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Tuesday, November 9, 2010 1 Comment

Today’s Headlines

by Tanya Snyder

Mica Promises “Full Review” of Selection Process for TIGER, Rail Grants (Reuters)
NJ Ordered to Reimburse Feds for ARC Tunnel Work to the Tune of $271 Million (NorthJersey.com)
Could Amtrak Save the Tunnel That Gov. Christie Killed? (Star-Ledger)
Wisconsin Governor Explains His Stop-and-Go Actions on Rail (Transpo Nation)
Who Wants the Federal Rail Money Wisconsin and Ohio are Shunning? New York, for One (WSJ)
Sens. Voinovich, Carper Make Futile Call for a 25 Cent Gas Tax Hike (National Journal)
Mica’s the New Big Man on Capitol Hill as He Prepares for Chairmanship (St. Augustine Record)
San Antonio Gets a Livability Makeover (Express-News)
The Geometry of Transit Station Spacing: Balancing Coverage and Speed (Human Transit)
Central Indiana Unrolls Ambitious New Multi-Modal Transpo Plan (WXIN)
Some Enviros Prefer Tree Growth to Smart Growth (NYT)

MAT

Great quote from Rep. Mica criticizing the TIGER selection process:

“We had unelected officials sitting behind closed doors making decisions without any hearings or without any elected officials being consulted. There was no rational explanation,” Mica said. “I’m going to have a full review of that.”

You read that right. Mica is actually suggesting that elected officials should be making these decisions, not experienced professional planners, engineers, architects, etc. Isn’t this exactly how it’s supposed to be? Take politics out of the equation and focus on the merits of the individual projects. Does anyone actually think that elected officials always do what is in the nation’s best interests rather than what is needed to further their own self-interests. Is this a hint at the blatant corruption that will surely rear its ugly head under a Republican House? You bet your horse it is.

Attention fellow liberals, sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride – it’s going to be a hilarious couple of years. Well, it would be hilarious if it wasn’t so damn important.