here's a bizarre take on this topic
Corruption is what makes New Orleans attractive!
The "screw the rules" pirates and privateers (think Jean Lafitte) that made that town are quintesentially American. Think Newt Gingrich's comments about speed limits being a "benchmark of opprotunity." We are a "slightly out there" society who don't completely abide by the rules. N.O. is the epitome of that idea. And they have celebrated it for centuries. This isn't a recent phenomonon.
And I, for one, don't want to crush that spirit. I do, however, want to channel it. there's graft aplenty to be found if they choose to turn the 9th ward and St. Bernards parish into a modern and well planned Venice. But Ray Naggin doesn't want to hear that particular notion, as they are too much in line with free market notions.
So, lets encourage the corrupt Louisiana politicians to discover the graft opportunities in a correctly planned New Orleans!
That is an interesting take.