Here's my problem with the private sector in one word.

Insurance.

41 months to the day since Katrina hit, try to get insurance here in South Mississippi.

Real estate? Slightly above the national average. Well above the depressed areas like Las Vegas, LA, New York, Houston, etc. But what is the firm ceiling on the market? The fire hose to our little matchstick of recovery? Insurance. None of the big companies want new policies without government backing. None of the small companies can offer affordable rates. The state windpool mandates an astronomical premium (some 350% above national average, 600% above pre-storm amounts annually.)

Our boy Gene Taylor has the answer. The Federal Disaster Insurance, an expanded version of the Federal Flood insurance, which if incorporated into the stimulus package would have very tangible, real results along vast geographical regions of our nation. One of the reasons Taylor, our Democratic Congressman here in South Mississippi, voted against the package was the lack of anything for his district. 900 billion and nothing for us? How much would that expanded coverage cost the feds? As much as two bailouts and a couple of stimulus packages? As much as the 4 trillion (yes, trillion, 12 zeros) if Obama decides that the feds buying back the bad assets American banks have crushed themselves with is the next big change America says "Yes we can!" to?

Here's government spending that stimulates economic growth. Expand the flood pool to cover disaster. Sell policies everywhere. Pay and take as necessary. People want to build here. The money is ready for people to build here. But without insurance no one CAN build here. If Obama/Bush are going to go 5+ trillion in bail out/stimulus, how about something that would WORK?