It’s a year today since the Minneapolis bridge collapse that killed 13 people, but don’t expect Gov. Tim Pawlenty to showcase the reconstruction.
Indeed, with the Republican National Convention in St. Paul just a month away and Pawlenty reported to be high on John McCain’s running mate list, Republicans want to drive attention away from the infrastructure disaster that spotlighted the nation’s crumbling bridges and from the criticism the governor faced for what some critics said was a slow response.
The governor’s staff reports there are no plans to hold any events near the site of the bridge collapse, about 10 miles from the convention hall. And GOP convention planners have organized hundreds of buses to ease the congestion expected when some 45,000 conventioneers, guests and media commute to the hall.
I think that number of 45,000 is completely inflated--a good number of Republicans are already planning on staying away. Coupled with the infighting from the Ron Paul supporters that is sure to embarrass them, and the growing popularity of Bob Barr's candidacy, look for reduced attendance in St. Paul. Pawlenty runs public policy in the State of Minnesota like any decent Republican--fuck the people, reward the donors, and put on a smiling face in front of the cameras. This is the future of the Republican Party--find smiling people who have no shame, no remorse, no conscience and hope to God they can skate by on their good looks while everything goes to hell around them.
Don't look for anyone to point out that the crumbling infrastructure in Minnesota continues unabated by anything the Pawlenty administration has been doing. Dead Americans in the rubble never concern these people. Bridges keep crumbling, the shit gets piled higher, and one would think the Republicans would put on a better show of trying to appear concerned. Apparently not.
--WS
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