Hmmmm, but it's Bush's fault for cutting $$

[DrDetroit]

Read this report from NBC News:

LISA MYERS reporting:
It's called the Mardi Gras Fountain, and its unveiling was celebrated this year in typical New Orleans style. The cost? Two point four million dollars paid by the Orleans Levee Board, the state agency whose main job is to protect the levees surrounding New Orleans. The same levees that failed after Katrina hit.

Mr. BILLY NUNGESSER (Former Levee Board President): They misspent the money, so any dollar they wasted was a dollar that would have went to the levees.

MYERS: Billy Nungesser, a former top Republican official, was once president of the Levee Board, and says he lost his job because he targeted wasteful spending.

Mr. NUNGESSER: A cesspool of politics, that's all it was: provide jobs for people, and state senators and, you know, contracts--giving out contracts.

MYERS: In fact, NBC News has uncovered a pattern of what critics call questionable spending practices by the Levee Board, a board which at one point was accused by a state inspector general of "a long-standing and continuing disregard of the public interest." Beyond the fountain, there's $15 million spent on two overpasses that helped gamblers get to Bally's riverboat casino, critics tried and failed to put some of that money into flood protection. Forty-five thousand dollars for private investigators to dig up dirt on this radio host and board critic, then another $45,000 to settle after he sued.

Unidentified Man: They hired a private eye for nine months to find something to--to make me look whacko, to make me look crazy or bad.

MYERS: Critics charged for years the board has paid more attention to marinas, gambling, and business than to maintaining the levees. Example, of 11 construction projects now on the board's Web site, only two are related to flood control.

Mr. JAMES HUEY (Levee Board President): I will assure you that you will find that all of our money was appropriately expended.

MYERS: Levee Board president Jim Huey says money for the levees comes from a different account than money for business activities, and that part of the board's job is providing recreational opportunities ( :roll: ). And despite the catastrophic flooding, Huey says...

Mr. HUEY: As far as the overall flood protection system, it's intact. It's there today. It worked. In 239 miles of levees, 152 floodgates, canals throughout this entire city, there was only two areas.

MYERS: But those two critical areas where major canals, and their collapse contributed to hundreds of deaths and widespread destruction. Lisa Myers, NBC News, Washington.

But, it's Bush's fault. He cut spending for the Corps.

[Felix]

I'm with you, that TWO POINT FOUR MILLION and FIFTEEN MILLION no doubt would have changed the course of events in New Orleans. No hurricane, no flood, no problem.

Nice find Spinny.......

[DrDetroit]

I'm with you, that TWO POINT FOUR MILLION and FIFTEEN MILLION no doubt would have changed the course of events in New Orleans. No hurricane, no flood, no problem.

Nice find Spinny.......

Wow, look at Feliz completely spinning my post.

I don't believe I drew that conclusion, Felix.

What do you call this tactic? I'm interested.

The problem is that I have posted several articles referencing how the levee boards spent dollars from local, state, and federal sources, not on levee improvement or flood control projects but on other unrelated shit.

This simply reinforces the argument that the local and state officials wasted the money they were getting.

BTW - I did post earlier that NOLA ranked #1 in federal $ for Corps projects, nearly half a billion more than California and that wasteful spending goes back at least to 1995 according to the Times-Picuayne.

Hence, it was appropriate to mock those who tried to blame Bush for the failing levees because he cut funding.

but carry on with your gross mischaracterizations.

[Felix]

some bullshit that in his own mind, exhonerates Bush from any culpability in the NOLA disaster

I'm simply agreeing with you.

It was the residents fault for living there

[DrDetroit]

And there you go again, Felix.

How does this work? I mock others for blaming only Bush and the feds and demonstrate that the local and state folks are to blame just as much if not more. Yet, you get the impression that I am arguing that no blame should be directed at the feds?

This is an interesting tactic that you, B_Smack, Mikey, Bushice all employ when you're unable to reasonably respond.

No, the feds deserve plenty of blame. However, listening to the Democrats in La. and in Congress, as well as resident in La., Bush is 100% personally to be blamed, and then they refuse to acknowledge that any blame be assigned to the local/state officials. That's what makes this thread to relevant. That's what makes the many posts I posted regarding the local and state failures to evacuate residents, mobilize the Guard, or request assistance from the feds before the hurricane hit relevant.

But do continue to mischaracterize my posts...it seems that's the limits of your intelligence and ability to discuss issues.

I know I complain often that my posts are mischaracterized...however, that doesn't mean that those posts are nt, in fact, mischaracterized.

Care to sack up and explain why you're compelled to argue in this manner?

[BSmack]

And there you go again, Felix.

How does this work? I mock others for blaming only Bush and the feds and demonstrate that the local and state folks are to blame just as much if not more. Yet, you get the impression that I am arguing that no blame should be directed at the feds?

This is an interesting tactic that you, B_Smack, Mikey, Bushice all employ when you're unable to reasonably respond.

No, the feds deserve plenty of blame. However, listening to the Democrats in La. and in Congress, as well as resident in La., Bush is 100% personally to be blamed, and then they refuse to acknowledge that any blame be assigned to the local/state officials. That's what makes this thread to relevant. That's what makes the many posts I posted regarding the local and state failures to evacuate residents, mobilize the Guard, or request assistance from the feds before the hurricane hit relevant.

But do continue to mischaracterize my posts...it seems that's the limits of your intelligence and ability to discuss issues.

I know I complain often that my posts are mischaracterized...however, that doesn't mean that those posts are nt, in fact, mischaracterized.

Care to sack up and explain why you're compelled to argue in this manner?

Of course you make the mistake of assuming that we give a shit about local politics in Louisiana.

Here's a clue.

WE DON'T

[DrDetroit]

I see, but despite the fact that the locals and state officials had an obligation to protect life and property and clearly failed to do that, you'll only blame Bush. Nice.

This is why people like you are scorned and for good reason. You're the dependent of society. Always waiting around to be given a helping hand.

[Felix]

And there you go again, Felix.

How does this work? I mock others for blaming only Bush and the feds and demonstrate that the local and state folks are to blame just as much if not more. Yet, you get the impression that I am arguing that no blame should be directed at the feds?

This is an interesting tactic that you, B_Smack, Mikey, Bushice all employ when you're unable to reasonably respond.

No, the feds deserve plenty of blame. However, listening to the Democrats in La. and in Congress, as well as resident in La., Bush is 100% personally to be blamed, and then they refuse to acknowledge that any blame be assigned to the local/state officials. That's what makes this thread to relevant. That's what makes the many posts I posted regarding the local and state failures to evacuate residents, mobilize the Guard, or request assistance from the feds before the hurricane hit relevant.

But do continue to mischaracterize my posts...it seems that's the limits of your intelligence and ability to discuss issues.

I know I complain often that my posts are mischaracterized...however, that doesn't mean that those posts are nt, in fact, mischaracterized.

Care to sack up and explain why you're compelled to argue in this manner?

I'm not arguing--arguing with you is pointless.

You've got your head shoved so far up the Bush administrations ass, that it seems all you do is spend time justifying whatever actions they take.

There's lots of blame to go around in the NOLA disaster, however, you spend way too much time trying to justify (to whomever) that Bush and Co. somehow have less responsibilty for the problems than others.

You've beaten this subject into the ground to the degree that I just don't give a shit anymore.

Big props to you dude.....

[DrDetroit]

I'm not arguing--arguing with you is pointless.

So be it...you want a tissue.

You've got your head shoved so far up the Bush administrations ass, that it seems all you do is spend time justifying whatever actions they take.

That's interesting because over the last couple of months I remember posting very specific complaints about the administration from the war on terror, to education, farm subsidies, to immigration, to entitlement reform, etc.

And like I said every time I posted something like that...no matter that I post these criticisms, posters like you will ignore them and continue to spew what you just did.

BTW - how does this thread, in any way, suggest that I am defending the Bush administration?

There's lots of blame to go around in the NOLA disaster, however, you spend way too much time trying to justify (to whomever) that Bush and Co. somehow have less responsibilty for the problems than others.

First, what problem are you having with me saying exactly that over and over and over? You see, there you go again. No matter that I criticize the administration, you'll simply ignore it.

Second, the Bush has been unfairly criticized in this event. Bush was personally maligned by Democrats following the hurricane. And if you were the fair and impartial poster that you only pretend to be you'd have rightly defended him to against that shit. But you are not.

You see, the Democrats blast Bush for being a unilateralist and serial violator of the rule of law. Yet, in this instance, Bush followed the law and didn't federalize the NG and didn't invoke the Insurrection Act to take over NOLA. However, the Dems blasted him for not being a unilateralist. How is it inappropriate not to criticize Democrats for being blatantly dishonest?

Nagin and Blanco failed to enforce what their emergency plan required, a mandatory evacuation. When Nagin ordered an evacuation he told residents to bring their own food and water. Now this is on the heels of four days of warning that this thing was huge. Blacno failed to mobilize the NG before the hurricane hit. This also on the heels of warnings of how huge it was.

But, here we have Democrats like Pelosi and Landrieu alleging that it was Bush who didn't do enough before the hurricane. Are you saying that it is inappropriate to to criticize these failures of the local/state officials? That's hard to believe.

Now, the consequences of the storm were only magnified by the lack of preparedness. Neither FEMA nor the Red Cross knew residents were being evacuated to the Convention Center until Tuesday. Why? Because neither the local not the state officials were in contact with FEMA as their own plan required. Are you saying that criticism is unwarranted?

The above is all I am arguing, well, in combo with the fact that despite receiving more Corps of Eng $$ than any other state and failing to improve their levee system, that the feds cannot possible be considered primarily at fault for the tragedy following this storm.

In any case, quit lying that you don't give a shit about this anymore. You have responded every time I posted. So fuck off and don't bother responding any further. let the adults handle this.

[Felix]

You see, the Democrats blast Bush for being a unilateralist and serial violator of the rule of law.

No, Democrats blast Bush for being an idiot and for being so out of touch with what's going on in this country he's subject to quotes like this.........

"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job"

and claiming he didn't know Brown had resigned until two days after he'd submitted his resignation?

[DrDetroit]

So now you just divert from the points I have made.

We're talking about unfair criticism of Bush and little to no criticism of state/local officials. If you want to participate, feel free. otherwise, stfu.

[Felix]

We're talking about unfair criticism of Bush

Oh, so criticizing him is now unfair......gotcha

and little to no criticism of state/local officials. If you want to participate, feel free. otherwise, stfu.

Bullshit, there's lots of criticism of Blanco and Nagin and their actions (or lackthereof) and I suspect there'll be lots more to come. But don't let that stand in the way of you trashing them........

You seem to want everybody to acknowledge that Bush had no responsibility.

Okay, one can not be responsible if that person has no clue as to what's going on--so your boy is off the hook.

Hope that makes you feel better..........

[BSmack]

I see, but despite the fact that the locals and state officials had an obligation to protect life and property and clearly failed to do that, you'll only blame Bush. Nice.

If I lived in LA, I would be talking about Blanco and Nagin. But I don't. I won't be voting in their next elections. What I have a say in (limited as it is) is the way our Federal Government reacted. And I will vote against anybody who thinks FEMA did a good job.

[DrDetroit]

OMG, Felix...slow down.

Oh, so criticizing him is now unfair......gotcha

There you go, again. Now I know what Reagan felt re: Mondale.

Do you always ignore context, Felix?

Bullshit, there's lots of criticism of Blanco and Nagin and their actions (or lackthereof) and I suspect there'll be lots more to come. But don't let that stand in the way of you trashing them........

Um, link? I don't see Democrats in the Congress criticizing them the way I see them criticizing Bush. How about Senator Landrieu? She pops off about Bush not doing enough and FEMA's ineptness, yet, when asked by Chris Matthews whether Nagin or Blanco merits criticism she all of sudden explains that she doesn't want to point finger.

So...who is criticizing both Bush/FEMA and Nagin/Blanco except for many Republicans? Well?

You seem to want everybody to acknowledge that Bush had no responsibility.

There you go, yet again, Felix. In this very thread I noted that the federal government merits plenty of criticism. How does that translate into Bush not being as deserving?

So, you either ignore the context of statement or you just simply lie about what I have posted.

You are fucking terrible, Felix, absolutely horrible at this.