Republican Treason on the Highways of America

We all know that one of the obligations of the federal government is to provide for the common defense.  A strong national transportation system was always part of that obligation. It was roads for carriages, canals, airports, and of course the interstate highway system.

When President Eisenhower went to Kansas to announce the interstate highway system, he announced it as "the National Defense Highway System."

Whether for military purposes or healthy commerce, our transportation system is vital to the future prosperity of this country. We can argue about the balance between rail, rubber tire vehicles, and air, but regardless of the mode, maintaining a transportation system is vital to this nation.

Now word comes that the Republicans' sinister plot to sabotage our highway system is bearing fruit. As CBS News reported last night,

There was 40 percent more traffic in 2005 than there was in 1990. At the same time, an estimated 30 percent of America’s roads are in poor or mediocre condition...So why are road repairs stuck in a rut? The cost of materials used to fix pavements has shot up 33 percent in the past three years and the 18.4 cents per gallon gas tax that helps fund highway repairs hasn’t been raised in 14 years.

As scary as the condition of this nation's roads and deteriorating bridges, is the alternative solution many states are choosing to make up for the lack of proper funding: privatization.

The plan to strangle government so it does not work resulting in the sale of national and state assets is coming to fruition.  If the entire roadway is not sold or leased to the private sector, as with the Chicago Skyway, we will soon be charged extra if we wish to ride less congested roads. The Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, Allen Biehler, noted that his state needs $1.9 billion to fix its roads.

Here in Wisconsin the situation is not much better. Of course, California, due to its infamous Proposition 13, leads the nation with deteriorated and unsafe infrastructure.

It is nothing short of treason.

From September 01, 2006: Grover Norquist Kills 49; One More Critical:

"I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub."  ---Grover Norquist, presidential adviser and conservative strategist, close business and political ally of Jack Abramhoff

Tonight's headline:

FAA: Air Traffic Control Understaffed During Comair Crash

Comments

[Dan Sebald]

Right on. Recall David Gunn being fired trying to make Amtrak work and suggesting subsidies and opposing splitting off the northeast routes, etc. Not that Amtrak (and the whole rail infrastructure) are the best system, but it is the same issue.

[Anonymous]

I think the Illinois tollway started out being privately owned and now has retuned to it. I think private ownership of roads is a very bad idea but you may be right that they are creating the conditions for it. Who would be the movers behind this?