A New Orleans Reality Check

Did you wonder why the residents of New Orleans were angry at Bush for the speech he gave there last week? This is why.

Martin Savidge of NBC News writes:

As he gutted his New Orleans East home, 27-year-old Joshua Robichaux was still angry Friday afternoon. He called President Bush’s rosy assessment and statement that “New Orleans is reminding me of the city I used to visit” ridiculous.

“If he cared, it seems there would be more going on in these areas,” Robichaux says.

The lights are on in only 34 percent of the city. Only one out of three grocery stores has reopened. Where there were once 2,000 hospital beds, there are now just 200. And the plan to make things better is also in trouble.

Even as New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin pitched the city's recovery plan to state and federal officials this week, saying, “We need help. We really need some help,” questions are growing about where the money will come from to cover the proposed $18 billion price tag.

President Bush was silent regarding legislation the city desperately needs to buy storm victims out — perhaps for good reason. Even before a dollar is spent rebuilding New Orleans, the White House projects the national deficit will grow by $60 billion next year.

Funding isn't the only problem for New Orleans. The proposed four-month ban on reconstruction is despised by residents and even disliked by the mayor.

“If I was making the decision today,” Nagin says, “I probably wouldn't go forward with that particular aspect.”

There's nothing there to return to. If they are really trying to base their reconstruction on how many people come back, trealizee to realizt that there must be something for them to come back for.

Then there was this statement from President Bush on Thursday:

"Folks around the county who are looking for a great place to have a convention, or a great place to visit, I'd suggest coming here to the great New Orleans."

His tourism plug fell the same day a judge said storm evacuees could stay in their New Orleans hotels beyond Mardi Gras -— setting up another juggling act as a city recovers from a bad time and tries to prepare for a good one.

The entire article can be found here:
Residents scoff at President Bush’s plea for tourists to return

Technorati tags: Bush, Katrina, New Orleans, Victim