M. Adam Davis wrote:

>> Looking back, can we honestly say there were bad choices made
>regarding the protection?  Do you spend billions of dollars to gain
>that last little 0.01% of protection?  The point of diminishing
>returns was decided long ago to be a direct hit with a category three
>storm.  It took decades before a storm exceeding design parameters
>hit.
>  
>
Well, yes, there are always those diminishing returns.  :-)  Except that 
in this particular case they were not all that diminishing.  First: the 
Corps was talking about $130 million to strengthen the levees -- not 
billions.  Second: all of the reputable scientists have been saying for 
a few years that the frequency and strength of hurricanes is increasing, 
and this is forecast to last throughout the next decade -- category 4 
and even category 5 will be more likely.  Third:  the Wall Street 
Journal, which is hardly a shill for left-wing politicians, estimates 
the damages at $200 billion.  Even the most ideology-driven bean-counter 
should be able to look at $131 millon on the one hand, and $200 billion 
on the other hand, and make a sensible choice.  And this does not even 
taken into account the lives lost and disrupted.

>> The real problem, as I see it, was two-fold:
>1) The evacuation of the city and other potentially deadly areas was
>mandatory, but not forced, before the storm, and the leaders did not
>make sufficient resources available to those who did not have the
>ability to leave on their own.  This was compounded by inadequate
>shelters and associated resources for those who had to stay
>(emergency, utility, etc).
>2) The response was slow due to inadequate planning and poor
>communications.  The *local* government should have had a plan that
>went into effect instantly that indicated who was in charge, and the
>exact steps/process to follow to evacuate and tend to those in
>immediate danger while at the same time working on breaches and
>pumping stations. 
>
Please note that I am not in any way defending the local government.  
Louisiana has long had a reputation for corrupt, inefficient government, 
and New Orleans had the reputation for being the worst.  But this does 
not in any way excuse the present federal administration.  They don't 
believe in global warming, disregard scientists who won't toe the party 
line, think stem-cell research is "sinful" (whatever that means), and so 
I can see that they would not take any notice of what was right there in 
front of their noses with regard to the changing weather patterns..

I used to wonder, back in college when I had history courses, how in the 
world Europe could possibly go from the Greek and Roman civilization to 
the Dark Ages.  Now I think I know.  Just let religious fundamentalists 
get control of the government.

John Nall
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