Home > Opinion > Jamie Stiehm > Walker, Scott and Christie Steal from the Future on Infrastructure

Walker, Scott and Christie Steal from the Future on Infrastructure

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Once Americans invested in this country. Not anymore with nutjobs GOP governors like these.
Of course we can afford a future. Don't believe Republicans who think you can get ahead with out serious investment in the future. But that's what these GOP snakes are selling - they aren't going to bother investing in the future.
Our highway system is falling apart, so way not get so high speed rail going. Ike was the last responsible Republican and we have highways to thank for his investing in this country. While the rest of the Western modern countries are passing by the US, the GOP Govs are pushing to reduce the US standard of living to 3rd world status.

Jim of IA 1:23PM April 05, 2011

I'm a Floridian who opposes the excessive use of gov't funds to build a high speed rail system from Tampa to Orlando. That does not mean that I, or the governor, Rick Scott, opposes infrastructure.
I propose infrastructure expenditures that will benefit all citizens of the state, build expertise and employment opportunities, and lessen the dependency on coal, oil, and gas - especially that from international sources. That energy source is nuclear power.
Others may propose other infrastructure needs - but a limited rail line to support a small number of citizens - is not one I wish to see.

JR Gordon of FL 7:52PM March 28, 2011

Having spent time in rural India and Africa during recent years...traveling (mostly) in Toyota Land Cruisers...I developed a great(er) appreciation for the presence of good roads and passable bridges (such as we have here, by and large). Of course, in addition to the continuing necessity of roads and bridges of this sort, the future will certainly also find mass transit (such as oft-castigated high speed trains) a desideratum...with high fuel costs, consistent population increases, and also (continued) urban flight (and thus the need to drive into and out of urban areas each day) as some of the contributing factors. Stiem's article is prophetic...she'll certainly be proven correct in the coming years...so the sage time to begin building such infrastructure is indeed now. So...thanks, Jamie, for a(nother) thoughtful article

C. Rollston of TN 10:31PM March 24, 2011

During the 50s, when then President Eisenhower was attempting to sell the Interstate Highway System to Congress, my father contacted him to propose that land be procured (on either side of the land being purchased for highway construction) to provide future expansion of the rail system in this country. He had this futuristic vision because he had followed his father, Assistant General Manager of the Erie Railroad, to many a train wreck.
Fortunately (or unfortunately), all of the wrecks were NOT trains. Most were huge wrecks caused by overloaded trucks on poorly constructed roads.
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways solved only part of this safety problem. The narrow minds in Congress (much like the narrow minds today) stalled this additional purchase, and gave us an obsolete system of highways the day they went into service.
So, as you can see here (check it out, if you don't believe me), William S.Boykin of Baltimore, Maryland proposed the first interstate rail system expansion. He was a Republican during a Republican Presidency, and Congress still did not listen to him. Time just doesn't made them any smarter !

I Love Wal-Mart of WV 10:06PM March 24, 2011

Highspeed rail will not work between Milwaukee and Madison unless there is a very expensive subsidy program to help the the citizens be able to afford the tickets. Nothing like an empty train to nowhere--scuse me, Madtown.
That would mean heavy taxpayer-subsidized high speed rail that would go 69 miles an hour. That is hardly the definition of high speed rail folks. And commuter rail is not needed either in Wisconsin.
I remember how hard it was to get people to ride the commuter rail BART in the San Francision Bay Area when I lived there and it was built. And everyone had to go through the same highway corridor to get into San Francisco!

Citizen of WI 3:37PM March 23, 2011

High speed rail is great IF a car is not required at the destination. Thus, trains to NYC are great and heavily utilized. The boondoggle between Tampa and Orlando is an expensive waste of money because it would be of little use. We have a grossly underutilized commuter rail line in South Florida which was started as a TEMPORARY fix during highway construction. It failed to attract ridership and when the construction was completed was not terminated. (Reagan said that the closest thing to perpetual life is a government program.) Rather, they decided that with 2 tracks service would improve and it would be utililized more. Wrong. After spending a ton of money adding a second track the trains still require massive public subsidies because people don't use them. The only benefit of an Orlando-Tampa high speed rail line would be to those who profit from the construction.

T. Cohen of FL 2:56PM March 23, 2011

How about the following:
10 more nuclear power plants
Yucca Mountain storage facility for nuclear waste
True high speed rail from Washington DC to Boston by removing obstacles
High speed rail in other proven high use areas
More oil and gas wells and pipelines
Is there a spot for another hydro dam/recreation area?

David of AZ 1:24PM March 23, 2011

How does a new rail line prevent existing infrastructure from crumbling?
Senator Kerry and like minded individuals should give a jump start to the infrastructure bank by donating half their assets.
How many of the proposed infrastructure projects were approved based on political votes rather than actual benefits?

David of AZ 1:03PM March 23, 2011

I read the article and the comments and one question remains--where's the money going to come from?
The United States has maxed out on its debt and the Japanese are no longer in a position to buy our paper. Projects are proposed that few will use such as high speed railroads from Milwaukee to Madison (which will be used by Democ-rat Party scum who won't do the jobs they were elected to do). Where there is money (for vital repairs) the legislators are not proposing any because there are no ribbon cutting ceremonies for phonies such as Kerry and Warner and no permanent jobs for union dues payers (whose dues, like it of not, will pay for Democ-rat Party campaigns).
Seldom do we get the government for which we voted. I am encouraged that my governor, Rick Scott and Governor Walker of Wisconsin have heard the verdict of the people on big spending and have adopted the right policies for their states. May they, like Governor Daniels of Indiana, be vindicated and may they also ignore the Democ-rat Party propagandists who write for US News!

David S. Levine of FL 11:42AM March 23, 2011

Trains, planes and cars; smart grid technology; windmills and solar arrays; pipelines and water transfers are all parts of our infrastructure that needs to be built out. This is work the Chinese and the Indians and the Vietnamese and the other third world worker can't do. These are the jobs for the next 20 to 40 years done by Americans who will pay taxes on their earnings but who will also make a living doing the work.
The disposable income will be spent at the movies, the restaurants, the malls and home depots of the US meaning more jobs. The corporations will be the ones bidding on the contracts to build these things for a profit on which they will be taxed. The deficit will be balanced and the debt to China will be paid off in due time. This is an affordable plan and if the a** holes in Washington don't get on board then they should be voted out. Main street america, WAKE UP! Now is the time to invest in our future not cowtow to the rich and corporate sponsors that want to take us to the level of third world country workers.
Lets quit arguing over who pays what in taxes because we know that Warren Buffet pays a lower rate for his than his secretary. We also know that taking a $1 from a man with only $5 hurts more than taking the $1 from a man with $500. We are a society that used to care about the welfare of each other in the Christian traditions but we now insult the needy and turn the other way because of the fear the leaders have fed us about our future. Only we can decide what our future will look like and we need to demand our politicians initiate the programs necessary to make it possible. So to Govs. Walker , Scott and Christie get on board or get out of the way.

John of NM 10:36AM March 23, 2011