Posted on 04/22/2006 9:38:19 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sharply criticized the Bush administration Saturday for refusing his request to declare a pre-emptive federal disaster for California's fragile levees.
President Bush offered California some aid Friday, issuing a rare directive letting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers help with badly needed levee repairs.
"I think the response that the federal government has given us is unacceptable," the governor told reporters at an Earth Day event on a San Pedro beach. "We need the federal government to come in and help us so we can build the levees as quickly as possible."
Schwarzenegger said the state would begin strengthening the levees in June regardless of federal help.
"We're not going to wait for their response," Schwarzenegger said. "We have seen what happens in New Orleans when people waited for the federal government. Their response was terrible there and we don't want to be a victim of that."
The pointed remarks came a day after the governor met briefly with Bush in San Jose during the president's trip through California. During the meeting, Schwarzenegger repeated previous requests for the disaster declaration.
Bush's chief environmental adviser, James Connaughton, said Friday that the kind of declaration Schwarzenegger sought required that a disaster already occurred.
Pre-emptive disaster declarations have never been issued except when a catastrophe was imminent, he said.
Bush's directive allows the Corps of Engineers to accept $23 million in California money for repairs on 29 critically weak levees. Connaughton said more money is likely to flow to California in the future, contingent on congressional action.
Meanwhile Saturday, the governor ripped oil companies for soaring gas prices, and promised to take action if his administration finds price gouging has occurred.
A gallon of regular gasoline has increased to well over $3 a gallon at many California pumps.
"I think it's outrageous the way the oil prices are going up," he said. "We're starting to investigate to see if there's any price gouging going on. If there is I think we will step down really heavily."
... governor told reporters at an Earth Day event on a San Pedro beach. "We need the federal government to come in and help us so we can build the levees as quickly as possible."
---
.. repair, Gub, repair.
All your profits are belonging to us.
Surely if they prayed hard enough to "Mother Earth", she would help fix the levees......after all most of those levees are made of "earth".
RINO whining alert. CA is only second to LA in sucking up billions of federal dollars for flood control, and then urinating it off on frivolous unrelated touchy feely BS.
The gubm'nt makes more money off of a gallon of gasoline than any other entity in the supply chain.
If gubm'nts were serious about alleviating the expensive gasoline situation, they could relinquish a portion of the cut they take on the sale.
Also, they could standardize on the blend, so it wouldn't be such a problem sharing stocks between geographical areas. Having as many different blends across the country is ludicrous.
The San Joaquin River at Newman in Stanislaus County crested at 66.1 feet last week.
About 50 residents in two dozen mobile homes were forced to evacuate.
Flooded residents were to check with the county health department for information on how to clean after the flooding and protect themselves from infection.
The American Red Cross opened a shelter for displaced residents.
Video Report http://www.news10.net/video/player2.aspx?aid=26842&bw=
President Bush offered California some aid Friday, issuing a rare directive letting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers help with badly needed levee repairs.
-
President Bush offered a lot more than "some aid". This poster's understanding is that federal funds matching at a rate of 300% federal money to CA funds was offered in addition to the use of the Corps of Engineers.
3/1 matching funds. But of course, that's known in MSM-speak as "some aid".
There were a few instances of levee failures and such the last few months, also a lot of mudslides in many areas.
What the heck. Damn stupid Governors of both LA and CA. Why in the heck do we bother with Governors if everything is left up to the Federal Government. The Corp of Engineers can assist but it is the responsibility of the States. Sitting on their a@@es and wait until something happens and blame the Federal Government is stupid.
"I think it's outrageous the way the oil prices are going up," he said. "We're starting to investigate to see if there's any price gouging going on. If there is I think we will step down really heavily."
When did he hire Cindy Sheehan as a speechwriter?
Sorry, I live in California!
I'm refusing to re-elect Arnold this November. I voted for him in the recall, but he's proven himself to be a rank amateur in regard to politics, in regard to governance, and a bit of a moron.
Sorry, Arnold, Bush is right on this one. I live In Northern California. The levees were for the most part built (100 years ago) to protect farmland. Now we are building thousands of houses on the flood plains. This is simply an Arnold, "Re-Elect Me" scheme. Why spend six billion Federal dollars to rebuild farmland levees, when the real solution is: DON'T BUILD THOUSANDS OF HOUSES ON FARMLAND THAT IS BELOW SEA LEVEL!!
No. Governor. It's your problem, not theirs. They are your levees and your river.
2) We need the federal government to come in and help us so we can build the levees as quickly as possible.
Again, no governor. California doesn't need the feds. You just need a will. You have a huge, cheap pool of Mexican labor.
3) We're not going to wait for their response,
Why should you? Get off your butt and go to work. And don't bother coming around with your hand out. There's plenty of money available. No need to borrow. Just prioritize.
4) We have seen what happens in New Orleans when people waited for the federal government. Their response was terrible there and we don't want to be a victim of that."
Governor Schwarzenegger you sound exactly like what you are. A liberal. The only difference between you and the mayor is skin tone.
I thought the Gub still had a couple billion left from the 15 billion dollar bond..
Why not use that money or a portion of it, as it's supposedly for emergencies?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.