Bridging Gaps

When I35W fell into the Mississippi over two weeks ago, several opportunities presented themselves to average Minnesotans, politicians, and federal leaders. To average Minnesotans, the opportunity to become a hero in the face of freakish and macabre events availed itself. And like hearty Minnesotans, the opportunity was seized by many. Individuals having been hundreds of yards, perhaps miles from the scene rushed over to aid and rescue the victims of poor engineering and a derelict state government; working with great energy and sense of duty among the other rescue workers, these folks were heroes born of their humanity.

And after any talk of heroes, one must not forget the press, with their excited sensationalism. Anderson Cooper and his crew flying in Minneapolis, perhaps for the first time as this city enjoyed national obscurity before the embarrassment of having an interstate bridge fall like a broken Erector set into the largest river in North America. They sensationalized. They told stories of blind brutality carried out by vile politicians, angry citizens, and a remorseful Governor who quickly reversed his position on a gasoline tax increase. Yes, the media did their duty, exploiting the pain, and intense emotion, and now, they will exploit elsewhere, like a nomadic group of vikings, emotionally plundering each critical event that brings a community to its knees. Minnesota, hopefully, swiftly, falling back into obscurity.

And then there was the opportunity that politicians saw. The DFL, a golden opportunity. Finally, something tangible to rally around and ride the final hopes of a failing national party into the ground. Assigning the total blame of death upon the tight-pursed leaders of cheap government. Yes, they took their shot.

But the most devastating opportunity, which was missed likely on account of total idiocy, was the President's. George W. Bush had a gas tax increase bill in front of him. He had the opportunity to show the House Committee of Transportation, led by a Minnesotan Democrat, that he cared. And maybe that he's right and that the increase will do nothing, but truly, it doesn't matter. People need to feel the support of their government as they travel across wobbly bridges. And how! The bill was vetoed.

Whatever possibility for this president to perhaps ride the coattails of hindsight into a mediocre review in the history books is lost forever. George W. Bush will fade into the same color of history that Andrew Johnson and Herbert Hoover occupy: the color of failure.