Excellent post Chazz. The people that got out of the city should start rebuilding their lives as soon as they can.
I feel so bad for the people that weren't able to get out. I read comments all the time calling the people that stayed stupid for staying. People don't realize many people had no way to get out. And even if they did have a way to leave, they had no where to go.
If I was poor and living in New Orleans, I probably would have stayed too.
It could get even worse in New Orleans. I just hope the National Guard will be able to restore some order, quickly. If order isn't restored soon, I fear what may happen. This state of anarchy _could_ spread.
I know that New Orleans will be cleaned up and rebuilt to some extent. It has to be for the sake of the U.S. economy. New Orleans has/had a huge shipping industry.
ChazzMatt
· 4 years ago
explanation: I live in Atlanta, GA which is why I mentioned a specific building that underwent renovation -- to compare to the massive effort that all of New Orleans faces. I should have explained that reference better.
Andrew
· 4 years ago
I'm really worried about where the poor will go. They're all going to move to surrounding cities and have no money to start over. Many will probably turn to crime, making crime rates significantly rise in the south. Plus, with many of our resources in Iraq and New Orleans, what happens if there is another terrorist attack? America may be facing some pretty challanging times in the near future.
Dave
· 4 years ago
I'm really worried about where the poor will go.
According to the last census, 25% of families in New Orleans are living below the poverty line. So... there are a lot of them.
We should focus on providing substantial and rapid relief to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, however, as Chazz is doing here, some thoughts should also turn toward the long term.
A key component of the political compromise that was reached over Federal energy and environmental legislation which was signed into law this past summer was support for the construction of new nuclear power plants. I think that people should consider whether the Katrina tragedy presents an opportunity to connect the gargantuan amounts of federal aid that will flow to the affected region to a commitment of support for the construction of nuclear power plants in the devastated areas.
As acknowledged in the recent energy and environmental bill, nuclear power deserves our support. However, even nuclear power supporters suffer from NIMBY (not in my back yard) attitudes when it comes to the siting of a new plant.
After this terrible tragedy, and as Chazz discusses here, we will have large geographic areas that are uninhabitable - and they may be this way for some time. It is an economically and environmentally distressed area, and even if people can move back and reconstruct their homes, what businesses will do the same? We all know that large public works projects will be called for and funded (politicians just love spending the taxpayers money on high visibility stuff), and the combination of these issues leads to an opportunity to advance the nuclear power cause.
I think we should use some of these public funds, in conjunction with private money, to help build modern nuclear power plants in the New Orleans area. The now-former residents might have the opportunity to find employment during the construction of the facilities, but more importantly, the inexpensive power that would be generated by these plants would draw many power-using businesses to the area, which is necessary for the area to eventually recover.
The benefits of these new plants would not be felt for many years, but now is a perfect time to get broad support for a plan like this.
richard
· 4 years ago
Drew I know that this is not going to go over well but.......I suspect most of them were already commiting crimes in the south.
Hate to do this as well but G W just had a sound bite on the local news here he was talking to a couple of black guys in front of an American flag and said "it is our job not to be satisfied until the job is done OMG.
His speach writers probably shit themselves.
keep it simple
· 4 years ago
His speach writers probably shit themselves.
his speach writers love it. It keeps sentiment of responsibility on the image of a clown president, not a very serious administration with unbridled power. Survey says people are suckers for superficial crap like that.
moderninstances
· 4 years ago
His speach writers probably shit themselves.
How about when he said that we would "succeed" in rebuilding New Orleans? We already FAILED when there was obviously no plan for evacuating over a hundred thousand of the poorest citizens, it took several days to bring impose order, and there was no organizing force on the ground from day one.
All the while, the Pres continues his vacation and finds time to play guitar with some unknown country singer. This is just another display of either astounding incompetence or brutal carelessness. Now we're actually recalling 300 airmen from Iraq and Afghanistan, but the apologists will continue with their delusions about how it doesn't matter that our "national guard" is deployed abroad.
If there's any silver lining that comes out of this, maybe it will be that people in this country will finally come to their senses and we'll re-evaluate our national priorities.
Bill
· 4 years ago
In my opinion, New Orleans is not only gone now, it's gone forever.
The people that left aren't in suspended state. They are alive. If it takes a year to make New Orleans habitable again, we surely cannot expect some mass influx once we announce "New Orleans is now open again." Who moves back into a closed city a year later? And if one is able to do that, the odds are one is either very rich or still has nothing a year later. What a setup that would be.
I suppose some businesses may wish to return, and bring workers with them. But that seems a risky investment, given the city's geography.
And why bother doing that? Just so it can flood again like this? Just because of the French Quarter? It's a waste of effort. The city is in a bad location. Don't rebuild there again.
I can see New Orleans being a port, with docks and such and some shipping infrastructure. But not a city every again. I don't get it.
ChazzMatt
· 4 years ago
Exactly.
I wrote this to friends last Wednesday night and then posted it here Friday morning as what I was saying became ever more apparent. There will be a place CALLED New Orleans, but it's not going to be the New Orleans city of history. After the water is pumped out, New Orleans will lie as ruins, but I predict will eventually become a casino/condo development/tennis subdivision location with "historic" appeal. Reports say some of the French Quarter was not flooded, so each year you will still have Mardi Gras, the same way Disneyland has their "daily parades."
Middle class and upper class people will not return without jobs and schools. And businesses will NOT return until they see a potential for profit (customers). So, real estate development will lead the way, but I think it will take a year to even get the land ready for that (remember, will take up to 4 months for the water to be pumped out).
New Orleans will return, but different owners, different residents, different type of city. It won't be as big.
For instance, you won't have TV stations or newspapers -- at least not like you have now. TV stations and newspapers make their money off advertisers -- those ubiquitous car dealers, supermarket ads, mall store holiday sales. For 2005, New Orleans was ranked the #43 market in the nation with 672,000 TV homes. With no advertising income, the TV stations will have to shut down, even if electrical power returrns. Newspapers can't publish with no customers to buy the paper. All that overhead of salaries and equipment costs money, and there's no profit potential anymore.
All Comments
I feel so bad for the people that weren't able to get out. I read comments all the time calling the people that stayed stupid for staying. People don't realize many people had no way to get out. And even if they did have a way to leave, they had no where to go.
If I was poor and living in New Orleans, I probably would have stayed too.
It could get even worse in New Orleans. I just hope the National Guard will be able to restore some order, quickly. If order isn't restored soon, I fear what may happen. This state of anarchy _could_ spread.
I know that New Orleans will be cleaned up and rebuilt to some extent. It has to be for the sake of the U.S. economy. New Orleans has/had a huge shipping industry.
According to the last census, 25% of families in New Orleans are living below the poverty line. So... there are a lot of them.
I know you guys probably hate Dailykos, but check out this diary: http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/9/2/13737/40966
We should focus on providing substantial and rapid relief to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, however, as Chazz is doing here, some thoughts should also turn toward the long term.
A key component of the political compromise that was reached over Federal energy and environmental legislation which was signed into law this past summer was support for the construction of new nuclear power plants. I think that people should consider whether the Katrina tragedy presents an opportunity to connect the gargantuan amounts of federal aid that will flow to the affected region to a commitment of support for the construction of nuclear power plants in the devastated areas.
As acknowledged in the recent energy and environmental bill, nuclear power deserves our support. However, even nuclear power supporters suffer from NIMBY (not in my back yard) attitudes when it comes to the siting of a new plant.
After this terrible tragedy, and as Chazz discusses here, we will have large geographic areas that are uninhabitable - and they may be this way for some time. It is an economically and environmentally distressed area, and even if people can move back and reconstruct their homes, what businesses will do the same? We all know that large public works projects will be called for and funded (politicians just love spending the taxpayers money on high visibility stuff), and the combination of these issues leads to an opportunity to advance the nuclear power cause.
I think we should use some of these public funds, in conjunction with private money, to help build modern nuclear power plants in the New Orleans area. The now-former residents might have the opportunity to find employment during the construction of the facilities, but more importantly, the inexpensive power that would be generated by these plants would draw many power-using businesses to the area, which is necessary for the area to eventually recover.
The benefits of these new plants would not be felt for many years, but now is a perfect time to get broad support for a plan like this.
Hate to do this as well but G W just had a sound bite on the local news here he was talking to a couple of black guys in front of an American flag and said "it is our job not to be satisfied until the job is done OMG.
His speach writers probably shit themselves.
his speach writers love it. It keeps sentiment of responsibility on the image of a clown president, not a very serious administration with unbridled power. Survey says people are suckers for superficial crap like that.
How about when he said that we would "succeed" in rebuilding New Orleans? We already FAILED when there was obviously no plan for evacuating over a hundred thousand of the poorest citizens, it took several days to bring impose order, and there was no organizing force on the ground from day one.
All the while, the Pres continues his vacation and finds time to play guitar with some unknown country singer. This is just another display of either astounding incompetence or brutal carelessness. Now we're actually recalling 300 airmen from Iraq and Afghanistan, but the apologists will continue with their delusions about how it doesn't matter that our "national guard" is deployed abroad.
If there's any silver lining that comes out of this, maybe it will be that people in this country will finally come to their senses and we'll re-evaluate our national priorities.
The people that left aren't in suspended state. They are alive. If it takes a year to make New Orleans habitable again, we surely cannot expect some mass influx once we announce "New Orleans is now open again." Who moves back into a closed city a year later? And if one is able to do that, the odds are one is either very rich or still has nothing a year later. What a setup that would be.
I suppose some businesses may wish to return, and bring workers with them. But that seems a risky investment, given the city's geography.
And why bother doing that? Just so it can flood again like this? Just because of the French Quarter? It's a waste of effort. The city is in a bad location. Don't rebuild there again.
I can see New Orleans being a port, with docks and such and some shipping infrastructure. But not a city every again. I don't get it.
I wrote this to friends last Wednesday night and then posted it here Friday morning as what I was saying became ever more apparent. There will be a place CALLED New Orleans, but it's not going to be the New Orleans city of history. After the water is pumped out, New Orleans will lie as ruins, but I predict will eventually become a casino/condo development/tennis subdivision location with "historic" appeal. Reports say some of the French Quarter was not flooded, so each year you will still have Mardi Gras, the same way Disneyland has their "daily parades."
Middle class and upper class people will not return without jobs and schools. And businesses will NOT return until they see a potential for profit (customers). So, real estate development will lead the way, but I think it will take a year to even get the land ready for that (remember, will take up to 4 months for the water to be pumped out).
New Orleans will return, but different owners, different residents, different type of city. It won't be as big.
For instance, you won't have TV stations or newspapers -- at least not like you have now. TV stations and newspapers make their money off advertisers -- those ubiquitous car dealers, supermarket ads, mall store holiday sales. For 2005, New Orleans was ranked the #43 market in the nation with 672,000 TV homes. With no advertising income, the TV stations will have to shut down, even if electrical power returrns. Newspapers can't publish with no customers to buy the paper. All that overhead of salaries and equipment costs money, and there's no profit potential anymore.