[GenuineRisk]

Of course, rebuilding might go a bit faster if the Bush Administration would have used some common sense and waived the requirement that the local governments must put up matching funds in order to receive rebuilding money. Seeing as how those local communities have been washed away, where is the matching money supposed to come from? They have no businesses and no workers to generate any. Over half the rebuilding money is currently sitting around, waiting for some magical thing to happen to these poor neighborhoods.

But take heart- Alabama took full advantage of investment tax breaks, meant to spur regrowth in the Katrina area, to build luxury condominiums near University of Alabama's football stadium. Which is a couple of hundred miles away from the ocean. That'll help a lot.

Thinking about some of the earlier posts, about "Just move and get a job"- I strongly, strongly recommend Barbara Ehrenreich's "Nickel and Dimed" which is about her experiences attempting to get by in several parts of the US on a minimum-wage job (as a single person, with no kids). She does exactly what is suggested- moves to a new area, and attempts to get work and housing with no savings. Very interesting read.