Another Day, Another Corporate Giveaway

Sen. Obama joined with Republican Tom Couburn in demanding the government explain their deal with Carnival Cruiselines when Greece had offered cruise ships to house victims for free.

"Even if the Carnival contract were a good one--and it almost certainly is not--it is inexplicable why FEMA would fail to implement the Greek government's offer of free cruise ships," the senators said. "Unfortunately, this is merely the latest example of poor decision-making by FEMA."

Making this waste of $236 million even more appalling: "The ships were largely sitting empty in the Gulf Coast, The Washington Post reported this week, prompting allegations of wasted government money from Republicans and Democrats. " NBC news is reporting that they are sitting "half full." The senators are suggesting that a CFO position be created to oversee the dispersal of Katrina related funds.

Even more disturbing are the signs that everyone is trying to get their greedy little fingers on a piece of the government's Katrina Relief Fund. Lobbyists are already trying to get their pet projects money from the pot, including:
$8 million for alligator farms.
$25 million for a sugar cane research lab.
$35 million to market seafood.
$50 billion in open-ended grants.


There is no calamity greater than lavish desires. There is no greater guilt than discontentment. And there is not greater disaster than greed
-Lao-tzu

posted by Sarai @ 1:25 PM