There was an ostensible hearing on President Obama’s plan for a national infrastructure bank yesterday by the House Transportation Committee. We use the word "ostensible" because the chairman of the committee, Rep. John Mica (R-FL), had decided prior to the hearings that the plan was not acceptable. "A national infrastructure bank, as proposed . . . is dead on arrival in the House of Representatives. If you want a recipe to not get people to work, adopt this proposal."