The &%^#@* MTA!

So if you live in New York City or read/watch/listen to the news, you'll know that we had some pretty severe weather early this morning. Heavy rain and gusty winds caused a lot of damage in the area and snarled traffic across the city. I had to get up to Lincoln Center from 28th and 2nd Ave, which usually consists of a walk across town and then hopping on the 1 train to 66th St. I walked on the dry but muggy streets to 7th Ave. only to find the trains completely stopped. The next hour was a major ordeal as I tried to take the C train from Penn Station (but that wasn't running either) only to have to walk over a mile to Lincoln Center because the buses were packed and empty cabs were nowhere to be found. To put it lightly, it was a miserable commute.

Why oh why must rain shut down mass transit in the biggest city in the country? Because the MTA does not adequately pump rainwater out of the tunnels. The current system simply cannot handle a lot of rain in a short amount of time. Basically, it comes back to infrastructure. If our system (among others) was properly funded, we would not have problems like this. Europe laughs at us when it comes to things like this.

Now Governor Spitzer is ordering a review of the currently crippled system. The trains are still off as of 2pm (I tried getting on the 6 train downtown at 59th, it wasn't happening) and commuters are furious. But Governor, there is no need for a review. We know what the problems are and they should have already been taken care of. A competent federal government would have ensured that the pumping system could handle any amount of water. Electricity for trains above ground should be properly installed so that no amount of bad weather could affect them.

But no, there is no funding, all the money goes to Iraq, and to the weapons that have 'mysteriously' disappeared and found their way into the hands of insurgents that kill civilians and our troops. Our government would rather have the country languish and structurally fall part than give up any number of billions of dollars spent on the war machine.