A Bridge Too Far

Wall Street Journal on line ^ | November 21, 2005 | Editor

[harpu]

good article...

[Ronaldus Magnus Reagan]

Tom Coburn-sponsored by The Club for Growth

Ted Stevens- Not sponsored by The Club for Growth

Conclusion- Donate money to The Club for Growth and NOT to the RNC!

[1rudeboy]

Anybody have the name of that website where I can get a password?

[GermanBusiness]

Well that does it! I am cancelling the purchase of my new condo on Gravina Island.

[DB]

This is going to sound dumb but I'm going to say it anyway...

I'd bet Alaska pays in far more to the Fed than they get back in return (mostly due to oil taxes). So I tend to think what little they do get back should be theirs to do as they please. Even if it means building a bridge to nowhere.

[DB]

'bugmenot' I think is it.

[1rudeboy]

Too many mosquitos. I went with a condo in Gstaad instead.

[clockwise]

bugmenot.com

[1rudeboy]

Thanks everybody.

[Stirner]

I'm not a fan of government waste, and I think the locals should pay for their own damn bridge. That said however, I think the ridicule this project is getting may be misplaced. I googled the map of Ketchican, and it looks to me that the area airport is on the island where the bridge will go to. There may be few people living there, but access to the airport sounds like a necessity for business development. Anybody live in Ketchican who can set me right if I'm reading the map wrong?

[q_an_a]

I like your reasoning and agree with you, but I fear that is not the case. Alaska has no sales or income tax AND pays out 1000 dollars a year to each person as part of their oil revenue. I doubt that they pay in more to the treasury as their total population is 650,000 not even equal to a large city in most states. still I agree that how people spend their money is why we elect people. Ask the folks serving tea in Boston.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

You see what a liar Sen. Stevens is?

He promised us he would be taken out on a stretcher or something if they took away the funding for his dang bridges.

He is never to be trusted.

I am deeply saddened by his duplicity.

[manwiththehands]

So even without the Bridge to Nowhere, Alaskans will do just fine in the return-on-taxes-paid department. In any case, Mr. Stevens isn't redirecting the bridge's $320 million to New Orleans. The deal is that the money stays in Alaska but will be spent on other road projects.

THIS STINKS EVEN WORSE!!! THERE ARE NO CUTS!!!! WHAT A BUNCH OF DIRTBAGS! THE SENATE IS CORRUPT BEYOND REDEMPTION!!!

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Thank you for pointing that out.

But I am still deeply sadden that Stevens reneged on his threat/promise.

[indcons]

Ted Stevens is the Republican version of good old "Sheets" Byrd. Both Stevens and Byrd think they are living on a pig farm and can consume all the pork they want.

[indcons]

From the article:

"We readily admit to being one of the leading maligners, though of Congress, not of Alaskans. Mr. Stevens has been in an arms race with Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia to see whose state could win the distinction of pork capital of the nation.

Mr. Stevens has pulled way ahead, with Alaskans ranking first in the nation in pork at $985 per resident and receiving about $5 of federal highway money for every dollar they pay in gas taxes. So even without the Bridge to Nowhere, Alaskans will do just fine in the return-on-taxes-paid department. In any case, Mr. Stevens isn't redirecting the bridge's $320 million to New Orleans. The deal is that the money stays in Alaska but will be spent on other road projects."

[Issaquahking]

Q&A

Clue up, Alaska has been jerked around by the more people in the "lower48" from the government, and clueless people than most can imagine. I can bet with 40 years in Alaska, that your another clueless one to the real workings of Alaska. I'd stay and debate, but have to roll for work.

[manwiththehands]

And the more I think about it the more angry I get. They think we are STUPID. What a bunch of crooks. Alaska still gets the money. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that with a little wheeling and dealing and creative budget "re-appropriations" and transfers, this bridge is still going to be built with federal dollars. GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

[antihannityguy]

There is perfectly reliable ferry service on the island now, there was no need for a bridge.