The Louisiana Govenors strategy is to make the Hornets and the Saints "Americas" Team at least the Taxpayers are going to pay for the subsidies to the Teams. Please read the 2 Links and let Congress know it is not FEMA's resposibility to let the ego's for the LA legislature come before the basics (Food, Shelter and Clothing). Pray for the people of New Orleans who will never be able to attend or have electricity to watch a Hornets game.

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-3/114171607786020.xml

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/14046620.htm

There was poverty in NO before the hurricane, it will be there afterwards. I think that's hardly an excuse. Those people choose to remain at the bottom, so there they'll stay. Society helps those who help themselves.

As to federal contributions, the United States Government should stay out of professional sports. If NO can compete for an NBA team, or due to contractual penalties for breach, they are the best financial option for the Hornets, fine, power to them.

Society helps those who help themselves.

:LolLolLol

Society helps those for whom it is politically advantageous to help.

BDP, I don't see how what you're saying is any different from what I said.

I agree with BDP. With all due respect, Midtowner, the difference is that you believe that society helps those who help themselves. The reality is that there are many who are trying to help themselves and society isn't offering any help, unless it's politically advantageous to do so... like a good photo op during campaign season only to be forgotten after the photo op.

I can see helping them rebuild their city and investing money in the necessary infrastructure repairs, but I think using tax dollars to help NOLA's sports teams at this point, is stupid, especially since they were making money in San Antonio and Oklahoma City. If they can't make money in NOLA, they need to relocate. Period.

I agree with BDP. With all due respect, Midtowner, the difference is that you believe that society helps those who help themselves. The reality is that there are many who are trying to help themselves and society isn't offering any help, unless it's politically advantageous to do so... like a good photo op during campaign season only to be forgotten after the photo op.

Scribe, I'm not sure I follow. I can't think of a possible scenario where someone's being "down" is not specifically attributable to decisions that they themselves have made. It may be unfortunate, and it may be partially someone else's fault, but in the end, we're masters of our own destiny.

For the underprivliged, there are just a multitude of programs available -- job corps, student loans, scholarships, vo-tech training, etc. Sitting around, pointing fingers and feeling sorry for people who won't do anything to help themselves accomplishes nothing.

Heck, I'm utilizing one of those programs to put myself through law school -- student loans partially subsidized by the Federal Government. I put myself through my undergrad working at least full time (sometimes more than 1 job) the entire way through. Not everyone is destined to get a college degree, let alone go to law school, but vo-tech, job corps, and other training programs are heavily subsidized and readily available to anyone who wants to go.

If you can give me a specific situation Scribe, I'll tell you exactly where that person either went wrong, or could get help. If someone is able bodied and able minded, they should be working, no excuses.