Critics Say Bush Undercut New Orleans Flood Control

Washington Post ^ | 9/2/05

[Uncle Joe Cannon]

Critics Say Bush Undercut New Orleans Flood Control

By Jim VandeHei and Peter Baker

Washington Post Staff Writers

Friday, September 2, 2005; Page A16

President Bush repeatedly requested less money for programs to guard against catastrophic storms in New Orleans than many federal and state officials requested, decisions that are triggering a partisan debate over administration priorities at a time when the budget is strained by the Iraq war.

Even with full funding in recent years, none of the flood-control projects would have been completed in time to prevent the swamping of the city, as Democrats yesterday acknowledged. But they said Bush's decision to hold down spending on fortifying levees around New Orleans reflected a broader shuffling of resources -- to pay for tax cuts and the Iraq invasion -- that has left the United States more vulnerable.

[Arkie2]

Has even FOX brought this info out? I'm not watching much TV so don't know. But if an outlet like FOX can't find the context behind this disaster you can't ever expect the public to get the truth. Even in the days of the internet and blogs most people still get their news in soundbites from tv. Don't be disappointed if you never see this particular fact mentioned outside FR.

[Mo1]

Where did the money go, why weren't officials prepared? It's not like it was a secret this could happen someday.

I haven't heard them ask this question yet

And frankly .. I doubt they will

[Mo1]

The MSM is always like 3 days behind a story .. they've always been that way

[Arkie2]

OK. Three days I'll set my way back machine to return to this thread and offer you an apology if this comes out!

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Hi. It is most interesting to meet another Uncle Joe. Forgive me for being somewhat abrupt, but Joe, you simply are not cut from the cloth that would otherwise enable you to enjoy a long and prosperous time in our company.
NB4ZOT

[Mo1]

Don't be disappointed if you never see this particular fact mentioned outside FR.

Yea .. some said that about the CBS forged memos too

The libs want to play this game .. the real news WILL come out

[Howlin]

Do any of these reports say that the levees that failed were NOT the ones that were supposedly going to be fixed?

[Mo1]

Do any of these reports say that the levees that failed were NOT the ones that were supposedly going to be fixed?

To be honest I'm not real sure

[BigSkyFreeper]

If you thought the 9/11 hearings were "fun" to watch, wait until they ramp up the Congressional hearings on this disaster. I expect alot of information that FReepers have been bantering about the last several days in the hurricane live threads will finally come out.

[Howlin]

You know it's coming.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Perhaps if Congress had sacrifice some of its pork projects we would have been able to improve the levees to spare many thousands of American lives.

The people of NO had ballot initatives to pile money into a fund to upgrade and strengthen the levees through local taxes and they voted it down twice. I wonder what happend to all that "flood control tax" money in NO. I suspect it's been misspent.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Absolutely. I just know Congress is going to want to get to the bottom of this.

[newzjunkey]

Now is *NOT* the time for this sort of political slander. Now is the time to work on relief.

[Recovering_Democrat]

LOL. yeah, this is Bush's fault. NO ONE KNEW New Orleans was a sitting duck--Bush hid it from them.

Jackass, thy name is "The Washington Post".

[Caipirabob]

Yes, Bush cut the funding in June, 2005, correct?

Of course they couldn't have done ANYTHING IN THE PREVIOUS 35 YEARS TO PREVENT THIS! It must be BUSH'S FAULT!

Excuse me but AAAAHHHHG!!!

FTMSM.

[Clock King]

Critics in their safe comfy beds, in their houses, making pronoucements: Die, just die.

[R. Scott]

And of course New Orleans had no responsibility to plan ahead and maybe do some levee improvement on its own.

[Paige]

State and Federal money takes care of these things and how dare a bunch of environmental wacko's and followers point their crooked little finger at anyone about this horrific situation.
When the dust settles and all is said and done, the oil shortage and the questionable situations our country faces will lie squarely on the shoulders of the do gooders who care more about a snail darter than a human being.

[mewzilla]

Not just the levees, but the pumps, too.

[ShadowDancer]

And you think he is a troll, why?