Gov. Of Florida Tells BHO Thanks But NO Thanks. BHO Will Find Another Sucker

[twyacht]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/return-to-sender-fla-gov-turns-down-billions-in-federal-rail-funds/

Seems the gift horse has strings, and Gov. Scott ain't falling for a high speed rail scheme that,....OMG,....the majority of Floridians  do NOT want...

Plus, Floridian tax payers are on the hook if it doesn't work,.....i.e Amtrak, Metrorail......etc,...

Just five weeks after taking office as Florida’s 45th executive, Gov. Rick Scott is making waves with ripples felt all the way to Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, the Republican governor announced he’s turning down $2.4 billion in federal stimulus money President Obama’s administration had earmarked for a high-speed rail project to connect Orlando and Tampa. In response, the White House insisted it would spend the money elsewhere.

Last week, Vice President Biden announced the administration’s new $53 billion plan to build a national high-speed rail network as a means to create jobs and improve American transportation.

But during a press conference Wednesday, Scott said he was returning the cash to Washington and took time to criticize the president’s deficit spending.

“My background is in business, not politics,” he said. “But you don’t have to be an economics expert to understand that if you spend more money than you take in, your business will fail. Unfortunately, politicians haven’t always seemed to grasp that same principle.”

It is absolutely critical that we make smart investments with taxpayer dollars, whether state or federal, and I believe our state will be better served by spending these funds on projects that will benefit Florida and not turn into a spending boondoggle. The answer is to reduce government spending, cut government’s leash on our state’s job creators and then hold that government accountable for the investments it makes,” Scott concluded.

****

The devil is in the details,..and Sen. Nelson (D-FL),..is behind in the polls for 2012, and seems Florida is "waking the hell up" except for Palm Beach County.....(FQ?)...

[crusader rabbit]

A number of politicos (who apparently have no understanding of simple economics) are now pushing to have a private entity step up to accept the Federal Govt.'s "largess."  Fortunately, they seem to be having little luck in that.

If free enterprise does not see a potential for a return on investment, there is a very good chance that the project will require subsidy--that means we will continue to pay for it for the foreseeable future.

Further, this boondoggle is initiated by a "gift" from the feds, but Florida has to pick up any expense beyond the initial funding.  In the history of time, there has never been a government project that came in under budget, so this is an immense future burden on Florida's taxpayers.  I cite as a recent example the infamous Big Dig in Boston, Mass.  Those poor suckers will be paying for that fiasco for all of time.

Rick Scott has it right--he understands business.  This is not a gift to lift Florida's economy.  It is an anchor that will sink it.  And that pig-eyed Bill Nelson POS needs to find a nice rocking chair to retire to--some place where he can't do more damage.

[tombogan03884]

The nation NEEDS to improve and update it's rail system, both freight and commuter. There was a time you could go pretty much anywhere in America by rail. Now it is only between major hubs.
However the money pit clusterf*ck that is Amtrack shows what happens when Govt controls such things.
How was the interstate highway system organized under Ike ? That, after all, was a govt project that seems to have been successful . And while it was intended to improve the military's ability to move troops and equipment it also provided jobs starting in a post war period of high unemployment.

[twyacht]

Agreed Tom, The Autobahn was designed for military deployment on a super highway. Ike mandated every certain section of "Interstate" be straight to be used as a runway if needed for aircraft.

Gee....what a concept.! Over the decades, the "estimators" always screw up the numbers, provide a great Amway like sales pitch, and when it's all built, hold the states accountable. If the state can't pay and the Feds have to subsidize,...well,....you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours, comes into play.

Rick Scott, saw the red flag. The proposed run from Orlando to Tampa, is like paying to take a top fuel dragster to the corner store.

Yeah you'll get there, but for how much.... Research Miami's Metro-rail. it was supposed to be the shiznit in Miami commuting.

It COSTS Miami MILLIONS every year, as it hasn't shown a penny of profit in 25 years.

If it was so good, commercial investors would already have built it by now.

[tombogan03884]

The air field thing is also why our bridges are so heavily built, they can double as hangers.
The way we dealt with the cost in the North East was by the thousand year old system of tolls.
While you have tolls on bridges and tunnels all over the country, Toll roads are like traffic circles, generally unknown outside this region

[Sponsor]

[twyacht]

Dade County, (not my county), has just approved NO CASH tolls on the Turnpike. You need a 'SunPass', a prepaid device affixed to your vehicle. OR you'll get a pic of your plate, and a bill in the mail plus fees.

These have RFID devices in them, and since I have a work van,....they can bill my shop. I won't get one,...and they just laid off 600 toll workers....

Like I posted, this is Miami/Dade County.....

[fightingquaker13]

The problem with light rail in Florida is that its great in theory. As Tom said, we should use rail rather than highways to transport freight, passengers and commuters for a host of reasons. The trouble is that Fl. has virtually no decent public transport due to poor zoning decisions. We grew out, rather than up (cf LA ). Your typical Florida city has a nominal downtown (mostly on life support) surrounded by gated communities, strip malls, office parks, professional complexes, more gated communities and so on. Try getting from point A to point B without a car. Good luck. The thing I liked most about living in DC was that I really didn't need a car most days. I could get where I wanted via metro or bus or go to NY or Philly or Boston via train and do the same. In places like that, high speed rail makes sense. In Florida where you get off the train and have no way to get where you are going its a pure boondoggle. It could have, should have, been designed better. Taking things as they are? Rick Scott is right. Just say no to what is a white elephant on its best day.
FQ13
PS I may be betraying my Libertarian values when I say say this, but facts are stubborn things. A well designed public transport sytem saves money and oil. Its good for the environment, good for our wallets and good for national security in that we need to be less dependent on foriegn oil.

[tombogan03884]

Don't get me wrong, I realize that if Obummers plan is implemented it will make Boston's "Big Dig" look economical.
I'm just saying that we DO need more rail capacity and better public transport.

[Timothy]

Don't get me wrong, I realize that if Obummers plan is implemented it will make Boston's "Big Dig" look economical.

But it wont leak or collapse on anyone.........maybe de-rail though!

[tombogan03884]

But it wont leak or collapse on anyone.........maybe de-rail though!

Look at Amcrashes safety record, it may not leak but that's the only defect not still on the table.