Why lie? Who is ignoring it? They recognized this problem in 2004, manipulated the water levels to reduce the chance of failure in 2005, and construction started in 2006. Complete remedial construction will be done by the Army Corps of Engineers by 2012.

It's fully funded at a cost of $306 million. The reports coming out today are all just knee-jerk responses to the fact that the fishermen and resulting businesses are pissed that they are keeping the water levels down. The people living there who are now bitching knew that there were problems, and the plans and warnings have been on the CoE site.

"We have done almost NOTHING to help most of the 500,000 people that lost their home in Katrina."

Monkeys could see through that. $122 BILLION dollars in aid was approved, and they've already caught more than a billion dollars in fraudulent claims. Billions have been sent out, and you say NOTHING has been done. You're a liar, period.

What role do you think the government should play in "rebuilding" homes? Why do I pay for insurance, Col? If it is the government's responsibility to pay for my house to be replaced, why should I pay for it at all? Am I wasting my money? Should I just send a bill to the Dems in Congress?

You're stretching and not even making a dent.

Bakerstreet

I hope you are correct about solving the issue at Wolf Creek. I do not believe the Corps of Engineers hyped the danger as you state.

There are many other needs that are not being addresses. The issue of rebuilding the levies in New Orleans to withstand a cat 5 storm has not been resolved. The vast majority of the 500,000 homes look just like after the storm.

This year Bush has estimated we will spend $170 Billion is a lost cause in Iraq. When are we going to deal with the issues that face our country?

What role should the fed play in the Gulf? Rebuild the levies to with stand a cat 5 storm. Provide those that can not afford to rebuild their lost homes with the money needed. Take it from what we are wasting to create more enemies by fighting the Iraq war!

If you want to talk about fraud, where is the $9 Billion to rebuild Iraq that Fed can not locate? Where are the 500,000 small arms sent to Iraq that can not be located? What about all the OVERCHARGES from the contractors in Iraq via NO BID contracts?

And a 5 second Googling debunks the whole thing:

 

"The cost of the full repair project, which will include fortifying the dam with grout to a depth of 275 feet and building a concrete cutoff wall, will be $309 million and, optimistically, will be complete in 2012"

 

Ergo planned for, budgetted, and on the road to being done. Or as you put it "ignored!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

"Corps spokesman Bill Peoples said failure of the dam was not imminent. But he said people should have evacuation plans ready in Nashville and other downstream communities, including Burkesville in Kentucky and Celina, Carthage, Clarksville, Gallatin and Hendersonville in Tennessee."

 

As you should anytime you live in a flood plain.

 

I knew it was easily taken apart just looking at the title and seeing no link for corraboration... hmmm seems like I talked about that whole "no link when I interpret results" thing just this week too.

"Rebuild the levies to with stand a cat 5 storm."

The fact of the matter is, between activists and the fact that people insist on living several feet below sea level, there may be NO way to protect these places for a Cat 5 storm. The walls meant to stop a katrina-style event were supposed to have been built, and were fully funded and ready to go, under CARTER, but were blocked by environmental activists.

"Provide those that can not afford to rebuild their lost homes with the money needed."

Well, screw it then, why am I paying for insurance at all? I won't be able to afford to rebuild my house in the event of a tragedy. If it is the government's job, why pay insurance at all?

Are you serious? You really believe that such is the government's job?

Are you serious? You really believe that such is the government's job?

Not only that, all construction should cease anywhere else in the United States and all contractors forced to move to New Orleans to repair the city to standards at or above what it was before.

Then Col can complain when the next disaster occurs and the people he forced to move to New Orleans aren't there to repair the damage.

Armchair quarterbacks are damn good at 80 yard touchdown passes, aren't they?

More like saying that the quarterback should be be receiver, too. I'm sure the insurance companies would just LOVE it if we paid through the nose every month, and then the government came in and rebuilt our houses for free. Oh, wait, not free, since it is our tax dollars.

So, in essence, the Col says we should pay twice. Once in insurance premiums, then again in tax money when we pay for the government to rebuild.

I hope you are correct about solving the issue at Wolf Creek. I do not believe the Corps of Engineers hyped the danger as you state.

You hope! My goodness col Gene, you write a book and publish it but you don’t do simple due diligence on an article you write bashing the President. What does that say about your sources and research on everything you have written on JU if your brilliant revelation can be debunked in minutes? Wait is that not what happens with all your articles? Never mind.

How long have we known this dam needed rebuilding?

Will the dam cooperate and hold together until 2012

How many other dams, sewer and water systems, bridges, electrical grid also need to be replaced? I have scene estimates of as much as a Trillion Dollars of repair is needed.

As to the issue of rebuilding in areas of New Orleans that are below sea level: That is a real issue. If the decision is NOT to rebuild in those areas, please answer the following:

How do the hundreds of thousands who own land in that area to get land to build on that is above sea level?

Where do they get the money to build given the fact that most are poor and have no money or ability to borrow more even at low interest rates?

How many other dams, sewer and water systems, bridges, electrical grid also need to be replaced? I have scene estimates of as much as a Trillion Dollars of repair is needed.

Sorry but I'm going to go with the crowd on this. What you're talking about is NOT the governments responsibility. "Maybe" to help with the funds....but the actual work? No! That is the individual states responsibility.

" How long have we known this dam needed rebuilding?"

The seepage problems and repairs have been underway since the 1970's.

"Will the dam cooperate and hold together until 2012"

The more serious the problem becomes the more they keep the water levels down. This isn't something you can just throw money at. Sadly for folks like you there are some problems that you can ignorantly spend billions on and still not get the job done.

That's why we have so many money pits in government work. People think they can cut a check and magically fix things. Don't you think before you puked out this "Because of Iraq we're all going to drown" blog you could have checked these questions out yourself?

"How do the hundreds of thousands who own land in that area to get land to build on that is above sea level?"

They wouldn't. They'd live somewhere safe, and billions of tax dollars would be saved the next time their spit of sand washed away. I personally believe that once a land owner has been flooded out more than once, the land itself should be condemned.

Eventually, you have to accept that mother nature is in charge and you shouldn't build houses in places that are often under water...

"Where do they get the money to build given the fact that most are poor and have no money or ability to borrow more even at low interest rates?"

Hopefully they paid for insurance and will get paid through it. If they didn't, how is it any different than me refusing to pay for home owners insurance and then my house burning down? If I decide to save the money on insurance, and my house burns down, do you think YOU, through your tax dollars, should pay for my irresponsibility?

How long have we known this dam needed rebuilding?

For years it was known, and just like in New Orleans it was known for years the Army Corps of Engineers tells the locals it needs fixing but because of the corrupt congress of the 1960’s that puts the federal dollars in local hands to pick and choose where to spend the money in this case the locals want to spend it on the dam and not line the pockets of the politicians. From this you complain that things are being done the way YOU think it should be done. At best I get from what you are writing is that it is ok for the people in New Orleans misuse the money the federal government handed them for years to upgrade the levies but didn’t but it is bad for this other group to see the problem and fix it with the money the feds gave them and it won’t get fixed as fast as YOU want but it is a plan that the locals agreed to and are implementing. Can’t make you happy as long as Bush lives.

Somethin' when a one-trick pony starts running out of tricks.

How do the hundreds of thousands who own land in that area to get land to build on that is above sea level? Where do they get the money to build given the fact that most are poor and have no money or ability to borrow more even at low interest rates?

Perhaps you can answer this to me:

Why do people who live in tornado alley continue to rebuild their houses after tornadoes constantly destroy them every year? I'm sorry to say this but stupidity has taken over many American mentalities when they refuse to move from places prone to have things such as tornadoes and flooding at a constant rate year after year.

BTW, this is by far the worst article you have posted considering that this problem has been around since the 60's yet somehow it's all Bush's fault. Talk about stupidity. You probably own a house in a tornado or flood prone zone, don't you?

Drmiler et al

"Where do they get the money to build given the fact that most are poor and have no money or ability to borrow more even at low interest rates?"


Hopefully they paid for insurance and will get paid through it. If they didn't, how is it any different than me refusing to pay for home owners insurance and then my house burning down? If I decide to save the money on insurance, and my house burns down, do you think YOU, through your tax dollars, should pay for my irresponsibility?

You must be living in a dream world. Many of these people could not afford insurance. Living in Florida I can understand WHY. For those that did have homeowners insurance the companies have refused to pay claiming the damage was done by water. That is curious since it was the WIND that caused the water to destroy their homes.

Thus if you answer in Insurance you like Bush have no answer or help. This was the worst natural Disaster we EVER had in America. 500,000 homes were destroyed and the vast majority are owned by low income people that simply do not have the resources or credit to rebuild without help. WHERE IS THE HELP? For $100 Billion we could build 500,000 homes at $200,000 per home. We will spend $170 Billion in Iraq this year on a failed war!

WHERE IS THE HELP? For $100 Billion we could build 500,000 homes at $200,000 per home. We will spend $170 Billion in Iraq this year on a failed war!

You fail to answer why it's the federal government responsibility to build people homes.  Iraq has nothing to do with this, and you should stop trying to equate everything with Iraq.