Louisiana's Looters

Washington Post:

The state's representatives have come up with a request for $250 billion in federal reconstruction funds for Louisiana alone -- more than $50,000 per person in the state. This money would come on top of payouts from businesses, national charities and insurers. And it would come on top of the $62.3 billion that Congress has already appropriated for emergency relief.

I am of the opinion, unlike some, that we should rebuild New Orleans and that Federal money is an appropriate componant of this rebuilding. I also don't think we can effectively 'move' New Orleans to a safer place. New Orleans is of vital importance as a port, and in that capacity it effect a good portion of the nation. It seems unlikely to me that a port at the mouth of the Mississippi will be safe from flood or hurricane, that is going to be part of the cost. I do think we might want to abandon a few neighborhoods and relocate them to higher ground however. Even with these fairly sympathetic feelings on the plight of New Orleans, or perhaps because of them, this latest move by the LA representives really pisses me off. It is patently obvious that graft and corruption are endemic in LA. That has been clearly shown already. I would have hoped though that with so much actual suffering, and with the nation focused on them, the elected representives of LA could, for once, actually try to do their jobs and help the people. Instead they serve up this bloated request that includes "$25 million for a sugar-cane research laboratory."