August 3, 200719 yr ...a Democrat to blame our President for the bridge collapse in Minnesota. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, suggested Bush administration spending on the Iraq war may have crimped funding for domestic projects such as road and bridge construction, and for such infrastructure projects as new levees for New Orleans. "We've spent $500 billion in Iraq and we have bridges falling down in this country," Klobuchar told MSNBC. "I see a connection between messed-up priorities." I see a despicable Senator that should be mourning the loss of life in her home state rather then trying to use a tragic disaster to make political points.
August 4, 200719 yr That's just ridiculous. This kind of guy is ESSENTIAL in the downfall of the Democratic party.
August 4, 200719 yr While the timing is extremely poor considering the tragic loss of life, I agree with the sentiment. This is what's so appalling about American politics today and the main reason why so many have become disillusioned with the system. Everything, no matter what it is, becomes a political football with the party out of the White House blaming everything that goes wrong on the guy in the White House. There seems no one has their own opinion about anything. The only opinion is the party line and nothing else matters.
August 4, 200719 yr I am sorry for the stupidity of the senator from Minnesota, even I would not make that kind of stretch, but lets remember this is one individuals statements not the whole democratic party just like when Pat Buchannon opens his mouth I know he does not speak for the majority of republicans
August 4, 200719 yr Who was the last person to make this leap? It was after Katrina and somewhat recently.
August 4, 200719 yr Author I am sorry for the stupidity of the senator from Minnesota, even I would not make that kind of stretch, but lets remember this is one individuals statements not the whole democratic party just like when Pat Buchannon opens his mouth I know he does not speak for the majority of republicans But it certainly seems to be the party line that is developing. Rep. James Oberstar, the Minnesota Democrat who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, blamed President George W. Bush's administration for shortchanging road and bridge repair in a highway funding bill two years ago. Bush, he said, "failed to support a robust investment in surface transportation," adding the president insisted on only $2 billion a year for bridge reconstruction when lawmakers were pushing for $3 billion a year. More Comments Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who chairs the appropriations subcommittee that funds transportation programs, slammed President Bush for threatening to veto the transportation bill because it exceeds his initial budget request. “This is what I worry about every day. The lack of investment in infrastructure is frightening,” Murray said. “This is what [bush] is threatening to veto -- investment in infrastructure for [roads] we go to work on every day.” Even Harry Reid gets in on it. As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) opened the Thursday session of the Senate, he warned that the bridge disaster was a “wake-up call” regarding infrastructure investment across the country. “Since 9/11, we have taken our eye off the ball,” Reid said. Do you see the pattern developing? In another thread some of us were accused of burying our heads in the sand. Surely you are now willing to slam your Democratic leadership for their very callus use of this tragedy for political gains.
August 4, 200719 yr Infrastructure needs to be taken much more seriously than our lawmakers do now. Reading in the article, the nation's bridges received a passing C grade from the civil engineers while aviation, dams, drinking water, electric power grid and hazardous waste disposal systems all received D's. How bad are the others when we have a bridge collapse?
August 4, 200719 yr Author Infrastructure needs to be taken much more seriously than our lawmakers do now. Reading in the article, the nation's bridges received a passing C grade from the civil engineers while aviation, dams, drinking water, electric power grid and hazardous waste disposal systems all received D's. How bad are the others when we have a bridge collapse? I don't disagree but I find it absolutely loathsome that politicians would use a tragedy like this to make political points. In some of the articles that I read it was suggested that this lapse of infrastructure started during the Regan administration. I seem to remember an 8 year span since then when the other party was in control of the executive branch. We got tax increases and increased spending on entitlement programs. Why was no more money spent on infrastructure then?
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