Americans now understand that the majority of the destruction in New Orleans two years ago was due to the failure of the federally built levees which, by the US Army Corps’ own admission, should have withstood Katrina’s storm surge.
Which makes presidential hopeful Tom Tancredo’s comments quite odd. Last Friday, the Colorado Congressman said it’s “time the taxpayer gravy train left the New Orleans station…” citing $1 billion of aid wasted in fraud and abuse at all levels of government.
The citizens of New Orleans due to no fault of theirs (beyond trusting the Army Corps to build levees that work) are struggling mightily to rebuild their homes and lives. Meanwhile, it has become conventional wisdom that had the US Army Corps done their job, the people of New Orleans would be well on their way to recovery.
Perhaps if Mr. Tancredo had visited New Orleans after the flood, he would have discovered this on his own.