Gimmee Gimmee

When does charity degenerate into looting? When Louisiana "public servants" get involved.

"Louisiana's congressional delegation has requested $40 billion for Army Corps of Engineers projects in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, about 10 times the annual Corps budget for the entire nation, or 16 times the amount the Corps has said it would need to protect New Orleans from a Category 5 hurricane.

Louisiana Sens. David Vitter (R) and Mary Landrieu (D) tucked the request into their $250 billion Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief and Economic Recovery Act, the state's opening salvo in the scramble for federal dollars.

The bill, unveiled last week, would create a powerful "Pelican Commission" controlled by Louisiana residents that would decide which Corps projects to fund, and ordered the commission to consider several controversial navigation projects that have nothing to do with flood protection. The Corps section of the Louisiana bill, which was supported by the entire state delegation, was based on recommendations from a "working group" dominated by lobbyists for ports, shipping firms, energy companies and other corporate interests."

The Corps of Engineers state that it would cost $2.5 billion to upgrade the levees to endure a category 5 hurricane, even stronger than Katrina. But, Louisiana is demanding $40 billion. I suppose it's not unreasonable to expect that 94% of Louisiana spending would be diverted to graft. That's probably about par for Louisiana, which has always set corruption above the public good.