I am having numerous concerns as I watch the proceedings in Atlanta. The efforts that they are making to move people to the Houston Astrodome seem a little too permanent for me. It seems as though we need to be helping people move on more quickly. It's like they want to "contain" the very poor.
I know it's not feasible now, but a lot of these people would readily accept jobs working on the clean up effort. That can't happen if they are contained in an area that's a 12 hour drive away. These people are planning through the end of the year! Yes people need beds, food, water, shelter. But soon they are going to again need lives. How can they possibly put 25,000 people in the Astrodome and let them come and go as they please. Will they be locked in? Have to have passes to travel. Many of these people may not even have an ID with them,
Although many of these people did not funds to leave New Orleans does not mean they all have nowhere to go. If given the chance, I have to believe many would prefer a bus ticket and traveling money so that they could get to family in other parts of the country. Many others would go back to rebuild their community. Perhaps there is long term planning along these lines but I have heard nothing of it.
In addition, there are many many people who left the area who live paycheck to paycheck. Without work to return to, they will not be able to survive for long. There needs to be plans to put people to work. The floating dormitories might be ideal for these purposes. What happens when credit card limits are reached and there are no incoming funds to sustain the existence of many working poor and many well-leveraged "middle-class."
There is so much to consider and we do not have the federal leadership to take charge and set up the work programs that are needed to rebuild the lives and communities that have been devastated.
Any other thoughts?
