Katrina’s devastation: searching for solutions

Re “Lose the rules,” Opinion, Sept. 13

Stuart Butler’s solutions for the problems faced by Katrina’s victims sound familiar, if embarrassingly unrealistic. Who is he talking about?

How many of the tens of thousands who have lost everything have IRAs or 401(k) accounts from which to make withdrawals? How many pay “death taxes” or, for that matter, income taxes? Who exactly would Butler’s suggestions reward? Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), perhaps, but not those I’ve seen in the media.

He sounds like the tone-deaf Bushes, but he forgot the bit about letting those who have no bread eat cake instead. Why not go the whole way? I mean, it worked for Marie Antoinette, didn’t it?

ROBERT YOUNG

Corona del Mar

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Regarding President Bush’s address on TV Thursday night, he soft-pedaled his self-proclaimed irresponsibility regarding the federal government’s response to Katrina. He lauded the rescue heroism of others and gave little more than lip service in making promises easily broken. Words come cheap. This time let’s see some meaningful federal action in helping unfortunate victims.

BILL MOUZIS

Lake Balboa

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Has this administration learned nothing from the Michael D. Brown appointment to FEMA? Karl Rove’s experience is in political campaigns, and slimy ones at that. Now he is being put in charge of the biggest reconstruction job in American history. This is an outrage, yet business as usual with the new Republican Party, the kind of business that got us where we are in the first place. The American public must not allow this.

Let Rove stick to what he does best: outing CIA operatives. Bring in someone who has experience with disaster rebuilding and make sure the job is done right.

MICHAEL STARK

Santa Monica

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Bush’s ambitious proposal to rebuild after Katrina offered not one single word as to where the needed billions will come from that he wants to shove at it.

HARRIETT BLEDSOE

Oceanside