New Orleans is below sea level and surrounded by water. Their designated shelters had no provisions. GWB had to tell the Governor to evacuate. Their mayor did not impliment the bus evacuation plan. The loss of life and property is tragic but I'm dam tired of hearing the local officals blaming the Feds for the current state of afairs. Responcibility starts at home. If you live in a bowl below sea level and the 6:00 PM weather shows a storm that fills the Gulf headed your way you should leave if you can. Yet 25% of the population had the means to go and chose not to. To my way of thinking most of the responsibility for the property damage and loss of life rests on the City, Parrish and State Government as well as some of the citizens. Yet you and I will pick up the tab via tax dollars. I think the State and local Government Office holders should be handed buckets and be droped off in the middle of town and be told to bail it out or grow gills. Rant over.

At the risk of sounding callous in the face of tragedy, NO is now one of the largest wetlands in the US, no need for add'l funding.  My question is; why would we spend good money to rebuild it unless we're gonna truck in enough dirt to raise the city above sea level?

Quoted: New Orleans is below sea level and surrounded by water. Their designated shelters had no provisions. GWB had to tell the Governor to evacuate. Their mayor did not impliment the bus evacuation plan. The loss of life and property is tragic but I'm dam tired of hearing the local officals blaming the Feds for the current state of afairs. Responcibility starts at home. If you live in a bowl below sea level and the 6:00 PM weather shows a storm that fills the Gulf headed your way you should leave if you can. Yet 25% of the population had the means to go and chose not to. To my way of thinking most of the responsibility for the property damage and loss of life rests on the City, Parrish and State Government as well as some of the citizens. Yet you and I will pick up the tab via tax dollars. I think the State and local Government Office holders should be handed buckets and be droped off in the middle of town and be told to bail it out or grow gills. Rant over.

WHERE IS THE INFO ABOUT THE WETLANDS???????????????????

Sorry, it was covered by Tim Rustbutt and guests on a Sunday Morning talk show. It is a plan to widen the buffer of wetlands around NO i.e. undo the damage their City planners caused. This is in addition to any repair costs on the city. Personally I believe if you can't live below sea level on the coast, next to a lake and a river, with private funds you should not live there.

Seattle, New York, Boston, they all filled in their lowlands.
It's time for New Orleans to become New New Orleans.

I really dont understand why people think that the federal government should fund such projects.  You wanna make your backyard safer?  YOU foot the bill, not someone who lives 2000 miles away.

P331083. That is my point! This is being positioned so that you and I foot the bill!