Minneapolis Tragedy Highlights Future Problems

As of this writing, 4 people are dead, over 60 injured and 20 missing following the collapse of the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Personal injury lawyers have already swamped the Twin Cities as they troll for clients. Engineers, contractors and inspectors are running for cover. According to news reports, recent inspections showed some metal fatigue and other potential problems with the collapsed bridge.That's awful, and the victims, their famiies and loved ones deserve our prayers, warm thoughts and best wishes. But..expect more of this kind of disaster in the near future. Last month a 100-year old steam burst and caused great damage—and not a little anxziety—in Manhattan. Every year, more bridges and stretches of road are closed for overdue repairs. Our national infrastructure is showing its age. Things have to be fixed, and soon. The cost of repairs will be astronomical. But where will the money come from? A recent congressional report said in a few decades federal entitlement programs, mainly Medicare and Social Security, would consume 70% of the national budget. That number's not going down. Sooner or layer Congress will have to quit playing the blame game on Iraq and address future budget disasters. We can't abandon all our social programs and we can't wait until every bridge in the country has collapsed to discuss that issue. Truth is, congress has only two choices to deal with future shortfalls: cut entitlements or raise taxes. Count on the tax increase first, but after that, well, you might start getting ready now to kiss your favorite federal program good-bye.