Money for Nothing

Everyone knows the government spends a ridiculous amount of money on fighting “terrorism” and it doesn’t really do much. Do you feel safer knowing the government is on the job? I sure don’t. I’m ticked that they introduce delays, close down access and generally make life more difficult, all while putting our country deeper in debt and accomplishing absolutely nothing.

At least I’m comforted by knowing it’s not just a national thing. This summer, a relatively busy stretch of highway was given a new layer of NovaChip, a fancy asphalt to help deal with rainfall.

First: Why does asphalt need a name like NovaChip? What’s wrong with better asphalt or something? It’s not like we’re talking a software product that gets released every year to hordes of people just clamoring for the new features. We’re talking asphalt, people.

Second: If this stuff is so good with handling the rain, why is it that the road that received the new coat was shut down during the morning commute due to wet and icy conditions? What a waste.

Comments

2 responses to “Money for Nothing”

  1. Peter Avatar

    A few years ago, MassHighway repaved a section of I-95 north of Boston, one that we drive frequently. We have come to call it the ‘magic road’, because when we’re driving during a rainstorm, conditions are awful before hitting this strip of road, and then significantly improved after we hit it – less misting, less water pooling on the road, better visibility and traction. I wonder if it’s NovaChip, or something else… because it works really well!

  2. robber_baron Avatar

    I don’t feel safer with government for two reasons. Decisions are not based on need, but rather on political gain and there is no accountability.

    I believe it is Wyoming that has received the largest _per capita_ Homeland Security grants. This means Wyoming is getting more money per citizen then say Washington DC, New York, or California. Why? Apparently Wyoming knows how to play the game for money better.

    There should be an honest assessment of need and then those high risk areas should receive the most funding.

    Since roughly 98% of political officials are re-elected [for a variety of reasons] they aren’t held accountable by the electorate and thus are free to make such ultimately bad decisions.

    These are non-partisan issues that all Americans should be concerned with.