Only in America do we "give" money to other countries for there disaster relief and misery.  But if your a US citizen they will only loan you money with interest.  Gotta make money off of US citizens misery.  Yep that's America

Grant?? For What?? Nobody asked you to build on a low level area. Didnt this happen like 10 years ago and they rebuilded again?? Dont get me wrong I mean Geesus get a clue, they wanted prime real estate. UNDERWATER!! Come one people stop looking for money that doesnt belong to you. Free money gimme a break! They'll just buy good stuff for themselve. I dont want this stuff coming out of my taxes to finance someone stupidity to rebuild again only to do it all over AGAIN!

Grants? How about expecting businesses and property owners to carry their own insurance? It's not the taxpayers job to make sure the weakest stay in business.

Like the mortgage "crisis" Each buyer bet he could sell to the greater fool or refinance, and they ran out of fools. I've been out of work for three months and I don't see anyone offering to pay my mortgage. 300 Billion along with the lenders "forgiving" a portion of principal to let people keep houses they couldn't afford to buy in the first place???

I am sorry that these businesses (and homes) were flooded. I understand that a great deal of property was damaged, and I hope and pray that nobody was injured or lost their life. The flood is indeed a tradgey, and I will gladly donate money to help flood victims. However, why does being a flood victim entitle anyone for a grant from the government? The government is not the cause of the flood. Furthermore, these business leaders  freely chose to establish their businesses in a flood zone. Instead of seeking handouts from the government, these busniness leaders should take care of themselves with more prudent business practices such as maintaining a realistic emergency (flood) fund, etc.

At first glance, I would tend to agree with the rest of the comments here.  However, if the federal government can dole out a bonanza of goodies, including $2,000 Visa debit cards, free rent, relocation expenses, etc., for a bunch of 3rd generation welfare recipients, then they can afford to “grant” these small businesses some money to get back on their feet.

At least these businesses are wanting this money so they can continue working.  It has been nearly 3 years since Katrina and we still have Katricians that have nothing better to do than get high and kill their kids on Father’s Day (eg Randy Sylvester).

I hope this doesn't get counted as attacking the previous comments so consider this a rebuttal.
They act as if they control where tax money goes, some tax money goes to interest you agree with some don't. The problem is people who have a false sense of entitlement to tax money. Its not just your tax money it's theirs as well AND to top it off someone who owns a business probably pays more taxes then you anyway. It would be nice if the government gave you back some of that tax money that you've spent a lifetime paying especially when you need it.  

For all our present technological prowess, we as a species have found it hard to learn from our mistakes. While levees and the like are great, I would suggest to everyone to look at a topographical map of your town in relationship to major rivers, oceans, etc... many of the victims of the floods are living in natural floodplains. No amount of human engineering will change the simple physics of water flows downhill. While I emphatize with the victims along the Mississippi River and its feeders, I have a hard time stomaching grants for those affected.

Fact - the Mississippi River can flood

Fact - They live in a floodplain

Fact - Many did not have flood insurance.

No amount of government grants will compensate for individual oversight or ignorance. Just because FEMA and Corps of Engineers say the levees will hold, shouldn't change your mind on having flood insurance. Its New Orleans all over.

If you live below or at water-level, own flood insurance or live farther away from the water-source. Its that simple, the government and average tax-payer shouldn't shoulder the costs for other's bad choices.

I don't want my tax dollars going to those who didn't have the foresight to carry insurance to cover potential losses. If you're in an area that has a levee wall to protect you from flood waters, that may be a clue that it will someday flood!

Ok for all of those saying that its  the peoples own fault for not having flood insurance this is what I have to say to you:

You are half right.

For the people who live a few blocks away from the river or on the river and don't have flood insurance, yeah thier fault.

but for the people who live in the town that happened to have a sewer back up and not nessisarally (sorry for bad spelling) live by the river it isn't entirely thier fault. In the town that I live in (which the nearest river is over 5 miles away) didn't flood this year but in '93 it did (due to the amount of rain in a day). My parents have been trying to get flood insurance for thier home for over 15 years now (way before '93) and the insurance company said no, because the companies would only insure a small percentage of the town. So I believe that could have been the problem for other home owners and buisnesses

I have friends that live in Cedar Rapids whos homes were under water (even thought they were 10 blocks away from the river.) people have to understand that these were RECORD breaking levels breaking over 10 FT from the previous record. and they considered this a 500 year flood (for the region). This type of flooding on those (cedar and iowa) rivers NEVER happends. in 93' it was not that bad for this section. In 93' the mississippi was hit harder in Iowa that the cedar river, or the iowa river.

so to say they made "bad choices" in where they live is a HUGE overstatement.

Since I am a hard working, two job holding, tax paying, Katrina survivor who has suffered through the last two years and ten months rebuilding not just my new home but a new life, I understand the pain thes folks are feeling.  It is sad our government gives our tax money to other countries and only loans it to our citizens.  The only grant I got was because I elevated my home to the new requirements imposed by the govt.  I am saddled with a "loan" from the SBA that did allow me to build a new home.  I live in the area that was not supposed to flood and is actually a foot and a half above sea level. I as a industrious person have been penalized every step of the way because I am not a low income earner.  Thankfully my community is slowly being rebuilt, in part by hard workers like me, in part by volunteers from everywhere.  I am so grateful to them.  The biggest lesson I have learned is not to think our govt. is going to help.  Beware of the SBA, once you sign their loan they take every bit of money - insurance, grant or whatever that they deem "duplication of beenfits", a decision solely made by them.

There will never be enough money to pay for events of crime, ignorance, and stuipd.  I'm willing to pay for crime prevention, but I'm not willing to pay for ignorance and stupid.  I'm all the ignorance and stupid that I can afford, I can't afford more stupid.

If I pay for my own ignorance, I might actually learn something, whereas if you paid for my ignorance... I'd learn you'd pay for my stupid. :D

Buy flood insurance, pay the premium and you will have no problems!! There is no way the taxpayers should pay for these unfortunate but dumb people who are crying!!!!

Im reading some really arrogant and self-absorbed comments here....a couple of things, some areas cannot get flood insurance OR do not qualify because the govt deemed an area 'low risk'...these floods are very severe and widspread, so to call ppl stupid or accuse folks of looking for handouts is not only disgusting, its just wrong-minded. There are a LOT of ppl struggling to survive in this country right now....And RE: Mr. Arcadian's obnoxious self absorbed speech, Ill talk to that elitist snob about govt help after the next big earthquake hits the west coast. Maybe getting knocked out of his cabana hut by a 8.0 and having to flee a tsunami will change his tune! Lets have some compassion for a change

...and now the muskrats have eaten a hole in a major levy line in Missouri, another bunch of ppl in danger of loosing homes, businesses. but according to alot of the comments here, they're all idiots and leeches, too...the comments being made here are just unbelievably stupid

For a thought on the businesses.....For those of you that dont own your own business do you even have a clue as to how hard it is to open, own, and operate a business? Do you know what self employment taxes are? You just dont have a clue! I am doing the American DREAM, well let me tell you its not a dream most days! Just think about if America did not have any small businesses, what would that do to our economy?

Those people probably couldn't get flood insurance as most insurance companies won't provide it in areas like that. So you have to turn to the government's National Flood Insurance Program for coverage.

I think people are getting weary hearing about all these disasters around the world. You start to tune out...

I was Flooded in Texas in 2007. FEMA gave us enough money to get started, but after ripping out insulation and most of the walls trying to dry things out. It was like trying to air condition a cardboard box. And with that, electric and water bills doubled from all the mopping and cleaning.Forget the thousand trips to the hardware store. (Just remember, water is like smoke... it gets into everything)
Sulphering the yard because of the flies, frogs and everything else... Money flew out the door even though I was still bring home a pay check.
Then came SBA (Small Business Assoc.) They were all about taking out the low interest loan.. (sure as long as you didn't make improvements.)
They lied, pressured and tricked numerous people into taking out loans they would pay for the rest of their lives not to mention being on the home owners policy til the day the loan was paid in full.
But if I lived in another country they would throw money at me so fast, build my street up about 10 ft. and probably plant me a garden.

What?  More handouts to states that already profit from under-achieving states that already profit greatly from the redistribution of Federal income taxes?!

http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/266.html

NO!

Heck NO!

You built in a freakin' flood plain, don't you know WHY they call it that?  You didn't hold your local and state governments accountable for responsible levee use and maintenance.  You didn't get flood insurance living in a flood plain.

Sorry, I feel your loss but I'm not going to give you anything for free.  Be happy you might get a good rate on a loan, that's all you really deserve.

Man!  Everyone wants a handout.

I'm struggling to pay for gas - Help I need a grant. I'm struggling to put my kids into college.. or better said, not able to put my kids into college - Help I need a grant.

Sorry - times are tough for most everyone, take the low interest loan and be happy. Or move to higher ground

Pete from New Jersey: So glad to hear a voice of reason and compassion! You're not alone in your thinking.  Peace to those who are suffering.

Do Not Build in a Flood Plain.   If you do, you take the risk of losing everything.  If the flood comes, it is you who are responsible for having taken that risk.....not everybody else, not anybody else.

its typicaly hypocrytical that the christians in the HEARTLAND want a grant to bail them out when they had no insurance, but when people in florida who have insurance get screwed by there insurance companies and fema steps into give us cheap interest LOANS and these good americans say we shouldnt buid there maybe these peopl shouldnt build on a FLOOD plain with no insurance

I am amazed at the people who are so quick to scream about people being idiots for building on flood plains and telling them it is there own fault!
Many, many communities have never been in a flood plain, have never had or been near water. This is an unprecidented event in the midwest.  

To enlighten a few of you who so obviously need it- you don't just buy flood insurance. If you don't live in a floodplain, and if your local government is not a part of the program- you are shit out of luck. Investigate the facts before you condemn people!

I hope all you pious people never have to experience a natural disaster, maybe a tornado, earthquake, wildfire, hurricane. Your glass house may shatter.

And no, I was not personally effected by the floods, don't need a loan or a grant. But I sure wish the people who are suffering and who have lost their homes, livelyhoods and hope get the same kind of assistance our government gives to other countries.

Just a personal observation. ..as I watched the news coverage of the massive flooding in the Midwest with over 100 blocks of the city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa under water, levees breaking, and the attention now turned downstream for when this massive amount of water hits the Mississippi, what amazed me is not what we saw, but what we didn't see...

1. We don't see looting.
2. We don't see street violence.
3. We don't see people sitting on their rooftops waiting for the government to come and save them.
4. We don't see people waiting on the government to do anything.
5. We don't see Hollywood organizing benefits to raise money for people to rebuild.
6. We don't see people blaming President Bush.
7. We don't see people ignoring evacuation orders.
8. We don't see people blaming a government conspiracy to blow up the levees as the reason some have not held.
9. We don't see the US Senators or the Governor of Iowa crying on TV.
10. We don't see the Mayors of any of these cities complaining about the lack of state or federal response.
11. We don't see or hear reports of the police going around confiscating personal firearms so only the criminal will be armed.
12. We don't see gangs of people going around and randomly shooting at the rescue workers.
13. You don't see some leaders in this country blaming the bad behavior of the Iowa flood victims on "society" (of course there is no wide spread reports of lawlessness to require excuses).

As citizens of this country, why can't these people be given grants?? The U.S. gives money to every country in world including those who despise us and our way of life. Your tax money is being spent in Iraq by the truckload and all they do in return is blow up American soldiers.

Wow, what an enlightened group of people.  Feel the love.  I, for one (like most the people around here that will help regardless of who it is or what state they are in), am going to do all I can to help, regardless of who "the public" feels is deserving.  We are all in this together, whether you want to believe it or not.

States and the Feds love to tax these business people, and regulators make it as hard as they can for people to operate a business and keep people in jobs. It's time that these governments step up and act now to help keep these employers alive.

Many of the businesses impacted were not in the flood plain and most were behind levees that DID work. Much of the damage was from storm water back ups - the river was so full the storm water had no where to go but back and up into buildings and streets.

These are busiensses that make reasonable decisions based on good information. These are businesses who believed that they had flood and business interuption insurance but now are finding  the policy exceptions we all dread. Their employees get subsidies for being out of work - but the business owner is left on their own?  They need our help too. Their financial institutions are doing as much as they can. And tax breaks are fine and beneficial - when tax time comes and if they're in a financial position to take advantage of the benefit.

These are mostly small busiensses or even large businesses located in places where we want them to be - in and around the downtown to provide a vibrant center city - the redevelopment of which was in large part funded by federal and state grants so that business would "come back." They did.

We need these businesses. They generally have everything they own on the line to keep the business open, to keep people employed. Most of these people have been fighting since the water started rising to get open and stay open to keep the business alive. Successful in that, now they have to fight insurance adjusters and regulators and cash flow. Let's keep these businesses open and employing and contributing to the community and economy. If it takes state and federal assistance, as well as personal assistance from the rest of us, to keep our neighbors open, providing the goods and services we want in the market place, then let's consider that part of working together in the larger community.

14. We don't see anyone who's ancestors were bought and sold as property only a few hundred years ago.

FTFY :)

To those hung up on flood insureance or the lack of it? Flood insurance paying 60% MAXIMUM, and won't make anyone whole. It is sold by private insurance companies who make huge profits on it, yet the federal government is the one who pays out on any and all claims. Trust me, flood insurance IS your tax dollars at work, as private insurers decided long ago they wouldn't cover floods. Some will say this is wrong and cite the fact that their insurance company sold them flood insurance and it has their companies name on it, but call your agent and ask. He will tell you that the federal government is the ONLY insurer for floods in the USA, and ask about the coverage and you will discover the 60% maximum. Your local insurance company will process your claim and do everything in their power to screw you too, as they get additional money for limiting claims, Wow, what a deal, huge commisions (up to 75%) to sell insurance you have absolutely NO RISK from, then more money to process claims, and even more when you deny them or limit the liability. Schools should tell kids to all go into insurance, its high return with little downside and as long as we have stupid people it will never be lacking in clients...

Just wanted to say that these places were not built in "low level areas"  We are talking about our downtown areas and places that have NEVER FLOODED IN HISTORY! People were advised not to carry flood insurance because "there was not a risk" or couldn't even obtain it.

Just before the floods hit tornados came through our area wiping out two small towns and damaging two others. Before these people could even get their heads on straight some were under water.  

You can't imagine some of the things we have seen over the last two months.  I saw a house that had only a shower stall standing, as well as a door frame to the bathroom and the insurance company deemed that is was not a total loss because of this.  

I have friends and family who are homeless and have lost everything.  They have flood insurance but guess what?  It won't even be enough to make a dent.  Flood insurance is a joke.  

I am glad I live in the Midwest and don't have the attitude I am seeing in some of these posts.

To the california poster who said we shouldn't build in low level areas- When an earth quake hits Cali do you say "shouldn't have been standing there?"  How about when the fires happen out west?  Shouldn't have built there?  

And to the CT poster who made a comment about slavery: What the heck are you even talking about?  What does that have to do with anything?  We have people of every ethnic type here.  What the heck does Melanin/Pigment of someone's skin have to do with a natural disaster?  I don't understand your comment.

Wow on the ignorance of some of these posts!  The best part is that they are coming from people who live in hurricane land and earthquake land. DURP!  

THESE AREAS WERE NOT LOW LEVEL AREAS.  THEY HAD NEVER FLOODED BEFORE.  EVER. FLOOD INSURANCE WAS NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE.  SOME HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE AND GUESS WHAT?  THEY ARE STILL SCREWED.


We are not talking about college funds and gas prices.  We are talking about people who lost every single thing they had.  EVERYTHING!  They no longer have a car to put gas in, and in some situations they don't have a kid to put through college anymore.  

IGNORANT!  I am glad I live in the Midwest where people have big hearts and don't have such small minds.

I am going to add another slightly different twist to this in that whether it is floods/Katrina/the current fires in California and more importantly the current economy of the US looking like it is heading more for depression and not just a recession - take care of our own first!!!   While I support all the troops in IRAQ and so forth - going to back to when Bush started his own personal war after 911 - since the Feds have mystery billions turing into trillions (national debt??) before we finish up over there and for all the other tax dollars that go out of this country - giving millions vs. billions/trillions to our own here in the US because of a un-natural disaster(s) that had they not occured would have never effected them as they did - no problem with me.  

Have a real big problem though with billions going into a country that is sitting on and squabbling over some of largest oil reserves in the world at a time when a barrel of oil has more than doubled in a year!!  

If all the different religious nuts/terrorists want to do is over is "kill the americans" and so forth while just like Katrina - our goverment spends more money/time/ and resources on that instead of taking care of our own here in the US - yes I have a slight problem with that!  My two cents worth . . .   Give the victims of the flood grants instead of "granting" to folks in IRAQ that do not appear to appreciate it anyway!!!

The folks over in the middle east in general from what I have observed never seemed to have grasped the concept of compromise/share/talk out disputes and problems - just kill each other and others and have done it for many years.  While we play with them - folks in the flooded areas are supposed to take out "low-interest loans" ??  Do not know of any of them trying to bomb/shoot/decapitate outsiders trying to help them - give them the grants!!

These people have lost everything!! The "People" of this area did everything they could to help themselves and there communities...sandbags, levies, evacuations. But some people state on this blog that they should have flood insurance or not build on flood plains? NEWS FLASH...Most of the area was not in a flood plain...These "American" people need our/government help...This or some other disaster could happen to any of us at any time...What would you say if it were you? Think about it before you make some of these comments!

As stated several times above, the ignorance here is incredible. Yes these towns are near a large river that floods on occasion. And for all the challenges of if or how to rebuild or what flood insurance may or may not cover. Guess what you idiots in your comfortable homes in earthquake and hurricane zones, you want these people to rebuild and restart their business. Do you really think that bag of corn starts in the freezer case at the local grocery store. Or the only quick fuel to help counter oil is just appearing from nowhere.

The Midwest feeds us and is helping to keep this country running more then the pompous self righteous fools above. If they get a few grants to kick start what they need to rebuild, they have earned it.

I am a property owner in a small Iowa town that was closed (yes the whole town shut down) because of the floods. My property was ruined. No i did not have flood insurance but no one even mentioned it when I bought the property 2 years ago. The two houses I owned were destroyed. I got a small payment from my insurance carrier for sewage backup that occured prior to the town being flooded. It might be enough to demolish the buildings. I'm not going to borrow money and rebuild. Why should I? I already paid for the property once and by-the-way I still am making mortgage payments on them. I'll flatten the buildings and sell the land to someone who is smarter than me. If no one buys the land I'll let the bank foreclose. Now if the government wants to provide me with capital to rebuild maybe I will consider it. I'm sure there are thousands of property owners just like me thinking the same way. So what if I don't build and what if all my neighbors don't rebuild? We've lost a town. What was once a great little town by the way. Now it will be gone. That is why the government should provide grants. Not for my profit because I will never see any profit but for the community.

Wow, so much intelligence. First of all I own a small business near downtown CR and I do have all the insurance coverage I can have. We did not have flood insurance because we could not get flood insurance! We are not in a flood plain!!  I am 44 yrs old and have never asked the government or anyone for anything. Please come visit our city and get the facts before you judge unknowingly. Not everyone is asking for a handout, just some help to get back up and running. Until you have seen the devastation you can never truely know how bad it is.

Build your house in the lowest spot along a river or lake so that water floods your house and then have the government bail you out.  Sounds like something a Democrat would approve of.
A better choice would to never allow anyone to build in a flood plain.  Allow the water to rise and lower at its leisure.  That is what is natural and sensible.

For those judging the people in the flood areas, please note the following facts:
1. Many areas flooded that were not considered at risk for flooding.
2. Many flood plane areas contain very rich fertile farmland.
3. Where you have good farmland you will have farmers, and where you have farmers you will have towns.
Therefore, for the sake of our agriculture and all the related industries and services these communities provide, we should have enough help available to help these communities recover, whether they were in the flood plane or not. If we cannot do it out of human decency and compassion, which seems to be lacking in some of the comments here, we should have the common sense to do it so that food and fuel (ethanol) can continue be grown in these areas. And if the flooding gets far enough south we can add cotton to the "at risk" list.

Those who speak of not living in a flood plain have no historical knowlege of how the country developed.  Water travel was the economical transportation and supplied power.  There was no need to cut a trail, it was already supplied by nature.

Towns sprang up on the rivers and yes, they occasionally flooded.  

Levee systems were built locally and by the Army Corps of Engineers.  This caused the rivers to stay in their banks at that location, but made things worse downstream.  

Homeowners insurance used to cover flooding, but in 1965 (I believe) the National Flood Insurance Program began.  Flood insurance through the national flood insurance program is quite inexpensive ($300-400 per year), but some communities opted out of the program because they did not want to be told what elevation new buildings had to be built at (old ones were grandfathered in).  Federal flood insurance only covers $250,000 structure and $100,000 personal property).  Commercial flood insurance is available, but is very pricey.

80% of flooding does not happen in flood plains.

Katrina was an engineering failure.  The levees and flood walls were not overtopped.  They failed because of bad engineering by the corps of engineers.

FEMA (who runs the flood insurance program) states that if a building is substantially damaged by floods (51% for one flood or over 100% of value by multiple) then the owner is required to comply with the new elevation requirements that have been enacted since the building was built.  The building may have to be raised or leveled and rebuild.  One of my homes is on pilings 15 feet in the air.  There is a store room under it, but anything in the store room is not covered.

I would encourage people who live in the flood plains to build to levels where the living area of your home will not flood.  It is more expensive however to build an extra floor on your home.  Many people in the New Orleans area park under their house.

The happenings after Katrina with people on the rooftops and the lawlessness happened for a variety of reasons.  People in New Orleans had evacuation fatigue.  New Orleans was first evacuated in 1998, but has been evacuated 3 more times since then.  Evacuation fatigue had set in.  The levees were supposed to handle much hgher levels than actually happened.  When they did order the evacuation, Katrina was a level 5 hurricane and they told everyone to get out.  The first responders too.

Of course it was a high level 3 hurricane when it hit the coast and a high level two as it passed over New Orleans. It carried a higher storm surge than a level 2 or 3 because it had been so strong.  Those that had stayed were stranded.  Police could not get anywhere.  

People who stayed fell into several categories:  1.  Those too poor who had no way out or simply chose not to go.  Many of the poor even drove to the superdome the evening before the storm.
2.  Elderly with pets.  Evacuation centers would not accept pets, so many elderly stayed because their pets couldn't go.  3.  Medical personnel at the hospitals who were told if they didn't stay they would be fired; they could, however, stay at the hospital.  4.  People who had been through either Camille or Betsy 40 years earlier and had survived (pictures of canal street looked eerily similar) thought it couldn't be any worse. 5.  Those with evacuation fatigue.  6. Those with bravado who said they would never leave.

Law and order broke down because there were no police, the police cars had flooded and the police had no boats.  All communication was down as there was no power.  No phones, no cellular, police radio towers down. Many of those who stayed were poor and saw an opportunity to take what they felt society owed them.  Some gangs managed to make it in from other cities.

When it did flood, the flood came suddenly--just water rising and rising up to a foot or two every hour.  The ways out of the city (the bridges across Lake Pontchartrain were out) were already blocked.  The flood pushed the people who had stayed up and they had to cut through their roof.

Katrina was much different than the Midwest flooding.  The sheer numbers of people affected in New Orleans and the surrounding area topped 1 million.  Of 1 million 30,000 failed to leave.
Houston tried to evacuate for Rita 3 weeks later.  Houston had not planned for contraflow (all highway lanes travelling out of the city) but tried to implement it anyway.  Gridlock occurred and often people ran out of gas 5 miles from home.  Many turned around after 8 hours and went home.  Forunately Rita's track changed and a sparsely populated area of marshy coastal Louisiana was hit.

The midwest had notice of rising rivers due to heavy rains  People could at least move possessions out of harms way.  Sandbagging could be atempted to save towns (try to sandbag with 120 mph winds).

I feel sorry for those in the midwest.  A flood is a terrible thing to clean up after.  Everything you own is gone.  

The midwest flooding is not Katrina, however.  Muliply the damage by 200 and you might begin to approach the same level.  The midwest's roads and infrastucture are intact, not blown down or washed away.

Those who live in places that could not flood should realize that perhaps 50% of the US population would have to relocate to avoid the Katrina's or the river flooding we have seen.  Most major cities are either on the ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, or have a river run through them.  All of these places can flood.

Yes, perhaps there are whole towns that flood so often that they will cease to exist.  FEMA's flood insurance rules make sure that people just  don't keep rebuilding.

Why would we offer any assistance to earthquake victims if they live on earth and are impacted by an earthquake.  Shouldn't they have insurance???  What a stupid response.

IGNORANCE IS TRULY BLISS!!  YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE FLOOD INSURANCE IN THE WORLD IT ONLY COVERS STRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL. THAT MEANS YOUR CONTENTS DO NOT GET COVERED BY ANY INSURANCE, NOR DRY WALL, PAINT, LIGHTS, WIRING, DECKS, CLOTHING, FOOD, ETC. SO, IF YOUR WALLS DONT FALL IN THE ONLY COVERAGE IS FOR YOUR FURNACE AND WATER HEATER. SO PLEASE TELL ME WHY YOU PAY FOR INSURANCE THAT COVERS NOTHING AND HOW A GRANT IS A HAND OUT TO SOMEONE WHO PAYS THERE TAXES HAS FLOOD INSURANCE AND HAS BEEN DENIED THE SBA LOAN ?? I THINK WE SHOULD SPEND A FEW BILLION MORE IN IRAQ AND AROUND THE WORLD BUT LETS BITCH ABOUT HELPING ARE OWN HARD WORKING US CITIZENS.  

let's imagine what the country looked like 500 years ago - pristine plains and forests.  We are technologically advanced enough to realize that if you pave areas and reroute water the flood plain changes.  the 500 year plan should have been re-evaluated back in 1993, then perhaps something worthwhile could have been done.  Really, are sandbags all we can do?

Steve you are good bussiness man,but you notice you are outvote when you count "Bloggers"and thas whats wrong in big part on was going on,even do they made money when it comes down,doors get closed,but they do not want to admit their guilt so excuses are born,but did excuses made this country or solutions?deny=-=influation on all market place,because the solution "shames"but solves influation,jobs,home,insurance,taxes,revenews,and small bussiness,so when do start?every day is more money owe,some people are not asking for pitty,they have shown to be educated,so insurance should not need to offer"Loans"but to advance a relief grant,doe people know know that to get a one lomsome check,the city goes broke with a few costumers,and for guy on the taxes,we do need your tax money,we need responsability,relief,and answers from the "INSURANCE"we paid including taxes,so in these type of case we would not find idots,thinking we should have been smarter,been smart is what got here so far, when floods done all these dammege,hidden and borrowing,is only getting us in deeper deubt,that is not need it when rebuilding,and securing once future,first is to see how much can you have to rebuild,and how long would take to see another dll,that way you can rebuild smart and move from the flood area or rebuild there for bussiness knowing that it can happen again if one staysGOD bless you and thank you,for letting share my opinion

I think it's funny to see people the same people saying to not give owners loans and grants also think that it should have been prevented which oh by the way would cost the government money. I know several people that live in the floodplane of Cedar Rapids that didn't have ANYTHING happen to them while their friends in the "higher" part of town got flooded. It's not just about the rivers. There were plenty of local areas that flooded due to a lack of proper runoff procedures. Of course, in Iowa we just take stuff like this and try to make the best of it, instead of blaming the president or anyone else. I don't expect FEMA or any government agency to provid free money, rather, reasonable loans with an acceptable interest rates and a feasable time limits. Of course, so many of the people that put their thoughts here did not read, believe, or find out anything put here by anyone else.

I can easily see why you wouldn't want money just handed out to the people hurt by this. That's not what anyone wants. In fact, most people in the midwest wouldn't even feel right accepting "free money" from the government. We just want the ability to have a starting point, same as anyone else.

I think the only reason people will add brief and rude comments is because they simply don't want to know the facts. If it doesn't effect them, they don't care. That's the problem in our country as a whole. Most of us generally don't care at all about our neighbor.

We must unite in times like this and use our American engenuity to find a way to make things work in these hard times. We need to believe in ourselves again and our country. This message is why this country is great. The ability to share firsthand knowledge and hopefully influence around the country in one form or another. Thank you and god bless america  

I have never been so proud to be an American as I was watching the aftermath of the flooding. peopel helping people, communities coming togetehr. No looting, rioting, 'woe-is-me'-ism by uneducated, toothless folk. Residents of Cedar Rapids lost MORE than most in New Orleans, because they OWNED what they had-it wasn't given to them or subsidized. They worked hard to help their communities and country by working, not stoop-watching. It breaks my heart to see honest American's lives ripped apart. No grant will ever bring back what was lost, but it's a step after all the government, Hollywood and the public did for an ungrateful New Orleans.

The US government sure is backwards not to mention very Anti-American. Why don't we all attack D.C.? I mean, is any one of us really being represented by these short sided pieces of sH$t? It's time we exercise the rights that much more far-sighted people gave us to defend ourselves against a tyrannical government and start shooting these traitorous government officials, then short sighted greedy CEOs are next. By the way, the flood victims need to move. They should have moved one of the last times they where flooded.

To Gary:
You owned property in the Midwest and your excuse for not having flood insurance is that "no one mentioned it" when you bought your property?  How smart can you be?  That's like me living in Florida and not realizing that my hurricane deductible is three times any other deductible.  Maybe I should move to California and not ask about wildfires, mudslides or whether the property I live in is built to code for earthquakes.  I feel bad for people who make intelligent decisions and get hit by tragedy.  You didn't make any intelligent decisions.

ohhh, some of these comments made me so upset.  I am a flood victim.  I am also a small business owner.  I am not a 3rd generation welfare recipient either.  My parents NEVER were on any type of welfare program and were hard workers as I am.  The difference is that I am a single mother and after my 12-year marriage turned into a divorce leaving me with my 3 children to raise I had to sell the house we owned.  It was not on a flood plain but I could not afford the payments, so I took my money and could only afford to buy a mobile home in a park that was located in a flood plain.  TOO BAD!  I have never made more than 19000 a year in my life and I am 48 years old.  I have worked very hard for little wages.  So glad that some of you men's wages start at 15.00/hr and 20.00/hr even without getting a college degree.  Yes, I have one but it has not helped me.  I have done everything that I can to succeed financially but have not been as lucky as some.  I try to raise my children to be hard working individuals.  They see what I have been through, the flood-damaged dwelling that we live in.  One of my children just graduaged from SPU and has a Bachelor's of Science degree and is working as a registered nurse.  My youngest child is 12 and is earning all the money for her school clothes this year because I don't have the income to pay for them this year.  Oh yes, I went back to school and am a medical trancriptionist but 2 years later was outsourced to India.  Now unemployed and no unemployment compensation for over 6 months and cannot find a job.  Yea, why am I here in this place.  I think as I get older that I am here because of greed of some of the people back in the 60s and 70s who thought that it would be nice to have 2 incomes and have many nice things.  Now we have to have 2 good paychecks to support even a rent payment.  That is why I am here with my children mopping up river water every few years!!  You who whine about us poverty stricken folks, don't be so judgemental--you could end up here!!!

You know, I hear so much negative feed back regarding the grants, but give me a break.  I live in a small town that was flooded March 17 2008, and on Easter Sunday when everyone was having their dinner, I was cleaning out mud and debris from my home.  Yes, we were aware that we lived in the flood plains, yes we do carry flood insurance, but for heavens sake, our insurance company didn't pay out as much as FEMA to the people who didn't carry insurance.  I'm looking for a grant to help raise my home so we never have to worry about the flood again.

For all the people who are being so darn negative, obviously they have never been through a disaster.

Best wishes to everyone trying to obtain a little bit of help from our government.

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