And just as is the case in “the other story” in the news (ie, Rove’s legacy), the proto-sovietization has crept into the state’s institutions including the University of Minnesota.

Hi PW. Another fine post!

The day the bridge collapsed in MN was the day I arrived in Chicago, and I remember crossing a small bridge on the way into town from the airport. I had the impression that the only thing holding the bridge together was rust. We need to fix our country’s infrastructure NOW.

Agreed but until we control the message that Americans would be willing to have tax dollars spent on insuring our infrastructure is safe and is willing to put up with the inconvenience that new focus will bring rather than playing RUSSIAN R*UL*TTE hoping against hope that when it inevitably fails, we won’t be one of the victims, we can’t gain traction. They will use “taxes” and “inconvenience”. We need to be using “RUSSIAN R*UL*TTE”. Apparently fear is the only thing that motivates people. It’s time we help them visualize just what’s at stake if they continue to elect representatives that ignore the problem. Americans are literally playing a game of Russian R*ul*tte every time we cross a bridge. And they need to be reminded of it constantly.

People are basically living in some sort of denial… or else so burdened by staying alive that they can focus on nothing else.

So what happens is that scams of all sorts arise and suck the resources and drive society… whether war or American idol… or sports or the war in Iraq all created to make money.

Money rules in this culture and most others these days and so it clouds all decisions. We are not about living a just and enlightened life but one of accumulation of wealth and the pursuit of comfort.

Teddy the Tax Man

Because it is quite obvious to any thinking human being that their Grover Norquist anti-tax Republican policies are directly responsible for the I35W bridge collapsing and killing so many people, including children.

In fact, this Republican anti-tax policy that has degraded our nation’s infrastructure and has endangered all travelers on our nation’s highways and bridges goes all the way to Washington, and the Grover Norquist Republicans on Capitol Hill and in the White House who’ve decided that tax cuts for the wealthy is more important than making sure our roadways and bridges are safe.

To put it simply, insane Republican policies can get people killed, and have done so already. Iraq. Bridges collapsing. Katrina. Tainted food. Walter Reed Hospital. Medicare. To name just several instances in which American citizens have paid the ultimate price for insane Republican policies.

It is time to identify and remove from office all the Grover Norquist-kissing Repubicans before they get even more of our nation’s citizens, including children, killed.

These nefarious individuals have shredded our nation’s social safety net, with the apparent goal of destroying our social safety net completely, and all so that the wealthy can get even wealthier.

None of these individuals are Christian. I seem to remember something about Jesus, the eye of a needle, a camel and rich people.

Folk need to remember that the Minnesota Legislature is now solidly DFL — not enough to overcome a veto, but they have a clear majority. Of some interest, the current Transportation Commissioner, Lt. Gov. Molnau has not been confirmed in her position — the Senate Chair says he can’t find enough votes to confirm her — so we could see a stand-off where the appointment is called up and rejected. forcing Pawlenty to appoint an alternative. I am sure this is one bit of Leverage Larry Pogemiller is using as he tries to work with Pawlenty on the agenda for the special session post Labor Day. (Larry is both Senate Majority Leader and the I-35 bridge, both ends, are in his district.) And of course the City of Mpls has a say in this — and the Mayor is a fairly progressive DFL’er. The Legislative District is holding a meeting this week to organize a strong position on replacement — the district of course wants light rail and bike paths, afterall one thing this bridge does is connect two parts of the University. So just keep watching the action, some fairly significant principles are going to be fought over as this moves along.

What with all this wiretapping, who the hell know what’s going on? This MUST stop.

Thank you. This is, in elegant language simply stated, the core of the issue. The inability of a citizen to be free of monitoring seems to me the very essence of a corrupt, repressive society. Once pervasive electronic surveillance is acccepted as legitimate, the temptation and ability of the gov’t or its subcontractors to “generate” desired evidence will be overwhelming-as evidenced by a), forged Niger documents, and b), vague references to non-specific “chatter” and “terror alerts” based on classified evidence used to justify whatever the Regime wanted. The only way the tool of pervasive surveillance will not be misused is if it is not picked up in the first place.

This Must Stop. Indeed.