Wishful Thinking.

I hope this works, but I ain't a'holdin my breath:

In her second week on the job, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has ordered a comprehensive review of Hurricane Katrina recovery progress, drawing praise from state and local officials who hope the move will increase the flow of federal money for public projects stymied by disputes over damage assessments and mitigation efforts.

"This sends a strong message that she wants to do something different," said Paul Rainwater, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority.

Included in the examination ordered Wednesday are about 1,200 public structures and other projects that state officials describe as "large scale" because the respective applicants are seeking at least $500,000, with a total cost exceeding $3.2 billion.

The projects fall under the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Public Assistance Program, the primary federal disaster relief option for government and nonprofit entities. And many also involve applications under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program intended to help prevent damage in future storms.

Reforms may come, and reforms may go; but the bureaucratic mentality endures.