pax
ONE love, blood, life
(Please forgive the choir nerd pun in the subject line. Cujo would be proud.)
So now that many of New Orleans' poor residents have fled to Houston and reconstruction plans (or at least speculations) have begun to surface, undoubtedly the pundits and "experts" will propose myriad solutions to the problems wrought not only by Katrina, but by years of poverty in the area. My question to FYM is this: How would you do it?
Your answer needs to provide for:
--revamping levees and other systems to help prevent another Katrina-like disaster or a terrorist threat
--rebuilding housing
--community investment and the re-opening of still-viable businesses
--infrastructure like roads, telecom, etc.
--education
--social services
--port controls (the Port of New Orleans is one of the country's busiest ports)
You should include WHO would handle the situation (current politics notwithstanding; assemble your reconstruction "dream team" if you like, with Rudy Giuliani and James Lee Witt working side by side), HOW LONG it might take, and, if you're the fiscal type, an estimate of the cost.
Keep in mind that "I'd bulldoze and desert the place" is not an option UNLESS you have a plan for creating a new community with the displaced Katrina refugees elsewhere. Then you can say that and answer the questions above in the same manner. Please also indicate where you would build and why.
This should be fun! I have some thought but I'd like to see everyone else's first.
So now that many of New Orleans' poor residents have fled to Houston and reconstruction plans (or at least speculations) have begun to surface, undoubtedly the pundits and "experts" will propose myriad solutions to the problems wrought not only by Katrina, but by years of poverty in the area. My question to FYM is this: How would you do it?
Your answer needs to provide for:
--revamping levees and other systems to help prevent another Katrina-like disaster or a terrorist threat
--rebuilding housing
--community investment and the re-opening of still-viable businesses
--infrastructure like roads, telecom, etc.
--education
--social services
--port controls (the Port of New Orleans is one of the country's busiest ports)
You should include WHO would handle the situation (current politics notwithstanding; assemble your reconstruction "dream team" if you like, with Rudy Giuliani and James Lee Witt working side by side), HOW LONG it might take, and, if you're the fiscal type, an estimate of the cost.
Keep in mind that "I'd bulldoze and desert the place" is not an option UNLESS you have a plan for creating a new community with the displaced Katrina refugees elsewhere. Then you can say that and answer the questions above in the same manner. Please also indicate where you would build and why.
This should be fun! I have some thought but I'd like to see everyone else's first.