FOOTLOOSE AND…
I don’t really care at this moment that our United States Congress, with the reported 16 percent approval rating by the public, spews forth Republican diatribe or Democratic gobble-de-gook.
The nation’s Capitol dome is leaking more and more, and this collection of do-nothings refuses to appropriate the estimated $61 million to fix it.
The dome has 1,300 known cracks, which has already caused rusting on the ornamentation and staining on the interior of the rotunda. According to Stephan T. Ayers, the architect of the Capitol building, “It’s a public safety issue.” What more do these polarized public servants need to provide the monies for the repair?
Thus far, during this long simmering problem, the Senate Appropriations Committee finally voted, before Congress left for its August vacation, to approve the money. The appropriators in the House refused saying they desired to finance much of government operations at lower levels. Thus, as often happens, nothing gets done. The problem gets worse. Of course, the cost of fixing the dome will get much higher with the passage of time. Gimme a break!
“This is not a bridge to nowhere we’re talking about,” U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York said. “This is basic upkeep to the United States Capitol building… when your house has a leaky roof you pay to fix the roof.”
Since at least 100 pieces of the dome have fallen off or have been removed already, this saga needs a positive ending — now! We the people urge the “do-nothing nabobs” of the Congress to get off their rumps and provide the money as priority No. 1 when they return from their less-than-well-earned vacation.
