Gimme a break

With Louisiana facing the most damaging budget shortfall in recent history; with Hurricane victims all over the state and the cleanup barely begun; with the Louisiana Legislature meeting to decide how best to respond to the dual crises that affect our general welfare, we get this little blurb out of the Washington Times:

Louisiana will spend $45 million on sports and livestock facilities and other new projects in spite of a looming deficit, frustrating some officials who say the frivolity reinforces the state's history of political patronage.
"We're in Washington with our hands out asking for $2 billion plus, and rather than holding on to the money to see what the needs are, they're spending it on local projects financing goat shows and lawn-mower races," says state Sen. Robert Barham, Oak Ridge Republican.
Supporters of the $4 million Morehouse Parish Equine Center say it will give a much-needed boost to the economy.

Actually, Senator Barham, it is more like 200 billion plus.

When the Queen Bee gets rational about cutting the budget, then maybe someone, somewhere will take us seriously.

Some have noted that I am conficted about the use of Federal Money to rebuild Louisiana infrastructure in South Louisiana. I admit it. I am extremely conflicted, but with FEMA here, the money has already started to flow. I think flooding is a local problem, especially if the affected know about it in advance, and I think that should be true whether one person is affected, or 100,000. My view is decidedly in the minority, so while I am convinced in the correctness of my opinion, I have to bow to the collective view in the short run.

The help we get from Washington will be decided in Washington, and rightfully so. We shouldn't have any sports or livestock facilities in the budget at all. Blanco should cut fat with a draconian knife, and decide what is truly important for the short term survival of Louisiana. Maybe when the Fed sees that we are serious, Bush will send some of his Drunken Sailor money our way.

Which will piss me off even further.