Don Brunell of the Association of Washington Business parachutes in to tell us what's best for us.

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One of the many infuriating things about the criminal enterprise known as the Cowlitz megacasino is that those who would come here and ram this steaming crap pile down the throat of this community don't live here, and will not have to suffer the almost uncountable negative impacts of their scam.

That's just part of the reason I despise that effort and those behind it. These scum come down here from Seattle or Olympia or over here from Connecticut or up here from California to tell us how much WE will benefit from THEIR project.

That's a flat out lie, of course. WE will have to bear the myriad costs and taxes THEIR project will require. And that's why I oppose it.

How easy it is for those who don't live here and who will not bear the costs of THEIR project to come down here and tell US what, how, and in what way to live.

And that's the garbage Don Brunell just dropped on our doorsteps.

Here's his letter to the editor:

Congestion makes jobs vulnerable

As president of the Association of Washington Business, I want to express our steadfast support for a new I-5 Columbia River Crossing. Current congestion levels are having a negative impact on the cost of doing business in Washington and on the environment. The future looks even worse. By 2030, truck traffic is estimated to increase at almost twice the rate of automobile traffic and, without a new crossing, congestion is expected to increase to 15 hours per day.

Freight traffic brings vital goods to and from our regional businesses and supports jobs and the Washington economy. There are only two major bridges between Longview and Stevenson, which makes the region extremely vulnerable. If either bridge was damaged or closed, it would lead to lost jobs and lost business. We need to keep Washington businesses competitive. This important project will benefit Washington, and it must be built.

Don C. Brunell

Olympia

Olympia.

Olympia? Have you noticed, like I've noticed, how very well "Olympia" has done for the people of this state?

All of which is beside the points.

Point number one: Brunell, of course, doesn't live here. Like the scum shilling this steaming crap pile that will vacuum $100,000,000 per year out of our local economy (odd that. Brunell seems to care so VERY much about our Washington's economy." But it sure seems that he doesn't have much concern over the $100,000,000 a year hole he supports getting blown into OUR local economy. THAT sacrifice seems to just be "hunky dory" in the Olympia world of spending other people's money.)

Point number two: Brunell seems incapable of conceptualizing what SHOULD have happened, and what MIGHT have made the waste of the $100,000,000 plus already blown for "planning" worth it if that plan was for what this region REALLY needed: a third and then a forth bridge.

A third and fourth bridge would do the very thing that Brunell is whining about. Two additional bridges to handle local traffic would free up the two other interstate bridges for the freight mobility concerns that Brunell is babbling about, WITHOUT forcing 65,000 people per day to cough up $1300 a year.... each.... for a project we do not want, do not need and for which Brunell will not have to pay a dime.

Point number three: I get that AWB and, therefore, Brunell directly will benefit from this massive waste of billions of dollars. But to LIE about it?

Brunell, here's a clue:

When you babble "There are only two major bridges between Longview and Stevenson, which makes the region extremely vulnerable," you fail to indicate that even after this crap pile is built, there will STILL only be "two major bridges between Longview and Stevenson."

I point this out so that when you are determined to lie, you at least need to use common sense in the process. That, of course, stands as one of the biggest problems with bridge supporters: they cannot tell the truth and support this crap pile.

So, when you go on to spew: "If either bridge was damaged or closed, it would lead to lost jobs and lost business." While true as far as it goes, you neglect to mention that it will be true even AFTER the perfectly serviceable, fully functional and safe I-5 Bridge we ALREADY HAVE is unnecessarily replaced.

Next, you infer that replacing a perfectly serviceable bridge with 3 through lanes with an 8 or so billion dollar waste of money with 3 through lanes and loot rail will somehow "help" to "keep Washington business competitive."

In the face of Boeing's justifiable decision to get the hell out of here, I would venture to say that we have many, many more problems concerning Washington business competitiveness then the waste of billions of dollars to replace a bridge that does not need to BE replaced.

And finally, you tell us that " This important project will benefit Washington, and it must be built." Mr. Brunell, while it MAY "benefit Washington, it damned sure will NOT "benefit" those of us who actually LIVE here. It WILL benefit those few businesses that actually get bribed by contracts for small jobs connected with constructing this massive waste of billions... but it will DAMAGE our local economy and accomplish NOTHING in terms of decreasing congestion OR increasing freight mobility.

While admirable, the single-mindedness and complete failure of those shilling the bridge, the vast majority of whom not being required to pay a nickel in costs for THEIR project, leads them to lie without a second thought.

They tell us this massive waste of dollars unheard of in this region will solve every problem up to acne, when, in fact, it solves NOTHING except to vacuum hundreds of dollars out of the pockets of working families across this region... something Mr. Brunell, who DOES NOT LIVE HERE, will not have to worry about.

Frankly, that kind of rank hypocrisy sickens me.
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