said Friday he would not raise taxes to pay for it.

[drt1]

"Bush, who is intent on shoring up confidence in his handling of Katrina’s aftermath after a slow initial federal response"

Therein my FReinds, lies the trap that the Dems and corrupt NO and LA elites have put him in. In order to get back to at least even, after the onslaught of unfounded and false attacks by the MSM and Dems, he's apparently forced into acting more Lib than they are.

[Peach]

Most of the analysts on FNC this morning said the country can easily handle the debt that comes along with rebuilding the Gulf and NO in particular.

[goldstategop]

No - that's what the Left thinks. We are going to spend billions anyway so why not do it right. Like Rush said, just imagine doing it our way! No wonder the libs are already complaining Bush's program is "too ideological." I love it - they're complaining and we're making people's lives better and our communities safer and stronger. We do have the vision thing.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[sinkspur]

Most of the analysts on FNC this morning said the country can easily handle the debt that comes along with rebuilding the Gulf and NO in particular.

Of course it can. This is investment in infrastructure, so there will be jobs, small business creation, and opportunity.

We've got a $12 trillion economy. $200 billion is a drop in the bucket.

[elfman2]

Lib stuff like this?

[penelopesire]

"Therein my FReinds, lies the trap that the Dems and corrupt NO and LA elites have put him in. In order to get back to at least even, after the onslaught of unfounded and false attacks by the MSM and Dems, he's apparently forced into acting more Lib than they are."

Nope..that is only part of the trap my FRiend...the real trap is in the title of this article. The 'plan' is to now begin peeling away President Bush's base by claiming that the spending is liberal. Keep your eyes on the ball.

[DTogo]

“Out of this tragedy comes an opportunity to harness the good and gracious spirit of America, and deliver new hope to neighborhoods that were suffering before the storm,” Bush said in his weekly radio address.

Out of this tragedy should come an opportunity to ensure Americans can obtain the good-paying jobs they are looking for - that are not undermined by 11~15M ILLEGAL aliens working for sub-market wages and sucking dry various social services.

[Peach]

Exactly so, sinkspur. The hand wringers are worrying needlessly, imo.

[drt1]

Fine, but where is it written that the Fed Gov't (Us) are insurers of last resort for this and any other disaster brought on by local corruption and building in places where the odds are good that destruction will ensue and, as a result, no knowledgeable insurer will bear the burden.

Infrastructure I agree with but replacing houses and businesses that didn't (Or weren't able to) plan ahead is the wrong way to go. Where does this end?

[AntiGuv]

The only thing that can 'peel away' Bush's base is if Roberts turns out to be another Souter. That's it. Nothing else matters.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

So suddenly, Reuters is concerned about the costs of rebuilding?

Or are they more concerned about the fact that Bush won't disburse the money via the same liberal schemes and policies?

[elfman2]

More than a trillion dollars of damage was probably done. Either some level of government rebuilds the infrastructure (better) or we don’t and the area never recovers, but the cost has already been paid – a trillion dollars of value is destroyed.

[HallowThisGround]

ping

[no dems]

Did you hear Rush's take on this matter yesterday? He is beating the Dim-o-rats at their own game. "You wanna throw money at everything? O.K., let's throw money. Now what are you gonna cut elsewhere to fund it?"

You go Mr. Prez.

[stopem]

You bring up a good point, that sucking sound is all the money that illegals are costing all of us.

Question, in the last 5 years there have been very few jobs created, so how is it all of a sudden we are in this major job creation in NO only? Why not the rest of the country? Aren't there poor in other cities who are just as needy and worthy as the ones in NO,since we are on this help the poor campaign.

And will we offer the other cities poor free govt land by lottery
and free housing plus school vouchers plus job training? Or will this just be in NO? Aren't the poor as needy as the ones in NO? And what if the NO people don't return to NO who will all that good stuff go to?

See where this could all be heading to set a precedence like this???

[sinkspur]

a trillion dollars of value is destroyed.

Exactly. No revenue of any kind is coming out of the area now, including tax revenue.

Either it's rebuilt so that money flows and the spirit of America is uplifted, or we shut it down, pinch our pennies, and turn into Argentina.

[elfman2]

There’s infinitely more value in the hurricane area than what has been destroyed. Its return to the economy is probably reduced many more times than what we’re prepared to spend if don’t rebuild the broken pieces of infrastructure (intelligently).

[DTogo]

I know I sound like a broken record on FR, but even El Rushbo brought it up yesterday, that this disaster relief program offers a great opportunity to deal with the ILLEGAL alien problem in order to create jobs for Americans - NOT by offering them amnesty.

[stopem]

There you go, it's a start and a darn good one.

[drt1]

You got it right. The 9/11 compensation scheme was another precedent that will bear fruit in the next attack and this overreaction will cost big now and in any future large natural disaster.

IMHO this is a big mistake and illustrates the victory of Big Gov't over individual initiative and responsibility. This is especially so if, as is indicated, this is all new spending without any reduction in the current waste/Pork that we all hate.