Unfeasibility of Rebuilding New Orleans

drsteph · Sep 30, 2005

Quote from AAAintheBeltway:

There may well be a once in a century historic opportunity here to redirect American politics entirely. It is no secret that the conservative movement has become increasingly unhappy with President Bush and the Senate Republicans more generally. They are appalled by the out of control spending, the nation-building and foreign adventurism, the inattention to illegal immmigration, the unaffordable medicare drug plan and the administration's general lack of competence. This plan to rebuild NO crystallizes many of their objections, eg it is a big government, budget busting plan larded with pork.

Environmentalists are likewise skeptical of the NO plan, as noted in the article. They have already made common cause with conservatives over trade issues, so further cooperation is not unthinkable. Other middle of the road, reagan democrats are sick of the direction their party has taken. They do not like the republicans but loath the leaders of their own party.

Who could pull this group together? McCain? Maybe. There is a huge opportunity here if a leader can emerge.
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Time to reclaim the 'good name' of the republican party before this bloat.

NO will be promised the world but will be a shade of its former glory. Most holdouts will leave for greener pastures after the reconstruction of the tourist district, and the realization that there are better places to live.

tomcole · Sep 30, 2005

Actually, you miss the point. As quaint as NO is and the bars etc are fun, NO serves a very strategic purpose. Its where most low value to weight goods move via water. Without NO port working, the midwest has no raw materials to import or grains to export. Thats the value of NO.

When real strategic thinkers would discuss, during the Cold War, what should Russia nuke, and once the thought of NY/LA went away, the next city mentioned was NO. Its that important.

Don Bright · Sep 30, 2005

Quote from AAAintheBeltway:

There may well be a once in a century historic opportunity here to redirect American politics entirely. It is no secret that the conservative movement has become increasingly unhappy with President Bush and the Senate Republicans more generally. They are appalled by the out of control spending, the nation-building and foreign adventurism, the inattention to illegal immmigration, the unaffordable medicare drug plan and the administration's general lack of competence. This plan to rebuild NO crystallizes many of their objections, eg it is a big government, budget busting plan larded with pork.

Environmentalists are likewise skeptical of the NO plan, as noted in the article. They have already made common cause with conservatives over trade issues, so further cooperation is not unthinkable. Other middle of the road, reagan democrats are sick of the direction their party has taken. They do not like the republicans but loath the leaders of their own party.

Who could pull this group together? McCain? Maybe. There is a huge opportunity here if a leader can emerge.
More...

Although I value yours and others opinions, I rarely get involved in the political discussions on the board...and I am a "card carrying independent" or "moderate capitalist" (which I prefer, LOL)... but what you say makes sense...if we actually could put politics aside for a project that could be built with public/private/charitable monies, and without grandstanding for public credit, and put some ego's on the shelf for a while...we could actually show the World that we do actually "get along" (FOX vs. CNN aside, LOL), and that we are capable of doing something right.

A world class port....a city for the next centuries....modern transportation....and a historic section full of Jazz and memories.......oops, I seem to be waking up now...I just read my first paragraph...what is the chance of all that happening?

My brother also thinks this is a great time for a "city of the future" - ala Disneyworld --- Nice dream.

Don

agpilot · Sep 30, 2005

Thanks to all the informative posts so far...

The reality still is that Bush has the spotlight position and another 3 years to muck things up. Tough item to get past.
I sure would vote(and pay some tax $) to start a "New city."
There have been many homes flooded upstream on the Mississippi that were bought out and no one is allow to build on those flood plain areas again... We may need that in NO too.
agpilot
Edit: I forgot to add the Geo "W" own mother, Barb Bush, said in Texas, when visiting displaced NO people, that it looked to her that they seemed to be "better off" there in Texas than they were in NO. Better listen to your mom Geo "W."

murray t turtle · Sep 30, 2005

Quote from Covertibility:

I recall the last time Bush wanted to cut programs : Social-cause crowd blasts Bush budget

Lets cut "programs that help provide education, healthcare, child-care, housing, and other aid to poor families and their children" but cut taxes for the rich and increase military spending for that illegal war. Would Jesus do this?
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Interesting reads and ;
think they should rebuild the parts that did withstand the storm like, if the media told the truth, the French quarter???

Do need a port some where around there for
USA energy/grain /barge traffic.

Yes cut /eliminate like IBD suggested, new medi-drug program;
Jesus likes the private sector for healing.

Also saw on a DISH program,NO used to be safer from those storms because it had a much bigger buffer/natural zone,
between it & sea.

Like Bright trading , hope this helps

OldTrader · Oct 1, 2005

Quote from invaliduser:

Well half of what Bush says is full of crap, actually most of what he says is.

I love the writers last name Haliburton, they will probably get the contract to rebuild NO.
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Just thought I would point out that "Halliburton" the company, is spelled with 2 "L" unlike the author's name which is spelled with 1 "L".

OldTrader

OldTrader · Oct 1, 2005

Quote from tomcole:

Actually, you miss the point. As quaint as NO is and the bars etc are fun, NO serves a very strategic purpose. Its where most low value to weight goods move via water. Without NO port working, the midwest has no raw materials to import or grains to export. Thats the value of NO.

When real strategic thinkers would discuss, during the Cold War, what should Russia nuke, and once the thought of NY/LA went away, the next city mentioned was NO. Its that important.
More...

It doesn't look like you read the article. If the article is to be believed, the "port" of New Orleans is on borrowed time. The Mississippi is moving west. According to the article, this move could easily be accomodated, a new port built, but not where NO is.

OldTrader

SteveD · Oct 2, 2005

New Orleans has several major problems. The largest private employer is Tulane University. think about that for a minute. There is very little "white collar" business there. A lot of oil industry moved to Houston. The Gulf rig servicing has moved to Lafayette and Morgan City.

A lot of the shipping will move further up the Mississippi toward Baton Rouge where they are safer from storms.

The storm showed what has been a bad 'secret" in that outside the French Quarter, New Orleans is a very poor, black ghetto.

And, I also believe that Katrina will fundamentally change the construction industry in the US. Congress is going to get very involved about just where and how one can build on what are essentially "barrier islands".

You want to build a nice high rise condo on the beach? No insurance, no financing and, when, NOT IF, a storm hits, baby we ain't coming to get you!!

SteveD

I mean, at some point, if you live in a house that is 6 feet below sea level!! DUH