Bush Opposes Tax Hike To Fix Bridges

President Also Discusses Pakistan, Iraq, Iran At News Conference

(CBS/AP)  President Bush, at a news conference Tuesday, spent 45 minutes answering questions on an unusually broad set of issues. They ranged from Iran's role in Iraq, last week's bridge collapse in Minnesota, the friendly fire death of Army Ranger Pat Tillman, a plunge in the home-mortgage market, the possible closing of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, tax policy and accountability in his administration.

A week after a deadly bridge collapse in Minneapolis, Mr. Bush dismissed Thursday raising the federal gasoline tax to repair the nation's bridges at least until Congress changes the way it spends highway money.

"The way it seems to have worked is that each member on that (Transportation) committee gets to set his or her own priorities first," Mr. Bush said. "That's not the right way to prioritize the people's money. Before we raise taxes, which could affect economic growth, I would strongly urge the Congress to examine how they set priorities."

About $24 billion, or 8 percent of the last $286 billion highway bill, was devoted to highway and bridge projects singled out by lawmakers. The balance is sent in the form of grants to states, which then decide how it will be spent. Federal money accounts for about 45 percent of all infrastructure spending.

The Democratic chairman of the House Transportation Committee proposed a 5-cent increase in the 18.3 cents-a-gallon federal gasoline tax to establish a new trust fund for repairing or replacing structurally deficient highway bridges.

Noting that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was in Iran Thursday, Mr. Bush said he hoped his message would be the same as the United States' that Tehran should halt the export of sophisticated explosive devices into Iraq or "there will be consequences."

He did not say what those consequences would be.

Mr. Bush had a clear message for Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about meddling in Iraq, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod.

"What my message to him is, is that when we catch you playing a non-constructive role, there will be a price to pay," said Mr. Bush.

Skeptics aren't so sure that Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki, who received a warm, handshaking welcome from Iran's Ahmadinejad, delivered the same message. Like Iran's rulers, Maliki is a Shiite and lived in Iran for part of his exile, reports Axelrod.

Mr. Bush says he'll get a report from Maliki and no matter how warm the welcome, the Iraqi Prime Minister will see it his way.

"His message, I'm confident will be, stabilize, don't destabilize. — And the sending of weapons into Iraq is a destabilizing factor," said Mr. Bush.

Mr. Bush also said he is confident in the ability of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to crack down on militants at the Afghan border and cooperate with the U.S.

He said he expected Musharraf to take "swift action if there is actionable intelligence inside his country." Mr. Bush refused to address whether the U.S. troops would go into Pakistan without permission from leaders there.

"We spend a lot of time with the leadership in Pakistan talking about what we will do with actionable intelligence," he said. "Am I confident they (terrorists) will be brought to justice? My answer is, `Yes I am.' "

Musharraf, a key ally in Washington's fight against terrorism, is under growing U.S. pressure. But the Pakistani leader is under considerable pressure at home too.

He has seen dwindling popular support amid a failed bid to oust the country's chief justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry — an independent-minded judge likely to rule on expected legal challenges to Musharraf's bid for re-election to another five-year term. Musharraf also has been beset by rising violence in the country, particularly following an army raid to end the takeover of the Red Mosque in Islamabad, an operation that left more than 100 people dead.

Speculation that an emergency could be imminent grew after Musharraf on Wednesday abruptly pulled out of a meeting in Kabul with more than 600 Pakistani and Afghan tribal leaders, phoning Afghan President Hamid Karzai to say he couldn't attend because of "engagements" in Islamabad.

[forthepeopl1]

what about this bush

In Washington, the State Department said . ``
Bush is under growing American pressure to crack down on militants at the Afghan border because of fears that al-Qaida is regrouping there.
The Bush administration has also not ruled out unilateral military action inside america but like Obama, has stressed the need to work with the americans.
An aide to the president, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, bush was due to meet with Cabinet members , the attorney-general and leaders from the ruling party on Thursday to discuss whether an emergency should be declared.
He did not expect a declaration of an emergency in the early hours of Thursday.
A senior government official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said bush had held several meetings Wednesday with, legal experts and top figures of the ruling party and the leaking of possible emergency plans indicated that it was a serious option.
Under our constitution, the head of state - the president - may declare a state of emergency if it is deemed that the country's security is ``threatened by war or external aggression, or by internal disturbance beyond'' the government's authority to control.
If a state of emergency is to be extended beyond two months, it must be approved by a joint sitting of, the constitution says.
------

[ekucrew]

Maybe Prez Bush will take the new Prez of France out for a boat ride....then make mouthy Sarkozy swim back to the beach.

[micma-2009]

I wonder if they'll ask him about the trillion dollars we've borrowed from China to pay for his war.

[rushlimpdrug]

shock and awe us mr. prez

[pepperp1]

China NUCLEAR OPTION, too late and they don%u2019t even need to use planes to wreck our freedoms....watch those 401 Ks boomers some estimate are a40 percent equity drop. Oh joy we now have an addiction to foreign Capital as well as oil, but this time lets us use withdrawal, do not believe GBII will unilaterally invade China, but who knows %u2026%u2026

Here is the problem: The United States maxed-out its credit cards long ago, and it needs to borrow and borrow both to raise still more money, and to pay interest on that ever-growing debt. The Chinese, with all those dollars, are willing to lend by buying U.S. Treasury bonds. That keeps interest rates down and that gives Americans extra bucks to buy%u2026 more goods from China.

The Chinese are holding and investing something like $1.3 trillion they made from selling goods to America.

Now, some Chinese officials have floated the idea that these U.S. dollars could be used against the United States.. that Beijing may use its $1.33 trillion of foreign reserves as a political weapon to counter pressure from the U.S. Congress.

"Described as China's 'nuclear option' in the state media, such action could trigger a dollar crash at a time when the U.S. currency is already breaking down through historic support levels."

The words that hit were "NUCLEAR OPTION". Rarely do you find that in a story on currency.

[realpatriot1]

We don't need to raise taxes to fix the bridges, we just need to eliminate the tax cuts to those making over $200,000 annually so that we can release the federal gas taxes.

We need to get back to paying as we go for our operating expenses and treating trust funds(gas taxes, social security)in a trustworthy manner.

We need to fix the bridges here before the ones in Iraq and stop borrowing money from the People's Liberation Army.

[processor2]

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

[processor2]

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

[processor2]

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

[processor2]

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

[processor2]

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

[processor2]

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

[processor2]

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

[tomar0317]

Stop trying to raise taxes for congress' inability to spend maturely. In fact, lets decrease the gasoline tax. If you can't spend it wisely, we'll take it back. Stop giving money to other countries! Let's fix ours!!! I can hardly wait for the elections.... time for more new blood

[omega39-2009]

The gas tax hasn't been raised in 12 years, the tax is a flat 18.5 cents/gal that remains the same independent of the price of gas. The tax should be raised to a Percentage of the current cost of a gallon of gas.

[omega39-2009]

Posted by processor2

Processor2, when you hit the "publish" button once you are posting an ill informed opinion, when you hit the publish button six times you are spamming the board with mindless drivel.

[risr-2009]

If we did not invade iRaq, saddam and OBBama were going to nuke us in 45 minutes. Plus who do you think sent that anthrax the same day as irag plowed their planes into NY City. Do you lieberals want us to be nuked by Obbamaa Bin Laden? They found all those weapons alquaida had in Northern irag but no one every talks about that. Why? Because the lieberals are afraid of the TRUTH!!! Bush saved us from Nuclear war! And you hate him for that!!

[rushlimpdrug]

processor2 - could you post one more time to raise you from idiot to moron.

[forthepeopl1]

its ok for the whitehouse to spend trillions of our tax dollar for their illeigal war/pet project but dont do anything to save americans lifes.
United States May Declare State of Emergency


%u2013 The whitehouse government of embattled President bush said Thursday it may impose a state of emergency due to ``external and internal threats'' and deteriorating law and order.
including from Democratic presidential hopeful Barak Obama, over the possibility of U.S. military action against al-Qaida in Pakistan ``has started alarm bells ringing and has upset the Pakistani public.''
But it appeared the motivation for a declaration of an emergency would be the domestic political woes of
President bush
During a state of emergency, the government can restrict the freedom to move, rally, engage in political activities or form groups and impose other limits such as restricting congress right to make laws or even dissolving congress
``

[ianlou]

processor2
The more copies you post, the less you are read.
I've gotten to the point that, if I see your name, I skip posts till I don't.

Ever noticed when someone starts screaming their ideas, everyone stops listening?

[prinzowhales]

The Highway Trust Fund and the gas taxes should pay for the repairs--otherwise, if the citizenry is too bloody sorry to control the Cement Cartel, the avaracious contractors, the orange barrel brigands and the swarms of lawyers study-mongers...then let them cross the bridges and take their chances. NO MORE NEW TAXES, FOR ANY REASON--SAVE FOR GOOD HEMP ROPE...AND LOTS OF IT!!

[pastdue1]

President Bush said that the aim in Iraq is to gain an ally in the Middle East. Then he talked about the "kids" who got on the planes and bombed the World Trade Center. Why would we want another ally like Saudi Arabia or Pakistan or other Middle East countries that he calls allies. These are countries that we include in diplomatic relations and hopefully, can get them to act as allies. And, the "kids" that piloted the planes into the World Trade Center were supplied by, none other than Saudi Arabia, our strong and good ally. His favorite words ~ "It's HARD work", how simplistic can he get?

[barbaraf4]

Bush doesn't need good bridges. He has helicopters and Air Force One. I say we cut back on maintenance on his modes of transportation.

[processor2]

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

[processor2]

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

[risr-2009]

If we did not invade iRaq, saddam and OBBama were going to nuke us in 45 minutes. Plus who do you think sent that anthrax the same day as irag plowed their planes into NY City. Do you lieberals want us to be nuked by Obbamaa Bin Laden? They found all those weapons alquaida had in Northern irag but no one every talks about that. Why? Because the lieberals are afraid of the TRUTH!!! Bush saved us from Nuclear war! And you hate him for that!!

[l8c6]

The way it seems to have worked is that each member on that (Transportation) committee gets to set his or her own priorities first," Mr. Bush said. "That's not the right way to prioritize the people's money. Before we raise taxes, which could affect economic growth, I would strongly urge the Congress to examine how they set priorities." ---duh Bush

Does't mention the vetos the republican governor made to stop funds to repair the transportation infrastructure and the political efforts made to overthrow the people and build a stadium.

This is the absolute worst president EVER!

If we the people trust this Bush man with "the people's money" which is really a loan from the international monetary system, then if Jack Abramhoff is correct, "stupid people deserve to lose", we'll be losin'.

[mcvet]

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

Posted by processor2 at 11:32 AM : Aug 09, 2007

Now folks ask yourself the question who do YOU think will fix the problems we have with bridges fascist like this loser, who brands anyone who doesn't march to his political views in lock step a "Liberal" or someone else. These LOSERS have been telling us the same tired old *** now for 30 years and what has been fixed or gotten better for the working guy? NOTHING! They are now what they were in 1776, they haven't changed and still only care for the "superior" one's. Everyone else, well you don't matter. Sieg Heil Y'all.

[infidel_us]

"Before we raise taxes, which could affect economic growth, I would strongly urge the Congress to examine how they set priorities."
President Bush

This should not be a problem for the most "ethical-transparent" congress in history, eh Nancy? :) Maybe cut back on Myrtha's $150M going to a non existent entity.

[l8c6]

If we did not invade iRaq, saddam and OBBama were going to nuke us in 45 minutes. Plus who do you think sent that anthrax the same day as irag plowed their planes into NY City. Do you lieberals want us to be nuked by Obbamaa Bin Laden? They found all those weapons alquaida had in Northern irag but no one every talks about that. Why? Because the lieberals are afraid of the TRUTH!!! Bush saved us from Nuclear war! And you hate him for that!!
Posted by risr------------sad part is, there are those who would take you seriously.

[pugster]

Bush was for rebuilding i35w before he was against putting money to rebuild it.

[mcvet]

If we did not invade iRaq, saddam and OBBama were going to nuke us in 45 minutes. Plus who do you think sent that anthrax the same day as irag plowed their planes into NY City. Do you lieberals want us to be nuked by Obbamaa Bin Laden? They found all those weapons alquaida had in Northern irag but no one every talks about that. Why? Because the lieberals are afraid of the TRUTH!!! Bush saved us from Nuclear war! And you hate him for that!!
Posted by risr at 11:33 AM : Aug 09, 2007

Do YOU honestly believe the garbage you spew? ROLFMAO Just who do you define as "liberal" there Swastika breath? ROFLMAO You are the FIRST loser I've heard in a LONG time come back with this Weapons claim. God what planet do you people live on anyway? Are you HONESTLY saying the Saddam had nukes and didn't use them or that Al Qaeda had them and didn't? I just can't believe anyone living in this nation is THIS stupid!! Sieg Heil Y'all.

[infidel_us]

and what has been fixed or gotten better for the working guy?
Posted by MCVet at 11:35 AM : Aug 09, 2007

How would you know? Why doin't you try "working" something besides your mouth and your fingers for a change. Or are you a welfare leech?

Is MCVet like MCHammer? I KNOW there's NO WAY you could have been in the marine corps. There's NO WAY they could possibly be that HARD UP.

[tuckerndfw]

I agree with Mr. Bush that we need to examine our priorities.

We need to repeal those trillion dollar tax cuts he and his cronies gave themselves.

We need to end the occupation of Iraq and downsize the military by 50%.

We need to impose import duties on foreign goods coming into the US.

We need to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. That, in and of itself, would generate hundreds of billions in tax revernues.

And, we need to revamp the tax code and reestablish progressive taxation so that anyone earning, from any source, over one million dollars per year is taxed at 92% like it was when the US was a prosperous nation.

That'll take care of it.

[omega39-2009]

And of course the free market dictates that a gallon of gasoline can only go so high before people stop buying it. Bush and his supporters would rather have the full range of price swings add to the obscene profits of Exxon-Mobile instead of being used to repair infrastructure.

[risr-2009]

If G-D told Bush to invade, then he must have had a good reason. Believe the lieberal lies. Irag attacked us and you want to LIE down and wait for Saddam and ABBOMA BIN Laden to attack us again. We are doing G-Ds will. Bush knows better than any of you. We did find WMD, we know Saddam and Al Quaiada are working together. Who do you think is killing all to US troops?
Bush in 08!

[hawksprings]

Why can't the People's Republic of Minnesota use some of it's $2.1 Billion dollar surplus in taxes they confiscated from their ctizens to fix their bridge?

Besides, they knew this bridge was dangerous back in 1990s!! That's when Clinton was president, wasn't it?
WHY DIDN'T BILL CLINTON FIX THIS BRIDGE INSTEAD OF TAKING BLOW JOBS IN THE ORAL OFFICE?? WHY DID CLINTON LEAVE THIS MESS FOR BUSH TO FIX??
THIS IS ALL CLINTON'S FAULT!!!

(Sorry, I just couldn't resist using Liberal's logic against them.)

...

[omega39-2009]

THIS IS ALL CLINTON'S FAULT!!!

(Sorry, I just couldn't resist using Liberal's logic against them.)

...
Posted by hawksprings

No problem, you all have been squealing that for the last seven years anyway:)

[wfbdem]

If G-D told Bush to invade, then he must have had a good reason. Believe the lieberal lies. Irag attacked us and you want to LIE down and wait for Saddam and ABBOMA BIN Laden to attack us again. We are doing G-Ds will. Bush knows better than any of you. We did find WMD, we know Saddam and Al Quaiada are working together. Who do you think is killing all to US troops?
Bush in 08!
Posted by risr at 11:42 AM : Aug 09, 2007

Please tell me this is a joke. Americans cannot be this stupid. Right?

[infidel_us]

No problem, you all have been squealing that for the last seven years anyway:)
Posted by omega39 at 11:45 AM : Aug 09, 2007

I notice you didn't refute. :) I agree with hawksprings. If you libs can blame Bush for a bridge collapse, it's also fair to blame Clinton the First.

[processor2]

Posted by MCVet at 11:35 AM : Aug 09, 2007

That's because liberals don't seem to have the mental capacity to understand two very American concepts:

1) yes we are one country, BUT
we're also fifty diverse states. Celebrate diversity.

2) Also,
in the beginning of this country, Washinton, DC DID NOT create the states, it was the states that created Washington, DC.

There you go MCVet(Stalin-breath)

..

REPOST

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

[processor2]

Posted by MCVet at 11:35 AM : Aug 09, 2007

That's because liberals don't seem to have the mental capacity to understand two very American concepts:

1) yes we are one country, BUT
we're also fifty diverse states. Celebrate diversity.

2) Also,
in the beginning of this country, Washinton, DC DID NOT create the states, it was the states that created Washington, DC.

There you go MCVet(Stalin-breath)

..

REPOST

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

[jumkey]

You know, we ought to take all highway funds collected from our taxes and simply give them to rich people and corporations.

Better yet, we should take all the money the middle class has contributed to Social Security, Medicare, education, police and fire and everything else and simply distribute it to corporate America.

That would fix our roads and bridges.

[omega39-2009]

I notice you didn't refute. :) I agree with hawksprings. If you libs can blame Bush for a bridge collapse, it's also fair to blame Clinton the First.
Posted by infidel_us

Thats because much like south park suggests, our political choice is between a dou/che and a tu/rd sandwich:)

[hawksprings]

Liberals secretly cherish the day when the Government confiscates ALL of our income.

Liberals dream of the day when the Tax Rate is 100%.

Liberals NEVER think taxes are high enough.

...

[ioweign]

Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...

Posted by processor2 at 11:32 AM : Aug 09, 2007


Metro Transit currently collects roughly 35 percent of its budget from fareboxes, 60 percent comes from state appropriations and motor vehicle sales, and the remainder is from federal and self-generating sources.

Tim Pawlenty (R) may not like your rhetoric.

Take away that boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system and the death toll could be greater.

[pepperp1]

What absolute hypocrisy, this President his policies and his absolute lack of ethical governance has placed this country on the brink of financial disaster for the people. He has under his watch incurred run away discretionary spending by 40 perecnt and increased by 600 percent the debt to that is now funded by foreign capital and guess what the bill is coming due ayear early. Because of this reckless deficts dont matter BS, China is now in a position to threaten our Congress, our country, our way of life to pull off an economic nuclear option if Congress places controls on Chins poisonous imports. And this fool President also failed to mention that not once, not once, did he reign in his Repug Congress-party and veto any of their boon doogle spending over that last 6 and half years. The repug Congress has been bought and paid for by this clown allowing him to run his Iraq conflict tax giveaway and his allowing them to spend like drunken co dependents.
This may shock to you supposed financial conservatives, but to fund your church with my hard earned tax dollars, ever.

I will not buy knowingly buy an import form China after this threat. Congress product labeling enact and enhance the laws.

[pepperp1]

Metro Transit currently collects roughly 35 percent of its budget from fareboxes, 60 percent comes from state appropriations and motor vehicle sales, and the remainder is from federal and self-generating sources.


My take:
And what about this Minny funding for the bridge falling down, absolutely my heart goes out to the victims and their families and know the Twin Cites to be a wonderful community. But they elected a governor who veto twice, twice dollars for the bridge repair, now explain why that would now be on a federal dime, I can understand a loan to the state if needed but rewarding States who elect official that will not or cannot govern will just provide further incentive to govern poorly. Election choices must have consequences you elect a fool and guess what your community suffers.

[cj7jeepstir]

Who cares about the bridges and infrastructure of this country anyway? We have to take care of Iraq first!

[processor2]

Posted by MCVet at 11:35 AM : Aug 09, 2007

That's because liberals don't seem to have the mental capacity to understand two very American concepts:

1) yes we are one country, BUT
we're also fifty diverse states. Celebrate diversity.

2) Also,
in the beginning of this country, Washinton, DC DID NOT create the states, it was the states that created Washington, DC.

There you go MCVet(Stalin-breath)

..

REPOST


Of course, what liberals won't tell you,
is that the money that should've been spent by the Government of Minnesota to repair the bridge,
was instead, spent on some boondoggle light-rail mass-transit system that hardly anybody uses.

And, the Government of Minnesota had a 2.1 Billion dollar budget surplus last year.

I put the blame squarely on the Government of Minnesota. They've known about this since the 90's.

...