[StBernard] Hard to stomach - Recovery

[Westley Annis]

 I have no problem with MY president Bush on every count in office. However
it is disappointing to why he's dragging-feet on a serious issue to us. I've
thought hard on the subject and can only feel that his advisors believe
buying out (or accepting/supporting the Baker Plan) property constitutes
butting in on States rights, infringes government into state control, and
borders, if not replaces a social issue befitting a Democratic party
platform agenda.

I'm disappointed because of the magnitude of the crisis to so many lives.
That flashes a hint at politics and politicians need to set this aside and
deal with a catastrophe as it truly exists and is not imaginary. Bailing us
out of our problem is going to take a great deal of money and since there is
no framework or paralleled history/precedent to measure Katrina with, I'm
afraid more than the president is going to be confused over the issue and
given the wrong advise by economic advisors is equivilent to your best
friend telling you not to change your mind or do something, regardless of
how you feel on the subject.

About the other things, what good is St. Bernard if Mobile/Murphy, etc.
blown up by terrorists? You thought one tank leaking was a catastrophe? 

In the same vein, oil addiction. Aren't you tired of ratical, Muslim
fanatics telling us how to run our lives here in America and when we can
drive our autos and how much to spend on our oil here? Sure you are or you
wouldn't be an American in heart. "I'm proud to be an American (as the song
goes), or at least I'm sure I'm free!" (or a facimile thereof <G>).

To foreclosure. I'm right up there with you. I believe he should get off his
Texan a$$ and support us, as we would to have supported Houston if "Rita"
thought what it was supposed to do, but changed her mind.

Let me end by saying government, no matter who is in the White House, moves
at a snail's pace. If local, state, and federal people would meet to discuss
our future in a commission or panel of experts and locals for a few days,
I'm sure they can come up with a plan that's workable. Thus far, it's been a
little about nothing and no devised plan set that would challenge those to
immediate action for what ails us. Most of what does is in the
financial/economic sense (aka, "we need lots of money now at the grass roots
level/individual assistance). Without it, they can put Cat 20 levees all
over the place, storm walls till the cows come home..etc..

But, if people are not assured that they can recover financially, they won't
come back to see the levees do their thing and folks will go on with their
lives elsewhere in poverty. At least with financial recovery, a choice can
be made. Then if they wish to rebuild with their financial worries behind
them, they'll at least have a fighting chance if they choose to be part of
St. Bernard beside the 5-8% that have/or coming back.

--Jer.