BREAKING NEWS: Water pouring over Ninth Ward Levee in NO

[sunny]

^ Personally I don't think New Orleans should be rebuilt. The $200 billion price tag (plus interest since its borrowed money) would benefit a lot more people around the country than the 250,000 post-Katrina population.

So, shall we same the same thing for any other city that is destroyed by a natural disater? Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Miami considered "high-risk" to hurricanes as well? So if they get leveled, we should not rebuild?

People should take responsibility where they decide to live. South Florida already pays skyhigh premiums in homeowners insurance. NOLA on the other hand, despite being below sea-level, relies on a government subsidized flood insurance program. So they pay a lot less than they should given the risks of living in a bowl located below sealevel.

Again why should the government give $200 billion for NOLA when it will only benefit 250,000 people and risks being washed away again in the future. Why not spend a fraction on that in Houston, a city of 4 million so people aren't stuck on the interstate for 24 hours during the next mandatory evacuation.

Sweetie, I pay for my insurance without ANY help what-so-ever from the government. So do my sisters. I have worked my butt off for everything that I have. No one has given me a thing. I hope to GOD you never know what it feels like to have gone through this and have people tell you your city should be, basically, tossed away.

[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]

There are some places on earth that man was not meant to live. I'm sorry for being so blunt, but it's a fact as we've seen with NOLA.

Re: Insurance

Yes, we all pay insurance. But 95% of Homeowners' insurance policies do NOT cover floods. Uncle Sam instead offers its own flood insurance program, which is fine except that it's heavily subsidized by uncle sam. So people living in flood prone areas do not pay the full price of insuring their home and instead rely on a government subsidy.

[sunny]

There are some places on earth that man was not meant to live. I'm sorry for being so blunt, but it's a fact as we've seen with NOLA.

Re: Insurance

Yes, we all pay insurance. But 95% of Homeowners' insurance policies do NOT cover floods. Uncle Sam instead offers its own flood insurance program, which is fine except that it's heavily subsidized by uncle sam. So people living in flood prone areas do not pay the full price of insuring their home and instead rely on a government subsidy.

I am well aware of this. Which is why we are required to carry FLOOD INSURANCE separate of home owner insurance. You carry it on your own. So you are not telling me anything I do not know regarding insurance.

You can beat this dead horse all you'd like. The fact is New Orleans will be re-built. And it will be re-built better than ever. Guess you had better get used to that idea.

[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]

There are some places on earth that man was not meant to live. I'm sorry for being so blunt, but it's a fact as we've seen with NOLA.

Re: Insurance

Yes, we all pay insurance. But 95% of Homeowners' insurance policies do NOT cover floods. Uncle Sam instead offers its own flood insurance program, which is fine except that it's heavily subsidized by uncle sam. So people living in flood prone areas do not pay the full price of insuring their home and instead rely on a government subsidy.

Now let's bold the next part of my text. I don't know if you're part of the government program or not, but the fact is most people are and the amount they pay to insure their homes against floods is far below the true cost of insuring. Uncle sam makes up the difference which encourages people to live in flood prone areas (by making it cheaper) which is wrong IMHO.

[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]

You can beat this dead horse all you'd like. The fact is New Orleans will be re-built. And it will be re-built better than ever. Guess you had better get used to that idea.

I have no doubt it will be rebuilt. All I'm saying is it's not the smart thing to do.

[shaggy]

this is a insurance companies dream right here.Lets rebuild and charge the crap out of everyone and when it happens again say your bankrupt.

[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]

this is a insurance companies dream right here.Lets rebuild and charge the crap out of everyone and when it happens again say your bankrupt.

What are you suggesting? Should the government get into the insurance business then?

[sunny]

There are some places on earth that man was not meant to live. I'm sorry for being so blunt, but it's a fact as we've seen with NOLA.

Re: Insurance

Yes, we all pay insurance. But 95% of Homeowners' insurance policies do NOT cover floods. Uncle Sam instead offers its own flood insurance program, which is fine except that it's heavily subsidized by uncle sam. So people living in flood prone areas do not pay the full price of insuring their home and instead rely on a government subsidy.

Now let's bold the next part of my text. I don't know if you're part of the government program or not but the fact is more people are and the amount they pay to insure their homes against floods is far below the true cost of insuring. Uncle sam makes up the difference which encourages people to live in flood prone areas (by making it cheaper) which is wrong IMHO.

"Encouraging" people to live in flood-prone areas? You are wrong. It is not fun loosing everything you own. I hope you never have to find that out.

And no, I am not part of the government. I am just an honest, hard working woman who is getting tired of people saying that my city should just be thrown away.

[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]

We have an understanding then. And I hope no one ever has to go through a disaster like Katrina again. As for the government encouraging people to live in flood prone areas by subsiding insurance rates, we'll have to agree to disagree.

[bevgo]

of course N.O. will be rebuilt as it well should be.
Just build it better than it was before.
pour more federal, state and local money into doing the right thing insted of the federal cut backs and the federal,state and local mis-spending.
There's lots of blame to go around but in the meantime it is the poor people..the people like you and me and all of us on this board.who are suffering.
God, this could happen to any of us in the hurricane belt.
Let's not kick them when they are down by tellnig them it's their fault!
This is nothing but incredibly sad.
I watch CNN and the water pouring over those levees and I cry!

Thank you for saying that. NO is my 2nd home and I still have family and a house there (yes it is still there) NO should be rebuilt and the levys improved since they have been sinking for years. Like youn said--build it better this time. I hope after this some city and state officials will be held accountable. I am still a voter in LA and will use my vote to try to see better leadership.

[TSmith274]

[quote="Aqua Teen Hunger Force"]There are some places on earth that man was not meant to live. I'm sorry for being so blunt, but it's a fact as we've seen with NOLA.[quote]

How about build a levee system that's adequate? Seriously, what is the agenda behind these kind of comments? Is it the money?

And for the guy from Alaska... you really have no room to talk when it comes to wasting tax dollars. The taxpayers of this country, including Louisiana, are slated to fund a bridge in Alaska that goes nowhere. Connecting mainland Alaska to an island with like 50 people? No need to say anything further about that. I'm not getting personal, just stating facts.

[jburns]

And for the guy from Alaska... you really have no room to talk when it comes to wasting tax dollars. The taxpayers of this country, including Louisiana, are slated to fund a bridge in Alaska that goes nowhere. Connecting mainland Alaska to an island with like 50 people? No need to say anything further about that. I'm not getting personal, just stating facts.

I'm not sure what the point is in defending a bad idea by comparing it to a worse idea.

If we rebuild NO it WILL flood again. Every year the true gulf moves closer to the city due to the Mississippi river being channeled and deprived of its natural function of carrying silt to build the delta. The situation will continue to get worse so a multi billion dollar levee system will gradually become less effective.

The city itself is slowly sinking as it is built on sediment that continues to compress with time. Estimates from polling evacuees are from 40 to 50% of the people do not intend to return. Lets face it, if you were renting and lost everything why would put your life on hold for a year or so so you can come back. Estimates are Louisiana will lose one congressional seat. Texas will likely be the state that adds one.

But fear not, we will rebuild New Orleans no matter what and for one of the most basic American reasons. Politics. Bush will not allow himself to go down in history as the first American president to lose a major city. Nothing else really matters. The money will flow from Washington unlike anything seen before and our children will pay the bill.

[recmod]

What are you suggesting? Should the government get into the insurance business then?

That is exactly what has happened in the state of Florida. The Citizens Insurance is govt created to provide homeowners coverage to those residents that private companies simply refuse to write policies for. After last year's Florida storms, EVERY citizen of Florida has been billed a surcharge on their own homeowners policy to help reimburse the State mandated company and keep it afloat financially.

[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]

Interesting... do you have a link handy with more information regarding the Florida program?

[superfly]

Again why should the government give $200 billion for NOLA when it will only benefit 250,000 people and risks being washed away again in the future. Why not spend a fraction on that in Houston, a city of 4 million so people aren't stuck on the interstate for 24 hours during the next mandatory evacuation.

New Orleans is the country's biggest port. The government benefits a LOT economically.

[tornadochaser86]

this is a worst case scenario and it just came true

[arcticfire]

There are some places on earth that man was not meant to live. I'm sorry for being so blunt, but it's a fact as we've seen with NOLA.

How about build a levee system that's adequate? Seriously, what is the agenda behind these kind of comments? Is it the money?

And for the guy from Alaska... you really have no room to talk when it comes to wasting tax dollars. The taxpayers of this country, including Louisiana, are slated to fund a bridge in Alaska that goes nowhere. Connecting mainland Alaska to an island with like 50 people? No need to say anything further about that. I'm not getting personal, just stating facts.

So because our politicians snaggled some fed dollars for some pet project of theirs that makes crippling the economy for NOLA a good idea or justified? Two wrongs make a right I suppose? I don't agree with a pointless bridge anymore then I agree with rebuild NOLA back to how it was, or fundamentally there at all.

Anycase I'm gonna leave this topic now , because it's going political and tonight isn't the night for a politics discussion.

[recmod]

Interesting... do you have a link handy with more information regarding the Florida program?

Citizens Insurance

--Lou

[HurricaneBill]

^ Personally I don't think New Orleans should be rebuilt. The $200 billion price tag (plus interest since its borrowed money) would benefit a lot more people around the country than the 250,000 post-Katrina population.

Does it really make sense to repopulate an area below sea-level when disaster will surely strike one again.

Ask the people who live in the Netherlands.

[drudd1]

Interesting... do you have a link handy with more information regarding the Florida program?

Google it and you will find a multitude of articles outlining the assessments against all the insured statewide to bail out Citizens from the deficit incurred for the coastal payouts from last year.