By DHinMI
It's a pretty safe bet that 80% or more of the residents of the New Orleans, Gulfport-Biloxi and Pascagoula Metropolitan Statistical Areas have been displaced by Katrina and in need of somewhere to live until they can return to their homes, if they ever can. With a combined population of around 1.7 million people, that means that if the 80% guess is correct, then about 1.3 million people are displaced, a population roughly equal to the entire population of Manhattan except Washington Heights.
Think about that: the United States has almost as many refugees caused by Katrina as it there are residents of Manhattan.
There are eleven states with fewer residents that there are people displaced by Katrina.
This is staggering.
This is the list you want to use for your eleven states link.
Sorry to hit and run but, um, I'm going to. Soldier on!
Posted by: texas dem | August 31, 2005 at 21:52
This is the big issue in the mid-term - between the current rescue operation and the long-term economic upheaval. How do we - and this is indubitably a national, governmental challenge - keep over one million refugees housed, fed, and reasonably hopeful and in possession of their dignity for the foreseeable future?
It's gonna cost a ton of money. There will need to be a special tax assessment. And we may really want to resurrect the WPA, and staff it with unemployed refugees. Planning starts now.
Posted by: Trapper John | August 31, 2005 at 21:52
Trapper, you talk of a special tax assessment. I surely agree, as the Port of NO is a national resource. Do you see any recognition that this might not be the opportune time to talk about tax cuts, like repealing the estate tax? Has the need to fund infrastructure really set in there in DC?
Posted by: Mimikatz | August 31, 2005 at 22:34
No, but give it a week. The need to fund the rescue, cleanup, and rebuilding operations has set in real fast in LA and MS. Just turn on CNN and check out all the folks demanding Federal help NOW. People are going to figure out real quick that the Red Cross is good at keeping people's heads above water, but that it takes big gummint to pump the water out and dry the people off.
Posted by: Trapper John | August 31, 2005 at 22:44
Was anyone else getting pissed seeing FEMA director Michael Brown on EVERY nightly news show last night. I saw him on MSNBC, Dateline, CNN, and I think one other over the course of about 2 hrs just with tv on in background while I made dinner. He must have spent his whole evening last night on studio hookups. Doesn't he have something better to be doing. Can't he at least pretend like he has something better to be doing.
Posted by: emptypockets | September 01, 2005 at 08:27
That same thing has driven me nuts about Iraq. At various periods of hot activity in Iraq, the administration has brought people back from Iraq to appear on news shows in DC. They did that with Generals, they did it with Bremer, they did it with Khalialzad. Drives me nuts, just like your example concerning FEMA.
Posted by: DHinMI | September 01, 2005 at 10:11
Don't rebuild the city. Give everybody a million dollars and let them go somewhere else to live. It would be cheaper than rebuilding, etc. and the poor still not have any money.
Posted by: Amenes | September 07, 2005 at 12:55