Gulf Coast Hurricane Aid Remains Unspent

USA Today:

A massive effort to fix public works destroyed more than three years ago by the Gulf Coast hurricanes remains largely stalled, leaving more than $3.9 billion in federal aid unspent and key repairs far from complete.

Read the whole story: USA Today

Comments

[alted1663]

07:09 PM on 02/09/2009

Why look! FEMA's here with a new home.

[Oldbuck]

06:25 PM on 02/09/2009

The reason the money has not been spent is the Bush administration did not want to spend the money they just want to make noise about setting aside the money for rebuilding the south so they could play to the Republican base. I would bet if you look closely that most of the money that has been released is to certain contractor who are wards of the Republican party.

[haval2]

05:14 PM on 02/09/2009

Brownie...Brownie......

[rblaquinta]

03:53 PM on 02/09/2009

All I see is all the jobs to be created.....take all the unemployed on the gulf coast and put them to work. Rock n' Roll!!!

[Moxo]

03:49 PM on 02/09/2009

The Curse of Dub is unending, isn't it.

[Viper]

03:47 PM on 02/09/2009

Ok, folks.. stop blaming agencies for failures caused only after BUSH staffers took control of them.

THE SEC was once very good. One of the best government agencies. FEMA was fine before BUSH.

WE dont need to get rid of the agencies just the idea they can be run by people who believe that government is the problem... they are called anarchist. And remember the majority of Americans have been voting for just that for the past 30 years.

As an IKE survivor rebuilding his house... never saw FEMA or the national guard..Did see a 15 foot surge 20 miles north of Galveston and 7 miles up a bayou. 80% of my area is still uninhabital... yet no news of the IKE damage in this area which is every bit as bad as Katrina .

I could write a book on dealing with my insurance companies... and I'm one of the lucky ones.

Regards

[csavage]

05:31 PM on 02/09/2009

Ike hit at the same time we realized the market was overvalued for the last 20 years and that the insurance companies had lost their shirt with the 100 trillion derivative market (thanks, Phil Gramm)
It was truly surreal to go from Houston to Dallas the weekend that Ike hit-I went from 24/7 news coverage and 2/3 of the city without power or gas to hearing absolutely nothing.....
Katrina hit the gulf coast of MS and AL and you heard nary a world about it-more glaringly, in this website (filled with Harry Shearer lamenting NOLA instead).

We got ignored, yet again....Houston is the 4th largest city and the 10th largest metropolitan area in the country. You want to spend some of that 3.9 Billion? Send it to my medical school, c/o the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston-still closed after 4 months

[Bienville]

04:28 PM on 02/10/2009

Were 200,000 homes left uninhabitable by Ike?

Every home, church and business was destroyed in an area that would stretch from Bellaire to Pasadena.

Was that much damage done by Ike?

Look here to see how your home town would have been flooded:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/orleans/map-fl.html

There's no lack of damage to repair with that $3.9B; there's only a lack of will to spend it.

[kappa08]

03:35 PM on 02/09/2009

Go figure ANOTHER failure....

[nirek]

03:38 PM on 02/09/2009

Lets be honest, this is another failure of bush and his FLUNKIES !

[kappa08]

08:39 AM on 02/10/2009

...that's my point.

[timetorevolt]

03:31 PM on 02/09/2009

I thought the new governor of Louisiana, Bobbie Jendl, would fix everything. I guess not...If there ever was an agency that needs to be abolished it is FEMA...

FEMA pulled the same crap during hurricane Ike..If it wasn't for a local judge who had logistic experience who took over FEMA resposiblities, victims would still be waiting for ice and water.

[Grannysue]

03:14 PM on 02/09/2009

Now come on, why in the world would everyday Americans need their States rebuilt, as I recall good old Hailey the barber got help right away, what happened, I know the Repubs will claim it's all Al Quedas fault, or the Dems fault, or well anyones fault but theirs!

[punkingale]

06:12 PM on 02/09/2009

As did Bob Riley, Governor of Alabama. Oh, wait he and Barber are REpublicans.

[instagladiator]

03:06 PM on 02/09/2009

Wrong! That would be aiding and abetting the working class.

[shengirl]

03:02 PM on 02/09/2009

Have all the good people down there declare themselves CEOs in need; they'll get the money in no time. You just need to know how to work the system.

[Dredd]

02:48 PM on 02/09/2009

The republican skimulus package in action.

[motoGpifupleez]

02:23 PM on 02/09/2009

You want to know where some of the Gulf Coast money went? Right here to Tuscaloosa, Al. 200 miles inland. You see, our mayor, Walt Maddox (R) is good buddies with Senator Richard Shelby (R) who was able to secure some of the funds intended for Hurricane victims so Walt and his Real Estate pals could build their River Front Development Project. What was the pay off? They tore down an elementary school to construct the Annette Shelby Park.
Have a nice day.

[maxfax]

05:03 PM on 02/09/2009

A case of "follow the money" which means you can follow it all way to where Republicans rule.

[helonias]

02:13 PM on 02/09/2009

K West said it best

[1differentdrummer]

02:01 PM on 02/09/2009

Heckuva job, George W.

[nirek]

03:42 PM on 02/09/2009

Please do not show w the respect of capitalizing his name.