Subj : Re: Um...no comment? To : alt.tv.farscape From : Jim Larson Date : Fri Sep 02 2005 01:15:38 From Newsgroup: alt.tv.farscape John Iwaniszek wrote: > Jim Larson wrote in > news:Xns96C4AE229AE323v234oiwofui3284af93@130.133.1.18: > >> John Iwaniszek wrote: >> >>> Jim Larson wrote in >>> news:Xns96C4ACC6C8063v234oiwofui3284af93@130.133.1.18: >>> >>>> RR wrote: >>>> >>>>> In 2001, FEMA warned that a hurricane striking New Orleans was one >>>>> of the three most likely disasters in the U.S. But the Bush >>>>> administration cut New Orleans flood control funding by 44 percent >>>>> to pay for the Iraq war. >>>>> >>>>> A year ago the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed to study how >>>>> New Orleans could be protected from a catastrophic hurricane, but >>>>> the Bush administration ordered that the research not be >>>>> undertaken. >>>>> >>>>> After a flood killed six people in 1995, Congress created the >>>>> Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, in which the Corps >>>>> of Engineers strengthened and renovated levees and pumping >>>>> stations. In early 2001, the Federal Emergency Management Agency >>>>> issued a report stating that a hurricane striking New Orleans was >>>>> one of the three most likely disasters in the U.S., including a >>>>> terrorist attack on New York City. But by 2003 the federal funding >>>>> for the flood control project essentially dried up as it was >>>>> drained into the Iraq war. In 2004, the Bush administration cut >>>>> funding requested by the New Orleans district of the U.S. Army >>>>> Corps of Engineers for holding back the waters of Lake >>>>> Pontchartrain by more than 80 percent. Additional cuts at the >>>>> beginning of this year (for a total reduction in funding of 44.2 >>>>> percent since 2001) forced the New Orleans district of the Corps to >>>>> impose a hiring freeze. The Senate had debated adding funds for >>>>> fixing New Orleans' levees, but it was too late. >>>>> >>>>> The New Orleans Times-Picayune, which before the hurricane >>>>> published a series on the federal funding problem, and whose >>>>> presses are now underwater, reported online: "No one can say they >>>>> didn't see it coming ... Now in the wake of one of the worst storms >>>>> ever, serious questions are being asked about the lack of >>>>> preparation." >>>>> >>>>> By Sidney Blumenthal >>>>> Salon.com Wednesday 31 August 2005 >>>>> >>>> >>>> (You're trying to make Iwa explode, right?) >>>> >>> >>> (I've been tracking the flood conrol budget cuts for a few days.) >> >> (Watch this get next to no coverage in the general media.) >> > > Actually, I think that it has been covered on MSNBC, CNN, a little on > PBS, and one of the dinosaur networks (CBS?). > Booo! > Also, WAPO and the NYT I think mentioned it. > > The FEMA gutting won't get covered, and it has everything: Cronyism, > mission redirection, budget cuts, and partisanship at the expense of > competence. It's a real passion play just waiting for the right star to > sign. > Yay! (I meant the FEMA downsizing + damning reports.) -- Jim .