Superman 1978
Superman, Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor and the late Ned Beatty as his henchman Otis.
ETA: ninja’ed by the speedy action of running_coach
As appropriate.
GOP: Why should the government pay for the bridge?
Representative Dan Meuser had an unusual take on the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge: It’s not the government’s job to fix it. During an interview on Fox Business on Thursday, the Pennsylvania Republican slammed President Joe Biden for daring to say the multibillion-dollar reconstruction job is a responsibility of the federal government.
also,
Congressman Dan Meuser said, “I am pleased to have secured $2.5 million for Luzerne County to facilitate the much-needed reconstruction and drainage enhancements along Main Road in Hunlock and Ross Townships.
I’m guessing we’re not supposed to notice the date.
“What! Biden’s doing something smart and competent?! Can’t have that!”
The outrage appears to be why spend federal dollars in a state bridge. Shouldn’t that be Maryland’s problem?
Totally misses the importance of the bridge for the national economy. This is a huge port that was ranked 8th in the nation for foreign bulk cargo Banfield handling and 7th in dollar value. It handled 1/4 of coal exports.
Not only does the collapse of the bridge block or constrain local Baltimore traffic, it bottles up the port and makes it idle.
And that affects not only jobs in the Baltimore area, that will affect coal and steel and auto jobs nationwide. Aren’t those key Republican demographics?
Plus, this kind of funding is de riguer. A Minnesota bridge over the Mississippi was unanimously supported during George W. Bush’s admin.
And aid for hurricane Sandy was also unanimously supported by Congress too.
Privatize the profit, socialize the losses! Welcome to Republican economics.
This calls for systems thinking and understanding of the complex bigger picture. Republicans are now morons who only understand “oppose everything Biden says”. The party of destruction.
Also misses the fact that no matter what happens in America happens in a State.
And Senator Warren G. Magneson was able to secure federal funding to replace the damaged West Seattle Bridge in the late 1970s-early 1980s after a freighter slammed into it.
Unless it happens in D.C., or Puerto Rico, or one of the other U.S. Territories.
No, it doesn’t miss that fact, it relies upon it. Let the states fund that themselves is their thinking.
The problem is that it’s a federal impact. You know, international and interstate commerce. The city of Baltimore is the epicenter of economic damage, they have the immediate most drastic impact, but the commerce is not limited to one city or state, and the impacts will roll outward for months if not be felt for years.
This calls for … thinking and … understanding. Today’s Republicans eschew both.
Also Baltimore which is a very Liberal city in a very liberal state with a Largely black population, which along with its black congressman has been a favorite target of Trump. So there is a big heaping spoon full of racism along with it.
Spoon? Cauldron would fit better.
Could it be a lot like the “open boarder” thing? That closed port will have a negative economic impact. Nothing better than laying the blame for any and all impacts at Biden’s feet. Do they care it will hurt working people, the economy, the country? Hell no. The country means nothing to them. All they care about is getting power and control.
Yes, they’d rather have the economy take a hit they can blame on Biden and Democratic fiscal policies. It falls right into the narrative, so it will be an easy sell to their constituents, and those same constituents will not notice the connection to the bridge collapse.
Morality, in terms of *policy, is a factually provable claim. Take the recent decision of red state politicians to turn down free federal funding to prevent child hunger during summer months, when children will be unable to access the free school lunch program:
There is data that suggests that these children will experience deprivation without receiving this funding. There is data that suggests these children will perform better in life - and as a result, contribute more positively to society later on - if they do not have to face hunger at home or at school. And it costs these states nothing to accept the funding from this program.
The facts demonstrably support giving children food, just as much as they support the Earth being round. The only* reason for believing that we shouldn’t is warped ideology or theology, just as those are the only reasons for believing the Earth is flat.
Welcome to the SDMB @Madam_Airlock !
Presumably these republicans will say they are saving money. The taxpayers should not have to pay for someone else’s lunch! Right!?
Thing is, the taxpayers never get taxes reduced. Republicans are just taking food from children to line some donors’ pockets. That is evil.