Yup. You're about as grounded as a kite, but you keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night.

As to addressing your arguement, while I did directly quote you, I wasn't engaging in a debate regarding your view of things, ergo my lack of comment on the rest of what you said.

Haha okay, let's just give NOLA a trillion bucks off the printing presses. That's going to help things.

You're just playing the populist approach of let's give them money and tehy'll figure out how to properly allocate it. FEMA worked well, right? All the money given post-Katrina has been flushed away. The Army Corps of Engineers said that the city is 20% ready.

But you simply mock me when I make fun of the fact that public money is NOT how you solve the problem.

Will they make black people TURN BACK AT GUNPOINT during this evacuation like they did before?.

No. I'm much more grounded in reality than this fantasy world where we print money to pay for private property to rebuild and then wonder why inflation occurs and then blame oil companies for gas prices.

As to addressing your arguement, while I did directly quote you, I wasn't engaging in a debate regarding your view of things, ergo my lack of comment on the rest of what you said. There was no need to, really. They spoke volumes on their own.

If Bush and Cheney fuck this up, it will be the end of the Republican's chances of winning the election.

My good friend Voodoo Rue evacuated to a shit hole hotel in Mississippi - (http://voodoorue.blogspot.com/..., but I'm muddling through my own staycation here (http://politenewyorker.blogspo...

Wait, the TSA existed on 9/11? That's a new one on me. I could have sworn they were created as part of Homeland Security after 9/11.

Clearly meant FAA, as they had information about the attacks prior. Thus, you could make a lucrative lawsuit out of it. And I meant Massachusetts in regards to their airport security, as it was negligent.

This one seems wobbly. If it wobbles one way, N.O. is fucked, if it wobbles another, Cajun country is submerged like a crawfish in a culvert. Either way, "ooh dat not nice."

All I know is that the Bums in New Orleans are loving Gustav. Before Katrina, they were bums. After Katrina they lived like kings for a bit off of social welfare and humanitarian aid. Now the good times are back again.

Though an argument can be made that MA was reckless and the TSA was reckless on 9/11, thus should have to pay, too.

Wait, the TSA existed on 9/11? That's a new one on me. I could have sworn they were created as part of Homeland Security after 9/11.

Yeah, it's not your fault that they're poor or underprivileged or whatever disparaging things you have to say about them, but that's no excuse to turn your backs when they need it. Last I checked, we're still the United States of America, and not the United States of those who can afford it.

I'm glad you're making up things to cement your weak argument. No one say anything disparaging about the poor in NO. Where the fuck did you get that from?

Yeah, we're the USA. We are altruistic and charitable. Thus, the money I give to the Red Cross and Salvation Army is money I feel much better about then my tax monies that go to FEMA.

What would you rather see show up in a time of need? The Red Cross, or FEMA?

Point. Me.

And I can guarantee you that Bloomie would be applying for federal funds, along with residents who live in the low lying areas in some of the outer boroughs who now have the LI Sound or the Atlantic Ocean in their living rooms.

Why should someone in Michigan have their taxes go toward people who live in risky areas. It creates a moral hazard.

It's ignorant for you all to ignore this, and pretend that we have the money to keep paying for all of these natural disasters which are only going to continue for...FOREVER. Last time I checked, hurricanes or flooding in Manhattan isn't something that can be stopped.

I saw emergency services from all over the country, NOLA included, for weeks following 9/11, and as hard as I try, I can't remember anyone from outside the metro area complain that NYC brought it on themselves, what with all those tall buildings they have.

You didn't address a single point I made. A lot of the money went toward infrastructure cleanup, which the city and state should have footed. Though an argument can be made that MA was reckless and the TSA was reckless on 9/11, thus should have to pay, too.

But those buildings in the financial district should have all be insured. And if not, it's not LA, WA, ME, or FL who should have to pay so a Sherson Lehman Brothers can rebuild. Same goes for the roads and MTA. This is what private insurance is for.

And, Bottomless Chips, you're an ignorant ass.

No. I'm much more grounded in reality than this fantasy world where we print money to pay for private property to rebuild and then wonder why inflation occurs and then blame oil companies for gas prices.

It's being cognizant of reality and that it's unsustainable for the federal government to foot bills.

Godamnit I was just there.

Good points, Dark Gemini.

And, Bottomless Chips, you're an ignorant ass.

You know what? All you people who are bitching and whining about "half of the nation's income tax is going to [rebuilding] a city that's under water AGAIN" are disgusting.

I saw emergency services from all over the country, NOLA included, for weeks following 9/11, and as hard as I try, I can't remember anyone from outside the metro area complain that NYC brought it on themselves, what with all those tall buildings they have.

And not for nothing, but as a city that is immobilized every time the rain falls at more than inch or two per hour, a direct hit by even a category 2 hurricane would wreak havoc here. And I can guarantee you that Bloomie would be applying for federal funds, along with residents who live in the low lying areas in some of the outer boroughs who now have the LI Sound or the Atlantic Ocean in their living rooms.

A lot of the people who live in NOLA live at a level so far below the poverty line that the majority of you running your mouths wouldn't even begin to be able to fathom life like that. And those are the people who aren't on I-10 evacuating north, or can't even make it to an evac site to get on a bus.

Yeah, it's not your fault that they're poor or underprivileged or whatever disparaging things you have to say about them, but that's no excuse to turn your backs when they need it. Last I checked, we're still the United States of America, and not the United States of those who can afford it.

I really hope this storm weakens significantly, or makes landfall somewhere that will be of less impact.

the french quarter and the white areas will be fine,

it's the po black folk who will suffer again. or anyone that's poor.

Goddamn, for a beautiful holiday weekend, people are sure pissy.

I think it's good that Jen is covering this despite not being necessarily New York related. It should be on everyone's mind.

There, there - in defense of Jen, it does get kind of tricky when you're plagiarizing tidbits left and right...