Cuts to the Army Corps of Engineers... not a politicization, just

[HysteryDiagnosis]

a somber realization of where these morons' priorities are... pity. We're fighting Iraqis over there so that people can go without over here... and that my friends is the truth of it.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4200/is_20050606/ai_n14657367
New Orleans district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers faces
New Orleans CityBusiness, Jun 6, 2005 by Deon Roberts

Save a personal copy of this article and quickly find it again with Furl.net. It's free! Save it.
In fiscal year 2006, the New Orleans district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is bracing for a record $71.2 million reduction in federal funding.

It would be the largest single-year funding loss ever for the New Orleans district, Corps officials said.

I've been here over 30 years and I've never seen this level of reduction, said Al Naomi, project manager for the New Orleans district. I think part of the problem is it's not so much the reduction, it's the drastic reduction in one fiscal year. It's the immediacy of the reduction that I think is the hardest thing to adapt to.

There is an economic ripple effect, too. The cuts mean major hurricane and flood protection projects will not be awarded to local engineering firms. Also, a study to determine ways to protect the region from a Category 5 hurricane has been shelved for now.

Money is so tight the New Orleans district, which employs 1,300 people, instituted a hiring freeze last month on all positions. The freeze is the first of its kind in about 10 years, said Marcia Demma, chief of the Corps' Programs Management Branch.

Stephen Jeselink, interim commander of the New Orleans Corps district, told employees in an internal e-mail dated May 25 that the district is experiencing financial challenges. Execution of our available funds must be dealt with through prudent districtwide management decisions. In addition to a hiring freeze, Jeselink canceled the annual Corps picnic held every June.

[Nikki Stone 1]

1. Recommended and kicked

This shows exact cause and effect.

[newswolf56]

2. Recommended. This could be a major issue in driving the Republicans...

permanently from office.

[Nikki Stone 1]

3. Hey newswolf, nice to see you

Your lips to God's ears, as the saying goes.

[TornadoTN]

4. Rec'd and Kicked - About time

Get this information out there. Print it and distribute it throughout your communities. When people see our own people suffering and connect the dots to Iraq, maybe then we will some genuine outrage.

[Nikki Stone 1]

5. YES YES YES

It's cuts like these that destroy America from the inside

[HysteryDiagnosis]

10. I wonder if Keith could do a little ditty on this very issue... never

hurts to throw him an email with an enticing subject line..... eh?

[FightingIrish]

6. We invaded Iraq to make America safer and we gave

the super rich a huge tax break to boost the economy. Thanks to what wasn't funded, this act of God has taken many lives and will flush our shaky economy down the toilet. How can they possibly spin this?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. Ahhhh, that's just it, they can't, and they know it.

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. More threads on this despicable act:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4482567
Thread title: Bush has slashed Clinton's Disaster Mitigation Program. (unbelievable)
Posted by barbaraann GD Forum Sun Aug-28-05 12:23 PM

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2042880
Thread title: New Orleans district, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cut by Bush
Posted by usregimechange GD-P Mon Aug-29-05 12:25 AM

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4490119
Thread title: Bush Cut Hurricane, Flood Protection Funding to New Orleans
Posted by Lori Price CLG GD Forum Sun Aug-28-05 09:59 PM

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2042922
Thread title: DU media Blast Bush's cuts to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
sregimechange GD-P Mon Aug-29-05 12:54 AM

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2045974
thread title: Hold Bush accountable for the flooding of New Orleans!
saracat GD-P Tue Aug-30-05 04:36 PM

In fact, Bush looked so happy at his fundraiser and has been so notably cavalier about the dying people and devastation in the south, I am raising the question: did the hurricane actually work to Bush's advantage? The rising oil prices are nice for his buddies, of course, but is there more? The damage to refineries and oil rigs - does that help the Bush buddy Saudis? Is there a story here that we are overlooking? Most of the dead and newly homeless people will not be big GOP donors. And there will be great amounts of money involved in rebuilding - will that benefit him or his cronies' companies somehow? Because there's no denying that he looked perfectly happy and has not done a damn thing to help - it seems more than his ususal sociopathic hollowness. He seems PLEASED. Like Nero fiddling while Rome burned. Why?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

9. I am sure they are drawing up the nobid contracts as you type.... nt.

[BeFree]

12. Just like his followers at Camp Casey

We need the video of his followers who shouted: "We Don't Care"

That video of his supporters needs to be played along side of the video of b**h laughing it up as the storm approached New Orleans.

He's gonna have to pull off a miracle to get out of this one.

[Lefty48197]

11. Shocking quotes from that article. Thanks for posting this.

"the New Orleans district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is bracing for a record $71.2 million reduction in federal funding..."

"Also, a study to determine ways to protect the region from a Category 5 hurricane has been shelved for now..."

"One of the hardest-hit areas of the New Orleans district's budget is the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, which was created after the May 1995 flood to improve drainage in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Tammany parishes. SELA's budget is being drained from $36.5 million awarded in 2005 to $10.4 million suggested for 2006 by the House of Representatives and the president."

"The district has identified $35 million in projects to build and improve levees, floodwalls and pumping stations in St. Bernard, Orleans, Jefferson and St. Charles parishes. Those projects are included in a Corps line item called Lake Pontchartrain, where funding is scheduled to be cut from $5.7 million this year to $2.9 million in 2006. Naomi said it's enough to pay salaries but little else."

"Landrieu said the Bush administration is not making Corps of Engineers funding a priority. I think it's extremely shortsighted, Landrieu said. When the Corps of Engineers' budget is cut, Louisiana bleeds. These projects are literally life-and-death projects to the people of south Louisiana and they are (of) vital economic interest to the entire nation."

[HysteryDiagnosis]

13. This had better get on the greatest page, not for vanity, but because

of what it means, both for the present but more importantly for the future. Wanna hear something absolutely freaking AMAZING?????

SFWMD was granted EIGHT (8) that's 8 with an eight BILLION dollars to "restore" the everglades by building pump stations and creating flood plains to "filter" the crap that comes from the cane fields and from the erosion created by the banks of canals in which water must flow. (It shouldn't)

That's (ready for this?) EIGHT THOUSAND MILLION DOLLARS to "clean" the phosphorous and nitrates from the water flowing south into the Everglades. NO ONE LIVES IN THE EVERGLADES. Imagine that. "Course, Jeb's in control of the purse strings there so let your imagination run wild and you won't even come close to the reality of it.

[newswolf56]

14. These cutbacks are undoubtedly political vengeance for the fact...

New Orleans went something like 71 percent for Kerry/Edwards, but they are also part of a methodical, much broader Bush plan to destroy social services of all kinds (including disaster relief) and turn what services remain into profit centers for the oligarchy. Hence, the poorer you are, the less help you'll get: deliberate application of the social Darwinist principle that one's wealth is the sole measure of one's worth. Literally, if you're not part of the oligarchy, you will be left to die.

In this context, the only analysis that explains what is happening is the Marxist analysis of class struggle. Which is, of course, the great historical irony of the Bush Administration: by unleashing capitalism at its Tryannosauric worst, Bush has made Marx again relevant.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

15. "Tyrannosaurric worst".... nice... very nice.... nt.

[dogindia]

16. kick n/t

[HysteryDiagnosis]

17. Tens of billions to KBR, Hallibacon and Bechtel in Iraq, and

Americans are forced to deal with inattention, lack of resources, frivolous outsourcing and being left in harms way for other sundry pleasures of the emperor. Somebody just kill me.

[Nothing Without Hope]

18. KEITH OLBERMANN dared to mention the Bush cuts to the funding

in his Monday night, August 29 show on MSNBC. Here's an excerpt from the transcript, which is here:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9133459

(snip)

It is too ironic for words. The expected height of the storm surge was cut in half, meaning Gulfport, Louisiana, was only under 12 feet of water, not 24 or 25, and the windows flying off the skyscrapers of New Orleans like confetti, and the tiles rattling from the roof of the Super Dome, are thus only flying perils, and not signs the buildings might be collapsing.

And Katrina, the category 5 hurricane, was downgraded to category 4. Good news, especially in light of the fact that three months ago, the federal government cut the budget of the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project by 70 percent, and eliminated the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study to determine how to protect the New Orleans area from a category 5.

(snip)

[HysteryDiagnosis]

19. Keith is in touch with REALITY whereas Faux Snooze paints

with a brush made of hallucinogenic substances.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

20. Dupe, self delete.

[ngGale]

21. Keeping this kicked...

:cry: :grr:

[Hubert Flottz]

22. Part of Bush's Homeland Security Rip Off...

Everything they do is a sham. I know for a fact that the Feds have cut funding here for a big Corps of Engineers job that was under way when Bush TOOK office. The job is taking twice as long as it would have to complete, costing half the jobs it was to have provided.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

23. Keith Olbermann opened up Countdown on Monday mentioning this.

Transcript excerpt:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9133459/

4. Good news, especially in light of the fact that three months ago, the federal government cut the budget of the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project by 70 percent, and eliminated the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study to determine how to protect the New Orleans area from a category 5.