"It's either the beginning of New Orleans, or the end of New Orleans."

"Nature doesn't follow convenient curves," Mr. Davis says. "It moves to tipping points, and we're at one now."

The cost of rebuilding levees and bayous and wetlands is sufficiently astronomical to make nonsense of the pledges to bring New Orleans back with true grit and private capital.

"This is a national tragedy and requires a national response," says Dr. Marty Rowland, an environmental engineer at Tulane University. "Private capital is not going to make the city whole. We're going to need something large and long-term, like TVA. The memory of FDR is long gone, but this may be the time to revive it."

Lengthy, thoughtful piece from the Dallas Morning News(sub. req.-- Here's another link)