----"The "leaders" of NO have had 40 years of bickering about whether or not to protect NO against the possibility of a Cat 5 hurricane ...."----
I heard on the radio that Sidney Bumenthal (some guy under Clinton) has written a piece for tomorrow. I only recall vaguely the years, etc. - but it will say something like how in ~2001 there was a study to look at the levees in NO, and then in ~2002 it was given to the corp of engineers to study and in ~2003 Bush pulled the plug on it so the money could go to the war in Iraq. So - Bush DID cause this problem (according to Sydney). Like the Corp. could get anything done in 2 years - other than determine that they needed more money for another study.
" Like the Corp. could get anything done in 2 years - other than determine that they needed more money for another study."
That's right. It's also important to note, that the greens want the whole thing turned back to nature. From all the way up here in WI/MN to down there in NO. The greens are thrilled about this event.
This should help you get up to speed.
Steve_Seattle:This is a good article, and shows that the blame for this is widespread and goes back many years, involving both local and federal agencies. It may be quite true that the Bush admin was not sufficiently proactive on this issue, but it appears that no one else was, either."
Here's the bottom line from the article:
"It's been 36 years since Hurricane Betsy buried New Orleans 8 feet deep. Since then a deteriorating ecosystem and increased development have left the city in an ever more precarious position.
Yet the problem went unaddressed for decades by a laissez-faire government, experts said.
"...A plan to restore the Florida Everglades attracted $4 billion in federal funding, but the state had to match it dollar for dollar.
In Louisiana, so far, there's only been a willingness to match 15 or 25 cents. "Our state still looks for a 100 percent federal bailout, but that's just not going to happen," said University of New Orleans geologist Shea Penland, a delta expert.
"We have an image and credibility problem.
We have to convince our country that they need to take us seriously, that they can trust us to do a science-based restoration program."
You can blame it on the system. We (the system) have grown so encrusted with the barnacle lawyers and bureaucratic process administered by "no-nothings" (sic) that we cannot get out of the path of danger. Hold onto your butt - it is at high risk.