New Orleans: Nobody Asked, Why Not Sooner?

LOS ANGELES -- Of course, the primary hope is that this question remains, if not rhetorical, at least not forensic. The hope is that Hurricane Gustav doesn't prove the fragile repairs of the deeply defective levee and floodwall system in New Orleans have been repairs in name only, that the storm goes west, or east, that it peters out, or, most miraculously, that the repairs by the Army Corps of Engineers actually strengthened the system to a point where it can protect the city.

But one question does need to be raised now, before we know next week's outcome. After Katrina, the Corps wasted nine months in lying and refuting the findings of expert teams of engineers -- the Corps insisted the levees were over-topped, while the teams reported disturbing evidence of construction and design flaws. Finally, after denigrating the experts for months, calling them liars in the local press, the Corps issued its own report in June 2006, calling the system it had designed and constructed "a system in name only."

Most crucially, the Corps announced that the system would be repaired, up to the advertised level of the pre-K system, the so-called 100-year storm, by 2011.

Maybe somebody in Congress asked, in some hearing, why will this take six years? But nobody asked that question in public, nor the obvious followup: what's the city, and its citizens, supposed to do in the meantime, say, in 2008?

The old slogan, in engineering as in many other lines of work, is that you can have it good, fast, and cheap -- pick two out of three. Is money the reason New Orleans has to wait three more years before even the semblance of protection is in place? If so, what politician, Democratic or Republican, will speak up to suggest that that schedule needs to be accelerated, that good and fast has to replace good and cheap?

UPDATE: For those new to this subject, or for those who cling to misinformation about the 2005 disaster, here's a video that should be enlightening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wln_iq5bc8k

Comments

[caitybelle]

Mr. Shearer,

I just saw this and thought WTF? and immediately thought of you. Here's hoping you read our comments.

Nola devotee,
-Lisa Smith

Gustav revives question: Is New Orleans worth it? By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer
Tue Sep 2, 10:10 AM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/rebuilding_new_orleans;_ylt=AtJ4rOe5uix4BJ_ZEgVU_S2s0NUE

[GrainOSand]

The good news, I am doing the work to educate myself on the problem of effective levee systems. Out of the bad comes the good -- growth within the population and more informed citizens. We can do better, we should do better, and if we are to remain viable out into the unknown future, we must do better.

The hypocrisy of the conservative, Republican, the GOP position is most evident as it relates to Iraq juxtaposed against the Gulf Coast region of the United States of America. The applied policy states in very abrasive and screeching tones, we can send you to die doing our bidding in another country, but concerning your life here at home, your family, your well-being, your frustration and feelings of futility, we have no solutions on the table -- except more of the same. This is not to suggest that the other major Party the Democrats are not culpable, it is to say those who want to ride tall in the saddle are easiest to pick off with the rock of indictment concerning failure to lead.

The below article is a good one about levee technology. Spend the money, do the work and let us all tend to the serious business of enjoying life, which is hard work. Policies of take-take-take -- without any give are a losing proposition for a nation.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1332685

[rich3324]

Harry,
Were you guys planning a gay pride parade? That's what caused Katrina.

[andvoodoo2]

You aren't even close to funny.

[rich3324]

I guess you have no sense of history. Google Katrina and Jerry Falwall

[jaycasey]

I don't believe in such stuff (God sending messages via weather) but if I did I'f wonder why Reed prayed unsuccessfully for Obama's big night to be rained out but then the RNC being interrupted by a hurricane. What does Reed have to say about that?

[RTIII]

But Reed's prayers _were_ answered! The Convention of the Party Of Evil WAS "rained out", so to speak!
.

[greeniefromOH]

I might get slammed for this one.
Am I alone in feeling that New Orleans is a lost cause and should be relocated?

We lost our home in a 500-year flood in Ohio. Our city is buying the damaged property, tearing it down, and allowing Mother Nature the final say in its destiny. I feel the same would be right for NOLA, albeit a lot more complicated.

Anyone have the same opinion (or a different one?)

[doctorj2u]

It is obvious you don't know New Orleans or New Orleanians. The city is unique and is treasured by her citizens. What you are suggesting is like saying "Well Grandma is getting old and she is going to die sometime anyway. Let's just chuck her in the grave now." New Orleanians are never going to give up on the city without the most collosal fight in the world. That is what has been happening the last 3 years while America's attention was elsewhere. People have truly sacrificed to rebuild the city. The have spent their spirits and finances to rebuild her. If the city is destroyed again, they may have nothing left to give. But until then, they will keep fighting. And don't believe for a second that government has had much to do with rebuilding. They have worked on the levees and that is about it. This recovery was totally from the ground up.

[lewes17266]

greenie - scroll down to antispin and watch that video

i watched it yesterday and learned a lot

[Bienville]

How many properties is the city buying?

How "damaged" do you mean?

You know it would be kind of anti-logical for the City of New Orleans to buy-out its residents to move them, and itself, elsewhere, don't you?

[twofish]

The Mississippi River has been trying for years to jump to the Atchfalaya River as its route to the ocean. The Army Corps has been preventing it. Sooner or later they'll lose that battle. Then the port may have to move (though the old river channel might be maintained as a shipping channel -- I don't understand enough about this to be able to tell).

But if New Orleans was no longer the port of the Mississippi River, could it persist? I think so, and don't see any need to abandon it outright. It would change some aspects of life there, but the city and all its history would remain.

Whether it will survive the rising oceans is another question. This country has an awful lot of low-lying coast to protect.

[JohnKdrew]

They (& we) KNEW New Orleans would be hit -- more than once! And now its more likely to occur -- that climate change is with us now... perfect storm and perfect timing -- to ensure the Presidential hopefuls don't forget global change issues. Rotten timing and worse trajectory for those just back in New Orleans. The truth is -- this city is part of the triage decisions on climate we are already making. Triage is applied in an emergency to allow the most globally beneficial use of inadequate resources. There will be severe climate disruptions, which will be left untreated because they will be recognized as able to recover autonomously. Selected climatically-induced emergencies where tax-payers" money can reduce suffering will be funded. Last, and most sadly, there may be even situations where unlimited funds cannot reverse impacts and the limited funds are deemed better deployed on other projects. See www.climatechangetriage.net

[mouselion]

The Republicans half-figure it's going to be the Democrats who will be in the White House next. They're going to let the Dems have to be responsible for all of the domestic big-ticket items that need to be dealt with. They never change... they just wait for the House Maids to arrive. Time-honored custom.

[twofish]

The Repiglicans are more like burglars who come in and clean you out and then wait while you collect the insurance payment and restock your place with new goodies. Then they hit you again. Even pigs at the trough have to come up for air occasionally. Yeah, it's time for the sincere, responsible Democrats to do what everyone says they want done -- fix the infrastructure, cut the deficit, shrink government, etc etc -- just in time for the next Republican raid.

[rocketman73]

Coastal Louisiana needs to be protected. There is a documentary that airs tonight (ironically) about the Louisiana wetlands, called Atchafalaya Houseboat on PBS. It follows one couple journey through the Atchafalaya Basin in the 1970's.

The film was recreated using beautiful photography of the Basin (swamp land) and the houseboat they lived on. The documentary comes on tonight on PBS at 10:30 PM ET. Just watching it will help support the area that desperately needs the nations help. For more information go to

http://www.lpb.org/programs/houseboat/

[lewes17266]

I am thinking of all of you in the path of this storm. I pray everything will be fine.

[antispin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wln_iq5bc8k suggests visiting levees.org - where you can see a very serious Harry Shearer give a public service announcement.

[rem]

That seemed to me to be a most unfortunate statement of Michael Moore, and I bet he wishes he hadn't been on live TV when he said it. I presume he only meant to focus on the timing of the hurricane and not the reality of the looming potential second-time-around engineering disaster.

Even in 2005 a day before Katrina struck NOLA, I was able to see videos on the CNN Website showing that southern Louisiana was in serious trouble. We saw later that George W. Bush was told about the portending trouble, also. He was in a position to do something about it. He played air guitar.

[Indeedwespeak]

Just heard in Fox News an interview with some major of the Corps of Engineers blabbing that 2011 is really record time for all repairs to be in place, which makes no sense at all. The major needs to be removed from his post. Even if we accept this miracle deadline, it only works if there aint no more hurricanes, you dunce major, you!

[GrainOSand]

I am moved by your dedication, your "stick-to-it-tiveness" concerning the plight of New Orleans and surrounding areas. It is to be emulated. How long should it take? As the joke goes, not long. You see in a society that values its people over its profit because it realizes its people drive its monetary profit, and that each one represents an important component of the national defense against national demise of founding idea, of supporting economy, and of linked communities, such lapses in support do not occur.

The time between the subsiding of Katrina and the rising of Gustav should have been spent utilizing every possible resource and asset to rebuild the city better, stronger, and more able to withstand a category five hurricane. Anytime between that time and now that was spent on government bureaucracy, partisan politics, or just plain, everyday, garden variety, I Don"t Give A¦type thinking -- call it indifference, is part of the degree to which we are imperfect as a nation. The empathy index is low and seems to be headed in the wrong direction. Fear of the welfare state as cliché or cover to say "We don"t give a¦."

In such a world, the call is do the best you can with what you have and prepare for a coming storm for it is surely going to come. In the final telling, it may be that it is going to come hardest for those who do not give a¦ Let"s hope so!

[buggedabouttheus]

Again my family and friends have been disbursed across the country in search of a safe place to wait out the hurricane. Again this being the end of August a mere three years later when Katrina hit and later the levees broke. The incompetence of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should be glaring. The Dutch who have demonstrated their expertise in keeping Holland dry offered to do the same for New Orleans. I think that we should take them up on it. We have showered enough money and time on the Corps who cannot do their jobs. We need to hire folks who can do the job and PAY them.

Three years ago my 91 year old mother and then 9 year old nephew ran for our lives. We have re-settled in a state with higher taxes but better services. We miss home. This year we celebrated all but one family member getting their houses back in living condition (my retired military brother and his wife were due to have a November house warming) only now to dread losing them again. Three years have past and now even the famed pumps are not working. Look at how our tax dollars have been wasted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Hire the Dutch!

[buggedabouttheus]

I am delighted that so far the city has been spared. I am glad the pumps held and that the shoddy work of the Corps held too. Still, the next administration needs to hire a competent firm (the Dutch) to build a levee that will not require massive prayer and good will to do its job. Also, it should not take 3 years to build.

[marsgeek]

Harry you have been the lone voice in this country screaming trying to get everyone to recognize what the true causes of the Katrina disaster were.
Like most things in America Katrina disappeared off the radar as quickly as it appeared and in 2008 we are likely going lose what is left to New Orleans because of the incompetence of the Army Corps and Bush Administration, and the indifference of the Democratic leadership in congress.

Just a God Damn shame and we all should be embarrassed as Americans that we elected these people. We are getting the government we deserve and if we all don't wake up all of us are going to wake up wading in water.