We drove for hours, and as far as the eye could see, there was total devastation. Once thriving close knit communities with churches, schools, corner store deli’s and pubs, strip malls with discount department stores, were now replaced by bones from the storm. Dead traffic signals replaced by stop signs, bent utility poles and chain link fences, abandoned cars covered with dust, rotting mounds of garbage and debris heaved forth from the guts of split level houses. Dead trees were on roof tops, and boats were on porches. The city was dead, and its soul nearly gone. What remained was the fetid, decaying lifeless body of once vibrant community; hundreds of neighborhoods now without any neighbors, darkened by nightfall and lifeless by day.
This was the scene in just one section of New Orleans St. Bernard Parish last weekend, March 26, 2006 some seven months after Hurricane Katrina. Nothing… nothing, could have prepared me for what I witnessed. Television and print news reports of this immense national tragedy, a catastrophe by every definition, and devastation beyond imagination had all but disappeared from the daily news headlines. Barely mentions these days, those grizzly headlines have now been replaced by the headlines of carnage and bloodshed in Iraq, or stories of the upcoming midterm elections. Like most Americans, I witnessed the numbing pictures of the violent and destructive Katrina from that comfortable distance in the arms of my living room, thousands of miles away.
Seeing it first hand last weekend, I was shocked and appalled and as an American ashamed by what has not been done since. In the absence of leadership, and because of the total ineptitude and incompetence of elected officials on every level of government, the spirit of New Orleans is gone.
We learn in Government 101, that the first priority and responsibility of any government must be to respond to the needs and welfare of its citizens, especially during a time of crisis and national emergency…
And make no mistake about it; this is a national emergency, not a local problem.
What is NOT happening in New Orleans is the headline, and read as such should spark grave concern in the hearts and minds of every American. If the government can not respond there, then it can not respond anywhere in our great land.
At the dinner table on Saturday evening with friends who have lived in New Orleans for generations, I heard their complaints about the lack of assistance, the total confusion between federal and local agencies to address the basic and immediate needs of the population. Hope seemed to have faded, replaced by feelings of anger and frustration. There is no plan, NO PLAN, no vision, no leadership. There are only phone calls answered by automated messages. There are letters that go unanswered for weeks. Skilled laborers take months to provide estimates, and then say that it will be next year before they can start the work. This is a national disgrace, not a local problem, and every American should be ashamed by the failure of our government to respond appropriately.
Since this is a national emergency, and not just a local problem, I believe that the burden rests squarely at the desk of the President. The buck stops there. And since there is no question that President Bush has abdicated his reasonability to lead in a time of national emergency, and then please allow me, as survivor of the 911 attack in New York, a crack at proposing a plan. It is my intention that my plan be a simple one, which might inspire every American to join together to help their fellow citizens.
Schubert’s Plan
General Scope:
Because of the enormity of this disaster, nothing less than an all out national effort will suffice to meet this undertaking. As such, I would propose a plan similar to that which was put into place to rebuild Europe after WWII. – The Marshall Plan.
This plan needs to be as ambitious and of the same size and scope that which as the Marshall Plan. But in order to do this, the national will must be awakened and energized. All fifty states, every American must come to the aid of the gulf coast. Our president must inspire and lead every American to share in the burden of rebuilding this important region of our land.
The Specifics:
First the Federal Government under the laws of “eminent domain” seize all property deemed a total loss, and be willing to compensate those homeowners the full and fair market value (minus compensation from Insurance reimbursements) of their property as of the day before Katrina struck.
Second, the Federal Government must be willing to compensate every citizen of the gulf coast the cost to relocate to another region while reconstruction takes place. I would suggest a payment of $75,000 to every person who can prove residency for the past 3 years.
Third, to encourage skilled human resources -workers - such as carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and others in the demolition and construction industry to come to the area to work and rebuild, I would propose that a zone be created and designated an “Income Tax Free Zone”. Simply stated, this would mean that any laborer who works inside this zone for a period of 2 years does not have to pay any income taxes from income derived in that zone.
Finally, before any resident whose property was seized by the government under eminent domain is allowed to return and rebuild their homes, and move back into the area, there must be an objective third party certification process for reconstruction plans of the levies. I would propose that the Dutch government, which is globally recognized as expert in the field of flood prevention, certify this plan in New Orleans region. If the Dutch whose entire country is below sea level – and dry – certify that the plan to keep New Orleans dry will work, then, and only then, will those who wish to return to their old neighborhoods, be allowed to return.
Ok .. That’s the Schubert Plan. I put this forth, because much to the disgrace of our national leadership, there is no other plan out there. My plan is simple, and one that can work if there is the will to make it work. It is a plan that can and should satisfy every American. If you are a citizen of the gulf region, you will receive the necessary assistance to go on with your life - relocate to another area while the work of cleaning up and reconstruction begins. If you are an American, you should be satisfied that your government is fulfilling its basic responsibility to respond in a timely, thoughtful, inspiring and compassionate manner during a national emergency. And my fellow citizen… this is a national emergency, if only because your neighborhood could be next.
