Dave Might Agree

Back in September, as many of you may recall, DMB gave a concert in aid of the Katrina victims. (See, that's how I'm tying this one to Dave.)

C'mon, people now, let's get political -- as Dave has said:

"And now our finest hour arrives
See the pig dressed in his finest fine
And all the believers stand behind him and smile
as the day lights up with fire"

Below, one of my friends who's still recovering (yeah, people, all those displaced souls are still recovering -- it hasn't gone away yet, ya know) reflects on how one portion of the ruination came to be, and what to do next.

"Friends,

President "W" stood in front of the St. Louis Cathedral in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and addressed the country in a speech written to take the light of truth off the incompetence demonstrated by the federal response to the disaster. In my so humble opinion, his speech was a ruse to keep the focus away from current and past administrations' unwillingness to address poverty in our nation. (Don't look at those people behind the curtain, only to be embarrassed when the curtain is taken away) Nevertheless, he said that the government will "do what it takes" to rebuild our city.

It seems that once the lights were dimmed and the cameras left the city, "W" and our benevolent Congress forgot New Orleans and its people. Do those promises now ring hollow like most of the promises made by this man? (With exception of those promises made which line the pockets of the Republicans) Although there is a deafening discussion on rebuilding Iraq, which "W" and his willing accomplices broke in the first place, there is no discussion on funding what it will take to build an adequate levee system.

Yesterday's Times-Picayne explained that a team of independent engineers studying the catastrophic failure of the levees noted they crumbled because of faulty design and construction, not because the water topped the walls. The responsibility for this failure falls squarely on the [Army]Corps of Engineers. The engineering team concluded the errors/negligence were responsible for the greatest engineering catastrophe in history. In contrast to what some may wish you to believe, blame cannot be placed on the State/City's maintenance of the levees since they were designed and constructed improperly in the first place. Therefore, it is the Federal Government's responsibility to repair the levees and everything else destroyed as a result of their negligence.

The bottom line is that people and companies are not going to return if we don't have adequate levee protection. I've heard reports that it may take 32 to 37 billion dollars to construct our levies to withstand a category 5 hurricane. We're spending more than that in Iraq each year. For the sake of our beloved City and unique culture, please take a few minutes to contact our servants in Washington to fulfill the promises made by President "W" and correct the incompetent work of the Corps of Engineers. I've included a contact list, forwarded by my friend Rebecca, and a website to help ease the effort, so there should be no excuses.

Website:
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/GRN/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1521

Please forward this to your friends and encourage them to also contact Congress.
I know what it means to miss New Orleans and it breaks my heart to see her like this. Don't let America forget about New Orleans."

Mark

Contact Congress...
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER
Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn.
509 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-3344; Web site: www.frist.senate.gov.

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss, chairman
113 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-5054; e-mail address: senator@cochran.senate.gov.

Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., ranking member
311 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-3954; e-mail address: senator_byrd@byrd.senate.gov

Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska
522 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-3004; Web site: www.stevens.senate.gov

SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE
Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., chairman
393 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-3324; Web site: www.gregg.senate.gov

Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., ranking member
530 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2043; Web site: www.conrad.senate.gov

SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., chairman
453 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-4721; Web site: www.inhofe.senate.gov

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., ranking member
511 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2651; e-mail address: max@baucus.senate.gov

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.
235 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2976; Web site: www.house.gov/hastert

HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER
Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
217 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-6536; Web site: www.blunt.house.gov

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., chairman
2112 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-5861; Web site: www.house.gov/jerrylewis

Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., ranking member
2314 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515;
(202) 225-3365; Web site: www.obey.house.gov

HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE
Rep. Jim Nussle, R-Iowa, chairman
303 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
202) 225-2911; e-mail: nussleia@mail.house.gov

Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., ranking member
1401 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515;
(202) 225-5501; Web site: www.house.gov/spratt

HOUSE RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., chairman
2411 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-1947; e-mail: rpombo@mail.house.gov

Rep. Nick J. Rahall II, D-W.Va., ranking member
2307 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-3452; e-mail: nrahall@mail.house.gov

HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, chairman
2111 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-5765; Web site: www.donyoung.house.gov

Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn, ranking member
2365 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-6211; Web site: www.oberstar.house.gov

Bad Moon Rising