Big Government and Bureaucracy

Cal Thomas | Syndicated columnist | Published: Sep 11, 2005

Big Government and Bureaucracy

September 12, 2005

Did you know the Army corps of engineers spent $748 million on a construction project on the same levee that was breached by hurricane Katrina?

But the project had nothing to do with flood control. The corps was building a large new lock for the canal to accommodate steadily increasing barge traffic.

Trouble is, barge traffic has not been increasing. It has been steadily decreasing.

Louisiana has received more money for the corps’ civil works projects under the Bush administration than it did under the Clinton administration.


Yet, according to most of the big media, the flooding and deaths and depravity were all the fault of President Bush.

There is no question that FEMA and Homeland Security failed.

But the problem is big government and bureaucracy.

Now there will be investigations and calls for even more government, more spending and additional bureaucracy.

That temptation should be resisted, but politicians – republicans and democrats – have a hard time restraining themselves when it comes to spending. Money wasn’t the problem in New Orleans.

Big government incompetence was the problem.

In New York, I’m Cal Thomas.


Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.

Big Government and Bureaucracy