how much money did the levees need to protect us before katrina? like millions?
360177
The levees did not need any money to protect New Orleans. They were only built to handle a specific catafgeoty of hurricane, and Katrina was greater than that to which the levees were built.\n\nThe question now is: Will the levees be rebuilt to handle the highest category hurricane, or will they simply be rebuilt to sub-par standards?
290714
1)More visibility to the weaknesses of the current Administration; 2)Perception that the socio economic classes were hit "more" equally in MS than LA 3) New Orleans looked at as major tourist industry... my question would be How much money is being spent in each place? Who is it going to? and What is being done? So far, from what I've seen there's a whole lot of nothing going on in either place, except to try to make Bourbon Street presentable for Mardi Gras (only 6 months after the disaster)
284042
we have been getting a lot the last couple of years.  I think like three feet so far and counting.  We all have our life rafts and provisions for the big flood ready.  Just in case.
139764
I dont know..i have a hard time with giving billions of dollars to a city where people chose to live below sea level and that will likely flood again in the future.  Many of New Orleans residence have found homes elsewhere and will not be returning. The ones that do should have insurance, right?  Why should we pay for them to rebuild?
886372
depends on how much was needed\ni
919632
Dear Sir:\n\nYes, you have all the facts correct in your mind...\n\nWhat I see that you haven't got a good grip on is the \nsize of the problem.\n\nThe glaciers that the scientists are talking about extend for hundreds and hundreds of miles, and they are solid ice. They are presently sitting on solid ground and moving towards the water in a slow march, maybe 5 feet per day. These huge masses of ice are hundreds of feet high. So, the water they contain is just a massive amount of liquid when it melts. The terms gallons or liters is not applied to liquid in that huge of a mass. Terms like cubic miles is probably more appropriate. So when you talk about adding 2,000,000 cubic miles of water to the seas, some real changes in water level will probably result.\n\nIn the USA, a lot of homes and businesses are located at places where the elevation above the current sea level marks are only 1 to 3 feet.  High winds or storm surges could endanger places even higher up than that. In the area around New Orleans, La., the city is actually below sea level and is dry only because of a huge system of dikes that actually failed in a recent hurricane. As a result the city of New Orleans and much of the surrounding towns went under water.  Rebuilding, Clean-up, and repopulation could only begin after the waters receeded to their normal levels and the dikes were repaired, pumps placed back into service to clear out water behind the dikes, etc. \n\nWhat the scientists are suggesting is that in the future these flood waters might not receed...they will just stay there, and the flooded areas will stay flooded from now on...WOW.  That is a doozie to think about.
1165717
They closed their eyes and voted for the party, not the man.  He delayed evacuating the city until it was too late, he denied there was a chance that the levees would collapse, until they did, he refused offers of used fire trucks, police cars and ambulances because he expected FEMA to buy new ones.  \n\nHe imperilled the city and the lives of his citizens and blamed the federal government.  FEMA has always said they require up tp 72 hours to get into recovery mode.  Prior to 2005 FEMAs main role in a hurricane had been to act as an insurance broker and arrange for housing and financial aid... he (with the help of the media) made it seem FEMA could divert the rain and wind then rebuild the collapsing levees with super-powers.  Amazing!!!\n\nAlso in the "funny-but-true" category.  There are levee commissions set up to handle the taxes that should go towards maintenance of the levees.  They can't account for any money being spend on repairs or upgrades to the levee system, but they did donate to his campaign and to the dem state committee.  He gave them a reach around by not assigning blame on the levee commissions but rather on the Army Corps of Engineers.\n\nThe citizens of New Orleans voted him back in so they deserve him!  Good luck to them, the 2006 hurricane season just started and he spent the spring campaigning instead of preparing the city for more storms.  (They still don't have a viable shelter system in place!)
1117923
It has been almost a year since Katrina hit.  There is no reason you shouldn't be working to get these things that you need.  The American people were VERY sympathetic when Katrina struck,  donating MILLIONS and MILLIONS worth of dollars and goods.  That time is up.  It's time for you "victims" to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and stop expecting the rest of the US to make it all better for you.  While I am sorry for the devistation that you and so many others suffered,  I am also very tired of working my a$$ into the ground to make ends meet just so my tax dollars can continue being spent to keep you guys up.  Get a job,  put money back and go from there.
221468
It cost the federal government $3 billion.\n\nhttp://acct.tamu.edu/giroux/financingcivil.htm
172500
I live in New Orleans.  I am one of those other thousands of people that you are NOT hearing about; I found a place to live, I did not ask for more FEMA money.  It has been over 5 months since we all lost practically everything.  That's 5 months.  That's a lot of time to pull oneself together and get on with getting on.  Thousands of us did just that, but you aren't reading about us, are you?  I think it is right, and anyone still expecting FEMA to pay for a hotel room should be able to show FEMA proof why they would still need it.
499086
There is no assurance that New Orleans will be hit by another hurricane, just as there is no assurance they won't be.  While I'm not a psychic, from previous years and studies of hurricanes, it's very unlikely that another hurricane will hit them this year and even more unlikely that a large hurricane will hit.\n\nMany younger adults, mostly people in their twenties, are taking advantage of the large amount of homes available for sale.  While the homes need much repair, a recent college graduate who was looking at a small house in another large city can afford to buy a big house in New Orleans and then renovate it for the same price.  While home insurance is expensive in the city, the price of the home, repair, and insurance still doesn't meet what you'd pay somewhere like California.\n\nThere's also the fact that many people don't have a choice to live somewhere else.  While many people have moved out of the city, most of the people that were displaced by the storm are extremely poor.  They didn't own their homes, many didn't have insurance, and Fema has drastically cut the amount of aid they are giving to people.  However, many of the cities they have been living with are also cutting off aid and so they are forced to return to their broken homes, the only thing they own, and attempt to rebuild (they certainly can't sell their homes in the state in which they are in). \n\nFinally, New Orleans is still a major shipping and oil port and people are needed to work the jobs to get things on and off ships.  My mother's oil company has actually offered large amounts of money and incentives to get people from her KY office to move down there and work.  Hope this helps explain things.
1136524
Contact your legislature and yell like hell. You guys had what? 5 hurricanes last year? The insurance companies are trying to save their own ASSets.
223540
Man that is going to be a touchy subject. I am in Houston and I have friends and family on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.\nSo I have seen the devastation and the destruction and the free loading first hand.\nLet me fist say that not everyone in N.O. needs a hand out. Some are good honest people and had the sense God gave a fly to get out of dodge before the storm. They will do so again. The ones that did not are the problem..\nDid they learn their lesson the first time - we will see?\n\nHowever!... If they choose to go back and it is a choice. I.E. There are a LOT of N.O. residents that are now residents of H town that are not going back.\nAnyway... If they choose to go back it should be at their peril.\nContrary to what "lynn" thinks. The Government does not owe them anything. That has been the problem all along. Too many people feel the U.S. Government should pay for their losses. Ahhh have ya ever heard of insurance? If you didn't have it before and you are going back it should be REQUIRED. \nThe government is not a charity. It was not established to support and bail out the people who are to stupid to plan for an emergency. It is not like they did not know they were below sea level, it is not like they did not know a storm was coming. An accident is unexpected and catches you by surprise... a majority of N.O residents feel like this was an accident. \nHow many of them are willing to move back there and pay 2 or 3 times the taxes they were paying to build stronger levees and better drainage systems? I doubt many. So what... the rest of the tax paying U.S. is supposed to foot the bill?\nWRONG. \nIf they did not know before, they know now. N.O is below sea level and will flood. Anyone that rebuilds there should do so at their own expense and risk.\nI would be happy to come spend a few days "helping", that is what neighbors do... but do not expect me to pay for any aspect of your choosing to live there.\nIf I build my next home on the rail road tracks... there is a higher than probable chance that it is going to get hit by a train.... duh.\nThe people of the US and the US Gov. have given and given and are still giving... Don't expect us to do it again.\nAs to where are they supposed to go...\nAnywhere? As I said... there are lots of them here in Houston and to the best of my knowledge there are 49 other states to choose from. I mean come on... \nBurn me once shame on you, burn me twice shame on me. NO THEY GOV SHOULD NOT PAY TO EVACUATE THEM.\nDon't look for the free hand out. Make a better choice.\n\nAdditional Comments:\nI don't think anyone should NOT move back there. I do however think it should be at their own risk. Put it anyway you want... It is BELOW SEA LEVEL and building there INVITES problems. I just heard on the news not an hour ago that the cost to rebuild the levees is now over 10 Billion. \n\nThat money should not have to come from the federal Government and the rest of the citizens of the U.S. Nor should any future federal funds for the next time. The lessons have been taught and should have been learned. If you can't afford to insure your property to the level of replacement... you shouldn't live there and expect me to pay for it. \n\n\nGo ahead rebuild. I am all for it. As I said I would be happy to help. Point in case... I am leaving Tuesday 4/12 for my third trip back to Mississippi to help rebuild... So the work is not the issue. I just think the same values and nuances you and others are so fond of could be relocated to a safer place.\n\nBottom line it is not the buildings it is the people that make it.\n\nand Yes I have been there several times.
124645
Katrina didnt discover as much oil as the middle east!Its sad to say but the goverment would rather fix other places before he fixes home.We live in sooo much discomfort so that other countries can benefit off of us.It is ridiculous that the homeless here in america starve while Iraq has 200 billion of our dollars.Katrina has come along and shown us who we really gave leadership to.I just wish some americans could have understood that before election 2004.Katrina was a tragedy that could NOT have been prevented,but it may have been handled better.To late to sing the shoulda,coulda,woulda's now.
1182442
For you information, we did NOT get aid immediately, it was nearly 1 week and a half after that we got ANY acknowledgment of being alive.  I live in Northwest Florida and we still have damage.  There are people with blue roofs still after nearly 2 years (Hurricane Ivan).  We had no help from anyone, we were completely ignored!  The gym at one of the local high schools had the roof ripped off, and just recently was it replaced.  The reason we were "better off" was that we actually prepared. I feel pity for them yes, but hardly guilt, they got relief faster than we did.
162234
WHOAAAAAAAAAA........WAIT A MINUTE HERE...\nFOR YOUR INFORMATION KATRINA DISASTER HAPPENNED ON AUGUST OF LAST YEAR... AND EVEN IF FEMA WAS LATE AND THEY DROPPED THE BALL THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING TO HELP THEM.. SINCE THE DISASTER HAPPENED FEMA GAVE EVERYONE 2K TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AND NEGOTIATED A PLAN WITH BANKS TO PARDON THEIR MORTGAGE FOR 6 MONHTS... AND ON DECEMBER THEY EXTENDED THEIR HELP TO FEBRUARY,, DON'T YOU THINK THAT THIS PEOPLE HAD ENOUGHT TIME TO SORT THEIR PROBLEMS OUT... ALSO THEY GAVE THEM SOMEWHERE TO LIVE LIKE HOTELS... FREE APARTMENTS, FREE HOUSING AND SORRY TO SAY IT BUT PEOPLE JUST GOT USED TO THE FREEBIES AND WON'T LIFT A FINGER TO GET BACK ON THEIR TRACKS.\nSO YES, ALL OF THAT HELP IS WEIGHTING DOWN ON THE GOVERMENT AND IS ABOUT TIME PEOPLE WAKE UP AND SMELL THE ROSES...
1160850
There are other places that need the money too to protect them as well.  I mean 9/11 was a tragedy and many miliions have been spent to rebuild and secure NY in the last 5 yrs or so, but how much security does one place need really?  Once you have the cameras, the security guards, and other equipment, ou don't need to spend millions more buying the same stuff.  DO you?\n\nIf we put all of our resources into a few spots across the country it leaves many more at risk to protect only a handful of cities and towns.\n\nI don't know, but I think that over the history of man kind, there have been many different ruling countries in the world that have fallen at some point.  Is it our turn now?