news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20060215/cm_usatoday/relianceongovernmentstallsrebuilding
USA TODAY Opinion Reliance on government stalls rebuilding Wed Feb 15, 7:15 AM ET A key sentence in USA TODAY's story Has USA lost drive to rebuild after tragedies? Of Chicago, San Francisco and Galveston, Texas, the article says, "These cities rebuilt, each with little federal aid" (News, Friday).
In 1871, 1900 and 1906 - the years of the Chicago fire, the Galveston hurricane and the San Francisco earthquake - the American people had to depend on their own initiatives to build a nation.
It was a time when Americans were independent, not dependent. Today, we have become a society dependent on the federal government. Listen to newscasts about New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina: The focus is on what the Bush administration has not done to rebuild New Orleans, while several thousand evacuees still live in hotel rooms, waiting for someone (the federal government) to clean up the mess, rebuild their cities and give them food and shelter. Why do these people lack the get-up-and-take-care-of-my-problem attitude? The Great Society has taught them that, "It's not my problem, I'm just the unfortunate victim." They think, "It's a problem for those who will work and pay taxes.
Through private donations and federal money, several billion dollars have been raised for New Orleans, yet we still see pictures of piles of debris left from the destruction of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Meanwhile, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin demands more money and the politicians of Louisiana wait for the federal government to make things right. The other cities rebuilt with "little federal aid" because they had leaders who were independent and recognized the problem was theirs to take care of. Our people need to go back to this we-can-do-it attitude and quit being so dependent on the federal government. The problem would be solved a lot faster, and we would be a lot more appreciative of the results of our labor. David Williams Hooks, Texas Special interest tug of war The stalling on efforts to rebuild Ground Zero and New Orleans has struck a nerve. Today's political arena has so many special interests that the most sound, logical plans to rebuild don't get the nod. Instead, taxpayers are held hostage to these interests as they push their own micromanaged agendas. Ground Zero should have been easy: Both towers should have been rebuilt exactly as they were - albeit with added strengthening and security features. A memorial could have been added in a courtyard-type setting. New Orleans is tougher because some areas might have to be eliminated because of natural geography. Unless they're removed from the mix, more time will go by before any real progress can be made. Thomas G Lutek Philadelphia 9/11 events are distinct There's a fundamental difference between the tragedies USA TODAY's article cites - the Chicago fire, the San Francisco earthquake and Hurricane Katrina, for example - and the rebuilding of Ground Zero after 9/11. The World Trade Center event was a terrorist attack by a foreign enemy. The failure of those responsible for the reconstruction of the site to properly appreciate that and plan to genuinely express its history at the place it happened is the first reason why the site remains empty. Michael Burke Bronx, NY Victims need more help There are a lot of disturbing events happening in the world right now. But I think the most disturbing is the lack of results for Hurricane Katrina victims. There was a massive outpouring of money for the devastated areas, and yet nothing seems to be getting done. Government red tape is hindering people's ability to get their lives back together.
Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross is outrageous. People, especially in the 9th Ward, are still pondering how to get their lives back. Hurricane Katrina affected one specific area in the country. If a catastrophic event happened nationwide, such as a pandemic influenza, what would happen then? Don't rebuild New Orleans USA TODAY's article questions why the country is not more willing to aid the reconstruction of New Orleans. The reason is that the people are smarter than the politicians. Let's face it: New Orleans should never have been built where it was in the first place. Why should taxpayers spend millions to reconstruct a mistake? Star Carey Canyon Lake, Texas Flood map failures USA TODAY's editorial "Rebuild Louisiana, but not by creating federal money pit," which attacks the proposed legislation by Rep.
All responsible lenders fully comply with flood insurance laws. Mortgage companies execute flood insurance obligations consistently and in good faith. Lenders rely on Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) flood maps to assess property risk and insurance requirements before approving loans. Properties in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) are required by law to have flood insurance; homes situated in other flood zones are not required by law to have flood insurance. In those cases, the lender has little to no authority to require a borrower to obtain it. Katrina revealed that FEMA's flood maps are outdated and inaccurate. Many homeowners didn't have flood insurance simply because they weren't in an SFHA. Though keeping flood maps current is expensive, it's necessary. The federal government should draw revised and accurate maps and increase funding for the Flood Map Modernization Fund. Rebuilding New Orleans can't begin without accurate flood maps to determine what is, and is not, a high risk flood zone. Baker's bill is a step in the right direction to bring that city back to life. Lenders are working closely with homeowners to assist in rebuilding. The bill's primary purpose is to provide relief to homeowners whose houses were destroyed.
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