Re: Does The Buck REALLY Stops Here?


"SteveF" <none@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:MHXRe.23433$ou5.140714@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> "Too_Many_Tools" <too_many_tools@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:1125637518.612854.118680@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>> It is becoming more and more apparent that the Federal Government has
>> REALLY dropped the ball on Katrina.
>>
>
> No, the ball was dropped 40 years ago when the government passed the
> National Flood Insurance Program and created FEMA and made it public
> policy to cover the losses of people and banks when houses were built in
> flood plains (ever wonder why they call it that?). This problem occurs
> every couple of years and cost billions of dollars each time because the
> government didn't outright ban new construction in flood plains. Every
> couple of years my insurance company calls me to bring to my attention
> that I don't have flood coverage on my house. My response is always, "I
> don't need it because I'm not stupid enough to live in a flood plain."

i agree with what you say in the rest of this post, but how do you know you
aren't? have you looked at the flood maps? the reason i ask is that about
50% of phoenix, in the middle of a desert, is in one flood plain or another,
but people don't usually expect that info just by looking around and not
seeing any nearby rivers.

> The alternative was to create building codes to handle the problem. New
> Orleans could have EASILY passed a building code that required all
> buildings to have a concrete block first floor (required to remain
> uninhabited space) to get the main structure out of harm's way. And to
> jack up all existing buildings. Did they do that? No. Any coastal
> community could pass building codes to make hurricane proof buildings.
> Did they do that? No. Why? Because the codes would "make housing
> unaffordable" and "hurt the local economy".
>
> My boss was telling me a story once of when he lived near Roanoke,
> Virginia. One of his coworkers found a nice lot down by the river. The
> guy goes to the Corps of Engineers and asks them to tell him what is the
> abolutely worst possible flood that could happen and they gave him the
> numbers. Went and built a little hill in the middle of the property and
> proceeded to build a house on it. Needless to say, everyone thought he
> was out of his mind for spending all that money and effort. A couple
> years later - big flood. My boss says saw his coworker's house as the
> news chopper was flying over the river showing flooded house, flooded
> house, flooded house, house on a little hill, flooded house......
>
>
>> Just last year, the Army Corps of Engineers sought $105 million for
>> hurricane and flood programs in New Orleans. The White House slashed
>> the request to about $40 million. Congress finally approved $42.2
>> million, less than half of the agency's request.
>>
>
> There's 1.3 million people in New Orleans so they could have made up the
> difference. That's $31 each to spend THEIR money to protect THEIR
> property. Did they do that? No. I just spent three days working and
> sweating my ass off (plus $500 in hired labor) cutting down three huge,
> dead pine trees that were within range of my garage because I didn't want
> my property damaged in a storm. Guess the thing to do nowadays is to wait
> until the trees crushed my garage and then stand there with tears running
> down my face saying, "Woe is me".
>
>
>> That's not true. Experts had predicted for years that a major hurricane
>> would eventually hit New Orleans, swamping the levees and filling the
>> bowl-shaped city with polluted water. Yet even Bush insisted that
>> nobody anticipated the breach of the levees in a serious storm.
>>
>
> Experts? Anyone with half a brain could have seen it coming.
>
> I wonder what the future holds for this country when everyone thinks that
> taking care of them is someone else's responsibility.

amen

> Steve.

regards,
charlie
cave creek, az


.

Relevant Pages

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