Credit CBS News for recognizing this bit of factually-challenged demagoguery from President Obama:
“According to the Republican budget that was passed, for example, we would have to eliminate transportation funding by a third,” he said. “You remember when that bridge in Minnesota collapsed with all those people on it and there was a big human cry, how could this happen in America?”
Mr. Obama noted that the United States has been given a “D” grade for its infrastructure and said U.S. roads and bridges are “deteriorating.” He added: “We cut transportation by another third and what’s going to happen to America? We’re just going to have potholes everywhere? We’re just gonna have bridges collapsing everywhere?”
While experts say America’s aging infrastructure is a significant problem, the bridge collapse in Minnesota, which killed 13 people, was found to have been caused primarily by a design flaw.
Does Obama not know that he’s citing a collapse that wasn’t related to transportation funding? Or does he not care?
I would say “the Minnesota bridge collapse was caused by budget cuts” can join “the gun show loophole enabled the Virginia Tech shooter” and “Bush’s plastic turkey for the troops” among the most incessantly-cited myths in politics.