Bizarre Twist: Walker now SEEKS FED MONEY FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL

[HereSince1628]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/118842999.html

Less than four months after losing nearly all of an $810 million grant, Wisconsin is again seeking federal high-speed rail money - this time to upgrade the existing Milwaukee-to-Chicago passenger line.

Gov. Scott Walker's administration announced Tuesday that the state will seek at least $150 million to add equipment and facilities for Amtrak's Hiawatha line.

Walker said the money would be used to upgrade service on the Hiawatha line, as a step toward increasing the speed of the trains to nearly 110 mph and reducing the trip time from 90 minutes to one hour. If the improved service draws more riders, the number of round trips could be increased, he said during a news conference in the Milwaukee Intermodal Station.

The governor said he expected Illinois, Michigan and Missouri would join in the application for the federal dollars, part of the $8 billion rail element of President Barack Obama's administration's stimulus package.

[lonestarnot]

1. All that snot has damaged his brain function.

[liberal N proud]

2. What an ass

[SpiralHawk]

3. Republicon Socialist !

Jeeeez, Louise.

[RegieRocker]

4. The people of Wisconsin should give him the high speed rail he so

deserves.

[HereSince1628]

6. Frankly, I think Walker danced on the 3rd rail of Wisconsin politics.

He's going to go down as the first WI gov to be recalled and put out of office by popular demand.

[geardaddy]

29. On which to ride him out of town.

[RegieRocker]

51. At high speed!

[eowyn_of_rohan]

5. WHAT??!!?!? UNbelievable...

no words... too stunned by his idiocy

[HereSince1628]

7. Yes, truly stunning, Walker is redefining what is unbelievable.

It's almost like Dick Cheney said...'If you can imagine it, someone is doing it.'

And now we know WHO it is that is doing it.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

12. He is so odd...

Almost looks and speaks as if he is robotized. He shows zero emotion or discomfort in his face or body language when he pulls these bizarre stunts and flip-flops. Really he reminds me of a Manchurian candidate!!

[HereSince1628]

13. I agree...

He seems to think himself exceptional to rules of general conduct and of law.
He often seems to engage the public from in an emotionless state.
He makes mistakes, is forced to reverse himself, and shows no sense or either remorse or social learning.

I don't think he really has any idea about how to do anything, but rather that he is easily manipulated by people who both provide him a script and who praise him for doing their bidding.

Strange guy, and probably a perfect puppet.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

21. Great observations...

You've analyzed his social (or sociopathic ;) behavior so well...

[madrchsod]

8. illinois already has it`s share of the funds...

the funds are going to rebuild parts of the chicago and the surrounding rail system. the illinois`s share of money walker turned down is going to rebuild the rail line from chicago to galena il.

he`s pissed off lahood so i doubt he`ll give walker a dime.

[nykym]

9. If LaHood Does

He should make Walker account for every penny spent with justifications attached.
Screw it up and you're in jail.

[CTyankee]

10. Make Walker squeal in pain! I like it!

I'd like to see "big government" come down on Snot's ass HARD!

[murielm99]

47. And make sure they use union workers to do the

upgrades and construction. Make sure those workers are following the rules unions require for apprenticeships. That is, if he gets the money. Who can keep up with his hissy fits?

[Greybnk48]

11. I'm beginning to think he's cracking mentally.

He does not exhibit normal emotions or reactions IMO. Dead eyes, flat affect.

[HereSince1628]

14. His biographers are almost certain to explore these aspects of his character

If Howdy Doody didn't have a smile, I'd say he's a lot like that puppet.

[murielm99]

49. Damn, that is one of the best comparisons I have seen

yet. I will have to send that to my daughter in Madison. Of course, she will probably have to Google. She is too young to know about Howdy Doody.

[Blue_Tires]

20. as someone mentioned in another thread

most likely one of Walkers corporate overlords has come up with a paperless method for stealing the money...

[FredStembottom]

24. Not improbable anymore. Should be watched carefully.

The sheer volume of unpunished white-collar crime in America may embolden someone to do that very thing.

[Myrina]

32. ... every time I see him, I think "Damien" from "The Omen" ...

:hide:

[murielm99]

48. I think a lot of the top repubs are just like him.

They were already cracked to begin with. We have long commented on the craziness of the teabaggers and their front men/women. The light is shining on them now, and more people can see it.

[warrior1]

15. tell him

to go pound sand

[DCKit]

16. Sorry Snott, we spent it all bombing Libya. But thanks for the contribution. nt

[gratuitous]

17. High speed rail money can't be spent on Amtrak, governor

Surely you know that, right? If not, I can arrange to have "David Koch" call you to explain it.

[Historic NY]

19. +1

[Canuckistanian]

18. Tell him he can have the money IF he agrees to unionized workers

It's about time someone started putting conditions on HIM.

[HereSince1628]

22. That'd be sweet. n/t

[shraby]

23. I believe he's a day late and a dollar short. The only reason

he's doing this is to pretend he's trying to bring jobs to the state.

[HereSince1628]

25. This particular rail-link was also a 20 year dream of Tommy Thompson

and during Thompson's governorship it was popular among politicians from SE Wisconsin...

And this _IS_ for a high speed link. Walker was told he could not use the money for regular rail service, which was his road-builder campain supporters desire.

Walker's request COULD be assemblymen from the SE part of the state pushing for this in return for carrying union busting water. Walker's leadership has cost those politicians, they may be calling in chits.

[KamaAina]

26. So he'd rather make it easier for people to leave WI

than to travel in-state (apparently more people than I realized make the 70-mile commute from Milwaukee to Madison). :eyes:

[HereSince1628]

30. I think that Bud Selig may have had some influence, too.

There is truly big money to be made in the Brewers vs Cubs series. Miller Stadium is known as Wrigley North.

Additionally, Milwaukee chamber of commerce is marketing itself as Chicago's backyard. Condo's with Lake Views, water sports, museums, great summer festivals, casino gambling, major league sports...all in a fascist friendly setting.

[HereSince1628]

31. there is a surprisingly large amount of commuter traffic

between Madison and the greater Milwaukee area. So much that the highway gets beat to hell in 24-30 months. So it is always under major repair.

[fishwax]

27. feeding at the federal trough, I see

:rofl:

[fishwax]

28. I don't think he should get any federal money until he guarantee collective bargaining rights

:)
:kick:

[Politicalboi]

33. And he's already got

The private contract workers to start ASAP.

[Courtesy Flush]

34. Why should taxpayers foot the bill for a bunch of infrastructure?

So he wants to steal money from people and turn to big government for solutions? Socialist!!!

:sarcasm:

[Tatiana]

35. Seriously... could he possibly have a mental illness? He makes NO sense whatsoever.

His eyes and detached facial expressions are bizarre.

And fat chance getting $$$ out of LaHood at this point. I doubt that happens. In Illinois we already have our high speed $$$ and have allocated them appropriately.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

36. Updated: Walker seeks $150 million for new trains

Updated: Walker seeks $150 million for new trains

5:08 PM, Mar. 29, 2011

MILWAUKEE — Several months after rejecting federal funds to build high-speed rail across Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker is now asking for at least $150 million to add trains for an existing Milwaukee-to-Chicago line.

Walker said Tuesday the federal funds would be used to buy two train sets and eight locomotives as well as build a maintenance facility in Milwaukee.

The announcement came after the Republican governor, upholding a campaign promise, turned down $810 million to build a Madison-to-Milwaukee high-speed line. Walker had criticized the rail line as a waste of taxpayer money.

Upgrading this line, however, will save the state money through lower operating expenses, fewer capital costs and more ticket revenue while helping to accommodate growth in the rail line, he said.

IIRC, the maintenance facility at Milwaukee would be for maintaining Talgo-like trains. Apparently I'm wrong:

Made in America rule could cut out Talgo

The Business Journal - by Sean Ryan
Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2011, 2:20pm CDT

Email: [e-mail]

As the state pursues money to buy two new trains for the Hiawatha service, the odds of Talgo Inc. getting the contract are slim unless the company changes its manufacturing operations.

Gov. Scott Walker Tuesday said Wisconsin will apply for $150 million in federal grants partially to hire a manufacturer to make two new trains. The grant money would come from $2.43 billion in federal stimulus money left over after Florida rejected its cut.

But the stimulus money has strings attached. All of it must be spent on American-made products or U.S. companies. Talgo Inc., at least for two trains it is building under an existing contract with Wisconsin, shipped train shells to Milwaukee from the company’s headquarters operations in Spain. That would violate the stimulus Buy American rules.

[louis-t]

37. Rules? Republicans don't need no stinkin' rules!

Rules don't apply to repugs, laws don't apply, morals don't apply, ethics don't apply.

[freshwest]

38. You saying he's raising taxes to buy foreign made stuff? Another GOPher job program abroad?

[FreakinDJ]

39. Fuck Off Jack Ass

[Blue Owl]

40. Hey Walker -- you look like the GODDAMNED IDIOT you are

n/t

[TheCowsCameHome]

41. Blow one of the Koch brothers. That should be good for a few dollars.

[PurityOfEssence]

42. Presumably so he can tie schoolteachers to the tracks...

Poor Nell...

[madrchsod]

43. i just remember illinois will have a brand new rail-car production facility

we provided a japanese company 12 million in incentives to build a production facility in rochelle il. those jobs are skilled labor jobs that pay well.the rail cars are being built for the regional rail system in northern il.

so snottie scottie thinks the spaniards will come back to wisconsin....:rofl:

here`s what wisconsin will be missing

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=24825

and ray lahood`s home is near peoria, il......

[mahatmakanejeeves]

44. Nippon Sharyo

I guess I haven't been keeping up, but they were the suppliers for the Virginia Railway Express's new cars. I had thought Kawasaki was the supplier for them. When VRE was young, it was using double-decker cars that had first run on the Chicago and North Western in the 1950s.

VRE's New Gallery Cars

VRE's New Gallery Cars
by davinp » Thu May 25, 2006 2:09 pm

The shells of the 11 VRE Cab Cars, built by Nippon Sharyo/Sumitomo, await transport to the US for final assembly in Wisconsin. These 11 cars are expected to begin operation in early 2007.

[Sonicwall]

45. The only way he'll get the funds if...

He resigns and declares the 2010 election null and void, and surrenders himself to the authorities for prison time.

[brooklynite]

46. The key is "Illinois, Michigan and Missouri would join in the application"

As long as there's someone else to stick with the bill...

[HereSince1628]

50. He must overcome the Obama administration's earlier decision

to not allow funds to be spent on the existing Amtrak commuter route. I don't think he wants to burrow funds designated to the other states.

Personally, although I think Walker is a class triple AAA ass, high speed rail servuce between Milwaukee and Chicago is a reasonable thing to do.