Senator Coburn proposed to cut some money from the infamous "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska and use that money to help rebuild a bridge that went over Lake Pontchartrain.

These bridges in Alaska would cost $453,000,000 to connect an island with a population of about 50 to the mainland; an island that already has regular ferry service.

Here's Coburn:

Quote :

"So you can get perspective on this, $230 million for 50 people, where there's a ferry service already running every 15-30 minutes that takes seven minutes to cross, is enough money to buy each one of them a Learjet. A bridge longer than the Golden Gate for 50 people to a small area in Alaska is enough money to buy every one of the inhabitants their own -- hundreds of speedboats, to cross any time they wanted."

There's some of what Stevens said about the amendment (I first heard of this on NPR, and the dude was spazzing out):

Quote :

"I’m going to put the Senate on Notice. If the Senate decides to discriminate against our state, to take money only from our state, I’ll resign from this body."

Quote :

"This amendment is an offense to me. It is not only an offense to me; it is a threat to my whole state, to every person in my state."

He also warned that he'd act like a "wounded bull" in the senate if the amendment passed.



His indignation towards the amendment was pretty funny. What pisses me off is that only 12 people supported the amendment.

10/21/2005 5:38:05 PM

uhm, i wonder who has more seniority and who has given more to the party....

10/21/2005 5:40:47 PM

Quote :

"Senator Ted Stevens (AK) Current Office: U.S. Senator Current District: Senior Seat First Elected: 12/24/1968"

Quote :

"Senator Thomas Allen 'Tom' Coburn (OK) Current Office: U.S. Senator Current District: Junior Seat First Elected: 11/02/2004 Last Elected: 11/02/2004 "

Quote :

"What pisses me off is that only 12 people supported the amendment"

well that explains that

10/21/2005 5:44:16 PM

I wonder who was right

10/21/2005 5:44:18 PM

doesn't matter who is right
good thing coburn has 5 years to fix this mistake
if his seat was up in 06, i bet he'd be left out in the cold when he called the RSCC

10/21/2005 5:46:16 PM

Quote :

"Yay Modern Conservatism!"

10/21/2005 5:57:29 PM

that's definitely the first thing i've heard coburn say that made any sense at all.

10/21/2005 7:29:16 PM

the opposition party favors good governance.

the majority party favors consolidation of power.





hahahahahaa and you guys thought your party membership had something to do with platforms and ideas ahahahaaha

10/21/2005 7:31:38 PM

I love it when non-conservatives try to define who I am and what I believe. If you understood conservatism you'd be one.

10/21/2005 7:40:13 PM

I define you as an idiot. and if you understood idiocy, you'd agree.

10/21/2005 10:37:13 PM

and i just keep waiting to see you run for office

10/21/2005 11:02:53 PM

wow, reading up on this, that really is complete crap. just... wow. wow.

Quote :

"The second bridge, called "Don Young's Way" in honor of its patron, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska, received about $230 million — as a down payment on a cost that could hit $1.5 billion."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2002574136_spending21.html

I want to think there is no way it could go through to make these bridges in Alaska. I want to think so...

10/21/2005 11:22:04 PM

you do realize in about 4 generations alaska is going to be the most popular state in america

(natural, not manmade) global warming is going to make our climate interestingly higher

and people will want the amenities being an american affords them in a more northern setting

i'm planning on looking into cheap alaskan property

10/22/2005 12:41:40 AM

interestingly intersting.

10/23/2005 8:55:43 PM

WE WON'T NEED ALASKA

10/23/2005 9:02:56 PM

I cant believe the democrats didnt at least get some of their senators to vote for this, when theyve been trying to sell themselves as fiscally responsible for the last five elections.

10/23/2005 9:05:49 PM

Really. That's the part that gets me.

I can't believe that they didn't at least pretend to take a stand. They knew they'd be defeated by the Republicans-- they should've made a big issue out of it regardless of whether or not they wanted to pass the amendment or not.

"OMG HELP US FIGHT REPUBLICAN PORK!"

10/23/2005 9:12:27 PM