Iowa vs The Astro Dome

PitbullMidwest · Sep 9, 2005

Iowa Gov Tom Vilsack offered to bring 1,000 hurricane survivors to Iowa, provide them temporary housing and feed them. He has also offered to help them find permanent housing and jobs.

Not one refugee has excepted his offer. FEMA officials told Vilsack that the people in the Astro Dome were not interested in moving to Iowa and wanted to weigh their options.

Ouch. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

BB_TX · Sep 9, 2005

Don't take it too hard. Saw where American Airlines had 2 planes scheduled to take people from somewhere in Texas to somewhere else (Kentucky I think) (Danged CRS) but they had to cancel both for lack of interest. I guess those people would prefer to stay where they are instead of going to another unknown.

MossRoad · Sep 9, 2005

It is a very generous, caring, sincere offer. However, think of it this way... if your (or mine, for that matter) whole town was wiped out and you got moved into temporary quarters over in, say, Chicago, would you take an offer to move to the deep south or want to stay in the midwest? I'd want to stay near my home and family here in Indiana. I like it here. They probably like it there. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

beenthere · Sep 9, 2005

Same with WI and MI, so I've heard. WI planned to set up for up to 10,000 (that number seems high) but scaled back to 1,000, and now are on hold.
I thought it might be the welfare program that WI has had for about 10 years....it's called work for welfare. Hmmmm? that would be pretty scarry for someone who has been on the dole for generations.
I don't classify all in need from NO as that way, and think the old, decrepit, and very young need help and will get it. The ones able to work and not willing are the problems I have trouble coping with. But we have taught them well the past 60-70 years......
I would not want to be faced with the decision to leave my home and belongings to be bussed or transported to unfamiliar territory, by a bunch that think of people as a herd of 'cattle'. But that is probably just me.....

Did that Iowa Gov offer to do that on his own money or the taxpayers of Iowa's money......( I think I know the answer to that....).

Glenn9643 · Sep 9, 2005

Bill and MossRoad make good points, but I wouldn’t be too surprised if some transfers are made mandatory to relieve some of the pressures in Texas before long. When you’re relying on the assistance of everyone else seems to me your choices should be somewhat limited; either go to where the aid will be available for you or fend for yourself.
There was an interview on one of the news channels of a family from NO who had been transferred to Idaho I believe, and had no idea where they were going when they were shipped. When asked what his impressions of the mountains was he said he thought it was a “backdrop” out the window and had no idea it was really mountains. After being there a few days they seem happy to be alive and have help (according to that interview).

PitbullMidwest · Sep 9, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( would you take an offer to move to the deep south or want to stay in the midwest? )</font>

I'd "want" to stay in the midwest but the reality is I won't be able to move back "home" for months or maybe longer. If I could relocate and get some sence of normality back into my life and that of my family I'd certainly do it. It would also provide an opprotunity to find employment so that when the time came to move back home I'd have the resources to do it.

mark777 · Sep 9, 2005

I think your governors offer was very gracious. Obviously FEMA does not have it's finger on the displaced peoples pulse. Many at the Astro Dome are termporarily content to stay on or near the gulf states hoping to reunite with family. Some hope to return for lifelong personal possessions before making the permanent move, or stay, decision.

If the announcement were made (at the Astro Dome) that Gov Tom Vilsack offered housing, jobs and food in the great state of Iowa, I suspect any means of transportation would be filled in a few hours. Sadly, that's not happening.

IMHO what is happening is outside offers are being catalogued, alphabetized, numerically ordered, lists compiled, neatly bound and tied in glossy red tape.

I keep experiencing this ugly analogy of me seeing people across the street, suffering from the heat and humidity, in desperate need of something to drink. I grab a city official and give him $20 dollars while pointing at that same faimily and say "quick give them the money so they can get something to drink". That same official puts the money in his pocket, shakes my hand, states he promises to give them the money as soon as a cop stops the traffic, city council members put up a stoplight, and the county paints the cross walks.

Mostly I feel the majority want to go home. Be it LA, MS or AL. they need to be there before they make the final determination of what and where next.

Mark.....(near the Astro Dome)

Bob_Skurka · Sep 9, 2005

We can't forget that SOME of those who lost everything still have jobs available to them in the N.O. area. Even if those jobs are TEMPORARILY lost, the hotels, casinos and restaurants will re-open. Businesses that were outside of the flooded areas have already begun to reopen, one of the many problems is people lost their place to live.

My friend employes a few hundred people just a few miles from downtown, his building survived, he reopened part of his business last week, part of it this week. ONE of his problems is the employees got moved out of town! So some of those people just want to rebuild and continue on with their jobs.

ALSO, on a totally different line of thought, consider the "culture" of New Orleans and compare it to the "culture of Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin or anywhere else!!! That place is UN-like anywhere I have been on earth. A mix between hard core Catholics, VooDoo, strong coffee with chicory, Jazz Music and some serious political corruption all stirred up in a big pot of rice & beans and crawfish. The lifestyle is slow, laid back, casual with extreme poverty and extreme wealth and all mixed in with corruption. It is both big city and local neighborhoods at the same time. Crime and graft are accepted as normal and all of it is what makes the Big Easy a very special place to live.

And let's not forget the climate issues. How many folks up north moved down south to get away from SNOW.

So while we might all fit into the communities we live in very nicely, the residents of New Orleans may not fit in, and probably don't want to fit in to our life styles. And put the shoe on the other foot, would you fit into the French Quarter if a tornado took out your home? Sure its nice to visit, but could you live there?

I think the offers by the midwest states are generous, but they are somewhat misguided to think that people want to give up everything to move to their states.

beenthere · Sep 9, 2005

I agree with what you say Bob. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Too many think their job is throwing money at the problem. That mentality has made my blood boil (or at least heat up) since the 50's.

I see a lot of the ports are opening in NO, as well as the refineries, ship builders, etc, etc are getting on line and up and running. As pointed out, they need their employees back. I would assume that anyone who says they want to stay as they have a job, would be helped to stay. Hopefully that is true. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif