Posted on 03/05/2011 6:29:01 PM PST by John Semmens
The effort of State Senator Thad Altman (R) and Arthenia Joyner (D) to have the court compel Governor Rick Scott (R) to accept $2.4 billion in federal money for the construction of high-speed rail in the state was unanimously rejected when the Florida Supreme Court ruled that “by both federal and state law, the Governor is authorized to make this decision.”
Senator Altman called the decision “devastating for the State of Florida. Perhaps the Governor is within his legal rights to reject this money, but the consequences will be felt by every person in the state. Even if the Governor is right about future operating losses, we shouldn’t pass up the money that can be made just by building it.”
The Governor rejection of the federal aid cited the state’s fiscal difficulties as his rationale. “The $2.4 billion is only a minor part of the estimated $11 billion total construction cost,” Scott recounted. “On top of that there would be annual operating deficits of $100 million or more. This financial albatross around the state’s neck is not what we need during these difficult economic times.”
Senator Joyner disagreed with the Governor’s take. “Constructing this rail line would mean jobs for Floridians right now, when we most need them,” Joyner alleged. “The state could’ve borrowed its share of the matching funds required. How to pay back this money along with covering the operating losses is a decision that could’ve been deferred to a future and, hopefully, more prosperous time.”
ead more...
http://azconserv1.wordpress.com/2011/03/05/gaza-government-urges-boycott-of-holocaust-lessons/
You had ‘em lined up and going strong until someone spilled the beans.
The trains are a control mechanism and union organizing tool. If you notice, most of the support is coming from seiu unions that have nothing to gain from the trains.
Where I live, it’s the freight trains that they are pushing,coal trains. The
Left figures that they can win the support of the coal regions if they sell the coal that they won’t let them burn in the US to China at below market price they can win the votes of the coal regions.
Was his name Willie Green by chance???
No, but maybe a lot of Docs wanted to be Engineers!
You did get the Willie Green reference? He was obsessed with trains and got the ZOT for picking a fight with JR.
“High Speed Rail”...like “HealthCare” ...Like “Global Warming”...all are merely excuses for formation of sinecures in perpetuity for the connected and ruling class.
No, I missed that one...after all it’s not 9 a.m. yet...LOL
“Left’s fascination with high-speed rail in particular, and trains in general, from its proponents.”
They’re probably Dagny Taggart wannabes, but being brain-dead, didn’t realize that the whole point of Atlas Shrugged was to celebrate the ability of the private sector to build such railroads in response to market needs.
Every communist government has high-speed rail. What the citizens don’t have are cars, good housing, good food, or decent work.
A visiting diplomat from Russia was traveling the streets of New York City with the mayor. He noticed men shoveling snow from the sides of the streets. "In Russia, we use plow trucks to clear the streets. It is much more efficient. Why do you have so many men shoveling?" The mayor replied, "Unemployment is pretty high now. We're trying to keep as many people working as possible." The Russian said, "Then why not give them spoons so everyone can have a job?"
I use to think that was just a joke. I didn't want to believe that people really think this way.
From Oct:
I’ll put it this way so there is no misunderstanding. If you continue pushing leftist clap-trap on this website, you get the zot.
It’s not wanted here. Drop it or leave. The choice is yours and I’m not going to argue with you about it. Zip it or zot it.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2607597/posts?page=65#65
Or ID.
Yep. That's why I got on his ping list. Heads explode EVERY SINGLE TIME HE POSTS!
“The state could’ve borrowed its share of the matching funds required. How to pay back this money along with covering the operating losses is a decision that could’ve been deferred to a future and, hopefully, more prosperous time.”
****
You nailed that one perfectly. After all, that is how Dems have been spending money all along...which is why our local, state and federal governments are broke.
Thanks for the ping, John.
Boom, baby.
I hardly understand your response. If anything is the case it is that I am not a leftist.
Quite impressive, Semmens.
My argument against a Tampa-Orlando HSR: I-4.
Un freaking real. The federal govt is broke. They think that when the good times return all the baby boomers that are retiring will some how be paying all the taxes they used to. I really wish some of these dunderheads will take some time to look at demographics and see the future. There isn’t any money!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.