Hastert questions how to rebuild New Orleans

[Scrumhalf]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- It makes no sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that's seven feet under sea level, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said of federal assistance for hurricane-devastated New Orleans.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/....ap/index.html


Is there an IQ test to be speaker of the House? Somebody buy this guy a ten dollar atlas and point out the Netherlands to him. Here is an entire country that is below sea level and they have done just fine with their system of dikes to keep the North Sea out.

What it takes is sound engineering planning, the funding to get the levees and dikes built and the imposition of sound environmental protection policies to ensure that wetlands and other natural barriers aren't eroded. None of which is the stong suit of this congress or of the administration.

[Mr I]

Why doesn't the government, with foreign aid pay all those bums that are currently looting to work in construction and rebuild the city

[Puddles]

Why doesn't the government, with foreign aid pay all those bums that are currently looting to work in construction and rebuild the city

Our gov't. has done this in other areas where the people are willing to work. It's called a "Work for Food Program."

Unfortunately I'm guessing that the people in our country are too lazy and unwilling to actually work, they have become spoiled by handouts over many, many years and they now expect the gov't to take care of them without doing anything to earn money.

[Puddles]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- It makes no sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that's seven feet under sea level, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said of federal assistance for hurricane-devastated New Orleans.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/....ap/index.html


Is there an IQ test to be speaker of the House? Somebody buy this guy a ten dollar atlas and point out the Netherlands to him. Here is an entire country that is below sea level and they have done just fine with their system of dikes to keep the North Sea out.

What it takes is sound engineering planning, the funding to get the levees and dikes built and the imposition of sound environmental protection policies to ensure that wetlands and other natural barriers aren't eroded. None of which is the stong suit of this congress or of the administration.

New Orleans began as a city long before the realization of what natural disaster could really do to a city in that local. No matter how well we rebuild, no matter how much money is spent, the pure location of that city will always keep it vullnerable to hurricanes and flooding. I understand the historical greatness of the city but the loss of life that is likely in the future from natural disasters such as this one or greater are still very likely, no matter how much money is spent on more secure levee's and pumping systems.

Now seeing the devestation that can happen to a city in a hurricane prone area which lies below sea level and is surrounded by levee's, does it make sense to pour billions of dollars into an attempt to rebuild when the possibility of a repeat storm is so great based on local and physics?

The natural wetlands and barriers inbetween the Gulf and New Orleans have also been dissappearing in recent years providing less security than there was years ago. This will continue as the ocean continues to grow larger and the land dissappears at the coast. A lot of thought needs to go into the rebuild project if it is to succeed.

[bonebreaker]

I'm sure they'll rebuild the city, but most of it's fame and all will be forever tainted. The "Big Easy" will never, ever, be the same. BB

[Megiddo]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- It makes no sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that's seven feet under sea level, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said of federal assistance for hurricane-devastated New Orleans.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/....ap/index.html


Is there an IQ test to be speaker of the House? Somebody buy this guy a ten dollar atlas and point out the Netherlands to him. Here is an entire country that is below sea level and they have done just fine with their system of dikes to keep the North Sea out.

What it takes is sound engineering planning, the funding to get the levees and dikes built and the imposition of sound environmental protection policies to ensure that wetlands and other natural barriers aren't eroded. None of which is the stong suit of this congress or of the administration.

The difference between the Netherlands and Louisiana is that Holland isn't plagued by Huricanes.

[Scrumhalf]

That's true... but the point is that just because the city is below sea level, there is reason to question its existence.

[rvgfrth4g]

The "Big Easy" will never, ever, be the same. BB

You're right! It'll be cleaner because the water will wash all the shit away.

[INTIMID8OR]

Now seeing the devestation that can happen to a city in a hurricane prone area which lies below sea level and is surrounded by levee's, does it make sense to pour billions of dollars into an attempt to rebuild when the possibility of a repeat storm is so great based on local and physics?

.

What about Florida ?...What about people building houses time after time after time in harms way of hurricanes ? lol If we used that theory Florida and North Carolina should be evacuated ...
I think they will and should build it back but they should reinforce the levees like they planned to do in the first place but neglected to do so ... :dancingne

[Mr I]

What about Florida ?...What about people building houses time after time after time in harms way of hurricanes ? lol If we used that theory Florida and North Carolina should be evacuated ...
I think they will and should build it back but they should reinforce the levees like they planned to do in the first place but neglected to do so ... :dancingne

From what I heard the barriers (I assume these are levees) were built to withstand force 3 hurrican, whereas Katrina was force 5, it sound like some poor planning was to blame. Some money spent early would have saved millions of $ now required and some lives.

[Puddles]

What about Florida ?...What about people building houses time after time after time in harms way of hurricanes ? lol If we used that theory Florida and North Carolina should be evacuated ...
I think they will and should build it back but they should reinforce the levees like they planned to do in the first place but neglected to do so ... :dancingne

A lot of thought needs to go into the rebuild project if it is to succeed.

I'm not saying it shouldn't be rebuilt, I'm saying that some very serious planning needs to be done before they do so to help prevent such a repeat disaster. You can't prevent all of the damage from a natural disaster, but better building and planning can help save lives and make rescue efforts run more smoothly.