LaHood considered for Cabinet post

[jaysunb]

Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) is in discussions with the Obama administration to take a Cabinet-level post — most likely secretary of the Department of Transportation, according to knowledgeable GOP sources.

When reached on his cell phone, LaHood said only that Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), President-elect Obama’s incoming chief of staff, had contacted him last night.


He would not discuss the details of the conversation.

“It’s probably not a good idea to discuss this at this moment,” LaHood said.

But one GOP source said that LaHood was engaged in talks with Emanuel about the Transportation secretary position, and the Obama transition team would like to make an announcement about it on Friday.

LaHood, a centrist Republican from Peoria, Ill., who serves on the Appropriations Committee, was first elected in 1994. He announced plans to

more
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/lahood-considered-for-cabinet-post-2008-12-17.html

[T Wolf]

1. How will putting a puke in charge of transportation help improve anything? There goes any push

for mass transit, increased CAFE standards, etc.

[peace frog]

2. Remember who's the boss

LaHood will follow Obama's directives, so there's a chance we could see some improvements down the line.

[T Wolf]

11. Will follow "directives" with a lot of freedom to shape the specifics to HIS liking.

Not good enough, Not by a long shot.

[peace frog]

14. If said "shaped specifics"

are not to the boss's liking, they will either be changed to fit or LaHood will be out of a job. Good enough by shot short or long.

[brentspeak]

19. So on that reasoning, Rumsfeld, Rice, and Mukasey are off the hook

:eyes:

[Sebastian Doyle]

20. Right...

And VilSuck will persuade Monsanto to take High Fructose Corn Poison off the market and keep their filthy hands out of the biofuel industry, and fund organic farming.

And Hillary will apologize for her unquestioning support of PNAC foreign policy and bring peace in the Middle East.

And Robert Gates will prove he was really a stealth Liberal all along as he removes every last US troop from all foreign occupation.

And Rick Warren will convince all the Fundagelicals how wrong they are about the teachings of Christ, and lead them out of their bigotry.

And we'll all live happily ever after in the magical kingdom with the unicorns and leprechauns.

Happy happy. Joy Joy.

[karynnj]

3. I know nothing about him, but he is not anti-mass transit - if you search for information

He also was a co-sponsor on a bill called Creating Opportunities to Motivate Mass-transit Utilization To Encourage Ridership Act of 2008.


H.R.6030
Title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a refundable credit against income tax for 50 percent of the employer's cost of providing tax-free transit passes to employees.
Sponsor: Rep Kirk, Mark Steven (introduced 5/13/2008) Cosponsors (10)
Latest Major Action: 5/13/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Jump to: Summary, Major Actions, All Actions, Titles, Cosponsors, Committees, Related Bill Details, Amendments
SUMMARY AS OF:
5/13/2008--Introduced.

Creating Opportunities to Motivate Mass-transit Utilization to Encourage Ridership Act of 2008 or the Commuter Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a refundable tax credit for 50% of the cost of transit passes provided on a tax-free basis to employees.
MAJOR ACTIONS:

***NONE***

ALL ACTIONS:

5/13/2008:
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E901-902)
5/13/2008:
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

TITLE(S): (italics indicate a title for a portion of a bill)

* SHORT TITLE(S) AS INTRODUCED:
Commuter Act of 2008
Creating Opportunities to Motivate Mass-transit Utilization To Encourage Ridership Act of 2008

* OFFICIAL TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a refundable credit against income tax for 50 percent of the employer's cost of providing tax-free transit passes to employees.

COSPONSORS(10), ALPHABETICAL : (Sort: by date)


Rep Biggert, Judy - 5/13/2008
Rep Calvert, Ken - 5/21/2008
Rep Carnahan, Russ - 6/4/2008
Rep Gerlach, Jim - 6/24/2008
Rep Kuhl, John R. "Randy", Jr. - 6/4/2008
Rep LaHood, Ray - 5/15/2008
Rep Lipinski, Daniel - 5/15/2008
Rep Reichert, David G. - 6/24/2008
Rep Roskam, Peter J. - 5/13/2008
Rep Shays, Christopher - 5/13/2008

He voted for the recent Amtrack bills
http://www.ontheissues.org/IL/Ray_LaHood_Environment.htm

[T Wolf]

10. By funneling money to employers rather than directly supporting us riders. Thanks for nothing.

[karynnj]

12. The workers get free transit passes from their employers

who get a tax credit for half of the cost. This would push some to take mass transit and it would benefit them.

[T Wolf]

13. The pukes ALWAYS funnel money thru their corporate buddies and thus, take their cut first.

Would not it do more to promote mass transit to directly subsidize individuals, without the corporate cut?

Employers who already provide transit get the benefit. Those who do not will not do so for only half the cost. And riders get screwed over, again.

[karynnj]

15. What corporate cut?

The corporations get a tax credit for half the money they spend to give the employees free transit passes. If your favorite Senator wrote it you would praise it.

Let's do this with numbers:

Let's say a NYC transit pass costs $80 a month. The company pays $80 and the government gives them a $40 tax credit. This means it still costs them $40 to give each pass to an employee. Why would they do it - they are giving a benefit worth $80 and it costs them just $40. Companies compete to get workers. Do you know any company that has paid for transit? - I don't.

[T Wolf]

16. In what imaginary economy do companies compete for workers. Not at my spot on the food chain.

Maybe in the executive suites.

Instead of a state-subsidized transit system, ala Europe, the corps get us (the taxpayers) to pay for part of their business expense.

And the worry about the priorities of the puke Rep. - here's an example. Currently, my employer subsidizes drivers and parking to a higher degree than transit passes. The system is ALWAYS rigged to benefit those in power, and their buddies. So, all this would do is pay them off to continue their discriminatory ways.

It would be better, IMO, to directly support transit riders rather than allow the corps to pollute the process by giving them the tax break.

[SoxFan]

17. You're arguing with the "Green Underground" crowd

Rational discussion bad. Simplistic grunting good.

[karynnj]

18. I take back saying he could be ok - the high speed rail people hate the nomination

http://cahsr.blogspot.com/2008/12/ray-lahood-hsr-denier.html

[snowbear]

21. Thanks for providing the info..

.
.

I don't know anything about him either ~~

[Cha]

4. Whomever Obama puts in charge

..they will do Team Obama's implementations. This about Obama bringing the country together and getting the right people for the jobs who are willing to do the best for the country..not what they've always been doing.

Fascinating!

[SoxFan]

5. LaHood is good on mas transit issues

He's a very moderate Republican, and has a record of supporting public transportation and passenger rail. Also, since he's not from a traditional urban center like Boston, Chicago, New York, or San Francisco (LaHood is from Peoria), he might be better able to sell public transit to congresscritters from rural and exurban districts.

[Radical Activist]

7. There's no Amtrak stop in Peoria.

What has he done for mass transit while in Congress? I can't think of anything.

[Radical Activist]

6. He chaired the House during the Clinton impeachment.

He's conservative but has a reputation for being moderate because he isn't a rabid jerk about it like most Republicans.

[Thrill]

8. Willing to give up a spot on the Appropriations Committee?

[QC]

9. He's retiring. n/t