[Uncle Sham]

I don't disagree with your expectations. Your expectations don't take into account the magnitude of what is before us. Once again, I'll repeat, homeowners are in a trap and need help in getting out. Your expectations are rational when applied to individuals in limited areas of need. Folks normally have not been totally wiped out in all senses of the word. By this, I mean, yea, your house is gone, maybe the cars, but you still might have your job and a place to earn a living, or relatives to move in with who might live nearby. In addition, if there are no freinds or relatives, there might be a hotel where you can find a room or a place to rent in the paper. In other words, you had a local option to get help while you dealt with your problems. NONE of this was available to most of the homeowners in New Orleans and along some areas of the Mississippi gulf coast. Include the folks in the soutwestern portion of Louisiana where entire communities were wiped clean,(Holly Beach, Cameron, Pecan Island) and you get a different picture of what they are all facing.

We are talking about entire cities the size of Beaumont and Port Arthur put together. Entire local economies have lost their tax base but are faced with massive cleanup efforts of basically every structure in town. This is what St Bernard is facing. This is what Cameron is facing. The homeowners in these areas are in limbo, awaiting the final screw-job from their insurance companies, and the beginning of monthly installments on mortgages that are worthless on homes they can't even live in.

When the scale of need is this large, we need to do something which might keep this from ever happening again. This plan does it. It was proposed by a republican. Feel better now?

[Dog Gone]

Nothing in this plan will keep it from happening again, and it's only four months until the start of hurricane season 2006.

Buying people's homes at some pre-storm value is rubbish. Why should I ensure my home if I can whine enough after it's destroyed that YOU should pay for it?

If people are getting the runaround from their insurance companies, that's wrong. I'd support legislation to make them pay quickly and fairly. I don't think the solution is for me to be forced to step into their shoes and pay for them.

We are a nation founded on personal responsibility and personal choices. We should act like it and not go all wobbly to reward bad decisions or insure against bad luck.

When Los Angeles gets flattened by an 8.2 earthquake, I'll have the same approach. Rescue the survivors and give them food and shelter until they figure out what to do on their own.

People can be pretty resourceful if they're not sitting on their butts waiting for someone to take care of them.