This week's must reads…

Jason • 17th Sep 2005 • General

• Bush’s spinmaster Karl Rove is in charge of the Katrina recovery effort. Expect a lot of crony patronage and no-bid contracts for their former companies (Haliburton, Bechtel, et al). And here.
• Republicans block independent commission to investigate Katrina relief shortcomings. Despite 76% of Americans favoring independent commissions.
• FEMA is still stumbling with aid effort. Three weeks later. No wonder FEMA employees think the agency is incompetent.
• According to an EPA official: Toxic waters could make New Orleans unsafe for a decade. And according to the same source, the Bush Administration is covering up the danger. Excerpts here. Sound familiar to NYC?
• Reports have mentioned $200 billion plus (all the way to $300B) for the reconstruction, but Bush isn’t so clear, spouting the usual ‘what ever it takes’ rhetoric. Just what I wanted to hear — especially with Rove running the crony capitalism show.