The Bridge in Minneapolis

Everyone by now has heard about and seen pictures of the bridge collapse in Minneapolis--a genuine tragedy.

Here comes another tragedy--federal involvement, to include calls for a gas tax to raise money for bridge repairs. I have a few questions about this:

1. What's in those "highway bills" that get passed every year or two, anyway? And how much pork is in them?

2. Why should the federal government kick in a cent to repair this bridge specifically? I understand it was part of a US interstate, but I get the impression that the feds are involved only because it was a very visible event on TV. Had an interstate overpass collapsed somewhere non-notable with no loss of life, I doubt you'd see the feds crawling over themselves to spend our money on the repairs. The oft-told story about Congressman Davy Crockett and the widow comes to mind.

3. I've heard several times in the last week or so about bridge inspections that were "ordered" by Washington in the wake of this collapse. Our government is a federal (as opposed to a central) government, and the states are, or at least are supposed to be, sovereign. By what authority does the federal government "order" the states to do anything?

Such questions should be asked by conservatives everywhere, if we are to maintain our federal republic.