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| McCain Sez Earmarks Caused MN Bridge Failure |
| 2008-05-01 |
| Republican John McCain said Wednesday that the bridge collapse in Minnesota that killed 13 people last year would not have happened if Congress had not wasted so much money on pork-barrel spending. Federal investigators cite undersize steel plates as the "critical factor" in the collapse of the bridge. Heavy loads of construction materials on the bridge also contributed to the disaster that injured 145 people on Aug. 1, according to preliminary findings by the National Transportation Safety Board. That's what I think. Yet McCain, while campaigning in Pennsylvania, told reporters: "The bridge in Minneapolis didn't collapse because there wasn't enough money. The bridge in Minneapolis collapsed because so much money was spent on wasteful, unnecessary pork-barrel projects." In a manner of speaking. McCain, the expected GOP presidential nominee, regularly rails against "earmarks," the pet projects that lawmakers tuck into spending bills, such as the proposed $223 million "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska. The Arizona senator says he would eliminate earmarks, estimated at $18 billion last year, and would make each project compete in the regular congressional funding process. "I think there is a long, long list of earmarks which went to unnecessary and unwanted projects that I think should have gone to the bridge in Minnesota," McCain said. "I don't know whether it would have gone or not, but if you're spending $223 million on a bridge in Alaska to an island with 50 people on it ..." Surely, if someone had handed MN DOT an extra billion of two, they could've fixed the bridge a bit earlier. Unfortunately, the report I read said the defect was hidden for 40 years and (in essence) was only discovered becasue the bridge fell. Democrats criticized McCain's comments. "It is reprehensible that John McCain would use a national tragedy to make a political point that isn't even grounded in facts," said Damien LaVera, spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. yeah. reprehensible. "It's the process I object to," he said. "I'm sure that I can give you a list of projects the Mafia funds, and they would probably be good projects. But I can't give you a justification for the Mafia. I can't give you a justification for the corruption that's been bred which has sent members of Congress to the federal prison," he said. So does that mean the Rev. Wright's good projects are outweighed by his bad mouth? |
| Posted by:Bobby |
| #2 Thanks Paul... How about that record snowfall @ Anchorage Paul?? |
| Posted by: RD 2008-05-01 23:52 |
| #1 The Bridge to Nowhere was slated to connect the City of Ketchikan on the main island to the airport across the channel. Presently the airport is served by a passenger and vehicle ferry that serves the airport every half hour or so. It would be convenient to drive to the airport. The question is whether it is $233 million convenient. Will be down in Ketchikan next week and will give Rantburgers a full report......of something. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2008-05-01 23:36 |