> Except those 'protests' were about the REDESIGN and expansion of the levee > system and it's spillways and locks. > > It's a different kettle of fish that because of the Bushies budget cuts, "the > Corps essentially stopped major work on the now-breached levee system that > had protected New > Orleans from flooding. It was the first such stoppage in 37 years, the > Times-Picayune reported." > > http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/12528233.htm >
I think if you read through the ACE report to the senate in 1997, they argued (and several argued against) that without a complete reconstructure of upstream levees and a redesign of spillways, there was very little with the ground given.. outside of massive imminent domain claims as city projects were built too close to current levees. Many argued this was the wrong way to look at it, but four times this was proposed. I do agree with those who say "hey, just because people protested" that's right, occassionally the government has to do what is politically unpopular. But let's be honest, with so many groups protesting, and so many in office in the senate / house on both sides living and dying off of the goodwill of the people who support those causes, no one had the testicular fortitude to do the right thing. CW
