Posted on 09/27/2005 11:08:23 AM PDT by fight_truth_decay
People have always known the risks of living on the Gulf Coast. New Orleans has now had four severe category 4 hurricanes since 1915 (1915, 1947, in 1969 a category 5 narrowly missed, and 2005 Katrina). That's a category 4 or bigger storm every 22.5 years. This is hardly a once in 200- or 300-year event. Hurricanes for the Gulf Coast region are predictable, frequent and are going to happen again. Knowing this, what should the federal government do in response to the hurricanes?
If the federal government takes $200 billion out of the American economy to finance Gulf Coast rebuilding, countless thousands of people will be enticed to move back to this hurricane-prone region. People will follow the money. This great financial temptation will cause people to ignore the ever-present threat of hurricanes and flock back, at great human and economic risk.
American taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize putting Americans back in harm's way. Unfortunately, the politicians are encouraging people to go back to inherently dangerous areas. Instead of putting the American economy at risk, there is a much simpler solution.
The risks associated with living in hurricane-prone regions should be assumed only by the people who choose to live there. It is time for individuals to take full responsibility for their actions. They should not force the rest of America to subsidize their risky lifestyle choices.
Due to the actions of politicians, Hurricane Katrina is still churning at the borders of every American city, and the forecast is for an economic disaster. Only sensible legislation from Washington, which does not subsidize putting families and children back in harm's way, can save America from disaster. Politicians should not take billions out of our economy to make unsound investments in unsafe locations. We should let individuals weigh the true risks and rewards of either returning to the Gulf region or relocating to places like Illinois -- independent of government interference.
When the next major hurricane strikes, how much of that $200 billion investment will be lost? How many people who were enticed by federal tax dollars to move back into the region will lose their homes, jobs or lives? How much more can politicians put the American economy at risk?
Hurricane Katrina's lasting legacy is transforming into a man-made disaster. Only the American people can force our politicians to make the right decisions, and stop them from encouraging people to go back into harm's way.
Brian Costin, Elk Grove Village
Are you really that stupid, or do you just ignore logic to make stupid points? If everyone is insured, then only businesses with an economic reason for being in hurricaine prone areas will pay the increased premims to be in hurricaine prone areas. Is there a single response you have made that wasn't taking somebody's point in twisting it wildly out of control? Why can't you just make your points and let them stand or fall on their own merits?
And as we all know, industries in the U.S. (especially oil and gas extraction, pipeline, refinement, overland and tanker shipment, fishing, seaport, bulk cargo operation, and agriculture) don't need no stinkin' workers. Oh sure, maybe a few workers, but they don't need no stinkin' families for crying out loud.
And the government can keep out by force all the industries that inevitably spin off of those core industries, like fabrication, canning, silage, construction, professional services, medical, food supply, etc., etc.! And, while they're at it, the government can force the insurance underwriters who are now operating on the Gulf coast to stop that foolishness for everyone but the magically unmanned Gulf coast industries.
Or, I suppose, if people really want to go there to work in the core and spin off industries, they can just do it at their own dang risk. If a hurricane hits, they can stick their ruined public infrastructure in their ear and just die quietly.
Get rid of the people and keep the industry! Voila! Then rest of the country can suck off of the Gulf coast tit without any responsibilty for it at all! It's the perfect free lunch!
That go for the whole Gulf coast, or just the folks in New Orleans that you've deemed worthless?
Whatever, wild over-exagerations of what others are saying is not a very effective form of debate. Later.
Your clueless.....
You obviously have never seen the damage a tornado can cause......
Yes, the scale is smaller.....but the damage from a major tornado is just as bad!
And the mush-brained global notions of a Gulf coast free lunch levelled by a pack of grade-school economists from the air-conditioned comfort of their SUV's isn't really worth debating either.
Reaping the benefits of the gas, heating oil, plastics, steel, perishible and non-perishable commodities, foreign autos, agriculture, fish, timber, etc. etc. flowing 24/7 out of the Gulf coast is, on the other hand, worth at least noting.
Wetlands..aka..marshes, swamps, bogs, wet meadows etc., regulate water flow by detaining storm flows for a short timeframe "reducing flood peaks".
huh? I don't know what you are talking about.
I figured as much.
Cabrini-Green still standing?
I am a native Floridian. In my 42 years, I have never been directly in the path of a hurricane. When we moved from Orlando to a town on the Gulf coast (I live a mile or so from the Gulf), our insurance premiums nearly tripled. We accepted it as part of living here. Those on the coast DO pay higher premiums.
When Charley was heading right for us last year, we were invited by several of our friends to take refuge back in Orlando. Our current home is in a good zone -- we only evacuate for a level 5 hurricane -- so we decided to ride it out here. Good decision -- Charley jogged east. Our old neighborhood in Central Florida was hit hard -- the whole area was a sea of blue tarps and mulch for a year. Hurricanes are unpredictable, and inland counties like Orange and Polk took huge, unexpected hits.
When these homes were rebuilt or roofs were repaired, they had to be brought up to code. We will have to replace the roof on our home soon due to age, and it too will have to be brought up to current hurricane code. These laws are in place already. I'm sure some shady dealers will circumvent the code here and there, but in my town, you have to have a permit to sneeze. It certainly isn't for lack of laws.
We aren't prone to blizzards or mud slides, and we haven't had the massive fire damage that they have had out west in the past few years -- although that does happen occasionally here, too. What can I say... it's home.
Yes, be responsible. Be insured. Make the best decisions you can for your family's safety. Take responsibility for yourself and don't expect anyone to bail you out of trouble. But when it comes down to it, forecasting is not an exact science. It's hard to know the right thing to do. The one thing I am considering -- post-Katrina -- is that perhaps that it would be a good idea to take advantage of the Second Amendment.
You ever been to an off shore rig, I didn't think so.
Sure there's sense in it. But I don't like it when some a-hole sits up there in blueland all high and mighty and makes pronouncements about how the South should go screw and doesn't say anything about people living just to his south in Tornado Alley or anywhere else that's prone to natural disasters.
With that said, rebuilding a superfund sewer bowl like New Orleans is a ridiculous waste of money.
All because the repubs are afraid of the a-rats calling them name. Bunch'a paper tigers afraid of a buncha toothless old jackals. We gave'em the club, why don't they use it?????
Citations please. Tornados happen every year, they can destroy entire towns. Hurricanes don't always hit major metro areas, not at all.
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