Who Needs Jobs and Less Traffic Anyway?

from Grist:




This week, Wisconsin Republican primary gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker caught the attention of Washington pundits with his latest ad, because it features the candidate attacking President Obama with smug condescension and sarcasm.

But I was struck because Walker is betting his campaign on stopping Wisconsin's planned high-speed rail link. Even though it would create jobs. Even though it has already received federal funds. Even though the project has already begun. In fact, as the Wisconsin State Journal reported, Walker believes "the state giving back millions of dollars, even money that's already been spent, would be better than finishing the rail project."

Walker has even created an separate online campaign called NoTrain.com, in keeping with the Republican "No We Can't" theme.

While Walker has taken the most audacious stance against federally-supported high-speed rail among gubernatorial candidates, California's Meg Whitman and Ohio's John Kasich have also announced opposition to projects in their states.

Is this a trend? Is there real conservative populist backlash? Could high-speed rail (HSR) opposition determine the outcome of governor's races and stall the Obama administration's efforts to modernize our nation's infrastructure? ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.grist.org/article/can-conservatives-ride-no-train-to-victory/

Going back to the who killed the electric car or what happened to the trolleys. Mass transit translates into less vehicles which means less oil being consumed. The GOP who has long been in bed with oil companies can't allow that to happen.

I know Wisconsin does not have many if any oil wells but there are companies related to the auto industry in Wisconsin, are there not?

Leaving a discouraged electorate in the vacuum.

indeed he tried to negotiate with W to get the job of transportation secretary so that he could push it.

This is clearly more GOP idiotology--they must oppose, at all costs they must OPPOSE.