Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests New Orleans Mayor

I'd be willing to bet the apparent "overcompensation" is there to cover an unknown time variable on the recovery; funding shortfalls in rebuilding FL wouldn't harm the US economy anywhere close as they could in that part of LA, I'm afraid. The level of devastation is so massive across such a wide area and compounded by the environmental issues that may keep any meaningful recovery YEARS out in some areas, I can see the Feds padding the number as much as they can to prepare for the long-haul. I could be entirely wrong, as I don't have a clue as to all of the variables that come into play when the Feds start earmarking money for disasters...

I'd also be willing to bet there is a political element as well, since FEMA is getting "gangbanged" by the press. Perception is reality and regardless that the state and local mechanisms apparently failed miserably; FEMA has taken the brunt of it all, right or wrong. There have been enough perceived and real shortfalls that I'm sure they didn't want to get this one wrong.

Anytime someone mentions "benzene" or "heavy metals" contaminating an area, I start to visualize truckloads of money leaving someone's pocket for the cleanup...

...so I would put a hefty wager on the table that the environmental cleanup in LA as compared to FL is going to be absolutely epic in terms of a comparison.

EDIT:

The amount that the Feds have allocated is over DOUBLE the amount that the ENTIRE French government spent in ALL capital expenditures in 2004 (estimates are based off of what I could find in the CIA Factbook).

Yeah, that's one HELL of a hefty sum of money.

You don't agree with one disaster comparison to another?

Well let me just point out that we are comparing emergency response of the local government to a disaster and how they handled the crisis. In both events the nation as whole was dragged into the tragedy but before that happened the local government was confronted with an issue. Those in New York immediately stepped up to the plate in 9/11. I don't think the leadership in New Orleans was up to the task.


Funny, no one wants to comment on the whole Vegas Trip idea?
Did anyone hear the comments by the state governor pointing out that the national guard soldiers don't have the authority to enforce local laws? She's probably right since martial law has not been declared. I guess that would mean the Mayor and his police force are responsible. But wait, they won't be there right now.....they'll be in Vegas. Party on dude.

By the way, how much does it cost to pay someones way to Vegas for 3 days, hotel, restaurants and $200 cash included?
I'm thinking $700 total is a conservative estimate.
$700 x 1500 people = $1,050,000

Wow. That might buy some aid or fix a levy wouldn't it?


Of course now the Mayor says he will order a complete mandatory evacuation using force if necessary...using the national guard. Why now? Sounds like he's overcompensating now.
I tell ya

I don't think the mayor can use the national guard, but the governor can.

Also, let's not forget the many times higher private charitable money that has been funneled into this situation that for Hurrican Andrew.

I think we need to take a little step back and make a plan for all this money before we just dump it into $2000 debit cards and the like so that it can be used efficiently for the most good.

I also wish there was more attention paid to organizations other than the Red Cross, which has a terrible record for fiscal responsibility and disclosure. There are many proven organizations, faith based and not, also working down there to help people.

"With thousands feared drowned in what could be America���?�s deadliest natural disaster in a century, New Orleans���?� leaders all but surrendered the streets to floodwaters and began turning out the lights on the ruined city ���?� perhaps for months."

"If the mayor���?�s death-toll estimate holds true, it would make Katrina the worst natural disaster in the United States since at least the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, which have blamed for anywhere from about 500 to 6,000 deaths. Katrina would also be the nation���?�s deadliest hurricane since 1900, when a storm in Galveston, Texas, killed between 6,000 and 12,000 people."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9063708/

Obviously, until the official numbers come in, we won't know for sure whether this is worse than 9/11 or not in terms of total lives lost. However, I'm not arguing the psycological impact of a terroist attack. We all know that it's far worse than what this hurricane has done.

Yeah, I know, I had read that, but from what I've seen of the Mayor shortly before and certainly after that doesn't lend any sort of credibility to anything that comes out of his mouth. No other government representative has given a number anywhere close to that (understandable not to make guesses on somehting like that) and the mayor's claim has rarely, if ever, been repeated by anyone since he said it a week ago. People are prone to exaggeration in a situation like that, particularly that guy. I could be wrong, there's a pretty decent chance that I am wrong, wouldn't be the first time.