In My View, Dec. 4: Get rid of the bridge scam altogether.

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As it becomes increasingly clear, even to the most ardently delusional bridgeophile (and anyone supporting the destruction of our perfectly serviceable I-5 Bridge to waste billions to bring loot rail into a community that has repeatedly said they don't want it IS delusional) that there is no money for this massive crap pile, we get grudging acknowledgement of this known-for-years fact with columns like the bizarre effort in the paper today.

This same paper banged it's drum for the nonsensical plan to cap the freeway (You know.... JUST LIKE SEATTLE?) another feature that bridge fanciers fantasize about that would only toss a few hundred million more dollars onto the back of the 65,000 commuters to Portland expected to pay for this cow pie of wasteful spending. This same paper has REPEATEDLY told us that twelve lanes (when, in fact, it was NEVER more than SIX through lanes) was the ONLY acceptable way to go.

One would suppose that a grudging acceptance of reality is better than none at all. But in this instance, the factual reality is that the people of Clark County and environs who actually USE these bridges DON'T WANT TO PAY ANY EXTRA MONEY FOR UNNEEDED, UNNECESSARY BRIDGES WHEN THEIR ONLY PURPOSE IS TO GET LOOT RAIL, WHICH WE ALSO DON'T WANT, TO THIS SIDE OF THE RIVER.

As it is, we've wasted as much as $100,000,000 on this steaming pile. The new mayor of Vancouver lied his way into office when he continued to lie about tolls like Adams lied about having sex with a teenager.

So, I have a better idea: just..... stop.

Walk away now.

If THE PEOPLE of this area want a new bridge in the same place, well, I'm sure we'll let you know.

Meanwhile, you know damned well we don't. So, the best thing to do at this point is dump the project altogether; end this charade of so-called (and fake) public involvement; cutoff the leeching consultants; fire all the unnecessary bureaucrats, wiz on the fire and call in the dogs.

Otherwise, 2010 is going to be the start of a great deal of elective pain.

Starting with Steve "Yeah, Barnett owns me, what about it" Stuart, wholly owned tribal subsidiary and bridge cheerleader extraordinaire; just one of the corrupt, non-responsive elected officials who'll be wearing that bridge around their collective necks come next November.
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