Posted on 02/08/2010 6:49:01 AM PST by grace522
Off the bat, let’s get a few things straight:
1) New Orleans is a one-of -a-kind city. It should be on everyone’s list to visit at least once. 2) The Saints played a great game, setting off a massive party in the nation’s greatest party city. 3) Despite the fact that the Colts will always be Baltimore to me, I rooted for Indianapolis in the Super Bowl. And not because I was a Manning fan, but due to the nauseating media coverage that if and when the Saints won the Big Game, that will somehow heal all wounds from Hurricane Katrina.
Gimme a break.
When will people stop living in a fantasy land and speak the truth about what really happened before, during and after Katrina hit? The reality is that, regardless of the Saints’ impressive win, New Orleans will continue to be at risk until the people wake up. No Super Bowl victory nor feel-good puff pieces will change that.
People are entitled to their own opinion, but they aren’t entitled to their own set of facts. And here are the facts:
Louisiana in general, and New Orleans in particular, are among the most corrupt places in the country. This is nothing new, and residents have known this for generations. It has become such an ingrained part of the landscape that people have accepted it as a part of life. That’s their choice, but they shouldn’t turn around and expect the rest of the American taxpayers to foot the bill because their corrupt way of life finally caught up with them.
Everyone knows that New Orleans sits in a floodplain, with most of the city below sea level. So in order to protect the Crescent City, a series of levees were constructed. Rather than do the right thing, however, which would have been to follow recommendations designed to protect the city from Category Four or Five hurricanes, many state and city officials thought that diverting levee money to other projects would be a wiser course.
And since much of that funding came from taxpayers in the other 49 states, why not? It’s always a lot more fun to spend OPM--- “other people’s money.”
You know kind of worthwhile projects I’m referring to --- important ones that put the security of people and property ahead of all else.
Like millions for a Mardi Gras fountain. Fountains have water, and levees are related to water, so who can argue?
Or riverboat gambling schemes. Boats float, so they could just rise right along with hurricane storm surges while people continue to gamble.
Or a host of other projects, like green space, commercial buildings, and….the list goes on. And on, and on.
Because for decades New Orleans dodged the direct-hit hurricane bullet time and again, with storms diverting at the last minute and the city being spared, proper preparations still weren’t made. Many felt they didn’t need them because “God loves New Orleans.” Obvious lessons that should have been learned were simply ignored. Corruption trumped security.
In the aftermath of Katrina, attention shifted from why this wholly avoidable tragedy happened to the horrific response of leaders such as President Bush and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin.
Coverage of both men’s bumbling was merited, to be sure. But both also have an excuse.
They’re incompetent.
Here’s the bottom line. Taxpayers are sick and tired of paying for other people’s mistakes, be they bank bailouts, auto company failures, or cultures of corruption that pad the pockets of the powerful while forsaking everyone else.
And in the larger picture, why should the federal government, which is funded by we the people, have any obligation to rebuild a city constructed in a known flood plain that is regularly visited by hurricanes?
If you want to live there, great. Flood insurance should be mandated. And if it isn’t offered, maybe that’s a clue that the risk outweighs the reward. If that risk is acceptable, fine. But the rest of us shouldn’t have to shoulder the responsibility to be the risk-free safety net for people who choose to live in high-probability disaster areas.
But the icing on the cake is listening to self-serving Louisiana political hacks who get outraged that Washington doesn’t pick up the ENTIRE cost of rebuilding and maintaining New Orleans. To them, I offer Dean Wormer’s legendary advice from “Animal House”--- “fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life.”
So now the Saints won the Super Bowl, becoming “America’s” team in the process, and everybody feels good. But it will only exacerbate the overarching problem that is endemic in this nation: looking the other way and pretending all is well.
Sticking your head in the sand doesn’t change that fact that we will be called upon --- again--- to pay the bill--- again--- should New Orleans get slammed by another Katrina.
But given that we’re approaching insolvency as a nation, the safety net of taxpayer dollars may not be there next time.
It’s time the people of New Orleans stop pretending that a Super Bowl solves anything. Fix the problem now, or face the risk of going it alone.
If their city gets leveled--- a very real possibility--- they will have no one to blame but themselves.
Chris Freind is an independent columnist and investigative reporter whose news site, The Artorius News Bureau, is slated to launch in mid-February. Readers of “Freindly Fire” hail from six continents, thirty countries and all fifty states. Freind also serves as a weekly guest commentator on a Philadelphia-area talk radio show, WCHE, and makes numerous other television and radio appearances. He can be reached at CF@FreindlyFireZone.com
Sooo true, but then I’m a bitter Vikings Fan. :P
I went to New Orleans two years ago to help rebuild a house. I’m going back in two weeks to help with the continued rebuilding of a church. Much of the area remains devastated.
The author is correct that there is much blame to go around, Nagin, Blanco, FEMA, Bush, etc. And far too much money has been poured into the City that was not used wisely.
I can’t fix that. Hopefully with a new mayor and with Governor Jindal, a future response will be better handled.
But I can go and help the people who aren’t recipients of the federal money, and who don’t have another option. It’s a complex issue. One that can’t be explained or solved just by recognizing the incompetence and/or corruption of their leaders.
Will winning the Super Bowl magically fix all of that? No, of course not.
But for a people who have literally had the crap beat out of them by the storm, by the flood, by opportunists who ripped them off, holding onto the victory of the Saints is a positive feeling of hope that I won’t snark at.
Nagin certainly is incompetent and should share some of the blame. IIRC, GW called Nagin and Landrieu for several days before Katrina hit to urge them to start evacuating. How does that make GW incompetent? Furthermore, why should the feds be the ones to rush in and save the day when local authorities could've done it themselves??
Louisiana... half of it is underwater, the other half is under indictment.
Honestly, when your city is below sea level and is bordered by a lake, a river, and the sea, you're going to have problems.
Louisiana... half of it is underwater, the other half is under indictment.
Honestly, when your city is below sea level and is bordered by a lake, a river, and the sea, you're going to have problems.
Ping for those interested.
Ping for those interested.
Ping for those interested.
Will the taxpayers have to pay to rebuild N.O. after the Super Bowl “celebration”?
I hate say it but New Orleans is built to sink. No matter wat you do. Its is like a saucer holding a cup of coffee.
All the drunks, pissing and vomiting in the streets, the sex clubs and all that are such a family friendly atmosphere for the whole family!
Especially for a christian who doesn’t drink.
ugh.
Someday it may aspire to be Detroit.
Very kind of you to help out and much appreciated by many.
It’s worse down there than you think. In the recent mayor’s election on Saturday, the citizens of that “fine city” voted in Mitch Landscrew, scion of the family responsible for the sorry state of modern New Orleans, and they did it by a 67% majority. What’s even worse is that 80% of the vote went to candidates tied to known corruption.
Percentage of the vote that went to candidates with a clear and energetic vision for the city: 12%
The place is hopeless.
That is why I just couldn't bring myself to root for the Saints. I was indifferent to the outcome of the game for the first time in many years.
The teary, dribbling MSM coverage of yesterdays “post-KATRINA” sporting event was truly sickening.
While you’re down there stop in at the Saltwater Grill on South Carrollton and my son will serve you a Po Boy.
Have a safe trip!
VirginiaMom
Please don’t comment on subjects of which you’re totally ignorant.
BTTT
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