Scott Walker now supporting rail improvements in Wisconsin (highway, downtown, market)

[David Einstein]

Gov applying for $150M for Wis. train upgrades - BusinessWeek

[wburg]

...and he's doing this AFTER he returned federal HSR money that would have paid for exactly what he is now requesting?

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by wburg

...and he's doing this AFTER he returned federal HSR money that would have paid for exactly what he is now requesting?

He's ridiculous..

[brooklynborndad]

this is not necessarily inconsistent from Walkers POV. One can make a serious case that one HSR line is justified and another is not - and certainly Milwaukee to Chicago is an ideal place for rail, with two large cities close together, and the parallel highways congested - an easier case than Milwaukee -Madison - Minn St Paul, I suppose.

The folks for whom this cannot make sense are the "HSR is eevil socialism that will take away our liberties" crowd. I dont know that Gov Walker ever actually endorsed that POV, though.

[texdav]

Alot of difference in the two amounts;so it appears its a different proposal is all.

[wburg]

High-Speed Rail: Governor-elect Scott Walker: Wisconsin closed to high-speed rail - WITI (http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-110810-walker-train-money,0,346142.story - broken link)

Walker has said he wants the 810 million dollars the federal government is giving Wisconsin for high-speed rail to be used for roads instead. If that can't be done, Walker stands behind his position the train should be stopped. Walker said, "I'd rather have that go back to the federal government. What you're going to see, particularly with the change in the house majority, you're going to see them try to capture as much of that money as they can to deal with the federal deficit."

In other words, he doesn't mind receiving tax dollars, as long as they are for roads rather than trains.
Scott Walker and high speed rail: This is why Wisconsin can’t have nice things. Or jobs. | blue cheddar. (http://bluecheddar.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/scott-walker-and-high-speed-rail-this-is-why-wisconsin-cant-have-nice-things-and-btw-we-got-deadlines/ - broken link)

Scott Walker, Gov-Elect, has consistently campaigned on killing high speed passenger rail & building roads with $810 in rail money. In fact, WI road builders made sure he kept to THEIR talking points with over $128,000 of campaign money.
Walker was so devoted to roads over rail, he stood on Madison’s square 1 day after he won the governor’s spot and renewed his vow to fight trains. Nevermind details. Which Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood reminded Walker of saying “none of those funds may be used for anything other than our high-speed rail program”. The plan for that rail system has been in the works since at least 1998 and will deliver 80% of the U.S. population from “downtown to downtown” within 25 years.

http://politifact.com/wisconsin/stat...aukee-madison/

Governor-elect Scott Walker says Milwaukee-to-Madison high-speed rail line is dead

Share this story:





After weeks of discussion, maneuvering and protests, Governor-elect Scott Walker is taking a sharp new tack on the proposed Madison-Milwaukee high-speed rail link.

Walker transition director John Hiller issued this statement Nov. 18, 2010: "The Madison-Milwaukee train line is dead."

So, it's like this...The government spending tax dollars on trains is eeevil socialism. The government spending just as many tax dollars on roads is apparently free-market capitalism.

[farseeker2]

Well, back in December 2010, here's this...http://http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/UPDATE_High_Speed_Rail_Debate.html (broken link)

And, this.....http://http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/11/12/incoming-wisconsin-ohio-governors-vow-refuse-federal-money-high-speed-rails/ (broken link)

[farseeker2]

Originally Posted by texdav

Alot of difference in the two amounts;so it appears its a different proposal is all.

Uhhh, doesn't appear to be

[AJNEOA]

Originally Posted by wburg

High-Speed Rail: Governor-elect Scott Walker: Wisconsin closed to high-speed rail - WITI (http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-110810-walker-train-money,0,346142.story - broken link)
In other words, he doesn't mind receiving tax dollars, as long as they are for roads rather than trains.
Scott Walker and high speed rail: This is why Wisconsin can’t have nice things. Or jobs. | blue cheddar. (http://bluecheddar.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/scott-walker-and-high-speed-rail-this-is-why-wisconsin-cant-have-nice-things-and-btw-we-got-deadlines/ - broken link)


PolitiFact Wisconsin | Governor-elect Scott Walker says Milwaukee-to-Madison high-speed rail line is dead


So, it's like this...The government spending tax dollars on trains is eeevil socialism. The government spending just as many tax dollars on roads is apparently free-market capitalism.

Actually, I think it's like this...if you're the head of a kidnapping organization and you give Scott Walker $128k in campaign money, he'll stand on Madison's Square on day one and support kidnapping. Politicians are pigs.