>>What came first the chicken or the egg?
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>>Well, when it comes to politics, economics and common sense there seems to be a conflict. Perhaps my engineering background is partially responsible for my way of thinking.
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>>As President Bush said we would rebuild New Orleans and invest 200 billion dollars in the process. However, in my opinion it makes no sense to rebuild New Orleans without first rebuilding and upgrading the levy system. The 3 billion it would cost to upgrade the New Orleans levy system to withstand a category 4 or 5 hurricane seems like a minimal investment. First protect and then rebuild. Oh well, so I think differently. I guess I am not qualified to be a politician. Thank God!
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>>http://www.comcast.net/news/national/index.jsp?cat=DOMESTIC&fn=/2005/10/06/235985.html
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>>I guess we could conceivable go through the flooding of New Orleans each year or so. Then we could rebuild it to await the next event! Why would you allow funds to be dispersed before the levy system was upgraded? Is there not some risk involved?
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>How about we spend only a few million $$ to detonate all the levees, let the Mississippi run down what would be its true course past Morgan City. During the Spring floods, the receding waters would naturally replenish the rich soil deposits that create all the marshes and wetlands. This provides natural flood control and can certainly withstand hurricanes. These deposits constatnly pack down over the years but the flooding builds it back up. This area will continue to compact (i.e., sink) because "we" have instituted all this wonderful flood control. In the end, fighting Mother Nature is a losing proposition.

Amen!

One legacy of the Army Corp of Engineers is that they are “guided” by political pressure. The Mississippi overflows every year and people continue to live within the path of flood areas. Many of these people who are flooded out rebuild and are flooded out again and again.

There are historically many cases of powerful political figures having “flood control” created for a specific area of interest. The Army Corp of Engineers complies with its orders and creates the required “flood control”. The end result is that another community up or down stream on the Mississippi will be flooded due to this new construction.

Mother Nature will win more often than not!