Of course Bush's real goal is to keep the body count low.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/23/national/nationalspecial/23demolish.html?hp&ex=1130126400&en=3e333008113e35c9&ei=5094&partner=homepage
Thousands of Demolitions Are Likely in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 22 - As crews begin inspecting thousands of rotting
houses and preservationists begin efforts to save them, city and
federal officials say that 30,000 to 50,000 of the city's houses will
probably have to be demolished.
That number, though smaller than some earlier predictions,
nonetheless represents more than a quarter of the city's housing
stock. A few weeks from now, when giant track excavators begin tearing
into homes that once sheltered families and nest eggs, the city will
experience one of the most painful moments of its ordeal.
Of the city's 180,000 houses, 110,000 were flooded, city officials
say, and half of those sat for days or weeks in more than six feet of
water. If up to 50,000 homes are beyond salvaging, many of the others
could be saved with expensive repair jobs, but large numbers of
homeowners may not have the resources to rebuild. As a result, the
number of demolitions could soar beyond 50,000.
The Corps of Engineers is being careful not to make predictions about
the scope of the job. "The word 'demolition' is not even being
discussed around here," said Kelley Aasen, the corps official in
charge of the mammoth task of inspecting every house in New Orleans
for obvious structural damage. "It's triage, right now."
(snip)
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