Do you see the fallacy of your statement, here?

“Let’s face it, the DFL doesn’t want more roads. They want the government to control how people move around in this state.

Kessler “reported” that Senator Murphy is skeptical of the NTSB report on the 35W bridge collapse, and that’s why they hired an “independent investigator” – in Kessler’s words.

Isn’t the “independent investigator” hired by state lawmakers (the majority of whom are DFL) a DFL lawyer who has run for public office before?

If that’s the case, Kessler has proven again that he and the other main stream reporters are biased, subjective pawns of the DFL.

That was the same day Chris was stuck for an hour, on an escalator.

Yes, the gas tax is dedicated to roads and bridges. But for years half of the MVST went into the general fund to be spend on education, health and human services, etc. The DFL refused to move all of the MVST to transportation. The only way the MVST got put into transportation was because the people of Minnesota voted to amend the state constitution. Even there, the DFL added language that at least 40% went to transit.

You can’t name one major road and bridge package sponsored by the DFL in the last 10 years. But I bet you can name half a dozen transit packages. Let’s face it, the DFL doesn’t want more roads. They want the government to control how people move around in this state.

Complete Bullshit, the gas tax is constitutionally dedicated to funding roads you dumbass! You guys think if you keep repeating your crappy propoganda long enough, people will believe it.

If you’re worried about time and money being wasted, turn the stupid ramp meters off. I spent 15 minutes at one, wasting 1/3 a gallon of gas when there wasn’t even any traffic on Hwy 36 the other morning.

The reason the final judgement has not been ascertained by the NTSB is that we don’t know the extent to which the weights of the vehicles on the bridge, construction activity and other factors such as weather had on the bridge failure.

What we do know is that it’s pretty ridiculous that the DFL hired lawyers (who are already suing MNDOT on behalf of private clients) instead of waiting for the NTSB to do its work.

All I am saying is that people who know more about bridges (NTSB) have released a preliminary report. Agree or disagree with it, you have to admit they’re the experts and we are not.

I feel the same way about the Mark Ritchie situation. I disagree with the findings of the auditor who investigated, but I respect the process and we have to live with that.

Funny, the bridge has been up for 40 years but it is all Pawlenty’s fault. How about all the liberals who have been running things all the years before? Oh that is right, the local DFL needs things like this to happen so they can use it to get more tax dollars from the rest of us.

Seems no matter what the issue, the DFL sees the answer as time to raise taxes.

I really question why anyone would vote DFL anymore.

I approve.

What?? My theroy is as good as yours.

What is it with tin foil hat liberals??

To Cranny: What’s worse: Pawlenty saying that a prelim report seems to headed in a different direction than the DFL had hoped? Or several DFL/anti-administration members saying on the day the bridge collapsed that Pawlenty was responsible because he didn’t back a reckless attempt to raise taxes?

You failed to mention the DFL press conference held following release of the NTSB report. You can’t swing a dead cat without Senator Murphy mugging it up for the 6PM news. He’s pathetic and irrelevant. What’s sad is the main stream press covers this clown, even though he has nothing new to say.

Your claim that Pawlenty is covering something up is baseless and just plain silly. Now go lay by your dish.

If he wants to complain about wasting money look at all the time and money wasted on that stupid ramp meter study he authored.

What I find downright odd though, is the NTSB and Pawlenty both having big press conferences telling everyone it’s a design flaw, but then saying don’t jump to conclusions it is not complete. Well hell if it isn’t complete don’t have the damn press conference, finish your work. If you have concerns about other bridges having the same problem, call their transportation departments, don’t have a big press conference.

If you think this bridge collapse doesn’t involve politics on Pawlenty’s part you are crazy! He will do anything possible to wiggle out of any responsibility for the collapse, because he knows if he doesn’t he has no chance at being considered for VP.

It is exactly that sort of question that allows us all to know the real reason for a Senate “investigation”.

Politics. That’s all it’s about. Not truth, but how to use the tragedy of people dying to extract political gain.

Pathetic.

Sadly it appears that the Democrats are searching for a report they can agree with. I suspect that’s why they hired a DFLer to head their inquiry – they had some idea of what caused the tragedy, but wanted something to point the finger at the governor.

Similarly, I disagree with the final report regarding Mark Ritchie. Do I respect it? Yes, because the auditor who conducted the investigation knows alot more about it than I ever will. If Republicans were to do their own investigation, I label that as partisan too.

And anyone who thinks the NTSB is covering up for Pawlenty is just plain nuts. Pawlenty may be in the news here, but I guarantee that no one else in the country – especially a federal agency – gives a darn about him. These professional investigators would not put their reputations on the line for a politician they’ve probably never heard of.