pigs at the trough

All that outrage over the collapse of American infrastructure should be channeled toward the politicians who diverted the funds in favor of member earmarks "Bike/Walk Trails," bus services and a commuter rail line.

From the WSJ:

"Minnesota's transportation auditors warned as long as 1990 that there was a "backlog of bridges that are classified as having structural deficiencies." In 1999 engineers declared that cracks found in the (I-35) bridge that collapsed were "a major concern." Bike paths were deemed a higher priority by Congress, however, including its powerful Minnesota Representatives.

"As recently as July 25, James Oberstar, Minnesota's Democratic Congressman, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, sent out a press release boasting that he had "secured more than $12 million in funding" for his state in a recent federal transportation and housing bill. But $10 million of that was dedicated to a commuter rail line, $250,000 for the "Isanti Bike/Walk Trail," $200,000 to bus services in Duluth and $150,000 for the Mesabi Academy of Kidspeace in Buhl. None of (the money) went for bridge repair."