If New Orleans had been flooded in 1985, I doubt Reagan would have let the city recover by itself.
You have that right! He would have first of all verbally knocked some sense into people and inspired them all to do what they could to be part of the recovery. He had that awe inspiring enthusiasm that things aren't as bad as they seem.
Good lord look at the mess he inherited from Jimmy Carter. The whole country felt like New Orleans feels at that time, hopeless. I was a kid but I remember those days. It felt like the whole country was in a major depression.