Once again, President Bush appears steadfast in making Louisiana the exception to the rule.In every other major disaster, 10% of the FEMA payments were forgiven.However, in this case, Louisiana must pay the ten percent and will likely not obtain a waiver of disaster loans.
The Republican approach has generally been that Louisiana should pay from its own revenues.
Which would be a great idea except Louisiana needs billions in Category 5 levee protection, coastal erosion and a sundry of other infrastructure needs so that it can make certain that a Katrina-like storm could not cause the same type of damage.
Meanwhile, President Bush wants 100 billion to prosecute a war where two religious groups are bent to destroy themselves no matter what.
So, according to President Bush, it makes more sense to drop money into an empty pit to win a war we never should have started in the first place based upon faulty intelligence rather than take care of pressing domestic needs that are vital for the homeland security of the belly of the United States.
Even worse, the honest broker, Donald Powell, who is a good man is singing the President’s tune.What President Bush says, Donald does.
Quack and then quack, quack.
President Bush must realize that he is putting his political party at tremendous risk in the upcoming election.Our first obligation is to take care of our own needs.Not that the thought of a Greater Iran is not frightening with the Shiite control over Iraq.But, a country that does not take care of the very people who are paying the taxes and sending its foreign sons and daughters to fight foreign wars is much worse.
It is time for Donald Powell to stand up and tell President Bush he is wrong.Powell knows the misery in Louisiana.Even with a budget surplus in Louisiana, the needs in the community are tremendous.
New Orleans is a shell of what it was pre-Katrina.To many in Louisiana, it actually appears is as if President Bush wants Louisiana to fail.There is the perception and will continue to be so as Louisiana citizens leave by the droves.
Louisiana has always received the short end of the stick.In this case, the stick is getting shorter and shorter and will be used against Republicans running for President and for Congress.
Powell said in a recent Congressional hearing that Louisiana did not get its fair share and the administration could do better.Now, it is time to put the money where the pledge is.The last time I looked, Louisiana and New Orleans were part of the United States of America.
Hi
You are right on all points and I agree.
One problem is tha Louisiana is legally
still a part of the Old Confederacy, occupied
by a Military govt that took place under reconstruction.
Our forefathers stated that those powers not specifically
delegated to the Feds belonged to the states and
the Unconstitutional force to keep La in the Union
was totally out of order and wrong.
Furthermore Bush probably only cares about a place if
it has oil.
He is the worst President in US history.
signed
an Unreconstructed Southerner
(who is friendly to Black Confederate reenactors).
Written by Gary Price
on 3/13/2007
This is a little off subject but related. Why isn't the oil industry forced to pay for the damage they have inflicted on Louisiana’s wetlands and its resulting damage to New Orleans?
Science has proven that the oil industry has played a major part in the destruction of southern Louisiana. In addition to the salt water intrusion factors, data shows that the highest periods of subsidence corresponded with the highest levels of oil extraction; the sixties and seventies.
Oil is a substance which filled the cavities and when it was extracted, it left a gap which soon collapsed from gravity. In the early eighties, oil companies started filling these cavities with salt water and capped them off and soon after the subsidence became far less profound. Obviously, the industry was aware of the problems they were causing, or why else would they have gone to the expense and trouble of filling and capping them?
I think the oil companies should pay for the damage they created, just like Hooker Chemical was sued by the federal government and forced to pay to clean up Love Canal.
The oil companies knew that they were destroying land based on studies the Army Corps of Engineers did over four decades ago. Chevron this past year made 150 billion dollars in profits. Estimates of wetland restoration before Katrina were 15 billion dollars (though obviously this is conservative) So ten percent of one company’s profits for one year would have paid for a proposed restoration plan.
The wetlands have always been the foundation of our city. We never got flooded from the lake or gulf throughout its history because of their protection. People can visualize levees because they are visually big and tall. Wetlands are more subtle, because they are a long squashed out levee, which neutralizes the surge before it reaches the levee system. Levees should be our last line of defense, not the first.
Oil companies are making record profits and have the money to fix our problem. The American tax payer would feel a lot better about contributing to fix the problem if the oil industry was putting up a percentage of the costs. Unfortunately, though, the oil industry is running the White House.
Written by Walter Williams
on 3/12/2007
Response to Sharon & Jerry: Both of you make valid observations. But let us put your observations in persepective: (1)Paul Bremer, our former U.S. Iraqi Czar, lost about $12 Billion in oil royalties! (2) Johnnie Burton, Head of U.S. Minerals Management Service lost greater than $10 Billion dollars in mineral royalties that were uncollected from the oil and gas industry on Louisiana's coast! This is greater than $22 Billion dollars lost by just 2 federal officials and is equivalent to Louisiana's entire annual budget! Louisiana is our home. If we do not fight for her, no one else will.
Written by R.E. Lee
on 3/12/2007
Steve, a lot of Louisiana especially New Orleans infrastructure was a mess before Katrina. Billions in aid of all forms have poured into Louisiana since. There is never enough. Articles from Louisiana newspapers and websites have pointed out that Baton Rouge has been slow in dispersing a lot of this money. Some of the State projects and State budget items could have been put off until more had been done for those affected by Katrina and Rita. It also is my understanding that some of the Federal Grant money could be spent to pay the 10% repayment from the Stafford Act. Yes there is a lot of paperwork. I am always for cutting red tape but look what happened to millions if not billions in fraud in the beginning when the checks were written without proof of eligibility. BTW after Ivan, no one was handing out $2000 checks. We had to present paperwork describing projects.FEMA did not pay 100% of the projects and some were denied. Our water, sewage, and electrical infrastructure was all damaged. We know people in parishes in Louisiana with little or no damage to their property and had only lost power for a few hours, yet they were getting checks for "lost food" etc. Time to stop whining and start working. Visited Mississippi this weekend. Those people have moved mountains.
Written by Sharon
on 3/12/2007
Funny you failed to mention the problems caused by the incompetent Gov of Lousiana and the poor excuse for a mayor of New Orleans.
Written by Jerry Silmon
on 3/12/2007
Funny you failed to mention the problems caused by the incompetent Gov of Lousiana and the poor excuse for a mayor of New Orleans.
Written by Jerry Silmon
on 3/12/2007
The voters and taxpayers have a say so in this matter. We have a duty to help our own and then others next!!!! How would they feel if it were them affected by Katrina? It could have been any one of us that it happened to!!! Let's get real people.
Shelby in Tampa
Once again, President Bush appears steadfast in making 
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