The “bridge to nowhere” is a misnomer. It would connect the Ketchikan Airport to the town of Ketchikan. That would be a big deal.
If you have watched any of the recent television programs on Alaska, you would know that living conditions are rugged and that the Feds own about 69.1% of the state, which makes life doubly hard for the people of Alaska.
sutherlandinstitute.org/blog/2011/05/11/finding-balance-utah-the-feds-nature-and-natural-resources/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravina_Island_Bridge
Small excerpt … a complex issue … providing better access to the airport.
In October 2006, when asked, “Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?”, she answered: “Yes. I would like to see Alaska’s infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now – while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist.”[20]
Later that month, at a Chamber of Commerce meeting in Wasilla, Alaska, Democratic candidate Tony Knowles criticized Palin for supporting the Knik Arm Bridge, the Gravina Island Bridge, and a road north out of Juneau instead of rebuilding the Parks Highway.
The Ketchikan Daily News noted that, of the gubernatorial candidates, “Only Palin is consistent in support all of the projects”.[21][22][23][24][25]
During her inaugural address on December 4, 2006, Governor Palin pledged responsible spending.[26] On January 17, 2007, she sent a revised budget to the president of the Alaska Senate that would restrict capital spending and rescinded the $185M state share of the bridge funding.[27]
In August 2007, Alaska’s Department of Transportation stated that it was “leaning” toward alternative ferry options, citing bridge costs and the reluctance of Governor Palin to pay the state’s match to the appropriated federal funds.[28] A month later, in September 2007, Palin formally canceled the project.[29][30][31] Palin stated:
Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer. Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and it’s clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island. Much of the public’s attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here. But we need to focus on what we can do, rather than fight over what has happened.[32][33]
Asked why she initially supported the bridge, Palin’s communications director Bill McAllister said, “It was never at the top of her priority list, and in fact the project isn’t necessarily dead … there’s still the potential for improved ferry service or even a bridge of a less costly design”. She changed her mind, he said, when “she saw that Alaska was being perceived as taking from the country and not giving”.[34]
The city of Ketchikan has already begun to develop roads and a small amount of infrastructure for Gravina Island’s 50 inhabitants. However, residents continue to seek funding for the Ketchikan-Gravina span.[35]
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I agree that its not fair to say, as some posters do, “Jesus wants us to have socialized medicine”. Its not a simple matter of “free healthcare for all” as liberals falsely claim.
