S U N D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 0 4 , 2 0 0 5George Bush Is Solely Responsible ForAbandoning The Leveesby Michael in New York on 9/04/2005 03:48:00 PMGeorge Bush is solely responsible for weakening the leveesystem that should have protected New Orleans.</p><p> Yes, fordecades projects have been on the boards to do a massiverebuilding project. (Total cost? $14 billion, which is exactlywhat we spend in Iraq every six weeks.) Louisiana hasbegged and pleaded for that work to begin and we all shoulderresponsibility for ignoring that obvious need -- you can blameevery President from JFK to Bush for that, not to mention theCongress.</p><p> But the burden does grow for each succeedingPresident (the longer you wait, the more dangerous it is todelay), so Clinton and Bush are a lot more to blame thanKennedy and Johnson.But beyond that massive project there is the daily hard work ofkeeping the levees in shape.</p><p> It's tough and unglamorous but ithas to be done.</p><p> Every President since Nixon understood thatand made sure the levees were strengthened.</p><p> Every Presidentbut Bush.</p><p> Bush attacked the levee system with unprecedentedglee.</p><p> He cut funding for flood protection by 80%.</p><p> He let mostlyoil and gas companies gobble up the wetlands that act as anatural defense for New Orleans at a rate of 25 square miles ayear.And read this:But the skimping has worsened since President Bush'selection, particularly after September 11.</p><p> Federal spendingon flood control in south-east Louisiana has been cut byalmost half since 2001, from $69 million per year to $36.5million.</p><p> Funds for work at Lake Pontchartrain, the source ofthe flooding, have fallen by nearly two-thirds over threeyears, from $14.25 million to $5.7 million.</p><p> As a result,work on New Orleans' east bank hurricane leveesstopped last summer for the first time in 37 years.Every President since Nixon knew maintaining the levees wasimportant, essential work.</p><p> But it ground to a halt on Bush's watchbecause he didn't care.</p><p> Nixon worked to maintain the levees.</p><p> Fordworked to maintain the levees.</p><p> Carter worked to maintain the levees.Reagan worked to maintain the levees.</p><p> Clinton worked to maintainthe levees.</p><p> Even his own father worked to maintain the levees.</p><p> ButGeorge Bush abandoned ship.</p><p> Work on maintaining the levees hadbeen going on for four decades and it ground to a halt on Bush'swatch.</p><p> Like Cheney, he had "other priorities."George Bush is solely responsible for cutting funds to the marrow andletting levee work grind to a halt last summer for the first time since1968.For most people, the rule is "you break it; you own it." Thanks to hisdereliction of duty, for Bush the rule is clearly "You own it; you breakit." 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