The Wall Street Journal has predicted that Hurricane Katrina may be the most expensive natural disaster in American history.

Evidence that this may indeed be an accurate prediction stems from reports indicating that FEMA is currently burning through money at the rate of nearly $2 billion per day.

In response, the White House is moving a bill through the House to provide $51.8 billion in hurricane relief. It should be noted that there will be no opportunity to read, amend or revise the bill - which outlines how this relief money intends to be used.

Rep. Bill Thomas, Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, indicates that the plan is to fund immediate relief by "freeing up funds under programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and also encouraging charitable donations."

"We're not putting a lot of new money out there; it's freeing up money that's there already," Thomas said.

And that money had already been earmarked for welfare programs. This bold move has some irate Americans asking why, when we spend $223 million on a bridge in Alaska to serve a population of 50, we can't find a means of providing aid to hurricane victims without resorting to further cuts on social programs designed to help others in need.