According to the latest reports on National Public Radio, nearly 3 million people took part in the evacuation along the Southern shores. Latest estimates of the cost to clean up and rebuild run up to $300 billion.

Once again, the taxpayers will pick up the lion's share of the rebuilding cost. Should the taxpayers have to pay for this? Should they be forced to spend these huge sums to help residents and businesses rebuild in such fragile places?

Every year, hurricanes batter the coastal areas, demolishing almost everything in their wake. Every year, coastal residents receive federal disaster relief and flood insurance funds to rebuild.

Even when common sense warns of unacceptable risk, our government is ready to bail them out, either with outright grants or low-interest loans.

Is it not time to rethink this method and find better ways to minimize the consequences of these storms?

In my opinion, yes.

In 1993, the entire Mississippi River experienced what weather experts labeled a "500-year" flood. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was given the authority to buy out nearby residents and farmers who lived and worked around the banks of the river.

Today, thousands of acres of farmland lie idle. Today, new development is completed out of harm's way, where the effects of future floods are minimized.

Contrast that with talk about rebuilding the Gulf Coast areas. Currently, on an island along the Texas shoreline, people are already making plans to rebuild, even though the island has literally moved hundreds of feet from its previous position. It is hardly more than a sandbar. At best, its elevation is a few feet above the water.

Yet, new streets and infrastructure, not to mention new homes, are being planned, thanks to Uncle Sam's generosity.

The contrast between the Mississippi flood and these hurricanes is extreme. On the one hand, a 500-year flood event forced farmers and rural residents off their land.

On the other hand, the coastlines along the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico are hit more than once a year by destructive hurricanes.

This year, two major hurricanes, each spanning hundreds of miles, caused economic losses up to a quarter trillion dollars. Each year, the government encourages wholesale reconstruction in all affected areas.

Perhaps it is time to rethink our government's policy on national flood insurance.

Perhaps we need to establish a safe zone along the shorelines, thus preventing the destruction of marshlands that in the past absorbed the destructive tidal surge and minimized the loss of human lives.

Perhaps it is time to say to would-be investors, "You build in this area, you accept all the risk with no bailout when the hurricanes come calling."

Politically speaking, this may not be a wise move, no matter how noble the cause. Latest statistics show that more than half our entire population resides within 50 miles of a coastline.

In other words, these people have the power of the vote.

However, can we continue to go on with business as usual? I doubt it. Prudence demands we use our resources wisely. Prudence demands we minimize the loss of life when we plan for the future.