"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
oups.com...

It is becoming more and more apparent that the Federal Government has
REALLY dropped the ball on Katrina.


No, the ball was dropped 40 years ago when the government passed the
National Flood Insurance Program and created FEMA and made it public policy
to cover the losses of people and banks when houses were built in flood
plains (ever wonder why they call it that?). This problem occurs every
couple of years and cost billions of dollars each time because the
government didn't outright ban new construction in flood plains. Every
couple of years my insurance company calls me to bring to my attention that
I don't have flood coverage on my house. My response is always, "I don't
need it because I'm not stupid enough to live in a flood plain."

The alternative was to create building codes to handle the problem. New
Orleans could have EASILY passed a building code that required all buildings
to have a concrete block first floor (required to remain uninhabited space)
to get the main structure out of harm's way. And to jack up all existing
buildings. Did they do that? No. Any coastal community could pass
building codes to make hurricane proof buildings. Did they do that? No.
Why? Because the codes would "make housing unaffordable" and "hurt the
local economy".

My boss was telling me a story once of when he lived near Roanoke, Virginia.
One of his coworkers found a nice lot down by the river. The guy goes to
the Corps of Engineers and asks them to tell him what is the abolutely worst
possible flood that could happen and they gave him the numbers. Went and
built a little hill in the middle of the property and proceeded to build a
house on it. Needless to say, everyone thought he was out of his mind for
spending all that money and effort. A couple years later - big flood. My
boss says saw his coworker's house as the news chopper was flying over the
river showing flooded house, flooded house, flooded house, house on a
little hill, flooded house......


Just last year, the Army Corps of Engineers sought $105 million for
hurricane and flood programs in New Orleans. The White House slashed
the request to about $40 million. Congress finally approved $42.2
million, less than half of the agency's request.


There's 1.3 million people in New Orleans so they could have made up the
difference. That's $31 each to spend THEIR money to protect THEIR property.
Did they do that? No. I just spent three days working and sweating my
ass off (plus $500 in hired labor) cutting down three huge, dead pine trees
that were within range of my garage because I didn't want my property
damaged in a storm. Guess the thing to do nowadays is to wait until the
trees crushed my garage and then stand there with tears running down my face
saying, "Woe is me".


That's not true. Experts had predicted for years that a major hurricane
would eventually hit New Orleans, swamping the levees and filling the
bowl-shaped city with polluted water. Yet even Bush insisted that
nobody anticipated the breach of the levees in a serious storm.


Experts? Anyone with half a brain could have seen it coming.

I wonder what the future holds for this country when everyone thinks that
taking care of them is someone else's responsibility.

Steve.