First we heard reports of “emergency” lap dances, breast implants & beer (abuses of the $2,000 debit cards that FEMA gave to Katrina victims). Now we have The Katrina Reconstruction Act that Louisiana Senators David Vitter (R) & Mary Landrieu (D) have co-authored & sponsored.

Let me preface my statements regarding this bill by saying, I have nothing but sympathy for victims of Rita & Katrina. (I still have a family of friends that I have no idea where they are.) Having experienced some bad California Quakes where I lost sentimental things, gone without phone service, power & water, lost work & not been allowed in my building until inspectors gave it the all clear; I can easily quantify my experience to imagine the depression & devastation of Katrina & Rita. However, the bill that Senators Landrieu & Vitter have sponsored soaks the tax payer for 250 BILLION dollars. A good deal of the 250 billion package smacks of is old fashioned greed & political cronyism. (& I remind you that this bill is ONLY for the State of Louisiana. We haven’t seen Mississippi’s or Texas’ requests yet.) But don’t take my word for it. Read for yourself at http://vitter.senate.gov Scroll under the heading of Vitter & Landrieu Introduce Katrina Reconstruction Act & click on the Read Bill Summary pdf

The SUMMARY (definition: "Writing that presents the main points in a concise form”… which means there’s MORE!) alone is 12 pages long. The Reconstruction Act does contain MANY right & proper, logical provisions for necessary services, revitalization & recovery. Among these are: 3.5 billion for temporary housing vouchers, (although I hope this provision doesn’t include any more empty cruise ships), 10 million to reunite children with their families, 2 billion to rebuild schools (but we should research how many schools were actually destroyed), 2.9 billion for the Highway Emergency Relief Fund, 40 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers & 7 billion for infrastructure repair. Between the thick slabs of pork are such provisions as: 36 million for lost revenue to the railways, 71.8 billion for lost revenue to New Orleans (manifested as perhaps 1 of the most screwed up local government in our nations. This is IN ADDITION to the 50 billion in community development grants & 150 million for historic preservation!), 150 million to stimulate ship building, 8 million for alligator farms, 20 million for sugarcane research labs & 35 million for seafood industry promotion.

Are you angry yet? I want what you want; level-headed spending for recovery, improvement & prevention. A BIG RED PENCIL needs to be taken to this bill. Those wielding the pencil should be compassionate but fiscally responsible. This is another of those times when I strongly encourage you to write your State Senators & demand that this bill be analyzed & revised. If you don’t, you’ll be paying for it with the sweat of your sweat-equity.