Governor Easley announces local counties will receive grant money

....that everyone admits will be at LEAST $1.2 billion, possibly as much as $1.6 billion. On the very same page as this story, we can read how they're taking money away from CFCC. (I bet that you foks who voted for the bonds didn't realize that you'd be doing a de facto funding of another welfare giveaway, did you?) According to WWAY, "The state DOT says 55 of the 233 bridges in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender Counties are structurally deficient. That's nearly one quarter of the bridges in the three county area, but the money is only there to replace eight of them right now." Yet they can somehow come up with $12 million that will benefit only 273 families across thirty counties? That money could have paid for most of a total rebuild of the Third Street bridge over the CSX tracks, one of the most heavily traveled bridges in the worst condition in the county...and that would have made FAR more people safe. It could have made a tiny dent in the underfunding of the state retiree healthcare fund, which would have aided far more people who have worked hard to aid everyone. It could have restored some funding that was cut from schools, to hopefully raise more people who are self-sufficient and fewer people who have to rely upon the state to maange their life. The bottom line is that we have lost sight of governmnet's purpose. Government is supposed to be building roads and bridges. Government is supposed to be managing a retirement system for it's employees. Government is supposed to be funding the public education system. Government is supposed to be funding and managing law enforcement, corrections, and the associated judicial functions at levels adequate to insure public safety. Instead, America now believes the primary purpose of government is to redistribute wealth, to dedicate most of its efforts to helping those who refuse to help themselves. We're in a steep downward spiral. How many of the adults in those 273 houses voted to continue or increase the gravy train on November 4th. How many of YOU joined with them and voted to fund the incompetent and lazy at the expense of your own safety? God help this country....