Why after almost two years?

Question

are we still paying for Hurricane Katrina victims? They are still in government housing and collecting benifits!

I don't want to come off as mean or uncarring, just tired of paying taxes to support everyone else.

I live in a nice house, I also live in Tornado alley, I do not have insurance, If my house was gone tomorrow: Know what I would get off my *** and go to my JOB... yes I said my JOB.. and not expect the rest of the country to pay my way!!!

Answer 1

I still don't understand why a workfoce of 500,000 people couldn't have torn down & then rebuilt that city in two years. Just imagine what a beautiful city it could now be. Seems they just didn't care enough to do something about it. Instead they all just want us to feel sorry for them & keep giving them handouts.

Answer 2

My question is, why is everyone sitting on their own duff complaining about sending money to New Orleans? Why do people seem to feel it's ok to send a couple bucks their way and feel like they "contributed"? If, after two years, your sick of sending down money and seemingly nothing is done with it, why don't you hand -deliver it? While your sitting at your computer in your nice house, people in New Orleans are sitting on lawn chairs in moldy trailers wondering "where do I go from here?" Obviously, the government isn't handling the money you send the right way, so you should take the initiative and handle the money yourself. I personally know of some people who sent thousands of dollars to New Orleans and surrounding areas, and those SAME people are whining just like you! I say, instead of complaining about your money being wasted and passing the buck, get off your butt and go down there! Take your money contributions and buy some plywood, go down and pound a few nails! Grab a scrub brush and soap and go down and scrub some of the mold and stench off their walls! Just because you have sent money there, doesn't mean that money will actually get there. The best way to assure yourself that your money is being used to help those still in need, is to just do it yourself!

Answer 3

I'm with you. I too am tired of my tax dollars going to support people who are doing nothing to support themselves. I know it must seem like a mountain they are climbing but these folks have got to start taking care of themselves. I see New Orleans had Mardi Gras and how much did that cost? They should have spent that money rebuilding their city. I am at the point where if they want my help I will have to see them helping themselves. I know that some are doing everything in their power to get back to normal and I am all for helping those folks but if a person has made no effort to either rebuild or relocate, hasn't found a job, and is still depending on tax dollars to pay for everything he needs to be cut off. To put it bluntly if you can't help yourself I will not help you.

Answer 4

Oh! this is a heartless question especially in times of distress. For those who lost their near and dear ones, it is too early to pick up threads of life. And what about the investments required to get back to normal lives. But as you said, 2 years is a bit too long a time.

Coming to the reasons why it still happens is "People rather be fed a Fish, than be taught Fishing" You feed me, and I rather stay at home and eat, why sweat ;-)

It suits our slimy polticians too. They need votes which are assured by these means.

Answer 5

To J.C.H., the city doesn't spend much money on Mardi Gras. It mostly comes from the krewes who create the floats. Mardi Gras makes more money for the city than is spent. It is one of the largest sources of revenue for the city.
I live in New Orleans, and it seems to me that the rest of the country has no idea what is going on down here. First of all, if you are going to be upset about money, don't be upset at the people down here. Most people haven't received any money to rebuild yet, and most people have more than $10,000 worth of damage, which would take forever to save up for. The insurance providers are refusing to give any money to victims (who have been paying their premiums for years). In fact, there was a lawsuit against insurance providers in Mississippi who refused to fulfill claims that was just decided in favor of the hurricane victims, but it took a year for those people to get any justice or money. The road home money has not been distributed to more than a couple hundred people, and there are more than 100,000 homes which were damaged. Most assistance is being tied up in red tape. The agency which is in charge of the road home money is being investigated for corruption. It is very hard to get a loan from the bank right now for rebuilding. Trust me, people want to get out of their trailers, but it is impossible to rebuild without any money. If you are going to be upset at anyone, be upset at the local government for not distributing money to people who need it, be upset at the insurance companies for not giving people what they deserve. Also, be upset at the federal government for not stepping in and stopping all of this none sense. 50% of 9th ward residents own their own homes, and they want to rebuild very badly, but every way they turn, someone screws them. I live in a more wealthy neighborhood, and there are still 10 trailers on my block. Even the more well to do people don't have enough money to rebuild quickly because it is so expensive and hard to find contractors. Also, there have been many stories of contractors taking peoples money and not doing the job they said they would. Long story short, blaming the people of New Orleans is just blaming the victims. It is not their fault. If you are sick of paying taxes, be sick for the right reason- government inefficiency and bureaucracy. When anyone down here tries to speak out, no one listens. The people of New Orleans are trying, but no one is standing up for their rights, from the mayor to the president.

Why aren't people mad about the way New Orleanians are being taken advantage of? Why don't people realize that NOBODY enjoys living in a trailer, especially when they have worked all of their lives for their homes? Why aren't people mad that there are people profiting from this, and it isn't the American taxpayer or the people of New Orleans, it is the government contractors, the insurance companies and land development companies. That is what we should be mad about. I am mad that people constantly blame the victims when they have no idea what is really going on.

P.S. Did you realize that 80% of the city was flooded? And the population of New Orleans went form 500,000 people to about 250,000 people? Even with the most efficient plan to rebuild, it would definitely take more than two years.

Answer 6

George Bush wants to seem like a caring person. They sent billions of dollars to help the victims. And what do they do with the money? MARDI GRAS !!

Answer 7

When you have a "Chocolate City", run by a "Chocolate Mayor", who knows next to nothing about running a city that is full of "Chocolate People "who collect "Chocolate warefare checks" and do nothing but say "giveme, 'giveme -
WHILE SITTING ON THEIR CHOCOLATE **** - then what the hell do you expect ???

OH !!! Did I offend anyone ??? T.S.

Answer 8

Because we care, and maybe there is no incentive for them to get up and do something.