In article .com>,
Seamus > wrote:

> The funding cuts started in 2002 and went downhill from there. The most
> recent cut is indicative of *attitude*. No one could have predicted
> that a class 5 would hit in August 2005, but we knew there would be one
> eventually. It was well known that the levee system would NOT hold up
> under a class 5.
> The *attitude* was such that NO's levees could remain in poor shape
> while a bridge to nowhere @
> 250M should be built (that's 500K per capita on the target island *and*
> they have a ferry, not pirogues or kayaks -- and an airport).
>
> If a driver (Bush/Congress/DHS) is knowingly operating a vehicle (the
> gov't) with faulty brakes (the Mississippi levee system) while
> diverting the funds for repair to wine and caviar (bridge to nowhere),
> and the brakes fail the driver is most certainly to blame for the
> resulting accident.
>
> By statute, the Federal Gov't is responsible for *all* navigable waters
> within the US, and especially interstate routes such as the
> Mississippi. The ACOE was given this responsibility under Section 10 of
> the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (Chapter 33, Section 403 of the
> United States Code). Funding cuts prevented the ACOE from doing its
> work correctly. Work which was identified, funding requested and said
> funding diverted to such pork as the "bridge to nowhere".
>
>
> The rescue efforts were a problem. Local and state gov't's were
> overwhelmed and in such cases the Federal gov't *must* pick up the
> slack. Attitude and incompetance. FEMA director Brown being "unaware"
> that there was a refugee problem at the Superdome, when anyone in the
> world with a television set knew ! FEMA not allowing traffic carrying
> food and water into the area ( excuse - no security as the Guard had
> not shown; however Florida State troopers were ready to take
> resposibility)."Mavericks" in a Air Force Reserve squadron took it upon
> themselves to fly the supplies in by chopper , a job more
> economically, safely and efficiently done by tractor-trailers).
>
> Bush waiting two days to "end early" his vacation.
>
Say "administration" vice "government" unless you're one of those
wishing to "kill the beast." Or "current government" if you must.
I fear eight years of the Bush administration's incompetence is going
to sour the nation on any government at all; then we'll be back to pre
Civil War mentality of states' rights and cultural secession. We
already have our quasi Kurds, Sunnis and Shias.