Minnesota Bridge Collapse
Bad news...good news.
Bad news: antimedia (of Media Lies) went on sabbatical and stopped posting in mid-July. He was very encouraging to me when I started my blog and was helpful in me learning some the the ways of Blogger. But more importantly, antimedia is a thoughtful and intelligent writer.
Good news: he's back for at least 2 posts. The one linked above concerns the Minnesota bridge collapse this week. Please read it. He has one reader leave a comment that (essentially) it's all the fault of conservatives ever since Reagan. That's a stupid assertion, of course, but one that the Democrat leadership are spouting and the MSM is parroting.
I left the following comment:
"Great to see you posting again, and on an important topic. Unlike Eddie (apparently), I've actually seen government close up when they allocate money for infrastructure. They can find money for new projects, but set aside insufficient money for maintenance. That's one reason there is so much new construction...to replace projects that were too small to begin with, or were poorly planned, or more often had to be replaced because of failures resulting from inadequate maintenance. And it's not dem or rep, this is true of all the governments I've seen or been involved in."
And it's true that I've seen the inner workings of government for the past 20 years and frankly it's frustrating...and a little disconcerting...to see how many decisions are made. Too little money is too often appropriated for all needed maintenance. Few politicians are really bad people, but sometimes they have budgetary restrictions that result in limitations. (OK, sometime they make decisions solely on political considerations. And some have no business anywhere near the public purse.) Often only routine maintenance-mostly superficial-is performed. If buildings, roads and bridges are properly maintained (after being properly constructed) they can significantly exceed the estimated usual lives. And that saves money.
Bad news: antimedia (of Media Lies) went on sabbatical and stopped posting in mid-July. He was very encouraging to me when I started my blog and was helpful in me learning some the the ways of Blogger. But more importantly, antimedia is a thoughtful and intelligent writer.
Good news: he's back for at least 2 posts. The one linked above concerns the Minnesota bridge collapse this week. Please read it. He has one reader leave a comment that (essentially) it's all the fault of conservatives ever since Reagan. That's a stupid assertion, of course, but one that the Democrat leadership are spouting and the MSM is parroting.
I left the following comment:
"Great to see you posting again, and on an important topic. Unlike Eddie (apparently), I've actually seen government close up when they allocate money for infrastructure. They can find money for new projects, but set aside insufficient money for maintenance. That's one reason there is so much new construction...to replace projects that were too small to begin with, or were poorly planned, or more often had to be replaced because of failures resulting from inadequate maintenance. And it's not dem or rep, this is true of all the governments I've seen or been involved in."
And it's true that I've seen the inner workings of government for the past 20 years and frankly it's frustrating...and a little disconcerting...to see how many decisions are made. Too little money is too often appropriated for all needed maintenance. Few politicians are really bad people, but sometimes they have budgetary restrictions that result in limitations. (OK, sometime they make decisions solely on political considerations. And some have no business anywhere near the public purse.) Often only routine maintenance-mostly superficial-is performed. If buildings, roads and bridges are properly maintained (after being properly constructed) they can significantly exceed the estimated usual lives. And that saves money.
Well, given the revenue cutbacks forced on state and local governments by the Florida legislature, local governments are now cutting back even more on structural maintenance. Significantly cutting back. We will be paying a price for this. Not now, perhaps, but later for sure. And it will be much higher then.
UPDATE: See The Florida Masochist post on similarities in Florida.
posted by RightinFlorida | 9:39 AM
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