Part of the Problem, not the Solution

The former state transportation commissioner said the I-35W bridge collapse changed his mind about the race and inspired him to run again for his party's nod.
By Bob Von Sternberg

Saying Sixth District U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann has "built her career around divisive issues and a partisan approach," former state Transportation Commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg launched his second bid for the seat on Monday.

He said his decision was wholly prompted by the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge on Aug. 1: "I knew at that moment I couldn't sit by and allow this inattentiveness to continue."

Read the rest of the story in the Star Tribune.

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So Tinklenberg knows he must run for office because the I-35W bridge collapsed. Rep. Bachmann isn’t attentive, but he will be.

Say Mr. Tinklenberg, what were you doing back when Jesse Ventura was governor? Weren’t you Transportation Commissioner? What did you do back then to ensure the maintenance of that bridge? Oh, I remember. You were part of the group pushing light rail and diverting huge dollars to it. You are part of the problem the state is in.

Tinklenberg is just like Congressman Jim Oberstar, a long time transportation chair, who has known about the need for bridge repair for decades and done little or nothing to provide money for that mundane work, but lavishes dollars on pork barrel projects.

These Dems have no shame, no embarrassment, no recollection of history. While promising to solve the bridge problems, these men have not been part of the solution.

It’s time for Minnesotans to reject those who have been the problem.