...when he looks out that window...8/31/05
....................September, 11, 2001
George W. Bush on Good Morning America, 9/1/05
"I don't think anybody anticipated a breach of the levees".
THE COLD HARD FACTS
"A key flood-control project in southeastern Louisiana has seen its federal funding steadily dwindle, from $69 million in 2001 to $32.2 million in 2005, according to congressional offices and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Bush requested $10.5 million for the project for 2006, while the Corps said $62.5 million was required.
Funding for hurricane protection, including levee improvements and pumping stations, went from $10 million in 2001 to $5.7 million this year. Bush proposed $3 million for 2006".
Certainly no one can prevent a hurricane like Katrina but most of the misery and the monetary damage done to the city of New Orleans is due to flooding from the 'breach in the levee'.
The potential for that breach was anticipated and the request, the begging, for the money to prevent such a disaster was met every single year with drastic cuts by Bush and his administration.
THE CHOICE, AND THE COST OF THAT CHOICE
For a little perspective; The $37 million ($69m to $32m) CUT in the flood control project from 2001 to 2005 is what Dubya spends every 4 HOURS in Iraq! Every 4 hours!
The $7 million Bush has cut in 'funding for hurricane protection, including levee improvements and pumping stations' since 2001? Bush is spending that every 50 MINUTES in Iraq.
Most estimates of the damage done to that area is already at $50 billion. How much of that $50 billion is due to the levees failing in New Orleans? $5 billion, $10 billion? Let's go with $5 billion. So Bush cut spending of $35-37 million for 'flood control' in New Orleans so he could pay for his war in Iraq, when all the leading experts 'anticipated' this happening, and now it will cost at least $5 billion, and a whole lot of misery?
That look...every time he get's that stare going out that window on Air Force 1.....the country ends up getting hosed!
