Sadly, the entire city could be put to work reconstructing their town, but I’m sure the “Government” will waste any funding to that area on paper-shuffling jobs that accomplish nothing. 

It truly breaks my heart to see that gorgeous little town in such horrible condition.  And hearing the stories from the locals was also heart wrenching.

I wish people in the country would realize that “We’re from the Government, and we’re here to help!” is a lie. 

Big mistake.

My stepdaughter lives in Cedar Rapids.  On my trips to visit her I continue to be amazed at the lack of rehabilitation in the flooded area.  It didn’t have to be like this.

What’s so infuriating is that government facilities and the hospital that flooded were repaired as quickly as possible, on the taxpayers’ dime.  John Q. had to wait for a year to even begin to help himself.  

The funny thing is, many Cedar Rapids residents don’t understand to this day how badly the aftermath of their flood was botched.  With no previous experience to fall back on they bought the government’s theories hook, line and sinker.  

But then the county went for Obama, 53-44, so it’s hardly a surprise.

I guess my point is, we’ve been hearing about New Orleans for FIVE YEARS, yet we hear nothing about Cedar Rapids and all of those small towns in Iowa that were flooded.  Sorry I didn’t make my point clearer.

And I also shouldn’t be surprised that Iowans such as yourself don’t WANT Government intervention.  
You Iowans are tough, pragmatic and not asking for a hand out.

I hope Cedar Rapids comes back.  I always liked that town.

You know what the result of that was?  Properties that could have been saved by the immediate application of a couple of gallons of bleach were kept off-limits for a year.  By the time the residents were allowed to return, mold and rot had finished what the Cedar River started.

THAT is why the city looks so devastated. 

Here on the Mississippi we’re used to floods.  They’re just a fact of life.  Happily, our local officials have not yet seen fit to prevent residents along the river from returning to their flooded homes.  So they move out when they have to and return with their Clorox the minute the water goes down.  Some of the houses around here have been flooded a dozen times.  They’re still standing because their owners we allowed to save them.

I suspect any order trying to keep us river rats away from our homes would be met with derision.  We know better.  What a shame the residents of Cedar Rapids didn’t.

They asked repeatedly for money to fix the levees.  They were turned down every time. 

Yes, the levees were their responsibility.  But it’s damn difficult to maintain a levee with no money.

“The complaints and problems with corps funding go back to the Carter administration, and presidents since then have tried to draw money from the agency’s projects to pay for other priorities.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9213319/

Washington is doing the same thing to the Corps with our system of river locks and dams.  For years they have pleaded for funding to expland the locks so that they will accommodate an entire tow.  Only two of them do that now.  In order for a full tow to transit a lock, they must first break it into two pieces.  Then they lock each section through and reassemble it on the other side. 

This can take a couple of hours and often results in long delays at the locks when river traffic is heavy.  We have seen barges delayed for twenty-four hours waiting to lock through.  You don’t want to know what that costs in lost time and fuel, never mind the increased danger of an accident when breaking and re-assembling the tow. 

Those lock projects have been repeatedly stripped of funding requests, just as the levee enhancements in NOLA were. 

I feel sorry for the Corps.  The rest of our military gets almost everything it asks for.  The Corps gets its buget slashed repeatedly.  And then they get the blame when something goes wrong.

We know many of the people who work for the Rock Island District of the COE.  They’re hard-working, caring people who don’t deserve the abuse that’s been heaped on them.

Some of them may actually have a compassionate bone left in their bodies but I doubt it. If it don’t get them votes or campaign contributions or doesn’t fit their own personal ideology then they don’t give a rats backside. Just my cynical opinion from years of watching the scum in government and media. Are there a few exceptions? Absolutely. But “caring” should be the “rule” not the exception. Again, JMO

Huh?  I was there a few months ago, and the city is in ruins.  Still
Where was the media on THIS event?  HUH?
http://www.cedarrapidsfloodstory.com/