[Extremist]

They are not always stupid. Sometimes they are greedy, gullible and downright crooked. They take contracts on jobs based on conjured up bids, bribes and plain old fashioned a$$-kissing (aka politics). The scumbag contractor often rides the job as long as possible because,

A: it was a time and materials bid, NOT finished product, or
B: they are incompetent and hope to figure it out as they go.

A certain amount of Texas bids are required to go to minority owned contractors. This leads to horrible corruption and pi$$ poor roads. Many have to be re-done because of shoddy work. I'm not saying Hispanics cannot make a good road. I'm saying when the gov't is forced to choose whoever bids simply because they are owned by a person whose ancestors came from a restricted pool of countries, THATS NOT ONLY RACISM..IT IS STUPID.

We'll I guess I contradicted myself.

[yooper]

"The scumbag contractor often rides the job as long as possible because,

A: it was a time and materials bid, NOT finished product(ALMOST NEVER HAPPENS, 99.9% OF THE TIME), or

B: they are incompetent and hope to figure it out as they go. (THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY; IT'S ONE OF THE DRAWBACKS OF THE LOW-BID SYSTEM).

A certain amount of Texas bids are required to go to minority owned contractors. This leads to horrible corruption and pi$$ poor roads. Many have to be re-done because of shoddy work. I'm not saying Hispanics cannot make a good road."

The best flat work crew I've ever worked with were Hispanics; many were illegals who hauled ass when INS showed up, but their work ethic, and their work, was superb. I would gladly grant them a green card were it within my power, if we could ship some of our own shiftless American peons south of the border.

[logic101.net]

Ok, I conceed your point in the larger picture. In Milwaukee we know about corrupt govt quite well. However, I doubt it is corruption that is behind this pattern I was bringing up; just idiocy and/or arrogance. In addition, I submitted this to the local rag and am limited to 200 words; so I could not get too far ranging with it.

I do agree that many of the problems govt cause are the result of corruption. I just couldn't go that far in this post. Besides, we are in the process of buying a new house and packing up - I don't have the energy right now to go on a major rant!

Mark A Sity

[Publicus]

If you REALLY care about the corruption AND actually want to DO something about it, check out the articles and comments detailing what crooked Ithaca officials are doing to poor Tom Pine and his wife, as well as, a productive, law-abiding widow!

It's REALLY gross and FREEPERS have apparently taken a few minutes to call in/E-Mail the sleazy Ithaca officials involved with the scam and told them in no uncertain terms they do NOT want those town officials using taxpayer- i.e. YOUR- money to harm productive, law-abiding citizens.