Posted on 10/06/2010 9:59:27 PM PDT by george76
The Wisconsin Senate race between incumbent Democrat Russ Feingold and Republican challenger Ron Johnson may be, in part, a referendum on the future of high-speed rail in America.
The battle over a proposed high-speed rail line that would connect a scant 70 miles between Wisconsin’s two largest cities and be funded by $810 million in federal stimulus money has become symbolic of the political cage match for one of Wisconsin’s Senate seats this November...the fevered debate over high-speed rail in Wisconsin could well determine the outcome of Wisconsin’s Senate battle, which could in turn determine the fate of high-speed rail in our country.
In one corner is the challenger, Ron Johnson,...a fiscal conservative, believes the rail line is an example of needless and excessive Washington spending. “Wisconsin taxpayers will be on the hook for about $10 million per year for a costly train that few will ride,”
Russ Feingold, who sadly, although seeking his fourth term is still considered the “junior” senator in Wisconsin. Feingold has been in political office since 1982 and is in favor of what would become a $1 billion high-speed rail line ...
Whether the high-speed rail proposal is needed or will work in Wisconsin seems to be overshadowed by the fact that most of the money to pay for it will come from Washington...
With the U.S. economy in shambles and our national debt strangling the country, it doesn’t bode well for Feingold that he supported the wildly unpopular health-care bill, which Johnson wants repealed, as well as last year’s big clunker, the stimulus bill. Feingold’s support for the unfunded and bottomless money pit of HSR doesn’t appear to be working for him either. If an entrenched insider like Feingold loses, it could have serious ramifications for the future of high-speed rail across the country.
(Excerpt) Read more at pajamasmedia.com ...
This battle is being fought more directly at the governor level. Walker(R) vs Barrett(D)
This battle is being fought more directly at the governor level. Walker(R) vs Barrett(D)
810 million for a 1 hr car ride. Russ really squanders money, like a NY politician.
Average speed of the Wisconsin “high speed rail” *factoring in all the stops) equals 39 mph... anyway is just commuter rail between Chicago and Minneapolis for the political elite.
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