Feds turn Walker (WI) down on passenger rail funding request

[iwishiwas]

Source: The Cap Times



Feds turn Walker down on passenger rail funding request



MIKE IVEY | The Capital Times | [email protected] | (53) Comments | Posted: Monday, May 9, 2011 3:30 pm


Wisconsin has been shut out on the latest round of federal passenger rail funding. As a result, Gov. Scott Walker will not get $150 million to upgrade the Milwaukee to Chicago Amtrak line.
.....................

Walker last month had applied for $150 million in high-speed rail funding for upgrades to the Milwaukee to Chicago Hiawatha Amtrak rail line. But that request came after Walker — following up on a campaign pledge — had already rejected $810 million the feds allocated last year to establish a Milwaukee-to-Madison high-speed rail line...............................

Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie said "we are disappointed that Wisconsin's proven Amtrak Hiawatha passenger rail service wasn't included in the latest announcement of federal rail funding. This rail service plays a vital role in our transportation system and the application for funding would have bolstered the existing system, the Midwest's infrastructure network and our economy as a whole."

The federal government received almost 100 applications for high-speed rail money from 24 states, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. While not mentioning Wisconsin specifically, LaHood said during a news conference Monday that the feds wanted to work with states that had shown support for expanded rail service, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported...................

Read more: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_aaf05fda-7a73-11e0-97ca-001cc4c002e0.html

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He is an idiot!

[madrchsod]

1. ray justs loves sticking it to walker....

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Blue Owl]

2. Walking disaster zone

Or a Walker Disasting Zone?

[Ikonoklast]

3. Politics ain't for sissies.

Walker is messing around in the Big Leagues, where they throw at your head if you crowd the plate.

This was just a little chin music.

[HankyDubs]

4. he finally got the gubbermint off his back!

:party:

[eowyn_of_rohan]

58. lol -good one -nt

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[msongs]

6. sorry fascists, no socialist rail money for you this time nt

[tsuki]

7. It's time for Walker to look for

his own strap on and pull himself up. He don't need no gub'mint monies.

[Blacksheep214]

8. Birds of a feather

Walker and Scott in Florida.

Shitbirds that is!

[idrahaje]

9. Can't have it both ways Imperial Walker

You either don't want rail service or you do. Or you can illegally shut the Capitol on it's citizens and do a ton of other illegal stuff and make yourselve worse than blago...

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bluebear]

11. "Koch-suckers" is not a term allowed here, thanks

[ErikJ]

12. Koch as in the Koch Brothers-

The most common sign in the Wisconsin protests.

[Bluebear]

13. Familiar. It's riffing off a derogatory name for gay men, unfortunately!

[Scuba]

18. Not!

[Bluebear]

19. Notice it's been deleted, pal? It's "NOT" allowed here.

[nonperson]

21. I must disagree with your etymology of the word being "riffed"

Unless a male is spectacularly endowed it takes two to accomplish the act described in the term.

I've had more than a few experiences with the activity described and in each case the other person was female.

On edit:

Does that make the females in question gay men? I had no idea and I'm pretty sure they didn't either. I can't wait to tell them to get their take on that assertion. And if I'm very lucky perhaps a test run just for scientific purposes only.
:rofl:

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Scuba]

23. T'was my point. n/t

[Bluebear]

24. Yeah, so many females are called "cocksuckers" aren't they?

Everytime this word comes up some heterosexual wiseass has to pipe in to minimize the hurt the word causes gay men. I wonder why. Meanwhile, anything else to contribute?

[nonperson]

25. Please stop using the term "heterosexual wiseass", I find it very painful and deragotary.

If every term that offended any person was banned from use we'd all be communicating in sign language. But then, undoubtedly, someone would be offended by signing.

[Scuba]

26. Please stop using the term "someone". It is demeaning to individuals. n/t

[Scuba]

27. Please stop using the term "someone". It is demeaning to individuals. n/t

[No Elephants]

33. Please see Reply 36.

[nonperson]

29. Yes, I thought so

I'm sure you've encountered the same situation I have and are as confused by the efforts of some to claim sole ownership of such an enjoyable act.

[No Elephants]

32. Oh, for fuck's sake. The pain of people from millenia of bigotry is not a joke.

Do you think Bluebear is lying about this? Why would he?

Or, do you think you know better than a gay man which words people use to insult gays?


Or did you just want to tell us about your blow jobs? (BTW, if true, I find that very insulting to heterosexual women who have standards for who they'll blow.)

[booley]

49. As a gay guy

Do I get to say I am not offended?

No more then the term "being screwed" makes me offended since I have sex from time to time.

Now can we get back to the actual subject?

[Snoutport]

60. As another gay guy

I am not offended.

i picture a kochsucker as a leech sucking it's life's blood from the kockbrothers.

dirty nasty leeches sucking away on a koch.

[Bluebear]

63. It doesn't matter if you're not offended. Enough of us are that this term is not allowed at DU.

[tpsbmam]

70. I have to thank you and Booley and also respect the wishes of those who are offended

by the term. I used the Koch------- and got called on the carpet and "talked" to (written to) like a bigoted piece of shit. I had absolutely never heard that used as a gay slur and it never occurred to me that it was. After my encounter at DU I called 2 gay friends. One said, "You have to be fucking kidding." The other said, "Huh? News to me. Don't straights do that too?"

But that said, I can certainly see how a bigot might use it in a hateful way so yeah, I don't mind eliminating that one from my lexicon and get what bluebear is saying.

[Bluebear]

71. Thanks very much for that!

:hug:

[No Elephants]

30. I wonder why? Many hetero women engage in that activity.

And many hetero men seem to enjoy being on the receiving end.

[snooper2]

42. 69 all the time...I guess I'll have to use plonker nurser

synonyms are your friend :)


And, you never explained why you are anti-elephant. :wtf: did an elephant ever do to you? Crush your cracker jack box or something?

[Jamastiene]

76. If your logic holds true, then

why is the term used as an insult? It makes no sense that you would use it as an insult if you view it so positively.

[snooper2]

38. Are you fucking kidding me?

Really?

Can we say vagina licker? -





Tools :eyes:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

40. sure. Why not?

[Snoutport]

62. so is homo and yet we use homosexual

don't mean to put you down Blue...gay here too...

But, as gay men, how can we possibly pass up the chance to twist a name used on us and apply it to the Koch brothers? I mean, see, it's Koch...it's almost like God handed us a present by making them Kochs. Fate took one of our least favorite things in the whole world and basically gave it the same name as one of our favorite things in the world...and then left us to our own devices to make fun of them.

[greymattermom]

15. love it

what other federal program has he campaigned against. let them take those funds and give them to California too.

[greymattermom]

16. the beginning

of the redistribution of tax dollars in a more equitable manner, so that the red states aren't so subsidized so much by the blue states. Someday someone will ask Rand Paul whether he likes all the pork that Mitch McConnell has brought to Kentucky. Start by asking him about specific projects like the Louisville riverfront. There must be some Kentuckians on here who can attend a town hall meeting with video camera to ask. Answers can be posted on the internets, we don't have to wait for the teevee anymore.

[JohnnyRingo]

17. Walker, Kasich, and Scott.

The Republican governors of Wisconsin, Ohio, and Florida thought they were Tea Party sweethearts when they turned down that dirty stimulus money for rail systems in their respective states. As soon as the Tea Party turned their back all three governors extended their hand, palms up, toward Washington. The money was redistributed among other states. I can't believe the gall of these governors to imagine they could get money after that intentional slight.

Ohio's John Kasich actually had the nerve to ask for the rail money in cash so he could spend it as he pleased. I'm guessing he had something in mind like tax rebates for Diebold.

[peace frog]

20. Not to worry, Scott got his

megamillions off the backs of poor and middle class Floridians to give as tax breaks to his corporate cronies. And given how completely gerrymandered this state is, in favor of Republicans but of course, it's questionable whether voters can reduce their numbers in state government enough to change the tide to favor rank and file Floridians. So yes, we're basically screwed.

[No Elephants]

34. Didn't he make a ton via defrauding Medicare before he got caught?

If so, that was on the backs of tzxpayers from all states, and blue states in particular, wasn't it?

[ehrnst]

35. I think that was FL gov Rick Scott. (nt)

[nonperson]

28. Chris Christie got rail money despite his being every bit as bad as Walker

If not worse. It would take a book to cover the litany of mistakes and lies Christie is responsible for in his first year alone. Yet this clown is being courted by Republicans to run for president!

[Greybnk48]

41. If that's for the tunnel (?) to NYC, he has been

ordered to give the money back. And Christie has no control over whether to pay it back or not. The article I read said the Feds. will withhold state grant money until they recoup the funds he was given.

[BrklynLiberal]

44. I believe you are correct. Christie screwed his NJ citizens.

[nonperson]

46. It's correct alright

While Christie has been traveling the state screaming "WE'RE BROKE" he has thrown away literally BILLIONS in education funding, infrastructure funding, and the jobs they entail, all while giving a tax break to millionaires, cutting every program that gives anything back to the taxpayers of New Jersey and their children, AND WHILE HANDING DOING THINGS LIKE HANDING OUT $261 MILLION TO THE REVEL CASINO PROJECT IN ATLANTIC CITY (which is down almost seven percent in revenue last year alone), AND NOW HANDING OUT $200 MILLION IN TAX BREAKS FOR THAT DISGRACE IN THE MEADOWLANDS, XANADU, A TAX BREAK FOR ONE OF THE RICHEST FAMILIES IN NORTH AMERICA TO COME IN AND TAKE OVER THE FAILED PROJECT!

THIS is how a "BROKE" state handles its finances? In the meantime our state bond rating has dropped a full point, our unemployment rate is up a tenth of a percent (even though Christie said his tax break for millionaires would "create jobs", sound familiar?) and our property taxes, already the highest in the nation, have increased in Christie's first year by a RECORD SEVEN PERCENT STATEWIDE!

If I could sell my house at a decent price I'd be out of New Jersey faster than our idiot governor on one of his myriad national campaign tours.

[BrklynLiberal]

47. I was truly shocked that he beat Corzine. I thought NJers were smarter than that!

[nonperson]

48. I was as shocked as anyone

New Jersey is becoming another dumber than a door nail state and that's all part of the dumbing down of the entire nation. People just didn't show up to vote and some of the very same people Christie is now screwing showed up and voted for him, including TEACHERS and MUNICIPAL WORKERS, POLICE, FIREMEN WHO ARE ALL NOW GETTING SCREWED BY THIS LYING FRAUD OF A GOVERNOR.

Have you ever read Christie's "open letter" to New Jersey's teachers? Many of them were fooled by this load of bullshit. It was on his web site but that site has been taken down for months now so it's gone down the memory hole but I saved a copy of this letter and the now defunct link. Want to GAG? READ THIS:

http://www.christiefornj.com/index.php?option=com_content&id=468&Itemid=64

An Open Letter to the Teachers of NJ

"I am the proud product of our state’s public education system. In fact, my late mother was a dues-paying member of the NJEA. I know firsthand that one of the main reasons many of our schools rank among the best in America is because of our dedicated teachers and educational professionals who work hard every day to give our children the learning experience they deserve.

Like you, I am fully committed to supporting New Jersey’s kids, teachers and parents to make sure our children receive a first-class education so they can pursue limitless opportunities once they graduate. Our state’s teachers are charged with one of the greatest responsibilities one can have, and they deliver each and every day for our kids.

But lately, there has been some misinformation circulated falsely, by supporters of Governor Corzine, suggesting I would attempt to diminish or take away teachers’ pensions and benefits. Let me be clear - nothing could be further from the truth. The claim that any harm would come to your pension should I be elected Governor is absolutely untrue. It is a 100% lie. Your pension will be protected when I am elected Governor.

Right now, the Trenton-based leaders of the teachers' union are literally spending millions of dollars of your union dues to falsely attack me on television and through slick mailers. This is nothing but an attempt to poison me in your eyes so that you will vote for four more years of Jon Corzine and his failed policies. Just so I am clear, what they are saying about my intentions to hurt pensions or lay off teachers is absolutely, 100% untrue.

Here are the facts:

I will be a strong ally for teachers in the classroom. When elected, I will make education funding a top priority and I believe we must ensure those dollars reach our children and the classroom, not the educational bureaucracy. In these tough economic times, we must ensure that the proper resources get to you, the teachers in the classroom. Despite what is said by my opponents, I would accept federal education stimulus dollars to help fund our children's educations. Education is a priority and this money is critical to ensuring we are able to continue giving our children the education they deserve. We must also make sure that education dollars are always a priority and come from stable sources. Too often these grants or stimulus dollars are accepted for programs with no plan on how to pay for them after the money runs dry. It is time for a new era of responsibility in Trenton, and I will work to secure a steady source of funding for all education programs.
I will protect your pensions. Nothing about your pension is going to change when I am governor. In fact, in order to ensure your retirement savings are safe, I believe we must prioritize the protection of pension fund dollars and investigate the cause of Jon Corzine's large investment losses to our pension system. Currently there is a $34 billion deficit in the State's pension fund, which threatens the retirement and lifeline of so many teachers. We must do better for our teachers, future teachers and retirees. As Governor, I will work to close unfunded liabilities and make sure our state lives up to its promises, unlike Jon Corzine. I will not raid your pension fund to cover budgetary shortfalls like previous governors of both parties have done. One of the changes I will bring to Trenton is responsible management, investment, and oversight of state pension dollars.
I will not end collective bargaining and will safeguard protections for ALL public employees, including teachers. Collective bargaining is an important safeguard for public employees and is a part of a long American tradition of self government. We must make sure that the voice of every worker is represented in contract negotiations. I will demand open, honest, and fair deliberations.
It’s true that times are tough. But the truth is that Jon Corzine has handed the NJEA and every student a ticking time bomb in this year's budget. He has funded the new school aid formula with $1 billion in one-shot revenue that will disappear next year. Every school budget and academic, athletic, and extra-curricular program for our kids is at risk because of the Governor’s reckless, short-sighted policy. Governor Corzine has refused to make the tough decisions required to make sure we make education funding a priority for recurring revenue and to avoid the ticking time bomb.

We may disagree on some issues, but I know we agree on what’s most important – delivering the best education we can for our kids. Giving New Jersey's children a quality education is critical to their future and I know we wouldn't be able to do that without the dedication and tireless commitment of teachers like you. I appreciate you allowing me to clear up some of the misinformation being circulated about my plans to support our state's teachers.

Thank you for your service, and best wishes on a great school year."

[BrklynLiberal]

74. A lying repuke who is a hypocrite...what a surprise...right?

[LynneSin]

61. I think NJ has to elect itself a Repuke every once in awhile to realize...

they are still better with democrats.

Christie will be gone in 2013 although I thought there was a recall effort going on. Of course with a state even more bankrupt thanks to Christie - they probably can't afford a recall election.

[nonperson]

45. No, this money is separate from the money Christie threw away

Christie cost New Jersey $271 million we'll have to repay for killing the ARC tunnel plus approximately SIX BILLION MORE in federal and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey funds for the ARC tunnel. Money we are likely NEVER to see again thanks to Chris Christie's stupidity.

Everyone also seems to forget that Christie, who was all in favor of the ARC tunnel, suddenly changed his mind and made the announcement that he was killing the nation's largest public works project ON THE VERY DAY HIS FORMER EDUCATION COMMISSIONER, BRET SCHUNDLER, WAS TESTIFYING IN TRENTON ABOUT THE $400 MILLION IN RACE TO THE TOP FUNDING CHRISTIE LOST OUR STATE THROUGH HIS OWN INCOMPETENCE AND OUTRIGHT STUPIDITY.

The money we're getting now is part of the funds that other Republican idiot, Rick Scott, refused (I really shouldn't have to say idiot to describe any of them since Republican suffices).

Here's a link to the story reported in the NJ Star Ledger:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/northeast_corridor_to_receive.html


Congested Northeast rail corridor gets $450M to ease bottlenecks

Published: Monday, May 09, 2011, 1:55 PM Updated: Monday, May 09, 2011, 2:07 PM

By Mike Frassinelli/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger

"NEW YORK — In what the president of Amtrak termed the first step toward getting the Gateway commuter train tunnel from Secaucus to Manhattan, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced the Northeast Corridor rail line south of New Brunswick is getting $450 million for improvements that will allow speeds up to 160 mph.

Amtrak president Joe Boardman said the money – freed up after Florida rejected federal high-speed rail funds – will increase reliability on the Northeast Corridor, America’s busiest rail corridor.

He said replacing the Depression Era overhead catenary wires and upgrading the power are key components -- along with replacing the century-old Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River – in getting the Gateway Tunnel under the Hudson River.

"This is part of the Gateway project,” Boardman said from New York Penn Station, where the Gateway Tunnel would connect. “This is a critical hurdle.”

Read the rest of the story at the link.

There is so much more to the ARC tunnel story I'd have to hijack this thread to go into it all but believe me Chris Christie, a supposed rising star in the Republican Party and possible 2012 presidential candidate, made error after error that has cost our state and our region billions, as I mentioned above, and will continue to cost us dearly in lost access to the richest job market our state has, New York City. Christie's utter incompetence and stupidity will cost this region jobs and economic development opportunities for GENERATIONS. Chris Christie will go down in history as the idiot who killed the ARC tunnel, which is akin to being the Pharaoh who killed the pyramids or the president who stopped the space program as examples.

Some day when I'm adequately pissed off I'm going to post more on the utter incompetent corrupt failure that is Chris Christie. Until then read this link to an excellent article on of a partial list of the fool Christie's screw ups (I say partial because more occur every day and it's difficult to even keep up anymore. This clown is an utter disaster for the state of New Jersey):

Chris Christie has lost the benefit of the doubt

http://www.bluejersey.com/diary/17194/christie-has-lost-the-benefit-of-the-doubt

[Nossida]

31. Too Bad

Not one Socialist Federal Tax Dollar
for Walker or his Welfare State.

[No Elephants]

36. No state that outlaws collective bargaining should get federal funds.

We make so damned sure that not a penny of federal funds go for anything that could subsidize abortion, even indirectly, but we'll drop hundreds of millions on states that oppress workers?

Somehow,somehow, Republicans manage to get rigorous anti-choice legislation passed and kept in place. Unions are the biggest single donors to Democrats. Union busting is one more step to a single party system for America.

[bobburgster]

37. Good for Ray LaHood!

Screw Walker, and his idiot friend from Florida!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

39. as bad as I feel about my neighbors to the north,

I cannot help but smile at Wanker's dilemma. He is a fuck up of major proportions. I suspect that even moderates and conservatives begin to rue his election.

[iwishiwas]

56. a few of the senators up for recall (walkers poodles) are trying to do the dance

to the center on a few items but it is so transparent it is sickening.

[BrklynLiberal]

43. Guess one has to be very careful doing things that can come back and bite you in the ass.

Walker is a hypocrite of the first magnitude.

[KansDem]

51. It's called "accountability"

...and the Repubaggers are getting a huge dosage of definition.

[BrklynLiberal]

75. IT is about f**kin time they got some of that !!!!

[booley]

50. I thought this was what he wanted?

Since trains are for commies and al that.

IF he didn't want high speed rail, why would he want a system that's becoming obsolete?

[KansDem]

52. Cheer up, Scott. You still have the Koch Bros.

See if they'll pony up $150 million for the residents of Wisconsin...

[Dont call me Shirley]

53. Wah! That's what happens when you don't play fair, Wanker!

[crim son]

54. Hypocritical much? n/t

[Plucketeer]

55. Tough luck Herr Walker!

You have to think about the consequences BEFORE-hand. :dunce:

[Myrina]

57. He REFUSED the $800M the Fed awarded them last year ...

... as soon as he took office he told POTUS to bite it and said WI wouldn't take the money. So it went elsewhere.

Now he wants it back? Fuck you, Snot.

[Sportsguy]

64. Unbelievable, But Par For The Course For This Bastard

He'll be out next year, and I can't wait!

[MasonJar]

59. Hey, Scott, ask the Koch brothers. They have more money than the government.

[Tigress DEM]

66. No kidding.

K&R

[Tigress DEM]

67. Yeah, but they aren't taking his calls now for some reason.

:rofl:

[Tigress DEM]

65. What the rethugs will do so they can talk out of both sides of their mouth....

What the rethugs will do so they can talk out of both sides of their mouth.... with their heads up their arses is unbelievable.



The art of the forked tongue delivery as only those intimately familiar with the devil himself can manage.



Reject $810 million one year so it destroys the momentum in several states then turn around and ask the next year when everyone has had to scramble and find other solutions.... despicable.


Tig

[Yon_Yonson]

68. Hey Scotty get the feeling the Fed does not like you either!

too bad so sad

[Countdown_3_2_1]

69. Consequences

[freshwest]

72. What did he think, the money had his name on it? He refused his share, so it went to others. EOM.

Except for the whining. Too proud to take it when it was offered, reduced to begging. Pity WI with this creature in charge.

[iwishiwas]

73. Biz Beat: State had sought $225 million for Hiawatha upgrades (more $ than reported)

I imagine Walker and his Repug poodles will just take this out of education or health funding.



http://host.madison.com/ct/business/biz_beat/article_8c05e01a-7b3e-11e0-a1c9-001cc4c03286.html
Biz Beat: State had sought $225 million for Hiawatha upgrades



MIKE IVEY | The Capital Times | [email protected] | (19) Comments | Posted: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 2:45 pm


Feds turn Walker down on passenger rail funding request
‘Buy Local’ state grants are on the chopping block


More...

Wisconsin had actually applied for $225.3 million in federal money to upgrade the Amtrak Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and Chicago -- not $150 million as has been widely reported.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced $2.02 billion in rail grant awards to 22 high-speed rail projects on Monday, including $186.3 million for upgrades on the Chicago to St. Louis line.

Wisconsin had sought $218.7 million to buy two new trains and build a 106,000-square-foot train maintenance facility in Milwaukee, according to this report in the Business Journal.

The state had also submitted a second $6.6 million application for track improvements around the Milwaukee Intermodal Station. Those improvements would have shortened trip times on Amtrak's Hiawatha serivice while adding new round trips.

Also on Monday, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said the U.S. DOT's rejection of the Wisconsin application was a result of Gov. Scott Walker canceling the planned $810 million project to establish high-speed service between Milwaukee and Madison shortly after the November election.

"The federal government obviously is interested in putting these resources, these dollars, into communities that show support for multiple connections," Barrett told the Business Journal.