Posted on 12/06/2014 12:35:02 AM PST by iowamark
It’s pretty clear, there is going to be a major push to raise the state’s gas tax during the upcoming legislative session. While that should surprise no one, I was shocked to see the over-the-top TV ad that the pro-gas tax crowd is currently using to advance the issue.
That’s right, school children are going to die if we don’t raise the gas tax. This outrageous ad makes all those negative ads in the U.S. Senate race look like child’s play. Talk about jumping the shark.
The ad begins with the claim that there are currently 5,000 deficient bridges in Iowa. The claim comes from a 2013 report from Transportation for America. That’s 20 percent of the 24,000 bridges in the state. Sounds pretty bad doesn’t it.
Consider the following from a news report for KCCI about the report.
State and county engineers told KCCI Wednesday that there is no doubt that more than 20 percent of Iowa bridges are structurally deficient, but that doesn’t mean disaster is just around the corner.
Officials said structurally deficient does not mean dangerous. If a bridge was deemed to be dangerous it would be closed down to traffic.
It’s safe to say that the Iowa Good Roads Association who is airing the ad is blatantly lying, and TV stations around the state should refuse to air such misleading trash on their airwaves. The person behind the ad is Dave Scott, the lobbyist for the Iowa Motor Truck Association. The truckers, the Iowa Farm Bureau, and the Associated General Contractors are the main forces behind raising the state’s gas tax and are likely putting the money up the fear mongering ad.
Besides the fact that school kids on buses are not in eminent danger of dying in a school bus accident, the ad also does a poor job of identifying the real problem with Iowa’s infrastructure funding. The ad states that 5,000 bridges are structurally deficient, but even if the gas tax is raised by 10 cents a gallon, the state will still have deficient bridges.
Last year KCCI reported, “Iowa DOT bridge engineer Scott Neubauer said it’s important to look at the bigger picture. He said the numbers include local and county roads. Most are not on major highways or interstates.
Neubauer said that with $200 million over the next five years, 50 more state bridges will be repaired or replaced but that still leaves more than 5,000 county bridges that are structurally deficient.”
Under the current Road Use Tax Fund formula, only a third of the increased revenue will go to fix secondary and farm-to-market roads. Regardless of how they choose to raise road funds, unless the formula is changed there are still going to be thousands of deficient bridges across the state.
If legislators raise gas taxes to generate $200 million in additional funds, only $65 million of that will go towards secondary roads. When you divide that by 99 counties, it basically means that there will be enough additional money for a county to repair or replace one bridge. In other words, in 2065 Iowa will finally be able to say that they no longer have any deficient bridges and our school children will finally be safe.
Carson Clueless on Guns
You would be a fool to discard Dr. Ben Carson’s chances as a 2016 presidential candidate. The retired neurosurgeon is obviously bright, and it’s already apparent that he has a following in the first in the nation caucus state. Yet there are already signs that Carson will endure the same problems that other candidates with no political experience have dealt with.
A couple weeks ago, Carson used a nationwide tele-townhall to walk back some comments he made on the Glenn Beck show. Carson said that people have the right to own firearms, but when asked about semi-automatic weapons Carson said, “It depends on where you live. I think if you live in the midst of a lot of people, and I’m afraid that that semi-automatic weapon is going to fall into the hands of a crazy person, I would rather you not have it,” Carson elaborated. However, if you live “out in the country somewhere by yourself” and want to own a semi-automatic weapon, he added, “I’ve no problem with that.”
Carson found himself crossways with gun rights supporters last week when he suggested that cops should be trained to shoot for the legs instead of center mass i.e. the torso of the body. Carson’s comments once against highlight the fact that he’s not well versed or thought out on issues relating to firearms and law enforcement.
If you want to get a reaction out of law enforcement, try telling them to use minimum force when their lives are in danger. These are life and death decisions that cops have to make in a split second. Officers have to assess the situation in a fraction of a second, so making them shoot for the legs does nothing but put their lives in danger.
I think it’s pretty clear that when it comes to guns, Carson doesn’t have a clue.
RPI Neutrality Pledge A Step in the Right Direction
On Wednesday, the Republican Party of Iowa announced that all of its staff and every member of the State Central Committee signed a petition pledging their neutrality for the 2016 Iowa caucuses. It’s a smart move that shows that the current administration at the Republican Party of Iowa is taking their responsibility of conducting the caucuses seriously.
Signing the petition was the easy part, the more difficult task will be the appearance of being neutral towards all the candidates. For example, the day before the big announcement, State Central Committee member Gabe Haugland flew to Austin, Texas for a holiday luncheon with Texas Governor Rick Perry.
Haugland worked for Perry in advance of the 2012 caucuses, and since then, has had Perry keynote some Republican events in North Iowa. I don’t think Haugland did anything to violate the pledge. Perry isn’t even a presidential candidate yet, but appearances do matter. The same goes for National Committee Woman Tamara Scott who has traveled with to Israel with Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and just returned from a ten-day European tour with Mike Huckabee.
The pledge was a good move, now the members of the State Central Committee need to go out of their way to be welcoming to all Republican candidates and campaigns. It’s always easier said that done. Appearances matter, and if the Republican Party of Iowa is serious about its neutrality pledge, its members will be careful not to put themselves in positions where they and the party can be criticized.
One final piece of advice, I don’t care who occupies the state party office, someone will always believe they are playing favorites. I’ve never seen it not happen, pledge or no pledge.
I liked Carson...until he opened his mouth about guns.
Does Carson know what semiautomatic means?
Okay, the article is about three subjects, one that speaks to Carson’s “ethical” concerns.
Please.
Carson is not a contender, so let’s stop ripping him new rectal cavities.
No. Clearly, no.
This is SOP from previous years when gasoline prices dropped unexpectedly. And it’s not just in Iowa. Other campaigns are up and running.
Ill informed, uninformed, progressives like to call them stupid, voters have fallen for the “It’s for the children” line for generations. It’s a tried and true gambit that has been used to trick the public into giving itself the over bearing tax burden of today.
But he's an "attractive distractor" (with no voting record and no attempt to be elected to a position where we can see how he'd vote), to keep constitutional conservatives from focusing on viable, proven candidates.
"Won't get fooled again"....if we end up with someone without a voting history, we've lost before the election even happens.
The real question should be, "Would he push his thoughts on the People, or would he support and defend the Constitution?"
Thoughts and opinions are just that until one decides to pull an Obama and foist them off outside of the law of the land. I don't care about someone's thoughts on some issues as long as that person is willing to uphold the Constitution.
I’m with you. Very disappointing.
“Carson is not a contender, so let’s stop ripping him new rectal cavities.”
Oh, come on, where have you be the last six months? He’s been constantly shilling for himself and i somehow keep getting spam advertising him as a great candidate.
Going to the Second Amendment, the man’s shown himself to be clueless, starting with the Martin/Zimmerman case where, without the slightest basis in the evidence or the law, he announced that Zimmerman should have been convicted of manslaughter. Now he’s showing himself to be even more of a fool, saying police should shoot perps in the legs instead of aiming for center mass. Military and police instruction always emphasizes that, when you have to shoot, you shoot for center mass. Carson’s clearly not ready for prime time.
I went to a handgun defense course, out of 40 people there only one of the instructors used a revolver. Everyone else used magazine loading auto pistols.
Designed in 1911 and used forever it seems, this semi auto
is the forefather of todays Glocks, Kahr, Sigs, H&K, M&P,
Walthers, XDM, and other pistols. Carson doesn’t know it but that is what most people want and buy. How would he ever collect the tens of millions of these guns purchased over the past 100 years?
Carson’s a good man and a very smart guy. He will learn.
That said, he will not get the nomination. Obama has ruined it for any AA candidate for the next 50 years.
My mother had a lot of those old sayings that she was continually applying to situations that came up. I used to secretly roll my eyes at them when I was younger, but now, sometimes I wonder.
“Blood is thicker than water” and “What’s in the blood will out.” It’s natural to side with one’s own when push comes to shove. Who could have known what deep seated resentments and desire for revenge Obama harbored for this nation? Carson misunderstands the meaning of “shall not be infringed upon” and would socially engineer gun ownership for “the right people” in the “right places.”
Someone will always believe they are playing favorites.
Next month California will add 15 cent tax on gas Brown has to pay for the vote makers some how?.
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