FEMA's blunders, and their consequences for other "endangered" cities

[Bumblebee]

This is from today's Seattle Times

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002502756_disaster18m.html

Federal disaster assistance was evolving even before the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks four years ago.

Consider Project Impact, the FEMA program that dispensed grants to cities for seismic retrofitting.

Seattle got $1 million from Project Impact and focused on retrofitting city schools. Local officials credited the program with saving lives during the 6.8-magnitude Nisqually quake Feb. 28, 2001, which injured 410 people and caused more than $2 billion in damage.

But on the same day as the quake, the White House killed Project Impact.

Asked about the coincidence on CNN that night, Vice President Dick Cheney said: "Lots of programs that make lots of sense or that have nice titles to them nonetheless don't work."

The city of Seattle has continued Project Impact on its own.

[Why Syzygy]

1. $1 Million

And what is the price tag for the program that isn't working in Ira*q, Mr. Cheney?