Submitted by Nancy, Sep 5, 2007 22:28

The only item in this article that makes sense is the suggestion of making the Gulf Coast a tax free zone. Let greed work. There is a lot of money to be made rebuilding such a large section of real estate.

I find it unlikely that the funds committed by the Federal Government for this project have ever actually been forthcoming. Promises are one thing, appropriations are another. (Point in fact, the awarding by the Federal Courts of millions of dollars in compensation to the tribes of North and South Dakota for lands taken, that has remained unpaid for more than twenty years. Congress has yet to appropriate funds to satisfy the judgement.)

It is not only New Orleans that has faced a burgeoning murder and suicide rate, Houston has suffered also from the now permanent increase in population courtesy of the Big Easy. Many of the new residents are forced into squalor from too many people in too small a living space, (shared housing for up to fourteen people in a three room apartment in at least one case, all of them women and children supported by one breadwinner. ^{_{source Texas Monthly}} They need help too. Houston took on more than it's fair share of the burden of Katrina, to the credit of it's citizens.

_{^{As for facts presented to illustrate State and Local Government corruption, I would bet that the Governor of Louisiana's statement which is linked to this article is factual as to the amount of oversight and paperwork that comes with each and every dollar.}}

_{^{Blaming the various entities trying to solve what seem to be unsolvable problems, especially in New Orleans, is no solution. American Politicians love the Blame Game.}} Sentimental wailing by so called "Personalities" demanding the building back of "tha Old New Orleans" is not helping. Practicality must come into play at some point. Like it or not New Orleans should not be built back below sea level.

One of the comments posted mentioned Galveston , destroyed by Hurricane in 1900. Most impressively, the population took a far sighted veiw to rebuilding. Probably to someone's chagrin, the city was raised some 6 feet above its previous elevation, burying the first floor and basement of some pretty elegant homes. Sea walls were constructed that were maintainable. Each time a Hurricane destroys portions of Galveston Island, the process is the same far sighted review. Using their knowledge of the newest building technologies, the City regulates what construction will be acceptable in the new buildings. The purpose being to try to decrease loss of property and life in the _{^{Next storm. And ther}}e _{^{is always a next storm.}}

_{^{Humans, being what they are, like having homes in an attractive location. Facts from the last ten years storm record should make it clear that some places should not be building sites. Floods in the Mid West and along the coast make it obvious that some restrictions should be applied to prevent the horrendous loss of life and property caused by building in}} flood plains. Perhaps it is time to prohibit some structures from Tornado Alley. And then there is California, ---with it's fires and earthquakes. However you feel about the effect, or lack of effect, of Global Warming, We have seen the storms;Worldwide.

Waiting until after the disaster and finding someone to blame, has been the way of doing things for too long. Don't you think we need some leaders who would present the hard facts and look for the solutions? Perhaps someone would lose their "rights" and not be allowed to build just exactly where they want to, but the rest of the country is paying too much for that "right".

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