You Think Wilma/Ivan/Katrina/Rita is Expensive? Try Continuing to Ignore the Coast

We are rolling. As the levee bad news pours in (figuratively this time), the public's desire to see a rebuilt and restored South Louisiana seems solid. We've seen a strong response to our call for 300,000 comments to 'Flood Washington.' We've got over 10,000 e-mails sent through our website alone. Still, a very long way to go, but it looks like we'll probably be able to partner with some of our national friends with heavy lists (Sierra Club, etc.) But it's really impressive to watch the totals snowball day after day.

Take a moment now, plumb the depths of your address book, and help send a clear and consistent message to our leaders in Washington.

We've definitely run into some interesting perspectives on rebuilding - and while I'm confident that we've got fundamental, majority support for levees, here's a wake up call on restoring the coast. Mike Tidwell, who wrote an amazing book on Louisiana's coastal crisis, has some interesting points:

To encourage people to return to New Orleans, as Bush is doing, without funding the only plan that can save the city from the next Big One, is to commit an act of mass homicide. If, after all the human suffering and expense of this national ordeal, the federal government can't be bothered to spend the cost of a tunnel from Logan Airport to downtown Boston, then the game is truly over.

Mike seems to be arguing that the President can't and won't understand this reality, so we should just board up and get out. I can't accept that - I won't accept that - I've still got a glimmer of optimism about our democracy, and that the tragedy that played out on the national stage can be a teachable moment for the nation regarding our coastal crisis. Prove Mike wrong.

Aaron Viles is the GRN's Campaign Director