Should we rebuild New Orleans?

Fellow blogger Don Surber blogs on just that question. Using West Virginians experience with flooding in 1985, Don writes.

The first is that people should donate money, time or blood to the relief effort. Prayer helps as well.

People should not send old clothes. They take up space, cost a lot to transport, and usually wind up being resold in Africa to raise the cash the charity really needs.

Money buys what is needed. The first things flood victims need are shelter, potable water and food. The clothes on one's back dry eventually.

The second thing is that people should trust established charities. They get the best bang for the buck.

Yes, the American Red Cross pays salaries to some of its staff members. They are worth it. Their expertise and experience are invaluable when the water recedes and the damage becomes clear.

And I praise the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It takes charge and has learned a thing or two about floods in its 26-year history.

As well-intended as some of them may be, these new charities that will pop up for this specific emergency are run by amateurs who may just get in the way.

I agree with almost all that Don says. This is the time for Americans to give. Money, blood, volunteering. Over a million of our countrymen suffered a horrifying disaster. It will a long time before most of them can live normally again. Any amount big or small, please donate it. The Red Cross is an excellent charity. Give money to them.

Fema is the only thing I disagree with Don on. This agency is poorly run, I know from seeing their behavior here in Florida. Twenty nine million was paid out to residents in Dade County who didn't even get affected by last year's hurricanes. There are people in Palm Beach County still waiting on FEMA. I just hope this agency gets its act together.

Don continues

The third thing is that this was a disaster that should have been avoided.

This was not the city's first flood. Instead of building levees and the like, federal officials should have spent past relief money to move the city to higher ground.

It is nuts to build a city below sea level, particularly when that city is parked next to a sea.

Everyone in the nation wants to help New Orleans in its time of need. And I realize that relocating the city poses all sorts of problems, not the least of which is the lack of available higher ground.

Yes we need to be compassionate. At the same time we need to move the city and it's people. Otherwise these people will be through this experience again and at what cost. Do they really want to have their lives uprooted again?

A disaster like Katrina was awaiting New Orleans the way the city was built. Man needs to learn from their mistakes but will we?

The federal government frowns upon building in floodplains.

But New Orleans has a lot of votes. And neither party wants to tick off so many voters. And so instead of moving people out, taxpayers will be asked to try to wall in the city to protect it from floods.

That does not work, as we learned this week.

I doubt that President Bush has the will to push to move New Orleans out of harm's way.

Again Don is right. I see the government meaning we taxpayers dishing out more money to prevent the unpreventable. President Bush doesn't have the political courage to say no here. Compassion is needed but so is common sense. Something sorely lacking in many politicians.