Saint Paul 2008

While millions of dollars are being spent to protect delegates, the media, and other potential victims from terrorism during the 2008 RNC convention - be it the ever-present fear of al Qaeda, or more local, domestic terror organizations - you have to wonder if some of that money might be better spent elsewhere.

Scratch that, there’s no question that some of that cash could be put to better use. Might, though, the city’s crumbling infrastructure be a good recipient? “Infrastructure” is a hot word in Minnesota these days, thanks to the I-35W bridge collapse over in Minneapolis last year, and a term whose meaning nobody quite agrees on. Nevertheless, it’s probably safe to assume that parking ramps constitute infrastructure - not, perhaps, “critical” infrastructure, but a less glamorous kind that’s easily overlooked.

This becomes important, because parking space in Saint Paul is going to be at a premium during the convention; heavens forbid the overlords of our corporate-industrial hegemony endorse and embrace eco-friendly mass transit options during their big gala. As such, it would be a shame if, say, two large parking ramps had to be closed because of safety concerns. Of course, it would be a bigger shame if one collapsed because the repairs sucked.

City officials and convention organizers are doubtless doing their darndest to protect against glamorous, movie-plot threats; should they also (instead?) be worried about the evil machinations of… age and gravity?