Prayers for the souls of those killed and prayers of comfort for those left behind as survivors or relatives.
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"Funny – when I saw the terrible scene on the news last night, the Iraq war never even entered my mind. "
Funny - It didn't enter mine, either...immediately. What did enter my mind was the bridges that I drive over around here and especially one overpass in North Carolina (US 1 at I-40) that is a rather harrowing experience. If you're stopped in the left turn lane waiting for the light to turn green, the entire overpass shakes quite a bit as the rest of traffic goes by.
Taking this further, I realized that there are probably a million bridges in this country and thousands are at least as old as the bridge which collapsed. I'd like to see the existing bridges repaired before Congress gets another raise and before another Security Contractor for KBR gets another paycheck higher than the rest of our boys -- hopefully before there's another terrible scene like yesterday. |
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MNTaxed said:
"bridge repair is not "sexy enough"
"But stadiums ... those are sexy. "
You think Minneapolis might turn the Vikings down on a new stadium?
maybe there are bettere placed to spend that money. |
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I can't take credit for this rant personally, but it seems so appropriate here in the wake of this tragedy.
Dear Blame Bush-er's:
I cannot believe how incredibly stupid you are. I mean rock-hard stupid. Dehydrated-rock-hard stupid. Stupid so stupid that it goes way beyond the stupid we know into a whole different dimension of stupid. You are trans-stupid stupid. Meta-stupid. Stupid collapsed on itself so far that even the neutrons have collapsed. Stupid gotten so dense that no intellect can escape. Singularity stupid. Blazing hot mid-day sun on Mercury stupid. You emit more stupid in one second than our entire galaxy emits in a year. Quasar stupid. You must have been forced to do that at gunpoint. Nothing in our universe can really be this stupid. Perhaps this is some primordial fragment from the original big bang of stupid. Some pure essence of a stupid so uncontaminated by anything else as to be beyond the laws of physics that we know. I will never get over the embarrassment of being part of the same species as you.
Wamphyr! |
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It seems to me that you are not dealing with the substance of the point made on the Kos site. At all. Why not just recognize that the fact that we are spending a trillion dollars on Iraq is obviously going to take money away from a lot of projects here at home? Whether that is public money or private is not the point. The point is that if we spend a trillion dollars over there, we are going to have less to spend over here, and because of that, some maintenance projects over here are going to get neglected. And because of that, people will die. Now it is fine if you want to argue that it is worth it to spend a trillion dollars on Iraq because that is going to prevent Armegeddon or whatever you want to argue is going to be the benefit. But be honest and also recognize that there are some costs and sacrifices that we are all having to make in order to do that. |
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"... But Markos doesn’t lead the Daily Kos; he sits atop it. "
Sitting atop a dung heap doesn't impress everyone and it doesn't make you smell pretty.
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Being the locals, have the best eye on things. And they're right in that Minnesota's infrastructure has been neglected (although, sadly, it's still better than most of the country's).
The state of Minnseota is blowing a billion dollars plus on new stadia for the Twins and Vikings. Colossal waste of money. Those projects should be canceled immediately.
The reports are out that Mineesota's government knew that 35W bridge was unsafe but did nothing about it. If true, Pawlenty should be impeached without delay. |
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Well done.
The finger pointing that goes on anymore is astounding. Accidents happen. Tragic accidents happen. It doesn't have to be anyone's fault.
I for one will always be amazed how that school bus stayed up on that bridge. And I grateful for those kids parents that it did! |
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Meanwhile terrified people trapped in their cars, families crying for loved ones they will never see again.
If your the kind of person more pre-occupied over who's to blame and may even take heart if the blame lies with one you vilify then....... in the face of grief, your not the caliber of person I would even want to have a cup of coffee with let alone care to know. |
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Using the tragedy in Minnesota to point out how awful the Kos kids are. Oh, I don't deny that their comments are inappropriate, but isn't it better to ignore them than to come across as reaping the fruits of their stupidity? |
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As a Minnesotan, I have watched with bemusement and (sometimes) horror at how my fellow Americans are reacting to this.
Yes - our infrastructure stinks. Bridge repair ISN'T sexy and it doesn't get you votes...and most importantly THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM. Our (Minnesota's) bridges and roads were in dire need of repair going back to Wendell Anderson's "Minnesota Miracle". This is not a Republican or a Democratic problem. This is a problem of across the board neglect.
Rather than building light rail, Minnesota needs to build roads.....
LL |
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Did Malkin actually blame terrorism? If so Please provide a link or a quote because her blog didn't claim that terrorist were to blame, that I saw. |
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"This is what real grassroots activism looks like.... the reason the Democrats have such an advantage in on-line organizing and energy is because they have hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of people who angrily obsess about Iraq and George W. Bush"
Oh, good, a party run by insane people. |
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...You are the great and mighty God, creator of all things. Is anything too hard for you? We ask and pray according to your boundless grace and your mercies which are new each morning that you would have mercy on the souls of those who lost their lives in the bridge collapse yesterday, heal the lives of those who have survived, and bless the families of those involved and ease their grief. We do not know why you choose to allow things like this to occur, but we know that you have a purpose for good in all things, and we rest in this knowledge and truth. We thank you for your providence and praise you in all things. We ask this is Jesus' name. Amen. |
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I think infrastructure spending was a major part of Ralph Nader's 2000 platform. I haven't looked it up yet, but if so it's definately to his credit... |
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You are right. Please excuse my poor attempt at sarcasm. |
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Is every disaster due to GWB or the terrorists?
Don't think. Just answer: "Yes" is the correct response.
Liberals don't teach their children how to play "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" anymore. They post a pic of GWB on the wall instead.
Similarly, conspiracists see a terrorist behind every disaster. I mean, we all know that GWB created the Katrina hurricane... but only because creating a disaster on that scale or planting sufficent explosives in the Twin Towers to bring down those well-built structures was beyond the power of any terrorist. Oh, and the Jews all instant messaged each other to get out of the building that morning. GWB is a big Zionist, as we all know.
But of course if a crane falls over on a construction site these days, there is no doubt anymore that it was a terrorist attack.
Thank God for the internet. The truth is out there, and if we all just jump to conclusions and shoot our mouths off enough, we can eventually do as great a job of distorting personal reality as the mainstream media has been doing all these decades.
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I for one will own up to sometimes obliviously doing what you're pointing out. It's a good reminder that it's all too easy to lose one's heart/soul over trying to score ideological points. Problem is, one sounds like an uncaring prat. |
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You hit my sentiments exactly on the head. |
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Toady, first of all, you took one part of Uncle Jimbo's otherwise cogent post out of its context. You juxtapose that with a comment quoted in full WITHIN its proper context.
Furthermore, are you honestly comparing Uncle Jimbo getting mad about Scott Beauchamp because of an enormous pile of evidence that he is lying (without any evidence to the contrary, I might add - not withstanding TNR's confident assertion that they have found nothing to discredit the Diarist), with a commenter at the Daily Kos observing a bridge falling down, and blaming Bush, and the Iraq War?
Yikes... |
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This is a tragedy and all you can do is laugh and tell jokes? Wake TFU. Pray for the families of the victims. |
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Its not the same, people.
General rule out on the internets is that a blog or website's comments are not the same as the actual subject matter of the blog or website -- I don't think you'll mistake Phil in Pasadena or jtb-in-texas's badly written rants for Dean or Hugh.
You take any significant collection of individuals on the intertubes and you'll find a screwball or extremist, either here or at dKos. If you really some insanity, try Free Republic or Democractic Underground -- its not hard to find.
It doesn't mean the proprietors agree with the comment, and its childish to ascribe an anonymous note after a post to the entirety of "the left."
Of course, I'm assuming some honesty on Dean's part...
http://www.themechanicaleye.com
DU |
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I imagine it is GW's fault. He should have personally inspected every bridge in the nation and made a decision on which ones are safe ( jees lefty's get a clue). Highway safety is a State responsibility and accidents happen sometimes. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. It is simple laws of nature and there is not alwasy someone to blame. |
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It is silly to blame Bush, and even largely government (for now). This is likely just a bad thing. It MAY turn out that someone, somewhere along the line dropped the ball (I saw a report that this bridge had recently -- that is in the last few years -- been inspected). But it is more likely just life. It is also a reminder that government, even working at its best, can't be everywhere and do everything -- but neither can anyone. Bridges fall, bad things happen. It is not a time to pile on -- and it is unseemly to do so. It is sad that the things that SHOULD be fought over bleed into the things that SHOULDN'T. It damages the credibility of all sides. |
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My wife and I like to play a game called "Who can blame Bush first". Whenever somthing bad happens, whoever yells out "Bush's Fault" first wins. The minute the bridge collaps came on the news we both yelled it at exactly the same moment. |
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I told my girlfiend this morning that soon this will all be George Bush's fault, she looked at me with "Oh pleeeease" written all over her face.
She is so naive.
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...when you're on the internet and making comments or blog posts to lose a sense of empathy.
Horrific news is reduced from a real human tragedy to print on a computer screen divorced from the images of grieving families, broken people, and the emotion that is ever present.
Sitting far away, in a comfortable desk chair in an air conditioned room, the armchair pundits can easily reduce the news into yet another factoid to support some political position or score another point on a hated rival.
Not saying it's right, just that it's fairly easy to do. |
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Not only are these moonbats nutty...
They lack that 'liberal' concern for all.
Golly gee, just because a Republican led the effort to liberate millions of Oppressed in Iraq, they don't care about Iraqis.
Yet, they want us to invade Darfur!
LOLOLOLOL !
Bombing Kosovo okay, invading Haiti no problem, but heaven forbid a Republican who fights against Radical Muslim Terrorists, or helps 25 Million in the heart of the ARAB Region build a Democracy.
The Democrat Partisans continue to reveal their bigotry and hatred for others, which is so vast, they cannot simply show empathy for those facing a terrible tragedy.
They are to be pitied and rejected.
And right now, it looks like they are going to NOMINATE Hillary, who voted for the authorization of the use of force in IRAQ !
She and her husband even lied about the Genocide in Rwanda...
And Democrats love her...
LOL !
It could not be more amusing.
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We can revisit the pork laden Highway Bill that the entirely Republican controlled congress passed and a Republican president signed into law later.
Here's a quote after Bush signed the Highway Bill:
At a short bill-signing event in Montgomery, Ill., Bush said the new law will allow the United States to modernize highways and roads in a fiscally responsible manner. "I'm proud to be here to sign this transportation bill, because our economy depends on us having the most efficient, reliable transportation system in the world," Bush said at a Caterpillar Inc. manufacturing plant.
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>bridge repair is not "sexy enough"<
But stadiums ... those are sexy. |
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I saw the television footage and I actually started to cry. Then I prayed. I am still praying today. But for one swift breath I thought "I wonder how fast it will take the lefties at Kos et al to blame Bush for this." Right after that I thought "they will tie to to Iraq SOMEHOW." UTTERLY PREDICTABLE NOW. THE LEFT CAN'T be trusted with the keys to DRIVE THE CAR known as the United States of America. |
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...are the result of not being able to spank your kids anymore....
No morals, no discipline, no sense of right and wrong, no boundaries of good taste.
Plenty of self esteem though, thank God! (sarc)
They never had any sense beat into them. Perhaps it's not too late..... |
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Earlier this year, the New York Sun ran an op-ed (I can't find the link just yet), by an expert on bridges and tunnels and whatnot, who said most of our bridges are in horrible condition. The reason, she said, that nothing is being doing about this is because bridge repair is not "sexy enough" (that quote stuck in my mind when I read it).
Obviously hindsight is 20/20, and there's no use saying "I told ya' so!" But perhaps it is important for Washington leaders to remember that some things need to get done, despite the fact that they aren't "sexy enough." |
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Conservatives are forever subjected to triumphant liberals crowing about how successful left-wing blogs are, and how there really isn't anything comparable on the right - we're just not as popular. (Note: some one the right are prepared to admit this - the Powerline guys do this all the time).
But, when someone points out how much of the left-wing blogosphere is made up of psychopaths, then it becomes EVERYBODY'S problem, and EVERYONE has some nutcases.
You can't have your cake and eat it, too.
The fact of the matter is that the left-wing blogosphere is larger than the right-wing blogosphere - which is a good thing for liberals (maybe) - but the downside of that is that there are going to be more nutcases. It's simple math.
Besides, you're missing the point of this post anyway. The point of this post is to point out that this is not a time for cheap partisan squabbling. It is a time to come together and help the victims.
And maybe...just maybe...the best way to do this might not be by blaming Bush. |
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My wife called my sister-in-law, who lives in the Twin Cities. Her comment back was, these bridges are decaying all over Hennepin County and nothing is being done and they just had ground breaking on a new tax payer funded stadium deal. She has a point.
The White House also issued a press statement saying that a previous structural study suggested this bridge needed a lot of work. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070802/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_bridge_collapse_4
This is not a Democrat or Republican thing, this is a nation wide infrastructure thing. |
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This reminds me of 9/11. Michael Moore's first thought was to wish a Republican area had been hit instead. Meanwhile, Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson blamed feminism, of all things.
When America is attacked and your first reaction is to attack other Americans, you have serious issues. And while divers are still searching for survivors in the Mississippi, just keep your political points to yourself.
Jon, http://exurbanleague.com |
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Yep, Froggy, you got it right--for once...Youse-
gazillions of Nutters....US-a trifling sliver.
That's cool. |
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by now the KosKidz would be whining that '16 hours after the collapse, Bush STILL hasn't flown over the bridge wreckage from 30,000 feet'. They're really losing their 'edge.' |
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They are being delusional. We don't even know the cause of why this bridge collapsed and they are already assigning blame? How about praying for the victims or trying to raise some funds for the Red Cross? Step one guys. There will be plenty of time for pontificating later. |
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If anything bad happens after 9/11 you have to at least consider it. But that is not all you think.
The only reaction to any diaster should be 1) what can I do to help/mitigate the harm (that is the first step) and 2) what caused it and how can we prevent this in the future. |
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