This Washington Post article highlights gross incompetency at the US Army Corps of Engineers which has not changed over the past 60 years. US ACE is allowed to endorse any project where the economic benefits to private parties exceed the cost of the project. The cost-benefit analysis often overlooks the value of human life and environmental benefits. Most of the funding for these projects comes from earmarks, money set aside in legislation for specific projects, which are often regional and pushed by specific members of Congress trying to bring economic benefits to their districts to get themselves re-elected, i.e. “pork-barrel politics”. Many of the projects are embarrassingly bad ideas. The article has an infuriating analysis of how US ACE screwed New Orleans by not preparing the city for Katrina.