Do you feel the displaced katrina victims should be allowed to vote in the N.O.mayor contest?
370666
It depends.  If the displaced residents of NO have established new permenant resisdence in the new state and have no plans in returning to NO, then the answer is "no."\nHowever, if they are temp residents in their new city/state have intentions in returning then "yes."  As long as we set a reasonable time frame for the displacement, kind of like absentee voting.
479716
Yes - I find the whole process fascinating.  I also believe that voting is an informed decision making process, so I keep up with local, state and national issues so I can make an informed decision.  How can a person complain about the state of things in their city, state and country if they are not well informed as to what is going on AND they don't vote!  If you don't exercise your right to vote, you shouldn't complain about the state of things.
126819
^what he said, but expanded. \nIf it is a strong mayor form of government, then they will need mayoral approval. In a weak mayor form of government they will need a majority willing to vote for this parade.\nUnless there are statues/Home owner association type rules, in whcih case they will need those peoples assent as well.
1031439
yes in legal terms. if you lived here for over 10 yrs you should consider applying for citizenship so you can vote.
164453
Sure! If they vote and want to become their own country, let them!
588949
I think Mayor Nagin does not really care about the people of New Orleans. I was there at the time the hurricane hit and I think he has other motives for remaining mayor. What has he done for you lately?
650901
we already have welfare, food stamps, government housing, and medical care. there shouldnt be any other special programs. new orleans has been taken down in the past by hurricanes, it will happen again. it is a stront city, it has rebuilt on its own in the past without the help of the government. i lived in texas where rita went through. i lost almost everything as far as possessions go. i'm not accepting handouts from the government. i moved, life continued on. when the weather dictates that you evacuate, you dont just sit there and then expect compensation for your own lack of listening. i say the government should completely back out of rebuilding new orleans and let it do what it needs to to rebuild itself. people with money will invest, it will come back bigger, better, and stronger.
785635
I think we should.  Because the people are the ones being effected, so I think the registered voters should be allowed to vote.   I think it should be this way for each individual city or town.  If the people of the city or town vote to not grant amnesty to the illegals, then I agree that the illegals and their kids(whether they were born here or not) should be deported.  i think it would be a lot cheaper to have them deportedthen to spend our hard earned taxes on them to have free welfare and medical benefits, and send their kids to school on the taxpayers expense.  Not that I don't think their kids shouldn't get an education.  I just feel like it's a burden on the people (taxpayers) who have to pay for their education out of their own paychecks while the illegals just sit back and collect under the table and don't have to contribute to the education system or any of these other things they are getting for free.   I'm not racist, I just feel like our money could be going to other problems this country has.
820265
Yes, yes, and yes.  Right now there's some young soldier on his third tour of duty dodging sniper fire in Fallujah ... and another one getting notice that his tour has been extended, and he's not coming home as promised.  They do so under the belief that this country is worth it.\n\nThe *least* I can do is f...ing VOTE ... \n\n... and I will vote  in whatever way I can to get those heroic guys out of that ridiculous situation that they did not ask for, and back home again as quickly as possible.
107225
There are alot of questions here so I'll try to answer them all.\n\n"When New Orleans was hit with the hurricane and wiped off the map, in my heart I felt I should give money to help the people. That was just common nature for a U. S. citizen to naturally do for our country or other country's around the world no mater what type of government they have in place." \n\nI feel two ways about this matter.  One is this Country gives to much monney to other Countrys and not enoth to this one.  But at the same time the people in Orleans where asked to leve and did not they had two weeks to pack up and leve but they did not.  What could we have done when so many people picked not to leve?\n\n"What I am concerned with is if the money I gave, got to a PERSON from that specific state or other country I sent the money to?"\n\nQuestion?  Who did you give you're money to?\nJust waching MSNBC and they said that there was alot of "fraud and abuse" that people where doing over there.  (check out url for more info.)  Makes you feel just a tad less sorry for these people.\n\n"Why is it that our government can't take responsibility and pay up, for there mistake in the first place. From what I have read, it was known that those levies could not hold a category 4 or 5 hurricane years or decades ago, but failed to strengthen them back when it was first discovered? \n\nI don't think any mistakes where made.  The truth is that  New Orleans is sinking as it stands now New Orleans is lower then sea level.  The reasons that thoes levies have not been fixed are one the cost is to grate for a city that is sinking and two they don't even know if it's posablem to fix them.  Even if they are fixed and we get another "Katrina" it's posable for this to happen again and again.  "IF" we do fix these levies we are putting peoples lives at risk.\n\n"Do you think it was rude of the two presidents to ask us to give more money when it is our nature to give, even until it hurts?"\n\nDo I think it's rude?  No, I don't.  \n\n"Did you help when 911 happened ?"\nYes, but I feel as if it was not enoth\n\n"or Live Aid?\nor Live8?"\n\nLive Aid, No.  Or Live8 don't know what that is.
165407
yep, it makes sence.\n1)  Katrina was a fluke.  It is something that engineers expect to see once every 100-200 years.  No reason to waste time & resources planning for such a rare occasion.  It would cost more to plan for that event than to rebuild.\n2)  New Orleans is a very important port city because of its access to the Mississippi river.  Lots of shipping to midwestern states.\n3)  There is too much pride in our government to ignore one of our own cities when billions of our tax money goes to helping other countries deal with similar tragedies.\n4)  There is a lot of money to be made in the new New Orleans.  This is a chance to adjust zoning laws to attract new businesses.\n5)  The failure to respond exposed massive city corruption that will be corrected so that the city will have a second chance to prosper instead of being dragged down by red tape.  This will also attract more businesses to the city.\n\nIf America was to abandon every city that was struck by tragedy these cities would not exist today:\nWashington, D.C. - War of 1812\nSan Francisco - Earthquake\nChicago - Fire\nAtlanta - Civil War
381076
I think they are allowing  these no longer residents to vote to keep Rev Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and other so called black "leaders" from whining, bitching, and screaming their usual claim of dis-disfranchisement and discrimination more than they already have. I hate if anyone thinks that sounds racist but it is just how I see the situation. Every time there is a bad situation involving African American People those vulchers take every opportunity to get before the public and further their own interests.They are worse for their people than the Klan was!
43433
As someone who deployed with the National Guard to Louisiana to help clean up, I can say without hesistation that Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco are two of the most inept, incompetent public servants I have ever had the displeasure of working with. Some claim that they were just caught in a bad situation - Good leaders rise above the situation NO MATTER WHAT IT IS. Just like Mayor Guiliani.\n\nNo, Mayor Nagin is incompetent and should not be mayor. But just like the idiots who just re-elected Mayor Kilpatrick in Detroit, New Orleans will get exactly what it deserves if it does not find new leadership.
45077
katrina support, huh. i was in hancock county, ms. when it hit. i have to say that if it were not for the private sector, things would have been alot worse than they were. the first morning after, there was no law, there was no government. it was the second day after the storm when we first saw the busses and trucks loaded down with water and supplies. not one the the supply trucks we saw in the first days were government. now it's 4 months later and there are still people living in tents. my personal experience with fema has been a complete joke. i don't want to take anything away from the people who drove hours on end to deliver the needed supplies or the thousands of people who donated their time and money to help people pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. but i am damn mad at my government. i have had to relocate to another state. the only assistance my family has gotten was the initial $2000 check from fema. past that we have been made to feel like charity cases. we are not begging. these are our tax dollars. since i have been in nc, i have paid in more taxes than i recieved from fema since this whole nightmare began. when i got to nc, so i didn't have to sleep on someones floor, i got a job to provide for my family and because i got that job, was told that i didn't qualify for any public assistance. so no, i don't consider it support, no, it wasn't soon enough, racial bias, i'm white. thanks for letting me vent. and by the way, have any of you asked yourself where all the money you gave went?........
191340
HELL NO!!! Use that money to repair the stuff in New Orleans, or get ready for disasters. There's other money making ideas out there. Most sports owners are corrupt, and it would be way unfair to the public if their tax dollars are going to fund some sports arena. What if they don't like sports???
1165504
i  would  rather   my  tax   dollars  be  wasted   on  the   blacks  in   new  orleans  than   being   used  to   keep   up   all   these   illegal.at   least   this   people  are   citizens.its  the  goverments  stupid   fault,  that  all  this   happened. wish  they  would  send   me  a   credit   card.see  what  all  i   buy.
461542
I live in Slidell, LA on the northshore of Lake Ponchatrain and can tell you that the levies are barely up to the standards before Hurricane Katrina.  While politicians in the state and on the federal level complain and bicker, time is being wasted as the huirricane seaon is only a couple months away.  I have never lived in New Orleans directly but would advice people that it is not a safe place environmentally or sanitarily.  Basic power and water are not available to 35-50% of the New Orleans East and most of that area is virtually untouch since Katrina!!!  my career has directed me toward the MS Gulf Coast where I am seeing vast improvements to the area as opposed to New Orleans.  Please remember the Mississippi Gulf Coast when thinking of Katrina.  The devestation here is something that needs to be seen to believed.