Cabarrus Cheap Seats

Cross-posted on the Concord Standard

Johnson Administration Official John Gardner said, “The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water”  Former Dean of Yale Medical School and the New York University School of Medicine Lewis Thomas suggested that it’s plumbers and sanitary engineers – not doctors – that should be credited with the advances in modern public health for providing clean drinking water.

Contrast that to the attitude of a handful of cheeky Bush haters in San Francisco: the Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco.  According to the The San Francisco Chronicle, the Commission’s aim is to rename San Francisco’s Oceanside Water Pollution Control the George W. Bush Sewage Plant via a November ballot initiative.  It looks like they’ve collected the necessary signatures.  This callow stunt belittles the people who make modern life possible – utility workers. 
Talented engineers and craft people manage to provide electricity, clean water, and safe structures on a consistent basis to a public that has little appreciation – let alone understanding – of what it takes to accomplish that. These infrastructure investments are getting ignored by our politicians – especially here in North Carolina.

Gas tax monies intended for resurfacing our deteriorating roads and our dilapidated bridges have been reappropriated to pay for items more important to our elected officials.  Just recently reports came of extravagant spending on a taxpayer-funded European “cultural junket” by Governor Easley and his wife.  For the nine-day trip, they charged $50,000 for a stretch Mercedes limousine among other exorbitant expenses.  When confronted he said, “It costs what it costs”.  In addition to that Mary Easley got an $80,000/year raise from UNC – courtesy of their friends in the General Assembly: up 88% from her previous salary.  While the Governor had no problem expropriating taxpayer dollars to himself and his family – he balked at a 2.75% raise for working-class state employees.

We are coasting on the forward-thinking infrastructure investments made by leaders of the past; skimping on maintenance and replacement costs; and borrowing from the taxpayers of the future to pay for more interesting projects.  That’s bad enough; but making a joke of the thankless work of those who make our lives possible should send a signal to the voters that we need to revisit our priorities.