A bridge in Minnesota tragically collapsed Wednesday killing an unknown number of innocent people. As reported by the Associated Press:
The eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, was in the midst of repairs when the bridge buckled during the evening rush hour Wednesday. Dozens of cars plummeted more than 60 feet into the Mississippi River, some falling on top one of another. A school bus sat at an angle on the concrete.
Those that are interested can see video and pictures of the catastrophe at Hot Air.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those involved including friends and relatives.
Sadly, as every disaster that has occurred since late January 2001 has been somehow blamed on the Bush administration - most notably Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the recent tornados in Kansas - a question needs asking:
Can't you hear Katie Couric talking about funds that could have gone to interstate bridge repairs instead of being spent on the war in Iraq?
Or Charles Gibson waxing accusatorily about how such highway funds instead went to the wealthy as part of the Bush tax cuts?
Or Brian Williams reporting that members of the National Guard who could have been used to help bridge reconstruction efforts are all unfortunately in Iraq?
As Hot Air's Allah referred to in an update Thursday citing the Washington Post (emphasis added):
Reports issued by the Minnesota Department of Transportation over the past decade have detailed problems with the bridge. In 1997, the department noted problems with the approach spans on both ends, including "cracks . . . in the cross girder at the end of the approach spans." In a 2001 report, department engineers said that the bridge's deck truss "has not experienced fatigue cracking, but it has many poor fatigue details on the main truss and floor truss system."
Allah also cited a Popular Mechanics article published hours ago about this catastrophe (emphasis added):
According to a report card released in 2005 by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 160,570 bridges, or just over one quarter of the nation's 590,750 bridge inventory, were rated structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. The nation's bridges are being called upon to serve a population that has grown from 200 million to over 300 million since the time the first vehicles rolled across the I-35W bridge. Predictably that has translated into lots more cars. American commuters now spend 3.5 billion hours a year stuck in traffic, at a cost to the economy of $63.2 billion a year.
[...]
The fact is that Americans have been squandering the infrastructure legacy bequeath to us by earlier generations. Like the spoiled offspring of well-off parents, we behave as though we have no idea what is required to sustain the quality of our daily lives.
[...]
America's gross domestic product in 2006 was $13.2 trillion-we can afford to have world-class infrastructure. As a stepping off point, we should insist that our elected representatives publicly acknowledge the risk of neglecting the bridges, roads and the other essential hardware that goes into making a modern civilization. Then we should hold them accountable for setting priorities and marshaling the requisite resources to repair our increasingly brittle society.
For what it's worth, according to the Office of Management and Budget, the federal government will spend $79 billion on transportation in FY 2008. This is up from $54 billion in FY 2001, a 46 percent increase.
At 2.3 percent of total federal spending, the Department of Transportation is currently receiving proportionately about the same amount of money it has since FY 1982.
Unfortunately, I don't believe this fact will prevent media from blaming all of this infrastructure problem - and this bridge collapse - on President Bush.
Do you?
*****Update: Liberal radio talk show host Ed Schultz blames Bush (h/t NBer kw)
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
I kept waiting for the
August 2, 2007 - 12:27 ET by Chris NormanI kept waiting for the first arrow to be fired last night. I was surprised when I didn't hear anything. I'm sure it will take the form of the nation's aging infrastructure and the criminal disinterest of the Bush Administration towards the problem. Before, of course, the really whacked out conspiracy theories begin...
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
Don't know about the media,
August 2, 2007 - 13:03 ET by motherbeltDon't know about the media, but Dingy Harry already made a statement about "crumbling infrastructure" all over the country...I only heard a clip on the radio news, and he stopped short of actually blaming President Bush, but you gotta know where he would go with it eventually.
mb, If a Dem says it, we
August 2, 2007 - 13:18 ET by Chris Normanmb,
If a Dem says it, we know the cavalry media won't be far behind to back 'em up.
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
It's SOP for the MSM/DNC to
August 2, 2007 - 13:52 ET by TruthMongerIt's SOP for the MSM/DNC to either "Katrina" or "Enron" the Bush administration at every available opportunity...
This bridge tragedy might not work out so well for them...if Minnesota was desperately in need of money for this bridge maybe the millions recently spent on the two fancy-but-unnecessary tunnels on the Lake Superior North Shore could have waited...
It happened this morning on
August 2, 2007 - 16:30 ET by billbIt happened this morning on CNN. A reporter standing alongside the GW Bridge reporting on the bridge collapse in Minnesota said," One can hardly expect the government have the funds to repair our infrastucture what with all the money being spent in IRAQ". John Roberts of course agreed.
Funny that you wrote
August 2, 2007 - 12:32 ET by ricklailFunny that you wrote this. There was a blog about the same thing on the John Locke Foundation website. The blogger takes it one step further saying that global warming will be the reason to blame Bush.
See it here: http://triangle.johnlocke.org/blog/ "When will it be Bush's fault"
A bonafided and certified member of the beer guzzling, NASCAR watching middle class.
I agree. Although the
August 2, 2007 - 13:35 ET by Gat New YorkI agree. Although the language being used now is "climate change" which covers global warming nuts in case we have an ice age.
within seconds BDS reared it's head...
August 2, 2007 - 12:31 ET by wizardjrApparently within minutes of the news getting out about our bridge falling the moonbats actually start posting that it was President Bush's fault!!!...???...!!! Good Grief!
If anyone's to blame it the Metropolitan Council here in the Peoples' Republic of Minnesota. They diverted a billion dollars (and more to come) into a stupid little 'light rail' (read "tram") system that goes from the airport to the Mall of America and then to downtown Minneapolis. So... you can fly in, go shopping, have dinner downtown, and then fly home. In the mean time, bridges are falling down. Go figure.
I have relations in
August 2, 2007 - 12:53 ET by ahusserI have relations in Minneapolis and they said there is a heat wave and drought going on so the high temperatures must have melted the steel and/or the low water table undermined the bridge supports. So this must have been caused by global warming. There will, of course, be a cover-up by the Bush Administration. These speculations coming soon (probably as we speak) by the MSM representing the IMBLLWA (International moon-bat loonie left wing Association.) Other conspiratorial scenarios will deal with finger-pointing at Bush Administration for diverting federal funds that went to Iraq rather than bridge infrastructure and so on. The beat goes on.
Steel doesn't melt
August 2, 2007 - 13:10 ET by Hero SquadDon't you remember? Steel doesn't melt. It's so obvious that Bush used a controlled demolition explosion to bring down the bridge.
*****
"Some people have a way with words. Other people, er, I don't know. Not have way, I guess
I expect the Hollywood press
August 2, 2007 - 13:37 ET by Gat New YorkI expect the Hollywood press to say it was a Rove conspiracy thinking that Al Franken was crossing the bridge.
RINO Scarborough
August 2, 2007 - 12:41 ET by CaringwhiteguyOur favorite RINO Joe Scarborough was ranting and raving this morning about public money building a new baseball stadium for a billionaire owner (Carl Pohlad-Minnesota Twins) while overlooking the needs for infrastructure improvements. Target here must have been Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty, not W, but Joe was getting warm.
THE POLITICS OF TRAGEDY
August 2, 2007 - 14:45 ET by danybhoyI'm sure it is Gov.Pawlenty's fault since he vetoed a dime increase in the gas tax. Oh, BTW, a great deal of Minnesota's transportation funding (I live in the Twin Cities, so I know) has been going to a lite rail transit system instead of our roads & highways. So when the Morning Schmo, Dead-Ed Schultz, & the wacky Kos kids start shooting their mouths off about happened to the 35W bridge, they might want to step off & let those investigating this tragic event find the truth instead of talking out of their backsides & looking foolish in the end.
"A goverment big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away" Barry Goldwater
it will be hard to pin the
August 2, 2007 - 14:51 ET by TruthMongerit will be hard to pin the light rail on Bush or any other repub...also Joe Soucheray and company was fighting it tooth and nail for more urgent transportation needs like this bridge...
Also the new twins and vikings stadiums come to mind if you're looking for extra $$$?
Waiting for the "blame Bush" crowd
August 2, 2007 - 12:41 ET by nkviking75I've already heard and seen several reports, including this in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune of a 2005 federal study indicating deficiencies with that bridge, so the groundwork is laid to blame Bush, previous Republican congresses, or both.
With the 2008 GOP convention slated for the Twin Cities, that evil genius Karl Rove will probably replace the bridge in record time. Maybe they'll use Halliburton!
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
I'm waiting for some
August 2, 2007 - 13:04 ET by DaMavI'm waiting for some fruitcake to claim it is a sign of global warming. We know from Rosie that steel cannot melt, but it can expand as temperatures rise... so watch for circling moonbats on this issue. It has high potential to instill fear as a sales device.
As an aside, Popular Mechanics gets high marks in my book for their tireless and highly professional efforts to debunk the 9-11 conspiracy theorists. I don't see them mindlessly slinging alarm on this but raising an important point on the need to address the politically droll issue of maintenance and repair.
I refuse to believe
August 2, 2007 - 13:05 ET by mlongI refuse to believe anything anybody says about this until I hear from
that engineering expert…Rosie O’Donnell she’ll know how Bush did it
using that earthquake machine that caused that tidalwave a few years
ago….or using those explosives that brought down the levees in New
Orleans…one way or another she’ll let us know how Bush killed those people to divert attention away from reports about him having Pat Tillman murdered.
The scary thing is...there are nuts that would believe that...and some of them are in the MSM.
*Sheehan-vs-Pelosi*
"This could get ugly"
Subtle finger-pointing
August 2, 2007 - 13:08 ET by mattmSubtle finger-pointing began last night with local coverage. Previous (Democrat) administration officials were interviewed and the subtle implication was that the current republican administration was lax.
This was very subtle, however...most responsible people, regardless of Party, have been pretty even-handed about this, so-far.
But this was also the case with 9/11 and it didn't take long then before the kooks came out and blamed Bush...
Laura Ingraham discussed this on this morning's show.
Has senate candidate Al Franken
August 2, 2007 - 13:12 ET by Hero SquadHas senate candidate Al Franken shown up at the bridge site yet to offer his two cents?
*****
"Some people have a way with words. Other people, er, I don't know. Not have way, I guess
They have not located him
August 2, 2007 - 15:44 ET by Clear thinkerThey have not located him yet. He was sleeping under the bridge moments before the collapse and so far they only have his I-pod and bottle of ripple.
Get Email updates from Fred http://socialnet.imwithfred.com/email_alert_july_26.html
More Big Digs to the rescue
August 2, 2007 - 13:13 ET by Dee BunkIf the problem were money spent then why did the Big Dig project collapse? Isn't that one of the most expensive projects ever? I bet we hear a lot more about this story than we did or will about the failures of the Big Dig.
Actually, Boston's Big DIg
August 2, 2007 - 14:12 ET by Del DolemonteActually, Boston's Big Dig didn't "collapse". 1 ceiling panel inside one of the tunnels detached and fell on a car, killing a woman.
Del Dolemonte
August 2, 2007 - 14:19 ET by Dee BunkDel - the point is money is not the problem. The Big Dig has had all kinds of problems. And I would call a panel detaching and falling on a car a collapse because that takes one word to explain the same thing you said.
Ok Noel, you have your
August 2, 2007 - 13:14 ET by dscottOk Noel, you have your answer: article in AT commenting on this http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/08/leftist_dementia_blaming_bush.html
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. Marcus Aurelius
Wow, one nut even brought
August 2, 2007 - 14:11 ET by Del DolemonteWow, one nut even brought Halliburton into it!
Over at MinneaPolitics.com, in an August 1 article "Live
From Minneapolis: Our Dirty Laundry," Bretton Jones writes,
"I'm feeling a little down about our bridge collapsing with many of my fellow humans on it, and I can't help but feel the desire to go straight for the money that should have been used on my cities' federally funded, interstate highway infrastructure by re-appropriating it directly from Blackwater and Haliburton."
Jones concludes with "IMPEACH BUSH RECALL PAWLENTY." (Tim Pawlenty is the second term Republican governor of Minnesota.)
When will they blame Bush?
August 2, 2007 - 13:31 ET by Dad GummitWhen won't they blame Bush for anything that goes wrong? Probably at the same time they give him credit for something that goes right? Anyway, the Hufftards are screaming "it's Bush & Cheney done it." They're hilarious over there!
"If you don't read a newspaper, you are uninformed. If you do read a newspaper, you are mis-informed."-Mark Twain
Saw a comment on another blog that said Olbermann's show
August 2, 2007 - 13:35 ET by mikejinterrupted last night with the news story about this and Olberman said something to the effect of "no telling how many people people are dead, mashed or squished" or something like that.
Then after they came back from a report at the scene, Brian Williams was doing the in studio and Olberhead was no where to be found.
But with that being said, I haven't seen anything about Olberdork's choice of words. Probably upset that his Bush/Republican hate-a-thon was so rudely put on the back burner by some inconsiderate people falling off a bridge.
Bridge failures are nothing
August 2, 2007 - 13:47 ET by Dave RBridge failures are nothing new. They have been occurring since the very first bridge was ever constructed, which was eons before George W. Bush became POTUS.
If there is any blame to be placed, it is squarely with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, as it is their responsibility to have the bridges in that state fully inspected by competent and experienced structural engineers every two years (yearly would be even better), and not by some marginally competent affirmative action beneficiary who was hired for reasons other than his/her/its qualifications. I have seen this sort of thing happen first hand, and on more than one occasion, right here in Georgia.
According to reports I am hearing, that bridge was showing signs ten years ago that there were problems.
Of course, this won't stop the democrats from trying to gain some type of political advantage from this tragedy, as these people have no moral scrupals whatsoever.
Help Fred defeat everybody.
Ed Shultz blames
August 2, 2007 - 14:04 ET by kwEd Shultz blames Bush
Check it out
You're right--Ed Shulz has
August 2, 2007 - 18:07 ET by Andrew H.You're right--Ed Shulz has already blamed Bush for this state screw-up. Should they win (God forbid) who will they blame then?
Liberalism is a convenient lie.
Sad but true... Bridge collapse
August 2, 2007 - 15:13 ET by Six String SpiffSomething has just occurred to me.
Something has just occurred to me. There have been 2 disasters that everyone knows about, and one here in MA that was tragic, but evidently not tragic enough for the MSM.
Hurricane Katrina – Blue State - Misappropriated funds that were for LEVEE MAINTENCE, and complete criminal negligence when it came time for evacuation (Busses sat in lot while feds advised them to leave.) Not to mention the turning down of National Guard assistance before the Hurricane hit by Mayor Nagin.
Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis – Blue State – was informed the bridge had structural integrity deficiencies TWO YEARS AGO by inspection. Why was this ignored?
Tunnel collapse in Boston MA - Blue State- (Seeing a trend?) Possibly the largest pork barrel project initiated by Teddy Kennedy and another liberal whom I can’t think of right now. The project has incurred criminal arrests, escalating costs, DEATH, leaks, and charges of poor execution and use of substandard materials. The Attorney General is demanding contractors refund taxpayers $108 million for "shoddy work."
Hmmmm…
What the MSSM doesn't report can kill you.
Already
August 2, 2007 - 15:33 ET by JeffWeimerI overheard a comment this morning on CNN about this. Someone mentioned that we're spending so much money in Iraq that It's taking away from the highway funds. I only caught it in passing, but it looks like the first tentative step in this direction
Well, that's horse hockey
August 2, 2007 - 15:44 ET by dscottWell, that's horse hockey because all funds collected from the federal gasoline tax and misc sources go to the Federal Hwy Trust Fund and those funds are disbursed to the States to maintain and build roads, bridges, etc. I believe only earmarks for bridges to no where come from the general budget. If one were to point the finger at any major budget item it would be the ever massively growing Social programs which are way bigger than the Defense budget.
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. Marcus Aurelius
The way CNN tells it, the
August 2, 2007 - 15:52 ET by bassndudeThe way CNN tells it, the Iraq war is also responsible for taking stamps from the food stamp collectors, there by starving the masses, causes my SUV to burn more gas, causes high oil prices, increases the cost of health care and adds to global warming. I miss anything?
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
AGW AND BRIDGE COLLAPSE
August 2, 2007 - 15:50 ET by judahisThis morning I already heard Fox and CNN repots trying to elicit
"heat" (under your breath all at once now "global warming" oops,
"climate change") as the cause for the bridge collapse.
What the witless worthies bespoke with BREATHLESS EXCITEMENT was the neverbefore heard of AMAZING FACTS that
1. Minneapolis had experienced 90 degrees of heat and
2. Even more UNBELIEVABLE, a 20 degree temperature change in a few hours.
In
the famous words of Alfred E. "What, me???", as I have lived in
Minneapolis, I am puzzled by the absurd supposed NOVELTY of 90 degree temperatures in
Minneapolis and also 20 degree temperature changes.
Maybe
the bumpkins who wretch this rot might visit other major cities,
BOSTON? and other cities who have similar temperature fluctuations, or
is NEW YORK AND ATLANTA, immune from such?
judabenheard.com
Not a Democrap or a lip-brawl, mostly a
conserve-a-tiff. Famous words of elderly from movie "Moonstruck:
"Somebody tell a joke" .
20 degree temperature change
August 2, 2007 - 17:00 ET by Del Dolemonte20 degree temperature change in a few hours? That's chump change. Here in NH I've seen it go from 40 above to 20 below in the span of 12 hours. None of our bridges have collapsed...
Swap bridges for entitlements,, AHHhh goverment payout 4 votes.
August 2, 2007 - 15:57 ET by upcountrywaterWe are approaching the conclusion of Democracy in this country BUMMER.
CNN blamed Bush this morning
August 2, 2007 - 16:16 ET by kurt muellerI did not have the time to read all of the comments above so apologize if someone already noted this -- this morning on CNN between 9 and 10 Chicago time, a male reporter (I didn't catch his name) said something to the effect that "I'm not a Republican or Democrat, but with billions of dollars going to the war, that may be the reason money has not been available for necessary infrastructure repairs."
I then heard elsewhere that the richest highway funding bill ever was passed a couple of years ago.
I'm not a Republican or
August 2, 2007 - 16:50 ET by dscottI'm not a Republican or Democrat - Red Flag, automatically means a lib Dem trying to feign impartiality.
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. Marcus Aurelius
Of course Kurt--
August 2, 2007 - 16:55 ET by misterbillOf course Kurt-- Prez Bush is also responsible for the spread of polio in Africa and Lyme disease in America.
The Dems are only responsible for the spread of lies in America.
Wacky Jack (Cafferty) just
August 2, 2007 - 17:02 ET by Del DolemonteWacky Jack (Cafferty) just spent about 5 minutes reading e-mails from loons blaming Bush
Jackass
August 2, 2007 - 17:46 ET by TruthMongerJackass Cafferty?
drool-bucket status just like olby
I want to know why it took
August 2, 2007 - 16:46 ET by charlietexasI want to know why it took the media so long to blame Bush?? Whats
up with that. I count on them (the media) to be on top of this kind of
story.
All kidding aside..Our prayers go out to everyone in Minnesota
it took them awhile to get
August 2, 2007 - 16:53 ET by TruthMongerit took them awhile to get the Katrina "black people" thing going to
some enterprising MSM editor started faxing the idea around to help get it going:)
the left can be a little slow - most of the time:)
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brent-baker/2005/12/12/williams-hits-president-bush-charge-racism-behind-slow-katrina-response
http://www.democraticunde...
August 2, 2007 - 17:58 ET by Del Dolemontehttp://www.democrati...
The DailyKuss already has a
August 2, 2007 - 16:46 ET by Gat New YorkThe DailyKuss already has a few posts blaming the Bush Administration and Republicans for the Minnesota bridge collapse. No mention that the bridge never was the most structurally sound from its beginnings.
This one is from some over-the-hill hippie that regularly posts:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/2/125940/9440
From one of the
August 2, 2007 - 16:57 ET by MightyMouthFrom one of the Kussies:
I'm Just waiting..
"...to find the wingnut who claims that the bridge collapse was God's
punishment to Minneapolis for electing a Muslim to Congress"
Ohhh, I hadn't even have thought of that! Good one Kosmonut!
Let me be the first to post that theory here!!
(idiots)
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
So this site is waiting for
August 2, 2007 - 16:58 ET by balboaSo this site is waiting for the other side to blame it on Bush, and those sites are waiting for ones like this to say it was God punishing Minnesotans.
Dude, they already HAVE
August 2, 2007 - 17:02 ET by MightyMouthDude, they already HAVE blamed it on Bush!! We on the other hand can't even imagine the conspiracy theories they can. Get it?
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
But see below (or the
August 2, 2007 - 17:08 ET by sarcasmoBut see below (or the Kos-link above). That guy was blaming it on small government advocates. I'd say that pretty well rules out President Bush. The hallucinator in question is instead blaming sarcasmo & Grover Norquist for the bridge collapse. It's all my fault, for making the federal government get so damned small...Or maybe someone else is "getting small," if I may date myself with a bad old '70s Steve Martin joke! If so, it's clearly some damned good stuff...
JMR
Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.
I'm sure whatever the
August 2, 2007 - 17:12 ET by balboaI'm sure whatever the outcome, many people will use it to fit their agenda.
You mean the left will use
August 2, 2007 - 17:27 ET by MightyMouthYou mean the left will use it, correct balboa? What does the right gain by blaming this on anyone? And I don't see a right blame game anywhere. (except in the minds of DUmmies)
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
I'm trying to imagine this
August 2, 2007 - 17:19 ET by sarcasmoI'm trying to imagine this guy's world, though. He actually believes that the government has gotten SMALLER. Do you understand the magnitude of just how wrong he is in realityville, Bal? I mean, if anyone has lost over the past decade or so, it's been small government advocates, if you just follow the money. But this guy thinks I've won?? How??? Where's the logic?
I'm practically afraid to even contact anyone this mentally-deranged. Is there a member of Daily Kos reading this, and can you perhaps contact him and gently direct him here, or ask him to explain how this bigger government is smaller when they spend so much more now than before?
JMR
Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.
Good point! In addition the
August 2, 2007 - 17:16 ET by MightyMouthGood point! In addition the dingbat's point is rather infantile considering that if we hadn't gone into Iraq most likely that bridge would still have fallen as none of that "small government" cash would have been used. The reason I know this is that no one is claiming the bridge was waiting to be fixed and couldn't be fixed because of Iraq. We are talking about a specific bridge here not "infastructure".
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
Holy Toledo. He's not blaming this on Bush!
August 2, 2007 - 17:02 ET by sarcasmoTo the contrary, he's blaming the bridge collapse on small government! Did Grover Norquist and I somehow win, magically get "small government" by drowning something in a bathtub, and not notice? I don't think so...
I seem to be living in this dreamworld, where government has instead massively-grown. Wow, now I know firsthand why you guys like that Kos site so much! The only thing I'd ever seen there before was dumb hate, but this is different. Anyone this deranged is almost by definition good entertainment!
JMR
Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.
Small Government Derangement Syndrome
August 3, 2007 - 01:38 ET by Free StinkerIf these morons in the MSM ever catch on to how much the Federal government has grown under Bush(43), they will be cured of BDS and come down with SGDS. (Small Government Derangement Syndrome)
A troll over at
August 2, 2007 - 17:22 ET by LilyPearlA troll over at Townhall.com already has in the comment section of an article on the bridge collapse.
I WATCHED ( the first 1/3) 10 times, wealth destruction
August 3, 2007 - 01:25 ET by upcountrywaterhttp://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1ab_1186054443&p=1
entitlement over infrastructure every SINGLE time.