1 Billion

[sun_runner235]

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.


A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was walking on earth.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans . It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division . .

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), is presently asking the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean?

A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you each get $516,528.

B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C. Or, if you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012.

Washington, D.C. ... HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken??

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: 1 Billion

I'm moving to LA.

 

[QC]

Re: 1 Billion

I have a simple question. Why does there even need to be $1 spent by the Government to rebuild anything? If there is a reason for that city to be there, it will be. It didn't need any Billions to become a city in the first place, right? Why does it need any money to re-become a city? I am sure I would feel differently if it was my home, but seriously. All of those displaced people are somewhere now, right? All of those swamped buildings are swamped, yet the world still turns and all of those people eat every day and sleep somewhere, right? Is this like totally cold? Totally? Or legitimate? If economic forces recreate New Orleans, then so be it, but why does anyhwere need to be "rebuilt". Why can't it just be left alone to do what it will do by it's own little self?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 1 Billion

Hmmmm.....
I wonder how much federal aid went to SF/Oakland, & Northridge?......​

 

[gonefishie]

Re: 1 Billion

Well you beat me to it sunrunner! I was going to say it might be difficult for average Joe but politicians and the DOD understood it really well. I wonder how much of that 250 almost uncomprehensible number goes to the pocket of the good Senator and her buddies that going to make it happen. Did you ever wonder why politicians are so filthy rich?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 1 Billion

I wonder what Haliburton's cut is?........​

 

[QC]

Re: 1 Billion

Crack baby ^^^^^^

 

[woodrat]

Re: 1 Billion

maybe someone should do that math about the amount of money per iraqi that has been spent "liberating" them....

Why? It was a country to begin with? If it is so important that it be a country again, it will be? If those people had been so in need of new leadership, they would have done it themselves, right?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 1 Billion

maybe someone should do that math about the amount of money per iraqi that has been spent "liberating" them....

Why? It was a country to begin with? If it is so important that it be a country again, it will be? If those people had been so in need of new leadership, they would have done it themselves, right?

Hey, quit bashing Duhbya's agenda, & how dare you question Haliburton's profits......

 

[QC]

Re: 1 Billion

Who in their right mind would equate the Iraq war and New Orleans? Crack babies . . .

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 1 Billion

A: Logical thinkers......
Although Katrina was a natural diaster & couldn't be avoided.......
Hmmmm....
Rebuilding New Orleans infrastructure = BAD
Iraqi infrastructure = GOOD
I think you may be the one who needs to put down the pipe......
Or maybe the 'shrooms were plentiful at Lake Powell????????​

 

[sun_runner235]

Re: 1 Billion

maybe someone should do that math about the amount of money per iraqi that has been spent "liberating" them....

Why? It was a country to begin with? If it is so important that it be a country again, it will be? If those people had been so in need of new leadership, they would have done it themselves, right?

Taking a note from our national history:

1776 Declared Independence from England
1777 Articles of Confederation drafted
1781 Articles of Condferation adpoted
1783 End of Revolutionary War
1786 Work began on the US Constitution
1787 Final Draft of Constitution
1788 Ratified by 9 out of 13 states
1789 Implementation of US government based on the Constitution
1790 Constitution ratified by all 13 states

From start to finish of the creation of our government it took 14 years, and two different structures to develop a "functional" government. If it had not been for other contries aiding us in our early development (France, Netherlands etc.) we would have never gotten on our feet. Not to mention solidification of the US government really didn't finalize until 75 years later at the end of the Civil war. We're roughly 5 years into Iraq's development. Shouldn't we take in to account the difficutly our own country had in its development before we should expect another emerging democracy to begin operations overnight?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 1 Billion

Yabut, they have an OEM service manual to use......​

 

[JB]

Re: 1 Billion

Dang! I swear, if someone started a thread on what is your favorite brand/flavor of ice cream Bro Haut would find a way to attack our administration.

BTW, Haagen Dasz (sp?) Black Walnut or Godiva Belgian Dark Chocolate.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 1 Billion

JB, I never met an ice cream that I didn't like......​

 

[57whitehouse]

Re: 1 Billion

It's good for the government to "aid" in the recovery of disasters in and out of the U.S. It promotes economic survival and growth, keeps the unemployment rate down and increases tax revenue by all the spending going on to do all the rebuilding.

It is not good for the government to flip the bill for all the disasters that happen. A good amount of homes were covered by insurance. Let that pay for peoples houses. If they don't have insurance, let them get a "repayable" loan. Let the people who can swing a hammer rebuild there own homes and pocket there insurance money.

I love ice cream!!!

 

[QC]

Re: 1 Billion

Rebuilding New Orleans infrastructure = BAD
Iraqi infrastructure = GOOD​

​

'shrooms or no it doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to figure out that we broke Iraq and that Al Gore broke New Orleans. There would've been no Katrina if he didn't invent Global warming . . .

 

[wncrjb]

Re: 1 Billion

Since they are wasting our money rebuilding New Orleans, why not get it ABOVE sea level first?
Why throw good money after bad and not solve the main problem?

wncrjb

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: 1 Billion

I have a simple question. Why does there even need to be $1 spent by the Government to rebuild anything? If there is a reason for that city to be there, it will be. It didn't need any Billions to become a city in the first place, right? Why does it need any money to re-become a city? I am sure I would feel differently if it was my home, but seriously. All of those displaced people are somewhere now, right? All of those swamped buildings are swamped, yet the world still turns and all of those people eat every day and sleep somewhere, right? Is this like totally cold? Totally? Or legitimate? If economic forces recreate New Orleans, then so be it, but why does anyhwere need to be "rebuilt". Why can't it just be left alone to do what it will do by it's own little self?

Excellent point QC.
If the residents of N. O. need more to rebuild maybe they should raise sales taxes, state income taxes and property taxes on themselves and those that do business there.

Certainily the New Orleans Saints football team can reimburse the tax payer or at least the locals for the costs to rebuild the dome.

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: 1 Billion

Hmmmm.....
I wonder how much federal aid went to SF/Oakland, & Northridge?......​

State sales taxes were raised and earmarked for quake relief.

Bridge tolls were raised substantially for quake retrogrades/fits and continueing maintenance. These tolls go up anually, close to 60% a pop.

As an interesting note, California state sent a gift of $1 million to NYC the day after 9/11 out of it's "Crime victim's assistance funding program".