Gas Tax for Bridges a Wash for Bush

Picture courtesy of the White House

While Minneapolis is still diving for bodies our fearless pretend conservative President is threatening a veto on any gasoline tax to repair or replace many of our nations bridges. Apparently, Haliburton does not have a bridge repair or rebuilding unit and this tax will only hurt… ummm, give me a second? I’m not sure of the real answer to that question but I have a crack team of coffee shop prize winning economists working on it. As I’m sure the President does too or then again maybe not?

Every single state in this country is looking at the same problem and the problem is Bush. Our President hates bridges because it is a passing phrase for Clinton Democrats and all that hog wash of building new bridges to the new century.

So the logic of my thoughts is that President Bush blames Hillary Clinton because Bill Clinton rebuilt all the bridges just a few years ago. The bridges actually do not need to be repaired or replaced according to my Bush theory. Democrats just want to double dip into our nations treasury once more to rebuild the century again. I’m sure there are graphs and charts out there that prove his point. President Bush probably has a top notch team of graphic artist working on it as you read this post. Then again school supplies are in tight demand right now as many parents face the onslaught of the new school year coming.

Over at the New York Times they have this interesting story on why it’s the newly elected Democrats fault from the President’s perspective for our nations aging bridges not needing repairs or replacement.

Bush Opposes Raising Gas Tax for Bridge Repairs

By JIM RUTENBERG
Published: August 9, 2007

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 — President Bush said today that he would be opposed to any steps by Congress to increasing the gasoline tax to raise revenues for national bridge repairs in the wake of last week’s bridge collapse in Minneapolis.

And at his last major news conference before his summer vacation, he lashed out at Democrats in Congress by questioning their priorities and motives on everything from taxes to their accusations of contempt against Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales.
“Before we raise taxes, which could affect economic growth, I would strongly urge the Congress to examine how they set priorities,” Mr. Bush said.

“My suggestion would be that they revisit the process by which they spend gasoline money in the first place,” he added, accusing lawmakers of focusing on their own parochial concerns — or plum projects — above such national concerns as bridge conditions.

Representative Don Young, Republican of Alaska and a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, has raised the possibility of increasing the gasoline tax as a way to pay for bridge repairs throughout the country in the wake of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, which raised new concerns about potential problems with a number of the nation’s bridges. A plan being considered by the House committee would index the current gasoline tax for inflation, which would result in an increase of roughly 5 cents. - New York Times

Not that I am in favor of any new taxes but if the money to rebuild our nations “Deficient” bridges has to come from somewhere then it should be from those of us that use the bridges every single day that should belly up to the bar. With every single state looking at the same crisis as Minnesota, it does not take more than two eggs with toast and a cup of coffee to figure out who should pay for the rebuilding effort. My only problem with that tax levy scenario at the gas pump is that I frankly do not trust the Feds or the States to spend the money solely on bridge repairs and replacement. You and I both know that down the road the budget for bridge repairs will be hijacked by terrorist legislators to pay for something useless to the people that will continue to pay the tax at the pump.

Living in the state with the “Big Dig” self collapsing tunnel I tend to think there just might be a little bit of corruption and thievery when it comes to any project of this magnitude. Maybe the Congress could fix it but that would not serve their purpose. Rebuilding bridges across America would funnel billions in political donations into the coffers of political campaigns where the money would serve to perpetuate the crimes that would be committed to win the contracts. Meanwhile the bridges we are all paying for at the pump are still rotting ten and fifteen or fifty years down the road.

Not to worry my friends, there is an answer that is without a doubt that will fix this troubling problem. Money will not be wasted, bridges will be repaired and replaced. As soon as Dick Cheney returns from his vacation I’m sure that a new division of Haliburton will be building no bid contract bridges in a town near you soon.

I feel better. How about you?

Papamoka

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My friend over at Specious Reasoning is talking about this issue too!

Bridge Inspections in High Gear

Picture courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society

Given the realistic tragedy of the bridge collapse in Minneapolis it is somewhat of a relief to know that inspections of similar designed bridges in Massachusetts are a top priority of our state government. That is the kind of reaction every state in the nation needs from its political leaders. Yes, the deaths of the people in the Minneapolis bridge collapse was tragic but if just one life can be saved by someone inspecting our nations bridges then I would rather have them spend my tax dollars realistically evaluating the structural integrity of our bridges than discussing the damn topic.

All of the authority of our state and federal government should be thrown behind this endeavor to make sure that the infrastructure that supports our communities is sound. I’ve heard reports from reputable sources that many of our nations bridges were built prior to 1950. Having that little nugget of information tickling the back of my brain led me to this link associated with this story. “Bay State Bad Bridges” in the Boston Herald.

If our state and the federal government can find the money to build a self collapsing, leaks like a sieve, tunnel in Boston then we can find the money to fix or replace 560 “Deficient” bridges.

Over at the Boston Herald they have this great story…

‘Structurally deficient’ rating eyed in Bay State: Looking for trouble
By Marie Szaniszlo and Joe Dwinell
Saturday, August 4, 2007 - Updated: 12:09 PM EST

Defect-hunting state engineers are working overtime this weekend to inspect nine steel-truss bridges in Massachusetts - including Boston’s frail Longfellow Bridge - that have the same “structurally deficient” rating as the Interstate 35W span that collapsed Wednesday in Minneapolis, killing at least five people.

The “structurally deficient” rating does not necessarily mean dangerous, said Thomas Broderick, director of highway safety at MassHighway.

Reasons for the poor grade can range from an inordinate number of potholes to major structural damage, Broderick said.

“When it gets to the point where there is any imminent danger, we do close them,” he said.

Engineers also have reviewed the latest inspection reports of most of the 15 other Bay State steel-truss bridges similar in design to the doomed Minnesota span and have not yet found anything of concern, Broderick said.

They expect to finish reviewing the others by Monday night.

“Snip”

“We need to clean our house before we add any new additions,” said state Rep. Betty Poirier (R-North Attleboro), who said the governor’s pitch to extend a rail line to the South Coast is too much, too soon.

“We don’t have the money to maintain what we already have,” she said yesterday.

The collapse in Minneapolis has focused attention away from new projects and onto old ones. David Westerling of the Pioneer Institute said the timing is “uncanny.”

“You need to step back and appreciate what you have and take care of it,” said Westerling, co-author of a report detailing the state’s neglect of its infrastructure, especially the Longfellow Bridge, which connects Boston and Cambridge.

“We used the Longfellow Bridge as an example of deferred maintenance,” added the associate professor of civil engineering at Merrimack College.

“We are the stewards of the natural environment and the built environment.” - Boston Herald

It is up to every state Governor to take the reins and run with an intensive program to inspect all of their bridges. Go over the results of the inspection and call in the big guns also known as Congressional Members to get some help fixing or rebuilding problem bridges. Let’s concentrate on rebuilding our own infrastructure first before we toss billions down the drain rebuilding other peoples problems a long way from home.

Next time you are out driving around or have the unfortunate chance to be stuck in traffic, look around as you pass over or under a bridge. Drop a dime to your elected local officials. Call your local newspaper, call anyone you can think of.

In the days and weeks to come, somebody or for that matter several people in Minneapolis are going to loose their jobs for not doing enough. Bridges don’t just fall down because they want to. Bridges fall because the structure was weak or severely “Deficient”. Somebody somewhere reported on this bridges risk facts and somebody else ignored it. That is where this story will go next.

My heartfelt prayers go out to the people of Minneapolis that lost a loved one in this horrible event. I’m hoping and praying that the number of victims from this devastating disaster does not go higher. Unfortunately, as the days pass that will not be the case.

Papamoka

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Ron Beasely of Gun Toting Liberal has a very interesting point on this topic...

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