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New GOP Governors Kill $1.2 Billion In High-Speed Rail Jobs

Posted: Nov 9, 2010

New GOP Governors Kill $1.2 Billion In High-Speed Rail Jobs

Govs. elect John Kasich (R-OH) and Scott Walker (R-WI).
Republicans who were elected on Tuesday are beginning to deliver on their campaign promises to kill America’s future. Within hours of declaring victory, the incoming tea-party governors of Wisconsin and Ohio stood fast on pledges to kill $1.2 billion in funding for high-speed rail in their states. The funding, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will revert to the federal government for investment in other states — unless Republicans in Congress are able to kill that, too. Walker warned he would fight President Obama to keep the Milwaukee-Madison link killed “if he tries to force this down the throats of the taxpayers.” Kasich — who called the high-speed rail project linking Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati “one of the dumbest ideas” he’s ever heard — used his victory speech to announce, “That train is dead“:

Scott Walker, the incoming governor of Wisconsin, for instance, vowed on Wednesday to carry out a campaign pledge to kill a proposed high-speed rail link between Milwaukee and Madison, part of a larger project to create a high-speed rail corridor across the upper Midwest, from Minneapolis to Chicago. The project was to be fully paid for with $810 million in federal stimulus funds. Mr. Walker said he wanted the money spent on roads, although under the terms of the grants, such a use of the funds is prohibited.
The newly elected Republican governor of Ohio, John Kasich, who ousted Ted Strickland, a Democrat, has also reiterated a campaign pledge to kill a $400 million stimulus-funded rail project in his state. “Passenger rail is not in Ohio’s future,” Mr. Kasich said at his first news conference after the election. “That train is dead.”

In addition to their ideological opposition to creating new jobs through government investment, both Walker and Kasich question the reality of climate science, like other new Republican governors threatening clean energy projects across the nation.
Cross-posted on the Wonk Room.

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My first thought would be how do the people.... - sam

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of Wisconsin and Ohio feel about this, as they would obviously know more about it than we do. Then, if I lived in either of those states and was against my governor voting to kill it, he would know that in no uncertain terms (phone calls, emails, etc.) telling him RIGHT NOW if you persist and do not listen to us, guess who won't be in your seat next time around.

I live in one of those states and - I am furious about it

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That a$$ will certainly be hearing from me, never fear.

Well good for you. It is your right as an American. - sam

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In the meantime, I am going to do some research into that thing, as I would like to know what their reasoning is. The article does not go into the specifics of it at all.

But in the mean time...express your opinion. A lot of us did back on election night and it is liberating.

If this is a big thing in your state...has the respective governor given any reasons for doing this, why he thinks it should be done....?

Just curious.

I live in Ohio and am thrilled!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Was a total waste of money!.nm

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nm

Did you bother to research ANYTHING before posting. - Hint: Hard data says otherwise.

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Time for a little homework, unless your only objective is to trash all things connected to stimulus money. What about those 40,000-plus jeopardized jobs? You thrilled about that too? What's a little collateral damage among fellow Ohioans? I think I got it.

Hey, smarty, trains ARE a waste in OH ! nm - glee

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nm

yep, like someone else said, look at Amtrak!. Only passenger - rails making money are subways like NYC.nm

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nm

Most of the stimubust jobs were TEMPORARY. - Face it -a total bust for the taxpayer.nm

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nm

Better to pay someone to work - than unemployment

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There are the direct stimulus dollars and then there are the indirect--the money that flows to the suppliers, the local stores and housing. How about the people that got health care and you are typing their exam reports?

You dont even get it. We needs jobs that sustain, that last, - TX

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not spending taxpayer money on stimulus temporary jobs.... then that money is gone and those people out of jobs for 2nd time. And, please, the health care defense is laughable, really. In fact, for example, I may even have to cancel my insurance because it is going higher. The HCR for the most part is a sham.

More on the Ohio portion of this article.... - sam

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It seems that even without this 400 mil Ohio has already received 1.something billion in funds from the American Recovery and Investment Act. This article outlines how that money has been spent. It doesn't look like this Ohio paper is mad at Kasich (sp?) for wanting to return that 4 mil to the pot.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/stimulus-money-tops-1-billion-in-ohio-even-without-rail-funds-998415.html

Your research overlooks the fact that more than two-thirds - of Ohioans polled supported

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the project from its inception, that 255 companies employing 26,000 folks already benefit from the jobs created by the ongoing project, that an additional 16,000 jobs will never make it past first base now that the "train is dead," that it is a vital link in a broader regional project that will be negatively impacted by this misguided decision, and that the 220,000 students living within 10 miles of the route will be searching for alternate affordable transportation modalities. This population already shoulders the burden of a much higher rate of unemployment than the statewide 10%, on the order of 1 in 4.

Your article does not deal with the jobs loss that will result from this political posturing, obviously aimed DC, and offers no reason why the rail project should not proceed alongside infrastructure improvements. It mentions nothing about the broader regional picture or the populations in need of the services.

I find it interesting that your post only deals with the dollars and not the sense and that your talking points seem to be focused on anything but local issues.

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/divisions/rail/programs/passenger/3cisme/pages/default.aspx

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Rail/Programs/passenger/3CisME/Documents/Proposed3CRoute-Stations-With-Contractors-Suppliers.pdf

Give me a break. Be realistic. Jobs would be given to build - and operate, but very few would use the train.

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That has been studied. The rail was going to be a tremendous waste of funds. Better to send the money back than waste this. OBAMA could learn from this!

When gas goes back to $4.00/gal or more - people will use the trains

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Commodity prices up today (oil, gold).

Uhh... no... they wont. People are far too lazy to change.nm - Candlelite

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nm

Price of gas in Europe is - 3 times that of US

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I hear they like trains over there.

Nah, I believe trains there would just lose money.nm - Kim

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nm

Wrong. 40,000 riders daily use Houston light rail on a short 7-mile track. - There are 5 plans for

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future expansion that would not be taking place if it did not turn a profit. Planned future target route areas are low-income neighborhoods with high populations of bus ridership, university campuses and their satellite locations as well as upscale shopping connections between downtown and Uptown shopping areas. The 7-mile track that connects downtown and the Houston Medical Center/Rice University area has the second-highest ridership per track mile in the US. People are lazy to change (according to the other post)? I beg to differ.

It has visibly helped cut down on downtown and nearby freeway traffic congestion. Once the plans for future expansion are completed, it will also facilitate faster suburban commutes, reduce traffic congestion in outlying area freeways and have a notably positive impact on pollution.

Did I mention the jobs creation and tax revenues it generates for the local economy?

LOL. You remind me of someone who would say.. "lets fix a road - that doesnt need it to create jobs"..

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In the long run, it just costs you MORE money. Do you not see that?

You remind me of a person who doesn't - fix or maintain bridges

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until they fall in a river and a lot of people get killed.

Same thing in Minnesota - it is a success

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The Hiawatha Line, completed in 2004, has been very successful, receiving a 65% higher ridership than expected in its first year of service.

Guess it is tough to keep progress down, even when you have an awful governor.

If gas goes up, so does diesel, and the cost to ride the train....? - sam

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I am trying to understand more about this....is this a commuter type train basically for outlying people to get into the cities to work, or what?

Look at cost of car, insurance and parking - sm

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Friends love public transportation because of time spent getting work done, relaxing instead of fighting traffic, etc.

Ok...my question is...is it a commuter train for specific.... - sam

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certain cities, how long is the route, what is the projected usage...in short, will two thirds of Ohioans benefit from it if it is built?

Again, if you are for it, exercise your right as a citizen of the state of Ohio and make your wishes known when he takes office.

I just posted some more information.... - sam

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If you have issues with with the article, take it up with the paper who published it. It is an Ohio paper. Who polled two-thirds of Ohioans? COuld you post that poll?

I have no horse in this race...don't live in Ohio. And if you notice I DID tell the person from Ohio who posted it was her right to make her wishes known to the governor-elect (he doesn't take office until January, right?) and I encouraged her to use it, just as I would encourage you and the two-thirds of Ohioans who want the project to make their wishes known as well. As the election shows...majority does rule and the system does work. You just have to use it.

As I understand it from reading about Kasich, he ran on cutting costs measures. Apparently a lot of Ohioans believed in that too because they elected him.

Again...I encourage you as I did the other poster, make your wishes known. And if you are right, and two-thirds of your state DO want this, and make their wishes known and he ignores that and kills the bill anyway, vote him out next round. It is your right as an American to do so.

The links are embedded in the post at the bottom. - Costs are not always measured in

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dollars and cents. Thats the rub.

okie dokie....like i said, don't have a horse in this race, however... - sam

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First, if this guy got elected, a majority of Ohio must have wanted him for the job.

Second, if two-thirds of those same people (acc to post above) WANT this bill he says he will kill, then they need to make that known to him, and if he kills it anyway vote him out next time around.

That is the system and that is the way it works, doesn't matter if the governor is Dem, Republican, Independent or whatEVER. I could care less. I look at if they listen to the majority of people who elected them. If they don't...buh-bye.

Rail KIiller - GOPmt

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Quite evidently, most of the citizens of these respective states are TICKLED that someone is trying to save money or they never would have been elected! It never ceases to amaze me the way the DEMS like to spend money on stuff and yet have taken money away from Medicare patients. Give me a break, our country is on the verge of bankruptcy. It has to start somewhere!

Please see the article below - about how at least Bush

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has the good grace to take responsibility for the Republicans part in the economic meltdown. You could learn a lot from him.

You got that right. - nm

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nm

Will Obama ever admit to making it worse? Probably not. - I bet you are just like him.nm

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nm

Isn't it obvious? - If they raise unemployment

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and stall the economy, they will try pin it on the Democrats so they can use it for a political win. Politics 1, workers 0.

The democrats have already stalled the economy... - sam

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this is not news.

Yep, yet Pelosi is bragging today about all the - "help" they provided to the American people.

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Barf! She is so full of herself and has to know she has not helped a darn thing! All I have so far is an unemployed husband and increase in health insurance premiums --insurance I rarely even use! Someone like Pelosi will never get a clue because she is so self absorbed by her own power... just like Obama.

Aw, take pity on her. She's lost all sense of reality - Backwards Typist

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and she's fighting to hang on to what little power she may have left.

Hopefully, the dems that don't like her will not vote her in as minority leader, otherwise, not a single thing will get done if Obama doesn't like it.

Pelosi IS delusional. Has become an embarrassment too.nm - Independent

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nm

One Word-AMTRAK - Backwards Typist

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They suck millions from the federal government and always wnat and NEED more. Ridership on their trains does not cover expenses.

...and to the person who said Europeans love trains. They also love bicycles and small cars, so that doesn't hold water.

Why rebuild railroads; i.e., in the 70s, the tracks in PA were torn out and bridges taken down when the railroads went bust, and the property was sold to the landowners who lived next to the defunct tracks. You think those landowners are going to give the land back?

The funny part (not really) is a local town just build a $10 million transportation center consisting of taxi service (we don't have any), passenger trains and buses, near the old railroad BUT there is no way a train can even get to it! That's really using their heads.

Exactly right! I think they just try to dream up anything - to provide jobs, but use no commone sense.nm

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nm

GOP Kills High-Speed Rail Jobs - Silly Rabbit

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I hope this country can return to manufacturing goods on a grand scale. The affordability and widespread use of the automobile signaled the end of the train travel era. As medical transcriptionists we now see our jobs at odds with technology. America needs to manufacture more goods in this country if we are to have any jobs at all.

Yes, especially getting toys out of China and back to here - Backwards Typist

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With all the lead paint in the toys and kid's jewelry being recalled in the past year, we definitely need to get those jobs back here.

There is also the drywall fiasco which happened this year. China doesn't follow the strict standards our country does, nor does any other low wage country. I'm even afraid to buy some fruits and veggies from another country anymore. I buy strictly American whenever possible.

Look at the food labels. A lot of it is also coming from CHINA. Mushrooms, tuna, 'fresh' and frozen fish, etc. I read labels all the time anymore after I bought some frozen salmon and after getting it home found out it was a product of China. Haven't bought any since. The prices are lower than American, but I won't get caught again. Thank heavens my local store has labels on their fresh fish-whether it's wild caught or farm raised and from what country. Gives me a good choice.

GOP has a lot of plans to get rid of jobs - When will they be creating some? nm

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