South Louisiana

Well now - quite a week in the Gulf so far. I won't comment on the incompetence of the governor and mayor, or the knee-jerk blaming of Bush, or the race baiting of the race-pimps. But something has been sticking in my craw about something that doesn't seem to add up - the poverty class in south LA in spite of the riches flowing through the region. Now, I don't know The Big Easy as well as I'd like to - just love the food, music, and booze - but how can a region that has its fingers on so much value coming in, out going out of the country be so poor? Is the government corruption the reason, or union dock workers? There is no way that there is a lack of tax money to have adequate schooling, or services unless people don't want them or the money goes into someone else's pockets? I've seen life at 'Nawlins' pace, and realize that a good percentage of the lower class are possibly just fine with their life in low gear (or they would get out). But to have inadequate police ( the place is always dangerous, even for locals), no planning that works, and sense of urgency before the storm, just is real difficult for me to understand.