Defense Wastrels

Want to find the funds to rebuild New Orleans. Start by cutting the defense budget! Listen to what Winslow T. Wheeler says the "rocket scientists" in Congress are doing:

With submarines today at $2.5 billion each, destroyers at $3.7 billion each and aircraft carriers at a breathtaking $13.7 billion, it's small wonder.
U.S. senators have come up with a response: Increase costs. You see, if the Navy competes the contract for its new DD(X) destroyer, analysts expect one of America's two remaining surface combatant shipyards will go out of business, probably the one in Maine.The defense bill now in the Senate will guarantee the Maine shipyard DD(X) contracts, and keep the competitor in Mississippi happy with guaranteed destroyer work as well. The Navy estimates the additional cost per ship at $300 million.

Thats my idea about cutting defense for Katrina, but letting go of DDX, much of JSF, and the Future Combat System (estimated $100 billion or more!) would pay for the whole business.