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11/8/2010
Haering: There’s no ironing out of differences on rail line
Sunday’s MJS editorial urged, “Scott Walker and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood should sit down to iron out differences on fast rail.”
Iron out differences on the Madison to Milwaukee line?! LaHood wants it, Walker doesn’t, we can’t build it to Lake Mills and quit, the $810 million comes all or none por todos de enchilada. There can be no ironing. It’s all or nothing, they tell us. If that is true, then it’s “nothing” that makes more sense.
Imagine MMSD freeze dried 5.6 million cubes of choice effluent, gift wrapped them with a top-of-the-line Presto slow cooker made in Eau Claire and a recipe for “Succulent Stewage” (just add lake water, diced carrots and potatoes, and the seasoning packet included), sent them to each and every Wisconsinite, with a bill for only $150 – would you not fume incredulous?
Even without the inappropriate bill, illegally charging for something you didn’t order. Even if it was free. Any way you look at it, a Milwaukee to Madison train is just a crock of Milorganite!
To be useful at all, the train must go efficiently where roads don’t already go. For years, I’ve suggested a roughly diagonal line connecting tribal casinos from Chicago to Beloit to Milwaukee to Eau Claire to Minneapolis, where it becomes someone else’s problem. But that would surely cost more than $810 million.
The Doyle administration plummeted into spending the $810 million, counting their weasels before they’d popped, in an attempt to blackmail Governor Walker into continuing the project, lest he be personally responsible for all the jobs that would end almost before they’ve started. That would certainly fuel a lovely spin war. Seems no season is exempt from political tornadoes.
Indeed, the Racine Journal Times editorial applied the opening spin - “Hubris, stubbornness from Doyle on high-speed rail,” warning that pursuing the unpopular line “may make the concept a political third rail for years to come. Politicians won't come near it.”
That’s why it makes more sense to “Stop right there! … before we go any further.” We must be smarter than Meatloaf. We must waive paradise by this train’s headlight. It is another eternal commitment on one-time funds. If the line cannot be bent to some unique purpose or the money usefully re-directed, high-speed rail deserves to be shut down.
Tim Haering lives in Concord, CA and is a former policy advisor to Gov. Tommy Thompson.
COMMENTS
Ya know it is sorta interesting reading Haering. He writes 500 words with only about one logical point, the rest is fantasy, hot air,sarcasm... Not much meat.
I agree that ya can't build half a rail line and be useful. Duh.
This next point;
>>>To be useful at all, the train must go efficiently where roads don’t already go<<< is not true.
All it needs to do is provide an efficient alternative to building even more roads. Remember, when the I-system was built there were plenty of naysayers sayin we did not need it, it cost too much, it disrupted our lives.
Why not debate the pros and cons of the HSR rationally?
Dean Weichmann (Mon Nov 08 08:22:46 2010)
Dean, HSR has been rationally debated to death. The time has come to firm up the NO votes, which is what I sought to do.
You write, “All it needs to do is provide an efficient alternative to building even more roads.” Yet you say my statement, “To be useful at all, the train must go efficiently where roads don’t already go – is not true.” Your statement merely restates mine. Well said.
Yet Madison-to-Milwaukee high speed rail does not provide and “efficient alternative to building even more roads.” The entire Wisconsin segment of Pres. Obama’s Magic Railroad could simply run alongside I-94. No new roads need be built in Wisconsin. And present roads could be maintained and/or improved more cost effectively with $810M.
As Gov.-elect Walker has said on all manner of fiscal conservatism, it is time to put up or shut up. Tell Walker he’s right on. Save this HSR debate for a more prosperous moment.
Thanks for the virtual ink, JO.
tim haering (Sun Nov 14 12:46:18 2010)
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