Didn't Think I Would Be Right This Soon

I know I said politics on this blog were on hold until after the holidays so don't file this as a political post. File this under self gratification.

Allow me to translate a few paragraphs from this story that says the 150 million dollars to repair Charity Hospital is FEMA's final offer.

The state and Louisiana State University, which ran the hospital, believe they're owed $492 million, essentially replacement value, for what was widely seen as an outdated facility before the August 2005 storm.

But FEMA maintains that Katrina damage was not extensive enough to merit replacement costs and that not enough was done to guard the building against additional damage after the storm and flooding.

Translation: "If you guys weren't so busy sitting on your hands to discourage poor people from returning to the city by not doing anything to the only hospital they could depend on for health care, the building wouldn't be in the condition it's in now. There is no way we are giving you 492 million dollars for stories of all the people ran out of their homes to buy up land for a project that may take 20 years to build with the way business is done in that city. The least you guys could have done was act like you were even making an effort to open the hospital."

You know I am not the type of guy to give myself credit but.......

My opinion is the money isn't coming because FEMA has decided the old Charity building can be opened with the money that they have already committed. Because of the way the state handled Road Home and our constant quest to make every city official a criminal, I don't see the federal government sending us 500 million dollars for more stories about how we messed over our own citizens. You can't spend all day putting one another down and expect good things

wait........I have another one.

I honestly don't think the federal government is going to give us the money to make this plan happen anyway. We ought to just take what we have now and scale back the plan to fit what we can afford. We shouldn't be holding the money we do have hostage for the state, the federal government and LSU if they can't deliver on their part of the funding.

I actually thought the feds would play around with this for awhile but I think they don't want to be included in the blame when New Orleans doesn't have any additional hospitals open by the end of 2009. Now, will someone answer my question about using some of that 75 million dollars for the general budget since no one answered me the first time. We need streetlights and pothole killers and I just got a library card and I want fresh books. Maybe we can check with Mr. Cerasoli since every dollar spent from now on will need his blessing. If that's what it takes to get Mid City out of community limbo and free up the 75 million then so be it.