Scott McClellan: Bush administration "adequately" funded LA flood control

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050901/pl_nm/weather_katrina_funding_dc

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bush administration funding cuts forced federal engineers to delay improvements on the levees, floodgates and pumping stations that failed to protect New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters, agency documents showed on Thursday. The former head of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the agency that handles the infrastructure of the nation's waterways, said the damage in New Orleans probably would have been much less extensive had flood-control efforts been fully funded over the years.

"Levees would have been higher, levees would have been bigger, there would have been other pumps put in," said Mike Parker, a former Mississippi congressman who headed the engineering agency from 2001 to 2002. "I'm not saying it would have been totally alleviated but it would have been less than the damage that we have got now."

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the administration had funded flood control efforts adequately.

Tensions over funding for the New Orleans levees emerged more than a year ago when a local official asserted money had been diverted to pay for the Iraq war. In early 2002, Parker told the U.S. Congress that the war on terrorism required spending cuts elsewhere in government.

[cornermouse]

1. No one, other than the hardcore RW is going to believe what he's saying.

The fact is, we pay these people to look ahead and plan accordingly.

[izzie]

6. Like the CEO's planned for cars using less gas? The Ruling class?

Greed seems to be doing us in.

[chelsea0011]

2. He can say all he wants about flood control as he did yesterday

when he says the Bushies are leaders in flood control, but the truth again stands in contrast to their lies. It is documented that they eliminated Clinton's actions at fortifying the levees and combining FEMA (read.....lossen) with Homeland security. Bush will have to live with the questions,devestation, and death. But it has never bothered him before.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. Beam me up Scotty.... no intelligent press puppets down here.

[WCGreen]

4. You better think again about no one believing this crap...

People want to believe this crap.....

They are desperate ot think that someone is in charge....

They met in Crawford, planned ut how they could get control of the media manipulation before they even considered what to do with the people in the streets.....

Mark my words, and I am very angry right now, mark my words, the Bush Administration will suffer hardly any deteriation in public support....

Fuck Clinton for giving him cover and fuck MAry Landerau fro giving him cover.....

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

5. I'm anxious to see Junior's ratings after today's "photo op."

He's gonna go to Ground Zero, Big Easy-style, hug a few kids, get his picture taken, then come home and have a nice nap.

The freepers will applaud him, and he'll think "I'm glad THAT bullshit is over with."

[WCGreen]

10. I'm fraid you are right

[mcscajun]

7. Scottie: "You gonna believe what we Did, or what we SAY We Did?"

Is there ANYONE Left this week who Believes what comes out of this administration's mouth?

Anyone???

[OneTwentyoNine]

8. Really?? Then why did WATER come pouring through broken levee's??

OK,when is ANY Democrat in DC going to throw this back in their face?? Its nothing but MORE bullshit and lies.

[renie408]

9. Anecdotal evidence indicates...NOT n/t

[texpatriot2004]

11. NO! You are wrong. The funding was obviously INADEQUATE.

Bush and this administration have failed America...again!

[yellowcanine]

12. Obviously NOT, Scottie. The damn levees broke. So whatever was there

was not adequate.