[AKA_Monet]

Kevin,

Sweetheart, maybe it is an engineering feat some people have to build it right... To make it right which they should have done in the first place, but did not because back then when the levees were built, some places were built better than other places because of skin color. Let's be honest. Now, it is a different day and age. Natural Disasters are equal opportunity killers. It does not matter WHO you are or what you look like, they come. And when they do, the best we can do is help the helpless become prepared. Might I say it is the Christian thing to do in America.

Should it cost that much for the "sins of the past"? Well, how much is your livelihood and homestead worth to you if you lost EVERYTHING in the land of the free and home of the brave?

I live under 3 volcanoes now. 1 currently active. If the biggest one explodes, there will be mini-Earthquakes for a solid year+ building up in intensity. At least that is what the USGS and volcanologists tell me.

I also live under a wind-storm prone area with 100 mph+ winds that knock big trees over. And, I live under constant deluge of rain, and it snows in the winter. The tiny bit of sunshine I get enthuses me to relish in it and makes this place bearable. I did not choose to live here. But my "heart" is here, I must follow him. Would I trade now?

Hayle no! But, if I lost my house due to a natural disaster, and I did not have the money, I expect my democratically elected government both Feds, State and local to do all they can for me to get me and my family back upon my feet. Especially after I am paying State Farm, USAA, etc. all THAT money for something...

And Earthquake insurance, what a rip. Your house has to blow up due to gas leaks for them to pay... So, if you smell gas, light a match?

And insurances, do not pay for a DMZ in a US city... It is not suppose to be that bad in the US...

But the irony, it is. And if anything that beoytch Hurricane Katrina uncovered the corruption that the entire World saw and they were shocked...

Everyone was and is culpable for that...

Should you and I the taxpayer pay for this? How come some Corporations do not step up? Namely ExxonMobile who owes Lousiana and Mississippi state taxes for their offshore platforms. Hayle BP--they've got money and might pay it. Dubai ports world might pay it as an investment. And you have all these illegal immigrant workers, make their resident countries do a deal--like Citgo--Hugo Chavez wanted to help anyways... The local reconstruction companies could use some benefits.

It just sounds like folks are clueless about restructuring and improvements. They want the same life. The reality is, they will NEVER have the same life. But, what we all can do is get to a BETTER life than before... Promote promise... And realistically, not everyone will have it, but we can dream.

One must understand that we are dealing with a broken people--some folks like my Soror AKA2D has not given up, she works very hard to make it everyday as a teacher. But there are others, that want to fall. Our job, as cheerleaders, it to make sure they keep rising and keep that vision.

Hurricane Katrina may have beayotch slapped the area, but she did not hurt our American resolve.

We, the people, can do better!