Get the Feds in there.
Give them the good kevlar flack jackets, this is mob territory after all.
Clean house and take no prisoners.
Do you think it may be time for another Federal District ... like D.C.? That thought keeps popping into my mind more and more.
For the time being, federalize all of Orleans Parish [City of New Orleans] ... and as much else as necessary ... and let the fun begin. Once that happens ... let "them" petition for "home rule" from time to time ... but keep the Federal thumb on the money and see what ... if anything ... can be done to bring this banana republic into comformance with the laws of civilized society.
I have seen evidence that the folks of Uptown would love to secede from the City of N.O. ... they survived the hurricane ... and there is a higher incidence of advanced degrees than the country at large. They may be quite capable of self-governance as a separate entity.
All the rest goes into the federal district ... all control would be removed from both the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana. If they don't like that ... well, Hey! they can forego federal dollars for rebuilding their city ... and rebuild it any other way they can [not a bad alternative solution, anyway].
Can anyone think of any better solution?
"Do you think it may be time for another Federal District ... like D.C.?"
Yes.
But there's an easier way. Accomplish the same thing without the label's negative connotations. A two pronged approach. One, massive investigations, and the force necessary to carry them out. As it is, the mob essentially owns the city now. It will take big feet to stamp them out. Two, let the feds take over re-construction, with another massive force to accomplish the task.
No suspension of states rights, habeaus corpus, or establishment of a federalized zone, just two really big projects, and the security necessary to carry out both of them.
The local and state government will be responsible for picking up cigarette butts in the parks.