US: Shutdown of Transportation Programs Possible

[marmar]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bills necessary to avoid shutdowns of federal transportation and aviation programs are high on Congress' to-do list when it returns to work next week.

President Barack Obama says as many as 1 million jobs are at risk without action.

Both the White House and House Republicans signaled Wednesday that they want to avoid such a scenario, but that doesn't mean it will be easy.

Federal highway programs, and the fuel taxes that pay for them, will expire Sept. 30 unless Congress passes short-term extension legislation. It would be the eighth such stopgap effort in the past two years. Funds for hundreds of construction projects across the country would be held up without passage. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10343405/us-shutdown-of-transportation-programs-possible

[kestrel91316]

1. If the Repigs don't want to levy the taxes necessary to keep the highway system usable,

LET THE ROADS CRUMBLE.

And let everyone know who is responsible.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

10. They already ARE crumbling.

The I40 crosstown bridge in OKC between I44 and downtown is falling down. They're building a new one, but it is already behind schedule because of funding.
Duckie

[kestrel91316]

13. When giant corporations can't send their big rigs full of cheap Chinese plastic crap

across the country, THEN they will come to their senses. When enough wealthy folks lose their auto undercarriages to monstrous potholes, and enough people die, THEN they will come to their senses.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

14. They will build turnpikes and charge for the privilege to drive on their roads.

[RKP5637]

2. I'm sure our 13% approval rating congress will handle it admirably like

everything else the touch. Not to worry!
:mad:

[TwilightGardener]

3. Literally, grinding to a halt. Because that's the game the Republican party wants to play.

Edit to add: but the people voted for this to happen. Enjoying your paralyzed government, dickwads?

[ProfessionalLeftist]

4. Another chance for congresss to extort the country

to get their way. Watch...

[jwirr]

6. Another hostage being held by the rethugs.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. MORE hostage taking...

[spanone]

7. count on republicons to hold the nation hostage on this and every issue to come up

hostage taking is the new republican mode.

[Skink]

8. Road construction used to be such a good slush fund.

I guess pacs are the thing now.

[ThoughtCriminal]

9. Getting GOP approval would be easy

if only they could be convinced that the legislation would lower wages, kill jobs, and hurt the poor. I think that would actually get them sexually excited about it.

[Turbineguy]

11. Except for the repubs who rub their hands

at the thought of a shut-down. How many more people will be out of work? For the repubs, the more the merrier.

[FarCenter]

12. Highway and road work should be limited to maintenance of the existing roads

No additional lane miles of roads or roads into new areas should be built.

Gas will be unaffordable before any new roads pay for themselves.

Freight should be moved from truck to more fuel efficient railroads.

This is needed both because of depletion of crude oil production and because of greenhouse gas emissions.

[MH1]

15. I mostly agree with that, but there's LOTS of maintenance on existing lanes

that needs to be done.

In fact that's enough reason not to build any new lanes.