If Deficits Are So Bad, Why a Federal Earmark for Tiger Stadium?

North Star Writers Group ^ | July 24, 2008 | Dan Calabrese

[Invisigoth]

Lots of people love venerable Tiger Stadium. Few love it more than I do.

I attended hundreds of Detroit Tigers games there – from the day in 1975 when I saw Hank Aaron just miss a home run as a Milwaukee Brewer, to the day in 1999 when Todd Jones, the Tigers’ closer then and now, struck out Carlos Beltran to finish off the Kansas City Royals and close the door on Tiger Stadium’s tenure as home of my favorite team.

But just because people love it doesn’t mean it’s a priority of the nation to preserve it. Don’t try telling that, however, to our spend-happy Congress, particularly Michigan’s two Democratic U.S. senators, Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow.

Levin and Stabenow, proud as your cat showing you the mouse she just caught, have announced that they’ve secured a $4 million federal earmark to pay for the preservation of 96-year-old Tiger Stadium’s playing field, as well as a small portion of the grandstand area behind home plate. The full Senate still needs to vote on the earmark, and it still has to pass the House and survive conference.

But even if it never gets any farther than it’s already gotten, this needs to be called out for what it is – a completely irresponsible waste of federal money.

It’s been known for some time that Tiger Stadium preservationists, fronted by beloved former broadcaster Ernie Harwell, were running out of time and options to raise the money they needed for the partial preservation. Letting the entire ballpark continue to stand was out of the question.

[GOPyouth]

The REAL Tiger Stadium. ;)

[cripplecreek]

I hate to see it come down too but it isn’t doing any good sitting empty and federal money to keep it that way is stupid.

[ClearCase_guy]

“Detroit has problems.”
“Yes, it does.”
“We need to help Detroit.”
“Yes, we do.”
“It’s going to take money.”
“It’s worth it.”
“What should we spend the money on?”
“I’m thinking baseball.”
“I’m thinking the same thing.”

[Snow Eagle]

Unbe-flaming-lievable!

[Kieri]

The demolition is well underway and nearly 25% of the walls and bleacher section is gone. History.

Part of me still hopes they can restore the old railroad station. Even with broken-out windows and weeds it’s beautiful.

[Former War Criminal]

So we’re still pouring money into Iraq?

(New Fallujah)

[Crush]

Too bad the Constitution doesn’t matter to Congress. Read Madison’s Public Works Veto if you haven’t already. The Federal Government has no business taking money from people in Delaware and Texas for something that only benefits people in Detroit. Now if Michigan or Detroit wanted to spend the money, that is fine.

I hate to say it, but this is our fault, really: Who is in charge of our government? WE THE PEOPLE! We aren’t just innocent bystanders here. We need to hold our government officials accountable. Otherwise look what happens when government has an ignorant and apathetic electorate - today we are in a dead sprint towards socialism.

If someone here wants to do something more than just talk about the problem, take some time to check out the Microphone Marines website. (http://www.crushingchris.com/usmm/usmm.html)They don’t just talk about problems - they implement solutions.