Washington FAILED TO FUND LEVEE PROJECTS

[Selatius]

WASHINGTON — For years, Washington had been warned that doom lurked just beyond the levees. And for years, the White House and Congress had dickered over how much money to put into shoring up century-old dikes and carrying out newer flood control projects to protect the city of New Orleans.

What happened this year was typical: Local levee and flood prevention officials, along with Sen. Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.), asked for $78 million in project funds. President Bush offered them less than half that — $30 million. Congress ended up authorizing $36.5 million.

Since Bush took office in 2001, local experts and Landrieu have asked for just short of $500 million. Altogether, Bush in his yearly budgets asked for $166 million, and Congress approved about $250 million.

These budget decisions reflect a reality in Washington: to act with an eye toward short-term political rewards instead of making long-term investments to deal with problems.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/latimests/20050904/ts_latimes/despitewarningswashingtonfailedtofundleveeprojects

Bush; Clinton; Bush, Sr.; Reagan; etc.--they all deserve to fucking burn for this. They all deserve what is coming to them. Democrats, Republicans--it doesn't fucking matter. They all need to be made to pay for the lives lost.

[NNN0LHI]

1. Clinton? Did you read the article? Clinton wasn't cutting nothing

>>>Over the years, several projects either were short-changed or never got started. The Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project was authorized by Congress after a rainstorm killed six people in May 1995. It was to be finished in 10 years, but funding reductions prevented its completion before Katrina struck.

The Army Corps of Engineers did spend $430 million to renovate pumping stations and shore up the levees. But experts said the project fell behind schedule after funding was reduced in 2003 and 2004.

The Lake Pontchartrain Project was a $750-million Corps operation for new levees and beefed-up pumping stations. Because of funding cuts, it was only 80% complete when the hurricane hit.

The project that never was started was an examination of storm surges from large hurricanes. Congress approved the study but did not allocate the funds for it.<<<

[chomskysright]

2. Here come the KINGFISH (BLANCO)...KINGFISH (BLANCO)...

THE KINGFISH DO:

(paraphrased from Randy Newman's song, Kingfish: Good Ole' Boys: 1974: RE: populist Governor Huey P. Long, 1928, who kicked the Federales out when they wouldn't get off their lard-asses and take care of business when the Mississippi flooded NOLA: THE KINGFISH DO)

NEVER FORGET NEW ORLEANS

There's a hundred-thousand BushMen in New Orelans
In New Orleans there are BushMen everywhere
But your house could fall down
Your baby could drown
Wouldn't none of those BushMen care.

Everybody gather round
Loosen up your suspenders
Hunker down on the ground
I'm a cracker
And you are too
But don't I take good care of you

(HERE WE'D NEED TO SUBSTITUE WHAT BLANCO/ MAYOR NOLA, LANDREAU ARE DOING)

Who built the highway to Baton Rouge?
Who put up the hospital and built you schools?
Who looks after shit-kickers like you?
The Kingfish do.

Who gave a party at the Roosevelt Hotel?
And invited the whole north half of the state down there for free.
The people in the city
Had their eyes bugging out
Cause everyone of you
Looked just like me

Kingfish, Kingfish
Everybody sing
Kingfish, Kingfish
EVERY MAN A KING

Who took on the Standard Oil men
And whipped their ass
Just like he promised he'd do?
Ain't no Stnadard Oil men gonna run this state
Gonna be run by little folks like me and you

Kingfish, Kingfish
Friend of the working man
Kingfish, Kingfish
The Kingfish gonna save this land.

[Double T]

3. The entire political machine within the beltway needs to replaced......

our federal government is beyond BROKEN!!!!!!

[jsamuel]

4. exactly, but this was on Bush. In fact it says Clinton started the progra

m that Bush underfuned by 50% that would have fixed the levees.

[NNN0LHI]

5. If all fails blame it on Clinton

And some people fall for that shit too.

Don