Comments on: Minneapolis Bridge Collapse http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/ Like Kryptonite To Stupid Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:30:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Duros62 http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65046 Duros62 Sat, 04 Aug 2007 19:18:56 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65046 You know, it seems to me that every time something like this happens, I see state highway crews looking at overpasses all over the place. Then they go away and don't come back. You know, it seems to me that every time something like this happens, I see state highway crews looking at overpasses all over the place.
Then they go away and don’t come back.

]]> By: Jay http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65045 Jay Sat, 04 Aug 2007 01:46:43 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65045 I knew it wouldn't take long before some jackass decided to blame this on tax cuts or conservatives in general. Dr. Victor Davis Handjob: El Numero Uno Jackass Some of you idiots are as predictable as snow at the North Pole. I knew it wouldn’t take long before some jackass decided to blame this on tax cuts or conservatives in general.

Dr. Victor Davis Handjob: El Numero Uno Jackass

Some of you idiots are as predictable as snow at the North Pole.

]]> By: Duros62 http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65044 Duros62 Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:17:53 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65044 Well, hell, dugger, one month's cost in Iraq would pay for both of them. And again, I thought that the huge transportation bill was supposed to cover stuff like this. Where'd all that federal money go? Well, hell, dugger, one month’s cost in Iraq would pay for both of them.
And again, I thought that the huge transportation bill was supposed to cover stuff like this. Where’d all that federal money go?

]]> By: Dugger http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65043 Dugger Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:51:55 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65043 I saw an estimate that all the bridges could be fixed for about $9.5B. I think the Democrats proposed spending increase on SCHIP is much, much larger than that. It all gets back to priorities - not whether a particular program is good in isolation. And if the problem were so critical, why isn't there a propoasl on the books from Dems? In fact, it is a state responsibility and while the Governor is R, the legislature is DFL. I saw an estimate that all the bridges could be fixed for about $9.5B. I think the Democrats proposed spending increase on SCHIP is much, much larger than that. It all gets back to priorities – not whether a particular program is good in isolation. And if the problem were so critical, why isn’t there a propoasl on the books from Dems? In fact, it is a state responsibility and while the Governor is R, the legislature is DFL.

]]> By: Mike http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65042 Mike Fri, 03 Aug 2007 03:17:40 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65042 This is a direct result of insane, selfish Republican policies of neglecting to fund necessary maintenance and repair while refusing to raise taxes on their wealthy supporters that would have funded infrastructure improvement. Republican ideology cost lives and, ultimately, cost more than simple repairs. This is a direct result of insane, selfish Republican policies of neglecting to fund necessary maintenance and repair while refusing to raise taxes on their wealthy supporters that would have funded infrastructure improvement. Republican ideology cost lives and, ultimately, cost more than simple repairs.

]]> By: Dr. Victor Davis Handjob http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65041 Dr. Victor Davis Handjob Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:00:58 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65041 Stupid computer remembered the wrong screen name. Ah well. Anyway, Rick Perlstein had a good post about this topic. In short, Bush's tax cut meant less funds for local and state government. The Laffer Curve doesn't mean much to people when their cities are falling apart. "When Howard Dean ran for president, he said George Bush's federal tax cuts were a mirage—that every dollar states and municipalities could not get from the federal government for essential services they would have to raise on their own. They would actually turn out to be a tax hike—if, that is, states and municipalities were able to summon the political will to raise taxes at all. Some have had a hard time doing that. And now the bill is coming due. The ground is opening up beneath our feet, swallowing people and machines." Stupid computer remembered the wrong screen name. Ah well. Anyway, Rick Perlstein had a good post about this topic. In short, Bush’s tax cut meant less funds for local and state government. The Laffer Curve doesn’t mean much to people when their cities are falling apart.

“When Howard Dean ran for president, he said George Bush’s federal tax cuts were a mirage—that every dollar states and municipalities could not get from the federal government for essential services they would have to raise on their own. They would actually turn out to be a tax hike—if, that is, states and municipalities were able to summon the political will to raise taxes at all. Some have had a hard time doing that.

And now the bill is coming due. The ground is opening up beneath our feet, swallowing people and machines.”

]]> By: Duros62 http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65040 Duros62 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:06:49 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65040 Wasn't that HUGE transportation bill supposed to address a lot of this stuff? Besides Ted Steven's bridge to nowhere, I mean. What happened to Dr. Victor Davis Handjob? Wasn’t that HUGE transportation bill supposed to address a lot of this stuff? Besides Ted Steven’s bridge to nowhere, I mean.

What happened to Dr. Victor Davis Handjob?

]]> By: Dr. Anatole Gavage-Huskanoy http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65039 Dr. Anatole Gavage-Huskanoy Thu, 02 Aug 2007 22:23:35 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65039 That should have been "then shows a take-charge attitude to disguise his own negligence after a preventable disaster." That should have been “then shows a take-charge attitude to disguise his own negligence after a preventable disaster.”

]]> By: Dr. Anatole Gavage-Huskanoy http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65038 Dr. Anatole Gavage-Huskanoy Thu, 02 Aug 2007 22:13:37 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65038 I agree with Duros. Republican promises of low taxes may well have played a part. It's very easy to punish a liberal pol who taxes and spends on infrastructure, very hard to punish a Giuliani-type rightwinger who lets infrastructure crumble, but then shows a take-charge attitude in the face of preventable deaths. Some lower-level heads roll, nothing changes, more steam pipes blow up in Manhattan more bridges fall down, more levees break, more Americans die. That's Ronald Reagan's most enduring legacy. I agree with Duros. Republican promises of low taxes may well have played a part. It’s very easy to punish a liberal pol who taxes and spends on infrastructure, very hard to punish a Giuliani-type rightwinger who lets infrastructure crumble, but then shows a take-charge attitude in the face of preventable deaths. Some lower-level heads roll, nothing changes, more steam pipes blow up in Manhattan more bridges fall down, more levees break, more Americans die. That’s Ronald Reagan’s most enduring legacy.

]]> By: durablend http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65037 durablend Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:38:40 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65037 It's obviously Clinton's fault. If he'd kept his penis in his pants, none of this would've ever happened. It’s obviously Clinton’s fault. If he’d kept his penis in his pants, none of this would’ve ever happened.

]]> By: Duros62 http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65036 Duros62 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 19:49:18 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65036 How long before Debbie Schlussel and Atlas Shrugs point fingers at "teh moolsims!"? How long before Debbie Schlussel and Atlas Shrugs point fingers at “teh moolsims!”?

]]> By: Duros62 http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65035 Duros62 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 19:48:24 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65035 <i>Has anyone determined the cause of this collapse yet?</i> Can you say crumbling and neglected infrastructure, boys and girls? I think ya can. Has anyone determined the cause of this collapse yet?

Can you say crumbling and neglected infrastructure, boys and girls?
I think ya can.

]]> By: C.S.Strowbridge http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65034 C.S.Strowbridge Thu, 02 Aug 2007 16:38:22 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65034 "We may have dodged a bullet on this one." Further reports suggest a much higher death toll. Damn. “We may have dodged a bullet on this one.”

Further reports suggest a much higher death toll. Damn.

]]> By: Mike http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65033 Mike Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:37:27 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65033 Here in Oklahoma, we suffered <a href="http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/05/26/barge.bridge/index.html" rel="nofollow"><strong>a similar collapse 5 years ago</strong></a> after a barge hit the I-40 bridge that spans the Arkansas river. I believe three people died in that collapse. Has anyone determined the cause of this collapse yet? Here in Oklahoma, we suffered a similar collapse 5 years ago after a barge hit the I-40 bridge that spans the Arkansas river. I believe three people died in that collapse.

Has anyone determined the cause of this collapse yet?

]]> By: Bruce http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65032 Bruce Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:29:29 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65032 I guess that all depends on one's definition of "we". I guess that all depends on one’s definition of “we”.

]]> By: C.S.Strowbridge http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65031 C.S.Strowbridge Thu, 02 Aug 2007 05:02:31 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65031 "A highway bridge collapses into the Mississippi River at rush hour, and your not quite sure it it's horrific or not?" So far the death toll is very low. We may have dodged a bullet on this one. “A highway bridge collapses into the Mississippi River at rush hour, and your not quite sure it it’s horrific or not?”

So far the death toll is very low. We may have dodged a bullet on this one.

]]> By: Bruce http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65030 Bruce Thu, 02 Aug 2007 04:30:42 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65030 This "seems like" it "could be" horrific? A highway bridge collapses into the Mississippi River at rush hour, and your not quite sure it it's horrific or not? This “seems like” it “could be” horrific?

A highway bridge collapses into the Mississippi River at rush hour, and your not quite sure it it’s horrific or not?

]]> By: Smithers http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65029 Smithers Thu, 02 Aug 2007 01:51:45 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65029 I doubt anything more serious than automotive fuel has gone into the water. Never-the-less, it's pretty bad. 3 confirmed dead by 7:51pm CDT, it will probably get quite a bit worse as the night goes on. I doubt anything more serious than automotive fuel has gone into the water.

Never-the-less, it’s pretty bad.

3 confirmed dead by 7:51pm CDT, it will probably get quite a bit worse as the night goes on.

]]> By: iamwil http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65028 iamwil Thu, 02 Aug 2007 01:32:52 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65028 Not to alarm anyone without reason, but this site is at the top of the Mississippi River. What if something was dropped into this water artery? Not to alarm anyone without reason, but this site is at the top of the Mississippi River. What if something was dropped into this water artery?

]]> By: Diamond LeGrande http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/08/01/minneapolis-bridge-collapse/#comment-65027 Diamond LeGrande Thu, 02 Aug 2007 00:56:05 +0000 http://improveman.com/ow2008/?p=5594#comment-65027 Yes. There's pretty much panic up here. Yes. There’s pretty much panic up here.

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