How are you preparing for Gustav?

Posted by jerry as news, politics

I was glued to my TV and computer 3 years ago when Katrina hit, and watched the disastrous aftermath unfold.  What struck me, other than the incompetence of managing the situation at every level of government, was the sheer futility of a inhabiting New Orleans.    So, as we watch this storm lining up to deal NOLA a blow through it’s still unrepaired levees, we have politicians announcing that the country stands beside the people of New Orleans.  After I tired of the spectacle of Katrina, I started to resent New Orleans.  Residents and officials have known for decides, if not hundres of years, that New Orleans is in a precarious place.

So, billions of tax dollars, and billions more from insurance companies have poured into NOLA.  Tonight, we likely get to watch all of those dollars get washed out to see again.  And tomorrow, the country will be united behid our friends in their time of need.

I say that’s a load of crap.  How many times does your community have to be obliterated before you get the hint: maybe we should build somewhere else.  Now, I know New Orleans is a rich historical place, with amazing culture, but that does not change the facts:

1. Much of the city is below sea level
2. The sea lives just on the other side of levees
3. The city is located in a place where hurricanes are likely to happen EVERY YEAR
4. The city has proven over the past 40 years that it is not fully behind spending the money and doing the things that need to be done to allow it to whether storms

So, we will watch the city get devistated again.  We will see the state and federal government dutifull spend our money to “do the right thing” and rebuild NOLA once again.

The only goodness is that there wll likely be far fewer deaths than last time.