The American Infrastructure

I don't think enough is being done to preserve and improve the infrastructure of the US, just sporadic repairs on an as-needed basis. It seems we only pay attention whenever a tragedy of the magnitude of the one in Minneapolis happens. Does anyone remember the last time we worried about things like bridges and tunnels, when a motorist in Boston was killed by a falling concrete panel in a tunnel?

Most of the infrastructure in the US was constructed in the late 19th or early 20th century, and has generally only been kept up as crises dictated. For all the talk about the problem, no one has come forth with any measured solution to it. Is it that we don't want to pay more taxes to keep up our cities, towns, roads, bridges, tunnels, and so on; are we just trying not to face our responsibilities; or are we deluding ourselves and shifting blame by insisting that someone else should repair our infrastructure?

We need to rescind the massive Bush tax cuts for the rich and eliminate the billion dollar giveaways to corrupt corporations and defense contractors. We need to use those taxpayers dollars instead to fix roads and bridges, provide healthcare for Americans, rebuild our public education systems, etc. etc.

The question is: Where should we direct our national priorities...towards building a healthier and wealthier aristocracy, or providing for the health, safety and welfare of ordinary Americans? These issues aren't just politics folks...those are real people in the river this morning.

Duh, as the young people would say, we need to stop spending our money on overseas wars that we cannot possibly win and put the money into our roads, bridges, tunnels, etc. America is falling apart and has been for quite a while. Anyone with any sense has known this for years!

Right on, Linda! The only problem is that our politicians are the ones who control the purse-strings, and they also suffer from a lack of sense. Hard, it is, to be sensible when your main energies are devoted to raising money for the next campaign.

All we need to do is to do is give people who make over $1M dollars a year another tax break, right?

Call me a sunny-side pessimist, but my reaction to a major bridge collapsing from neglect is the same as 2 big buildings burned down by terrorism: It was bound to happen sooner or later. In fact I'm constantly amazed that these kinds of things don't actually happen more often! A politician doesn't have to be an engineer in order to appreciate the fact that the marvelous infrastructure we've inherited from past generations of wiser forward-thinking leaders can't last forever. The ones in power now can blame each other all they want, but their "fiddling while Rome burns down" isn't fixing any bridges, repaving any highways, shoring up any dams or replacing any underground pipes. The blame for neglecting infrastructure maintenance is as bipartisan as America's bumbling in international relations over the past 50 years, ignoring terrorism and failing at civil defense. In short, why is government incompetence still news? When the government screws you over, what can you do?

Don't blame me--I vote Libertarian.

Next time you hear about all the "Fleecing of America Pork Barrel Projects" our politicians keep spending money on --think about these poor people who could have lived if the bridge was maintained properly with our tax dollars!!

And we are spending 5 billion dollars a month in Iraq? Let's take care of our own first, then worry about the rest of the world!

How do we expect bridges or anything else to get fixed when the strongest political pressure is to never raise taxes? The same people who automatically vote against every tax and every person who mentions taxes, are the same people who turn around and complain that government never does anything. Our infrastucture will continue to fail and kill us until we let our representatives know that we are willing to pay for fixing it.

Does it surprise me? Not with the corrosive materials used to clear ice. But as for cost, we could have replaced the infrastructure, at 200 billion, with what we have spent in Iraq..

Fools. The answer to everything in this country is to raise taxes. How about cutting lame earmarks to crap projects that save strange bugs or study the poop of special animals or, for that matter, continue the farse of global warming.

Don't blame the war for this. Bridges fell before we invaded Iraq. Bad engineering takes place every day and it has nothing to do with giving idiots in Washington more money. I'm sorry for those who lost their lives, I'm praying for their families, but throwing more money at the federal government won't solve anything. Rather, lets privatize this and have private companies vie for bridge inspection contracts and pay someone other than un-fireable unionized federal employees in Washington DC to do something about this.

Scott - just keep in mind who lets the contracts. I seem to remember some suspicious no-bid contracts let in Iraq. Until we have the politicians limited to 1 term, this is what we'll face for flamin' ever.

We rebuilt Japan from the ground up. We
are rebuilding all of Iraq from the ground up. We are sending all of our jobs to Mexico,China and who knows where else. We owe Japan and China Billions, not to mention the millions in interest.

We keep doing business with communist governments and dictatorships. Where do you think are country is headed. Our entire infastructure in this country is in complete shambles. Our citizens our not only giving their lifes up overseas but were losing lifes right here in America.

Are people right here in America are hurting, home forcloserues are at its highest rate that I remember. We are losing our homes because we are losing our jobs! All, so "Wall Street" can make that extra 20 cent on a share of stock. It's all about the money.

I don't mind helping out other nations by giving them the tools to help themselves. But sadly as you can see we need those tools back!

It's not the rich people's fault. They pay more taxes than the so called middle class. Don't know what you all are talking about when you say they get tax breaks, it helps them out. The "Robin Hood" mentality of take from the rich and give to the poor doesn't work. Read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad", you'll understand.

I'm not at all concerned about the bridges, I've known that alot of our infrastructure need severe updating. Our highways are too small, same with our bridges, tunnels, waterways, etc. I'm not waiting for polititians to do anything about it. I'll run for Congress once I'm old enough, I'm only 24 right now. Someone needs to step up and take charge, someone who doesn't do it for the money. I like money, but there are more important things than money. Sorry to hear about the dead. It's sad when people die over things like this, things that are preventable.

I, too, feel for the families that lost loved ones in this tragedy. I hope they can find peace and solace in this time of grief.

But now that we're FIRMLY in the "finger-pointing mode"... Who's REALLY at fault for this failure?

It's so easy to "blame" the politicians, government officials, engineers, etc. And looking at the comments here so far, I see we're in FULL SWING at doing that.

Ummm... But how about before you go blaming ANYONE else -- the Bush Administration, the rich, the fat cats, etc. -- take a good long hard look at YOURSELF!!!

Who put these people in charge? Last time I checked, this nation was a DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC. It's NOT a dictatorship where some guy is just put in charge of the highways and such because he's a brother/crony/henchman/friend of an uncontested leader!!! We ELECTED these people into office so if these folks FAIL AT THEIR JOBS, ummm... Who's REALLY to blame? Aren't we ALL RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS that are SUPPOSE TO PUT EFFECTIVE, RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE in charge? (And no, saying "Bush stole the election" is a FREAKIN' COP OUT!!! It means you folks have no idea on what being a "republic" means. Take a civics class, will you please?)

So, take a good long hard look in the mirror before you go pointing fingers...

Does ANYONE remember the East Coast power failure? Oh wait... It happened more than a year ago (August 14, 2003 to be exact.) so it's "old news." But if you recall, there was a LOT of finger-pointing then. Has ANYTHING been done since then? Do ANY OF YOU here complaining about government ineptness, KNOW what those corrective steps were taken for THAT part of the nation's "failing infrastructure?" Or are you just TRUSTING that SOMEONE ELSE SURELY something MUST HAVE done SOMETHING by now? Yes... that MUST be the case...

So, I don't have to think about it anymore... Nope. Not at all. (At least, not until the NEXT failure when I can bitch and moan about OTHER people's ineptness!) Instead, let me hear about how poor Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, and Paris Hilton are leading such troubled lives. (Oddly enough, these "famous people" are some of the RICHEST folks in this nation, yet I don't hear anyone saying we should take away their money, which they're just using for drugs anyway, and help "fix this nation.")

After all, it's SOOO MUCH MORE INTERESTING to get "the latest dish" on stuff like that than actually think about REALLY important matters. ("Infrastructure?" "Terrorism?" "War?" "Sept. 11?" "Healthcare?" "Climate change?" Ow... Head hurts! But, ooooo... half-naked, inebriated, clueless starlets... Pretty! Head feels much better now!)

Sheesh... Get a clue, people!

Name the last man from the middle class of America who became president. If you don't have the money of the Clinton's or the Bush's you don't have a shot in
----. At best , we do want to be a part of the political process here in America, so we try to pick the best of the two evils. Shall we talk about all the young men and women who are still giving their life's because infact, we as a middle class were decieved by almost every single President. If you have'nt lost a loved one on that bridge or over in Iraq you really don't have a clue. Too bad the universities of America can't teach common sense! Peace to all of you who have lost loved ones for no sensible reason or cause. Much Love

Tell those families who lost love America's that there's their nothing wrong With America's infastucter