Hugh Hewitt has a good idea (not to imply that this isn't often the case) about federal funds for Louisiana:

Senate Republicans should insist that as part of the package, reforms in the federal Endangered Species Act--similar to this that are poised to pass the House--be included in the appropriation so that the notoriously expense-increasing and private-property-rights destroying ESA not delay or increase the costs of these projects or other Corps projects across the country. A simple tightening of deadlines widely abused by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when the Corps "consults" with that agency under the ESA would be a huge step forward.

While they're at it, the National Environmental Protection Act could use an overhaul as well. These two laws are one of the bigger barriers to private space launch, now that some of the FAA issues have been resolved.

If this Republican spending binge and the hurricanes result in real federal reform, such as this and a line-item veto, they will be shining silver linings in the clouds.

Louisiana Goes After Federal Billions
By Michael Grunwald and Susan B. Glasser
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, September 26, 2005; A01

Louisiana's congressional delegation has requested $40 billion for Army Corps of Engineers projects in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, about 10 times the annual Corps budget for the entire nation, or 16 times the amount the Corps has said it would need to protect New Orleans from a Category 5 hurricane.

Louisiana Sens. David Vitter (R) and Mary Landrieu (D) tucked the request into their $250 billion Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief and Economic Recovery Act, the state's opening salvo in the scramble for federal dollars.

The bill would exempt any Corps projects approved by the commission from provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act. It would also waive the usual Corps cost-sharing requirements, ensuring that federal taxpayers would pay every dime.

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There you go. That seems to provide some of what you want--they get to ignore environmental laws and spend billions of dollars on pork.

Or is that not what you had in mind?

You think I had in mind the federal government giving forty billion US taxpayer dollars to one of the most corrupt state governments in the country to spend as they will with no accountability?

No, that's not what I had in mind. Thanks for playing, though.

Hugh's right. If a bald eagle lands on my property and I want to kill it- these pinko liberals should not be able to tell me I can't.