HELP me with this?

[thedailyshow]

xx: New orleans was a major source for taxation
xx: But the state couldn't afford to improve the levees?
b: the funding for that was cut by the Bush administration
xx: A lot of the netherlands rests under sea level
b: the Army of Corps Engineers got a $71 million cut in funding for the levee system
xx: Look, for years people have been saying they need to improve the levees
xx: Just because bush cut it
b: yes, and the Clinton Administration earmarked funds for the levee system
xx: There's been years to improve it beforehhand
b: which was cut by the Bush administration
xx: Well, did the state USE the money set aside to improve the levees?
b: What money set aside?
xx: Or did they divert it to other projects?
b: I don't know, but I do know that funding for it was cut by the Bush administration
xx: You said the clinton administration earmarked funds for the levee system
b: yes, it was
xx: It should have been done years ago
b: those funds were cut by the Bush administration
xx: It's not bush's fault
b: Yes it is
xx: It's the state of louisiana's
b: He's cut funding for wetland protection around New Orleans
brapolitics: That's why it was made much more vulnerable to flooding
xx: Look
xx: The levees were built to withstand a category 3
xx: Katrina wavered from 4 to 5, fron 5 to 4
xx: Louisiana had plenty of time to demand the strengthening of the levees

Was it the state's responsibility to strengthen the levee system? That's what my friend, b, says. Is there any evidence to the contrary?

[thedailyshow]

1. kick

[nosmokes]

2. US army corps of engineers is in charge of the levees

and they're federal.

[Fridays Child]

5. And they're all busy over in Iraq...

http://villagevoice.com/blogs/bushbeat/archive/001242.php

[thedailyshow]

7. thanks! that was very informative!

[Suich]

3. I'll bookmark this and send an answer tomorrow, ok?

A friend sent me an article in an email that explains a bit of it but I don't know how to forward it to you. I'm too tired to figure it out now!

[thedailyshow]

4. can't you put in a link to it?

I really could use the help :-(

[Suich]

8. It's an article from a site called Stratfor (Google it)

It talks about how vital the port of NO is to the entire US which takes it out of the hands of Louisiana. On the other hand if something happened in the middle of Wyoming, say, you could argue the point: Who cares? It's not that vital to the US. The Corps of Engineers is in charge of maintaining the system, and they're Federal. Administrations have not wanted to commit the funds to improvement because it's so costly.
If you get to Stratfor, the article I read is "Geopolitical Intelligence Report" dated 9-01-05.
Please keep in mind I could be completely wrong on this...it's just my opinion!
Good luck...Susan

[NYC]

6. People who live in Louisiana pay FEDERAL taxes.

They are supposed to get something for those federal taxes they pay. Not everything is supposed to be at the state's expense. If states are supposed to pay all their own bills, we should all stop paying federal taxes.