Kasich [OH] and Walker [WI] join Cristie [NJ] in screwing over their residents ~ I'm pretty sure that Illinois benefits with a chunk of this rescinded funding ~ Sooz

WISCONSIN, OHIO REJECT FUNDS FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL.... The United States has an infrastructure problem. We're currently "saddled with a rapidly decaying and woefully underfunded transportation system," which undermines our economy and weakens our position against global competitors.

A bipartisan investigation recently found that U.S. investment in preservation and development of transportation infrastructure "lags so far behind that of China, Russia and European nations that it will lead to 'a steady erosion of the social and economic foundations for American prosperity in the long run.'"

The Obama administration has made infrastructure a priority. Some newly-elected Republican governors don't care.

Outgoing Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) urged his successor to reconsider, emphasizing the economic development associated with these infrastructure projects. Kasich refused, prompting Strickland to call the rejection of the funds "one of the saddest days during my four years as governor."

We are, by the way, talking about projects that create jobs, spur economic development, relieve traffic congestion, and help the environment, all while offering the promise of transforming American transportation in the 21st century.

That apparently isn't quite enough. The Republican line used to be that they can keep the trains running on time. The new line is that they can't keep the trains running at all.

There is one silver lining, though, at least for those of us outside Ohio and Wisconsin. Those state's leaders may not want the resources, the jobs, or the development, but the money will not be wasted -- the WSJ noted that "the funds will be redirected to train projects in 14 states."

—Steve Benen 9:20 AM December 10, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027016.php

lessee. so, they voted to reject the stimulus funds because of the deficit, but

1) it won't do a damn thing for the deficit and
2) it will deprive their state of money and jobs?

wow. now THAT is what i call LEADERSHIP! ;]

Actions have consequences ~ in this case, very negative consequences ~ Sooz

IS THIS REALLY WHAT WISCONSIN HAD IN MIND?.... As part of the economic stimulus, the federal government was prepared to spend nearly $1 billion on a high-speed-rail corridor linking Madison and Milwaukee in Wisconsin. When Gov.-elect Scott Walker (R) vowed to reject the money -- and the jobs and economic development along with -- a train manufacturer in the state started talking about picking up and moving elsewhere.

That was a month ago. This week, Wisconsin, at the behest of its new Republican chief executive, gave back the federal money, which will now go to projects in other states. Right on cue, the train manufacturer is leaving Wisconsin, too, and taking jobs with it. (via Atrios)

Imagine that.

I should note that Walker, the incoming Republican governor, rejected the funds, the jobs, and the development because, as he sees it, Wisconsin would have to spend money to maintain the rail system after the feds built it. Of course, by that logic, someone with a broken-down car should turn down a free Lexus because he/she doesn't want to pay for gasoline.

Also note, Milwaukee had already invested millions of dollars in renovating an old factory to accommodate Talgo's train manufacturing, looking to establish a long-term base for the company and Wisconsin workers. But that was before state voters elected a Republican governor, and now those investments appear to have been wasted.

How any of this is expected to actually help Wisconsin's economy is a total mystery to me.

—Steve Benen 8:30 AM December 12, 2010

http://www.washingtonmont...idual/2010_12/027043.php

Before jumping on the "are they nuts" bandwagon I've got a couple of questions.  First, has a feasability study been done?  What would be the ridership of these lines?  How close to self-sustaining would they be?

The reason I ask is because, here in B.C., we had a socialist government for about four years in the mid-nineties.  They were big into public transport (which is not a bad thing) but were not all that practical about where they put it in place.  Their first attempt was a highspeed rail system from a little town called Mission to downtown Vancouver.  The trouble was that the potential use of the system was not worth the cost.  As taxpayers, we wound-up with an ongoing subsidy of that system to the tune of $25 per rider. 

Their next attempt was the production of three high speed ferries at a cost of half a billion dollars.  The trouble was that the ferries they built were so unsuitable for our waterways that they had to be mothballed within a year.  One of them never even came out of the wrapper.  In the end they tried to sell them but nobody wanted them.  Eventually they sold them back to the company that had built them for $25 million.