This picture (at left) of the bridgehead was taken just 20 yards from US Capitol grounds — near the Rayburn and Longworth House Office Buildings — home offices of two thirds of the US House of Representatives.
The Simple Fix
The fix is easy. Simply pass a law barring dangerous chemicals from passing directly through DC — make the chemicals take a route around the city. The DC City Council did that — but a federal judge blocked the law from taking effect.
CSX, the railroad that owns the bridge, doesn't like the city's idea. It'd cost them more money to send cars around the city.
And CSX has spent a lot of money on lobbying and campaign contributions. About $12,070,500 on lobbying between 2000 and 2004, and just over $291,000 in campaign contributions during the 2004 election.
The Cost to America
It could cost America a lot more. If the Congress is ever knocked out in a chemical attack like the one the Times says could happen, it could be four months before the US could take prolonged military action against an attacker.
Governors can appoint new Senators. But if a Representative dies in office, the people in his District have to elect a new replacement. That could mean months before Congress could approve the money needed to pay for military action, pass new laws needed to protect against new terror attacks, and simply carry on with the business of keeping the federal government in business.
And political infighting could further complicate matters. The bridge is next to the Democratic National Committee's headquarters and just a block from the Republican National Committee's national headquarters. That could create a new level of political chaos as political parties try to rebuild party structures as the country tries to rebuild Congress.
In 1996, Bill Clinton ran on the promise of building "A Bridge to the 21st Century." Now, in that new century, CSX runs a dangerous "force multiplier" across a bridge threatening to set this country back in the War on Terror. The solution is simple. If Congress has the resolve to reject the arm twisting of lobbyists and campaign contributions.
Spread the word
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Article comments
1 - Bennett
Facinating, and chilling. What does the DHS have to say about a target as obvious as this one, I wonder?
2 - gonzo marx
same as they do all the rest of the seriously dangerous soft targets, Bennett
nothing
not a blessed thing has been done..and pledges about border security have been tossed aside as well
i'm in such a state at the moment, that a carbine with scope and a policy of not letting anyone near my land is about all i can manage
that would be almost funny if i was joking
Excelsior?
3 - Bennett
I'm with you. Adding firepower, keeping the head down, and thanking the circumstances that led me to me living away from most "soft targets".
I know that I don't fit "the profile", but it really is too damn easy to get across the border. Went to Montreal last week. Hit the border on the way back, showed a driver's license, declared $40 worth of random purchases, and away I went.
Could have had guns, explosives, hell even a terrorist or two in my trunk...
And that was the primary customs between Quebec and say, Boston. The smaller crossings are much less formal.
Will we learn?
4 - DrPat
Blogger pictures are not displaying. This is typical - they simply go away after a while. May I suggest hosting your images on another site?
At least, add alternate text and a click-through link so people who want to see the images can go to the blogspot where they are visible.
5 - Dave Nalle
In this case I think the problem may be the spaces in the image names. I emailed Terry about it.
Good post, btw.
Dave
6 - Terry Turner
Thanks for the heads up on the pictures/blogger problem. I'll keep that in mind for future crossposts.
Give me some time to get the shots hosted somewhere else and I'll get you the links.
7 - Dave Nalle
It's lovely now. Thanks for fixing it.
As for the meat of the article, you would think that with the direct threat which this situation poses to Capitol Hill and the people on it, this would be the highest priority among legislators, yet they seem completely oblivious.
Dave