Originally Posted by stevo

A good way to keep this sort of thing from happening again is to end the liberal policies that have caused the poor in NO to remain poor and unemployed and to rely entirely on the government for a solution to their problems. The poor and unemployed in NO have been coddled by liberal policies for years and who wouldn't expect them to rely on that same government to save them in a time of disaster? Perhaps if they did not have the mentality that the government should and would solve all of their problems they would have been able to save themselves. Perhaps if they did not rely on the government for their only means, many who stayed on September 1, to collect their welfare checks, would have made an attempt to evacuate.

What about the inherent racism in liberal policy? There is talk all over the place about how whitey kept the black man down and left him to drown in NewOrleans. How about how whitey kept giving the poor and unemployed (who are overwhelmingly AfricanAmerican) measley welfare and unemployment checks every month instead of creating policies and an environment that would stimulate the economy and create jobs? These welfare checks weren't enough to bring these people out of poverty, only enough to keep the poor voting for the democratic party, because who, afterall, would want to loose the free money they've been given all these years? Democrats have been using African Americans for votes ever since LBJ.

I always hear how it is capitalism's fault that people are poor, why then are we the richest country on earth? Socialist policies that redistribute wealth and take away the incentive for people to work and make something for themselves are to blame, but you won't hear that from the left. If such policies worked, would NewOrleans have an unemployment rate higher than the national average and a poverty rate near 40%? This can't be bush's fault, he hasn't been in office 6 years, while the liberals have ruled LA and New Orleans for half a century. If these policies worked, the situation would have been different.

I think perhaps a good place to start to find the cause of the problems that plague New Orleans is to look at the social policies that govern the city and state. Look at what the officials have been spending taxes and federal funds on. Take a deep look at the policies that proclaim to help the disenfranchised, but do nothing to lift these people out of poverty. Take a deep look at the corruption in the local governments and see if they really have the best interest of their constituents in mind, or just care getting votes and retaining power. Think critically at the true causes of the problems and why, if great liberal policies and income redistribution worked, we have so many poor and disenfranchied in one area.

It is not my intention to come out pointing fingers, but to me the problem is clear as day and I have to point it out.