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Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Mon Aug 29, 2005 at 12:09:29 PM EST
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Think Progress reports:

From the 6/6/05 New Orleans City Business:

In fiscal year 2006, the New Orleans district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is bracing for a record $71.2 million reduction in federal funding…The cuts mean major hurricane and flood protection projects will not be awarded to local engineering firms. Also, a study to determine ways to protect the region from a Category 5 hurricane has been shelved for now.

....Landrieu said the Bush administration is not making Corps of Engineers funding a priority. “I think it’s extremely shortsighted,” Landrieu said. “When the Corps of Engineers’ budget is cut, Louisiana bleeds. These projects are literally life-and-death projects to the people of south Louisiana.”

Also, here's why there was no national guard to assist in evacuation by buses to safe shelters in unaffected communities, rather than leaving the poor and infirm in town

A similar warning that New Orleans would cease to exist causing thousands to face death if they remained, was given in 2004. [hat tip Patriot Daily.]

In fact, as Norwegianity pointed out last night, Fox made a aired a movie, Oil Storm, about it in June. From the synopsis:

Oil Storm examines what happens when a Category 6 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico slams into Louisiana, crushing the city of New Orleans and crippling the vital pipeline for refined oil that is Port Fourchon. It examines the ripple effect of that event and the ensuing cascade of disasters associated with it, through the eyes of public officials, a family in Texas who own a gas station, an EMS worker in Boston who has to deal with a brutal winter, and a ranching family in South Dakota who have their subsidies completely taken away and question whether we need oil or food to survive.

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    Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans | 29 comments (29 topical)
    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#18)
    by soccerdad on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 10:00:20 AM EST
    I think the ’06 Federal Budget starts 7/30/06. ,
    Wrong yet again. Fiscal 06 starts October 1, 2005 and runs through September 30. WRT to
    I think it is safe to say that no one was fired, and no personnel slots were left unfilled
    Can you actually support this or are you talking out your butt yet again.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#19)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 10:25:49 AM EST
    SD – Thanks for the info, never did any business with the Feds, but I should have paid attention to all those continuing budget resolutions and the shut downs of the Washington Monument and closure of national parks. Can I prove it? Nope, just a bet. But I think I have logic coming out my butt, sweetie. Ernie – As I write these comments two levees are cracked and water is pouring into NO. Now this potential problem has been known about for at least 70 years, yet the city of NO has done nothing to fix it. Did they expect Aunt Matilda from Missoula to come to town and do it? And no, I didn’t say we shouldn’t help’em. Just a comment that if you have a problem you should consider fixing it yourself.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#20)
    by soccerdad on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 12:33:19 PM EST
    Can I prove it? Nope, just a bet. But I think I have logic coming out my butt, sweetie.
    Well at least its close to your head.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#22)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 12:41:00 PM EST
    Texas Red - That's about it.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#23)
    by squeaky on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 12:49:58 PM EST
    Txrd-Obviously your plastectomy shows that you clearly do not represent the voice of LA or NO. Try another operation next time, you may have better success.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#24)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 02:57:14 PM EST
    Tex, I've worked in emergency management in Florida and, with all due respect, you are full of sh*t. You can't prevent a hurricane from hitting you but you can do alot in terms of mitigation (reducing the amount of damage that is done) and response. I've seen what can be done to reduce the amount of damage in flood prone areas of Florida. I hope your family is doing well. I imagine they are being well cared for by emergency response personnel, which is coming out of some of that wasted money you complain about. Sorry if I'm getting a bit emotional about this issue, but noone badmouths emergency management. Anyone that has worked a disaster knows the long hours and dedication that these folks have. There are none better.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 03:06:21 PM EST
    PPJ,
    I think it is safe to say that no one was fired, and no personnel slots were left unfilled
    Governments don't just look at their present budget but also next year's budget in making decisions. That is why New Orleans decided to freeze hiring. I bet you they could have used those extra personnel. More importantly, as the article also points out, funding for the Corps of Engineer to "improve levees, floodwalls and pumping stations" was also reduced.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 07:46:22 PM EST
    Man, I have seen some ingnorant stuff in my days but this takes the case. I was born and raised in New Orleans and have family there now facing this crisis. Everyone who has ever spent more than a few days in New Orleans knew this was coming and that an even worse one is on the way. No amount of money is going to stop the destruction. The state of Louisiana and the Army Corps has been attempting to prepare for this for years. If you are going to blame politicians you need to start in the state of LA which has just about the most corrupt group in all of politics (most of them democrats)and don't tell me I am full of it because I grew up there and have experienced it. This was an act of nature that was inevitable and will be again. [Ed. insults deleted.]

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#26)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 09:33:35 PM EST
    I do not think it is wasted money. I believe we should do what we can to reduce or even prevent damage from natural disasters. I have much respect and appreciation for all emergency response people, if I somehow gave you the impresion I don't I definately apologize. My point was only that no matter how much money you spent in this area it was probably not going to stop this and the army corps has been working on this since about 1927. It was as inevitable as the earthquake that will someday shake California to its knees.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 09:35:13 PM EST
    I never claimed to represent any voice but my own squeky. who are you trying to speak for.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#28)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 11:11:10 AM EST
    In a time like this it's important to ask the really pressing questions, like "How is this effecting Bret Favre?"

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 09:47:42 PM EST
    Am I the only one??? Who cares about finger pointing. The water is still there and was rising until earlier today. Bush was asleep at the wheel. We need more than the national guard in New Orleans now. Where the hell is the military??? Lets start saving American lives. I don't give a s*** about Iraq-I want US citizens saved by the damn military that they helped save. The former mayor was articulate this morning on CNN-we need a leader to take control and get things done.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#1)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:54 PM EST
    Can we say Treason against the people of this non nation? but what did the people of Louisiana do to Bush? because its all about pay back isn't it. so how do you say tyranny of the upper class against the little people? this new! reduction is what bush and business are all about, after all people like bush have big money in places like Red China and Mexico and name it. to cut after what just happened and is still happening show me what kind of values bush has. oh wait bush on Fox news or maybe on top of Fox, Just said he would do what he can, right?

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#2)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:54 PM EST
    I made a bet with a friend that it would be less than 8 hours before the Left was blaming Bush. Thanks, I’m going to enjoy that beer. Looks like LA should have elected a Repub rather than Landrieu. Think Ellsworth Air Force Base. Of course the cuts haven't taken effect; they were for the 2006 budget. (That's next year.) They have had no effect. But don't let that stop a good blame game. Anyone want to bet the budget is now increased? As for the cancelled picnic, the sacrifices of our public employees know no end.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#3)
    by Guav on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:54 PM EST
    http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9117367/

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#4)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:54 PM EST
    Jimaka ppj, I saw bush start this hurricane, by the way gas going up! did you hear that one, after all business must make some dollars off of this, right?

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#5)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:54 PM EST
    "I saw bush start this hurricane" Fred, of all the people who blog here, I believe you'd be the most interesting to sit down and have a beer with.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#6)
    by soccerdad on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:54 PM EST
    As usual PPJs lack of reading comprehension skills and hatred of everything not neocon leads him to yet another stupid post. The post clearly stated Fiscal 2006. The point is that unless hurricanes ceased to be a threat, Bush's decrease in funding would have led to a big problem. In fact the cuts were to be made without any evidence that the threat was less and in fact the warnings were that threats were severe and needed attention. In essence it shows that Bush doesn't give a crap. Now if you want Bush to care give the contract to halliburton or KBR

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:54 PM EST
    As if PPJ cares what the point was. I never ceased to be amazed -- there are so many situations where "Bush cuts (funding du jour) in upcoming budget..." But nobody cares until it affects them personally, and even a large regional catastrophe cannot stir enough public outcry to make any difference in our stacked Corporate collective. Especially since the media is interested only in spewing whatever they're paid to spew by whatever insignificant percentage of our total populace that directs what the "appropriate message" should be. Don't blame Bush, blame the callous Conservative values Americans have willingly adpoted.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#8)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    SD – The headline never mentioned it. And how many people understand fiscal budget years? And how many people will read that Bush wanted more money than Congress wanted to give? Look, it was a shot at Bush. That’s okay. Blogs were invented for such. Besides, I won a beer. Sarcastic – I think you are right. I’m just not sure that where Fred is they serve adult beverages? Fred????? ;-)

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#9)
    by soccerdad on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    PPJ- well that was incoherent. Stop the whinning its unbecoming

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#10)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    PPJ
    The House of Representatives wants to cut the New Orleans district budget 21 percent to $272.4 million in 2006, down from $343.5 million in 2005. The House figure is about $20 million lower than the president's suggested $290.7 million budget.
    My reading of this isn't that Bush "wanted more money than Congress wanted to give" but that he wanted to cut the budget less than Congress wanted to. Only a die-hard Republican like yourself could look at two budget cut proposals and see it in terms of how much each side wanted to give rather than how much they wanted to cut. By the way, it did have an effect on emergency management in New Orleans, since it forced them to institute a hiring freeze last June. Bet you that could have used that extra manpower?

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#11)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    You will recall that God kept warning the Gulf Coast rednecks not to vote for Bush last year. I bet NOT ONE SINGLE precint in New Orleans that went for Kerry was flooded.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#12)
    by jimcee on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    PPJ, nice to see you back. To the rest of you, Politicizing a hurricane? Are you serious? I thought Daily KOS was joking but apparently no one is left on the Left with a sense of humour. I know that hurricanes are troublesome and so do those that live in thier trajectory. But perhaps it would help to point out that hurricanes blow and spin towards the anti-clock-wise direction as all low depression systems do. The force and destruction of a hurricane is amazing and I find it amusing that the Left is politicising a weather event. And one that blows to the Left at that. Sheesh.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#13)
    by bad Jim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    Reading problems do abound, don't they? If we complain about lack of funding for infrastructure or disaster preparedness, we're not complaining about the weather, are we? Congress and the President knew of the potential for disaster, last year's hurricanes should have reminded them, but they still cut funding. That's reprehensible.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#14)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    Bushco is the majority in the house, the senate and the judiciary. Jeez, what's a greater threat to america, iraq or nature? iraq - no WMDs, no link to AQ, no ability to cross oceans. Nature - kills thousands every year and kills hundreds each year in America. Our ports aren't protected from terrorism, our warriors don't have armor in the battlefield, we fire whistle blowers and gay interpreters. They cut FEMA funds. And bushco is responsible for all of them. I sure hope you rich folks enjoy your tax breaks while americans die in iraq and NO.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#15)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    John H – I think the ’06 Federal Budget starts 7/30/06. And since the various departments can’t carry money forward, I think it is safe to say that no one was fired, and no personnel slots were left unfilled. Bad Jim – And, pray tell us, what should the Federal Government be doing for Miami? Houston? There comes a time in which people have to understand that if they live in a place that is 12 feet below sea level it is their responsibility to take preventive and precautionary actions. It isn’t up to Aunt Matilda in Missoula.

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#16)
    by bad Jim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    Are we not a nation? I don't think you're suggesting that we should never go to war in foreign countries against threats that may not exist. But do you really think we ought to abandon our neighbors when catastrophe strikes them?

    Re: Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans (none / 0) (#17)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    Yeah that's an interesting take on things; if there is an imagined threat to us from people in an oil rich country halfway around the world, we must have the government sparing no expense in tax money to protect us from it. But when a monster hurricane unleashes mass destruction right here at home, it's everyone for themselves, sink or swim (literally). Just another day in Republican Bizzaro World.

    Bush Slashed Hurricane Funding for New Orleans | 29 comments (29 topical)