Here are some New Orleans webcams

[jahcs]

Hi,
Yep. But there's *always* some kind of crisis.  Hurricane, tornado, earthquake, power grid failure, etc., ad nauseum

Heh, don't get me started on the number of times the Washington State Government has used the emergency clause this year...

Politicians seem to be, as a class, incapable of seeing any available funds (be they revenue or available debt) unspent.  And, equally, they are incapable of remembering that much of each year's budget is already committed to ongoing programs (but, hey, after all the commitment to those programs is just based on politicians' word of honor -- i.e., no commitment at all).

It's much worse than that. They don't actually see any money at the time the budget is drafted. It's all based on a guess as to how much revenue will be brought in for that period. And who votes for a poilitician that promises to maintain the status quo (even if it's increased efficiency of current programs)? Most voters want the guy who says they will bring in the federal money for this project and that project.

So, yeah, by all means argue which 'economic theories' are better and worse.  But keep in mind that the application of those theories is in the hands of self serving short sighted scumbags, whose only goal in life is to feed at the public through as long as they can get away with it.

Most Presidents on their first term seem to have a six year plan and a 10 year plan. That way they can show progress but they need "a little bit more" from the people and the other politicians for the nation to improve. Other Federal politicians usually appear interested in getting reelected. They play patty cake with special interest groups and try to rock the boat as little as possible, especially around election time. State leaders seem to treat the State Budget like a piggy bank for their pet projects. And many local leaders just use the office as a stepping stone to other levels of government.