By host Tom Ashbrook:

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, President Bush made his claim that “a great city will rise again” in New Orleans. Yesterday, New Orleans’ own rebuilding commission outlined plans that, in effect, said “maybe.” And at least one prominent economist is now saying “never.”

Angry New Orleans residents are steamed at being cut off, for now, from rebuilding. The local head of the NAACP called the new plans a blueprint for “fat cats.” But should hundreds of billions of state and federal dollars be poured into the leaky path of the next hurricane? Or should New Orleans be reduced to the French Quarter and an oil spigot?

Hear about the real future of New Orleans.

Guests:

Ed Glaeser, Professor of Economics at Harvard University and Director of the Taubman Center for State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government..;
Ray Manning, Principal of Manning Architects in New Orleans, and co-chair of the process which will select the planners for each neighborhood under the “Bring New Orleans Back” plan released yesterday.;
David Meeks, City Editor of The Times Picayune newspaper.;
Scott Cowen, President of Tulane University.