MORE (Especially see the letter from a TEA Party Movement group to his Senator at the end):
Even the Washington Post in a recent editorial on 2/14/2011 stated that high speed rail is a bad idea. Read it here:
High-speed rail is a fast track to government waste
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/13/AR2011021302203.html
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Florida Lawmakers Encouraging Reckless Spending on high speed rail
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2675687/posts
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Tallahassee (850) 487-5078
Statewide: 1-800-500-1239
Senate majority bashes Scott’s high-speed rail scuttling
by aaron deslatte on February, 17 2011
Orlando Sentinel
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2011/02/veto-proof-senate-majority-bashes-scotts-high-speed-rail-scuttling.html
TALLAHASSEE A majority of the Floridaa Senate sent a letter to U.S. Secretary Ray LaHood Thursday, blasting Gov. Rick Scott’s decision to scuttle the state’s $2.7 billion high speed rail plan and pleading for more time.
“This project would create real jobs, cleaner and smarter transportation, and true economic development for Floridians,” said the letter signed by 26 senators, and led by Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland. “Politics should have no place in the future of Florida’s transportation, as evidenced by this letter of bipartisan support.”
Here’s the letter:
February 17, 2011
The Honorable Ray LaHood
U.S. Department of Transportation
200 New Jersey Ave, SE, Washington, DC 20590
Dear Secretary LaHood, In December of 2009, members of the Florida Legislature voted to create the Florida Rail Enterprise and the Florida Statewide Passenger Rail Commission. The enterprise could have the ability (pursuant to s. 341.822, Florida Statutes) to independently move forward with Florida’s plans for high speed rail. Please give us the time necessary to work with the enterprise prior to re allocating Florida’s funds to another state. This project would create real jobs, cleaner and smarter transportation, and true economic development for Floridians. The international consortiums who have been investing time and money while waiting for the chance to respond to a request for a proposal deserve that opportunity. Politics should have no place in the future of Florida’s transportation, as evidenced by this letter of bipartisan support.
Senator Anthony Hill, 1 District
Senator Greg Evers, 2nd District
Senator Stephen Wise, 5th District
Senator Bill Montford, 6th District
Senator Andy Gardiner, 9th District
Senator Mike Fasano, 11th District
Senator Dennis Jones, 13th District
Senator Paula Dockery, 15th District
Senator Jack Latvala, 16th District
Senator Arthenia Joyner, 18th District
Senator Gary Siplin, 19th District
Senator Mike Bennett, 21st District
Senator David Simmons, 22nd District
Senator Nancy Detert, 23rd District
Senator Thad Altman, 24th District
Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff, 25th District
Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto, 27th District
Senator Chris Smith, 29th District
Senator Maria Sachs, 30th District
Senator Eleanor Sobel, 31st District
Senator Jeremy Ring, 32nd District
Senator Nan Rich, 34th District
Senator Gwen Margolis, 35th District
Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, 36th District
Senator Rene Garcia, 40th District
LET’S GET TO WORK !!!
They noted that politics should have no place in the future of Florida’s transportation, but they are doing exactly that with this political power play to quiet your voice and that of your elected Governor. Email them directly, and tell them that we can’t afford to play politics over High Speed Rail.
evers.greg.web@flsenate.gov, wise.stephen.web@flsenate.gov, gardiner.andy.web@flsenate.gov, fasano.mike.web@flsenate.gov, jones.dennis.web@flsenate.gov, dockery.paula.web@flsenate.gov, latvala.jack.web@flsenate.gov, bennett.mike.web@flsenate.gov, simmons.david.web@flsenate.gov, detert.nancy.web@flsenate.gov, altman.thad.web@flsenate.gov, bogdanoff.ellyn.web@flsenate.gov, benacquisto.lizbeth.web@flsenate.gov, portilla.miguel.web@flsenate.gov, garcia.rene.web@flsenate.gov, hill.tony.web@flsenate.gov , montford.bill.web@flsenate.gov, joyner.arthenia.web@flsenate.gov, siplin.gary.web@flsenate.gov, smith.chris.web@flsenate.gov, sachs.maria.web@flsenate.gov, sobel.eleanor.web@flsenate.gov, ring.jeremy.web@flsenate.gov, rich.nan.web@flsenate.gov, margolis.gwen.web@flsenate.gov
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Below is a letter one of the TEA Party Movement leaders sent to his Senator. If you would like to send the letter, it is available below. Just make the changes where appropriate.
Mr. Gardiner, I was deeply disappointed to see your name on the Paula Dockery inspired letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The actions by Republican officials in this state, best personified by this letter, toward Gov. Scott’s decision to reject the federal money for high speed rail is disgraceful.
As a member of the Republican Party myself, I am required to sign a ‘loyalty oath’ and I submit that these ongoing actions to undermine our Republican Governor would fail to meet the very expectations that I am held to. I have to ask, is this a matter of do what I say, not what I do?
I am also a recognized leader in the tea party movement and I can assure you that we are paying close attention to the actions of Republican officials in the wake of Scott’s decision.
The prevailing attitude within the movement is that our elected officials from the same side of the aisle are now trying to shove HSR down our throats just as the Democrat Party shoved healthcare reform down our throats. I assure you, this is not a perception that you want projected upon you.
Regardless of your position on HSR, the project was rejected through the Democratic process and these ongoing actions to circumvent the Governor smacks of Alcee Hastings’ comment, “rules, what rules, we make ‘em up as we go along”. Or worse, yet, Nancy Pelosi, “You go through the gate. If the gate’s closed, you go over the fence. If the fence is too high, we’ll pole-vault in. If that doesn’t work, we’ll parachute in.”
Hopefully you are picking up a theme here, which is that conservatives in this state are beginning to see similar elitist traits from those who were thought to be ‘friends’. You would be far better served to take a leadership role here and stand up for the interests of those you were elected to represent. The same folks who will ultimately bear the burden of the out of control national debt brought on by big spending politicians.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to a tea party meeting in your district to speak to a couple of hundred folks about the rail issue.
Thank You,
Snippet of a GREAT letter!
Great stuff! Thanks!
Punch line at the end of the WaPo Editorial:
“Governing ought to be about making wise choices. What’s disheartening about the Obama administration’s embrace of high-speed rail is that it ignores history, evidence and logic. The case against it is overwhelming. The case in favor rests on fashionable platitudes. High-speed rail is not an “investment in the future”; it’s mostly a waste of money. Good government can’t solve all our problems, but it can at least not make them worse.”