Posted on 04/01/2005 1:33:21 PM PST by FlyLow
With the House having passed its version of the highway bill and the Senate favorably disposed to do the same, there will undoubtedly be a lot of backslapping and high-fives exchanged among transportation lobbyists, bureaucrats in state departments of transportation, and members of the transportation committees in Congress. Of course, although more than a few will complain that the final package -- assuming the price tag remains at “only” $284 billion -- is “too small” and will leave the nation’s roads in gridlock, a close look at the earmarks in the bill that passed the House might cause harried motorists to wonder if Congress is more concerned about bike lane capacity, better museums, and aesthetically pleasing byways than every day traffic woes.
Earmarks have long been the bane of good government types and fiscal conservatives, and this year’s bill will be no different. The House bill alone -- even before Senators have the opportunity to add their pork items to the mix -- contains 4,128 earmarks worth a total of $12.4 billion. This breaks down to 3,676 “high priority projects” worth $11.1 billion; 443 “bus and bus facility projects” totaling $1.1 billion; and various other projects totaling $192 million. Although the sheer number of earmarks is bad enough, even worse is the fact that so much of the money contained in the transportation bill -- money that is paid into the federal Treasury by motorists when they fill up their gas tanks -- ends up being diverted to whatever use Congress chooses.
(Excerpt) Read more at humaneventsonline.com ...
#1834 Plan and construct a bicycle and pedestrian trail in Murfeesboro, Tennessee: $9 million;
WTF?!?!??! Sickening!!!
Hell I think this will solve traffic, global warming, terrorists attacks and unwanted pregnancies all in one fell swoop.
$9 million for a glorified bike path? Are they paving it with gold?
Curse that Public Recreation Clause in the Constitution!!
Why how dare you. That clause is right up there with the first amendment. The right of each person to have whatever they want, whenever they want to be paid for by the other guy. Ahh, it makes my chest swell with pride!
" Hell I think this will solve traffic, global warming, terrorists attacks and unwanted pregnancies all in one fell swoop."
Well then, Boulder ought to be a freakin' paradise by now.
"It won't cost us a thing - it's Federal money".
Hey, its still MY tax dollars, you idiots!
hahahaha. Try visiting Durango CO,,,the "Mountain Biking Capitol of the World", along with all the spandex speed bikers...time for me to move again. After only 13 years here, I've seen it go from a comfortable town to a nightmare of traffic and bikes. Where to go? Might be SD as much as I don't like winter...at least there's room.
FMCDH(BITS)
You got my vote. Along with the 7,239 other nonexistant clauses in the Constitution- including separation of church and state.
But....But.....my toilet can only flush 1.6 gallons per flush. That's in the constitution...ain't it?
I'm not sure anymore. From what I hear, the Constitution is now locked away in a secret vault, all previous copies of it have been declared null and void, and only a select few are allowed to read it anymore. So your toilet might be unconstitutional without you even knowing it (until they come to arrest you).
The DNC will let you download a copy of the Constitution for a small donation.
South Dakota? Wow! Really?
if the Rep in Congress for TN, who pushed through this bike path, is stupid or the people don't like the bike path they can vote him out. If they think he should have spent the money on a street insead of the bike path they can vote him out. that is what a representative government of the people does. What is wrong with this?should the money have been spent in Calif or Texas instead of TN? Transprotation money comes from taxes paid by people who buy gas, the people are entitled to projects that allow people to use the streets or railways in the country through the DIRECT TAXES paid. / flame away - rant off
FMCDH(BITS)
Congress Gets Another Chance to Improve America’s Transportation: Should It Be Its Last? (Draft)
by Ronald D. Utt, Ph.D.
WebMemo
March 7, 2005
http://www.heritage.org/Research/SmartGrowth/highway-reauth2005.cfm
LOL! Thanks for the info. I'd rather throw my money down a manhole. :-)
So when will the wind fence construction begin? Boulder ought to be called Bowlder. Reminds me of wind alley.
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