The Nation Is On a Bridge to Disaster

In 2009, Obama pushed through Congress an $800 billion stimulus bill.  Democrats promised that the bill would provide funds for needed infrastructure repairs.  The words "shovel ready" entered our vernacular.

But then something horrible happened.  "Shovel ready" meant paying back left wing organizations like ACORN, instead of fixing the nation's deteriorating roads, bridges, sewer systems, and the like.  Today, as the budget constricts, the bills remain unpaid.

Transportation For America, an infrastructure activist group, produced some scary numbers recently.  In their 2013 report entitled "The Fix We're In" it says:

11 percent of all U.S. highway bridges are structurally deficient— bridges requiring significant maintenance, rehabilitation or replacement. And though there are far fewer today than 20 years ago, our progress on repairing them has slowed to a trickle — nearly three times slower in the last four years than 20 years ago.
If all 66,503 structurally deficient U.S. bridges were placed end to end, you could drive from Washington, DC to Denver, CO entirely on deficient bridges. At 55 mph, you’d be taking your chances for over 28 hours on one, long, bad American bridge.

One of the major problems facing bridges comes from faulty rebar.  Bridges use reinforced steel surrounded by concrete.  Until a few decades ago, it was not thought necessary to protect that steel from rust.  Unfortunately, moisture seeped through the concrete and caused the steel to rust.  The bonding of oxygen and metal caused the steel to expand.  This cracks and weakens the concrete, dangerously weakening the bridge.  This flaw forced the replacement of the US 220 bridge over the Potomac River last year.  Many others face the same dire problem.  But because of Obama's reckless spending, money is not currently there.

Just imagine if we could go back in time and revisit the stimulus.  How easy would it have been to take money away from leftist groups engaged in deconstructing America and spend the money on projects to build the nation and make it safer?

Next time you experience apprehension crossing an unsafe bridge, make sure and thank Obama!