Posted on 08/04/2007 6:00:18 AM PDT by Kaslin
Anyone who does a lot of cooking, like I do, knows that substitutions can dramatically change the flavor in a dish. I often substitute honey and molasses for brown sugar. I have substituted tequila for brandy to enhance the flavoring of a pan sauce for filets. I have substituted brie for Monterrey Jack. I have substituted Saki for wine in marinades. And I substitute sweet onions for red onions almost invariably.
Substitutions almost never ruin a dish, and savvy substitutions can greatly improve on a classic.
But I have never tried to substitute a tuna steak for a cutting board. Or a watermelon rind for a stock pot. Or a bunch of carrots for a Kitchen Aid mixer.
Or a pork tenderloin for a Chef’s knife.
But sadly, decades of legislative substitutes, a.k.a. pork, have brought our national infrastructure to the current pitiful state that has thrown Minnesota deep into the throes of tragedy. And while it is way too early to asses any blame in the Minnesota tragedy, it is important to have a discussion about our political priorities and what should be the national objectives for each Congress in their biennial sessions.
This week’s bridge collapse highlights how valuable our infrastructure is to our national commerce. The bridge collapse will snarl automobile traffic well out into the foreseeable future, impacting productivity of workers, consuming more fuel for commutes, and likely diminishing commerce for the short term. It has disabled barge traffic on that length of the Mississippi, and will likely impact farmers up and down the river causing loss of product or increased shipping prices. Rail lines along the river were cut, having the same effect on the transportation of goods, and the cost of getting product to market.
This one event is a microcosm of the interdependencies that our economy relies on to sustain its momentum. And we have done scant little about improving our infrastructure in decades. This is a bi-partisan failing.
Inspections are no substitute for repairs.
The computer that your automobile repairman uses as a diagnostic tool does nothing to repair the defects in your car. It analyzes the data, and efficiently points the repair technician in the right direction – shrinking troubleshooting times and reducing overall costs. But the requirement for action still rests with the car owner. Years of inspections will not ultimately prevent failure. At some point in time water pumps must still be replaced, brake pads and rotors changed, and tires changed.
Inspections are designed to focus action. In today’s State and Federal legislative sessions this concept seems to have been forgotten. Inspections are apparently a tool for delaying action rather than taking it.
Pork is no substitute for legislation.
The Oregon Senate “accomplishments” for the 2007 session just ended, lists, “crackdown on tax cheats,” domestic partnerships, tax breaks to movies shot in Oregon, legislation against metal theft, preservation of our vistas by limiting the use of billboards, and on and on, as highlights; but there is no mention at all, of bridges – even though Oregon has 645 bridges that are “structurally deficient.” I suspect most other states are no different.
And we know for a fact that the Federal government is not. Porkbusters has a comprehensive listing of Federally raised pork. How many transparent “foundations” does it take to employ a Congressman’s entire family? How many buildings in West Virginia can actually bear the name of the same man before confusion dominates? And instead of building bridges that connect fifty people to 9000, maybe we should be repairing bridges that serve a hundred thousand a day.
It is this kind of bi-partisan legislative ineptitude and waste that becomes an anathema to voters and taxpayers; particularly in light of the avoidable travesty that occurred this week in Minnesota.
In true Congressional fashion, and in particular, what are turning out to be the hallmark of the Reid/Pelosi congress, there will be countless hearings to determine who is responsible for this tragedy. Engineers will be scrutinized. Inspectors will be vilified. Mid-level managers will be reviled and lambasted. Governors and mayors will lament.
But the true blame lies with lawmakers at the State and Federal levels, who continue to value their real estate holdings within the hallowed chambers in which they serve, more than they do the lives of their constituents.
Most states are diverting funds from fuel taxes into social spending to buy votes. The result is pot holes, rusty bridges, clogged streets and a whole class of people who sit on their asses.
If they put a sign up on every bridge telling it’s rating..there would be a lot of voters demanding action.
Canada has had the same problem..Quebec bridge collaps, but nothing has changed.
Context, people, context. Get your comparative risk statistics on straight.
Congressman Billybob
This situation screams for engineering innovation. We need a way to repair/replace bridges with less disruption. How about a civilian version of the portable Army bridge (Wolverine?). Something that could temporarily carry the load while the permanent span is repaired. It wouldn't work for the longest spans but we need creative solutions.
How about using old aircraft carriers? Use the flight decks as bridges. Two of them, one on each bank, with a temporary span between them to allow river traffic to pass. 800-1000 ft.each plus a 100+ ft span and you could bridge a significant gap.
They just passed a massive highway and infrastructure spending program, including a bridge to nowhere. It’s not that they don’t have the money. We’re spending the money. It’s just that we are spending it on the wrong things.
the aircraft idea is cool. not sure if it would work, but the idea of driving across a carrier deck is an awesome feeling!
I think the problem is the projects are all NEW projects - new roads, bridges, etc. no one wants to fix the old ones.
Of course, they were fixing this one when the accident happened. The witnesses said that workmen were going at the bridge with jackhammers. I suspect that ultimately, they’ll conclude that’s what triggered the collapse.
why would lib/dem legislatures appropriate funds for infastructure....
they are too busy spending tax payer funds for stem cell research...and all illegal welfare projects!!!!
Isn’t building a new stadium far more important than maintaining roads, bridges, etc? Aren’t tax payers better off buying expensive facilities for “their” team than paying for road repair??? </ sacrasm>
The sadly ironic thing here is the terminal for this billion dollar waste og resources is about 1 mile from the bridge that collapsed.
Well I guess building “Light rail” to carry fat cats from their down town Minneapolis offices to the airport, which cost us over a billion during the 1990s, probably is more to blame here.
I remember in the Army when we approached a bridge while marching we were ordered to “break step” that is stop marching in step because the vibrations from 100 men marching in step could cause a bridge to collapse. I suspect that a jackhammer, if tuned to the natural frequency of the bridge, could cause sympathetic vibrations that could collapse the bridge. I remember also back in those days 50 years ago that bridges had signs on them that listed the maximum load that a truck could carry on that bridge. I never see those signs anymore.
There were apparently some significant cracks in the bridge already. Why no one considered what impact the jackhammers would have on those cracks, I do not know.
I suspect the Dims are blowing smoke on the bridge collapse as being caused by Bush because in reality the bridge was built in 1967 during the Johnson administration while Lyndon was skimping on domestic projects to ramp up his war in Vietnam. More guns less butter. I’m sure the bridge design was the least costly and therefore won the contract.
“They just passed a massive highway and infrastructure spending program, including a bridge to nowhere. It’s not that they don’t have the money. We’re spending the money. It’s just that we are spending it on the wrong things.’
What seems to be happening is we budget for highway and infrastructure repair. Year after year the States put it in their budget and all the money gets used up by lawyers and administrators before dime one gets to the bridge.
New Orleans comes to mind.
“Well I guess building “Light rail” to carry fat cats from their down town Minneapolis offices to the airport, which cost us over a billion during the 1990s, probably is more to blame here.”
I must call Bravo Sierra. The real reason is that the voters of that deeply Democrapic state are socialists.
I would like to see their Federal road related taxes doubled until they pay for their own bridge. maintaining the bridge was/is their responsibilty. They spent like the Scandinavian Nanny State socialists they are descended from.
Waste a billion bucks, pay back the wasted billion bucks.
Being the soul of generosity, and a “Compassionate Conservative”, I suggest that we Americans forgive them the interest on the outstanding balance while they are repaying the wasted money.
Charlotte (NC) is going through the process of building it right now. The city is in the massive cost overrun/review/tax increase stage. Totally predicted by every one but the politicians who pushed it...also totally predictable.
Over a billion $$, you say? Great. It's going to be fun to watch the politicians try to sell that here.
And the winner is you!!!! They tore up 5th street to put up this horror, traffic has never been the same downtown—it’s gotten way worse. Now they’re going to tear up University. You wait the 94 bridge is next.
New Orleans comes to mind.
Why yes, it does . . .
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