Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The Rejected Windfall

May 9, 2011
The Rejected Windfall
NY Times Editorial


After Gov. Rick Scott of Florida thoughtlessly rejected $2.4 billion in federal aid for a high-speed rail line, he claimed last month that he was doing a huge favor for the national Treasury, which he expected would give away the money in tax cuts. That was nonsense, of course; Mr. Scott was really doing a favor for train passengers in the Northeast, Midwest and California, which were given $2 billion of his money on Monday for better service. 

Florida voters might want to think about that decision as they sit in traffic jams, burning up $4-a-gallon gasoline. In fact, some of them clearly have thought about it because Mr. Scott now has some of the worst approval ratings of a Florida official in the last decade. 

He has joined other newly elected Republican governors so rigidly opposed to the Obama administration that they are willing to harm their states to score points. The result is a crazy quilt of state relationships with Washington, stitched more with ideology than reason. 


Full editorial at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/opinion/10tue1.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha211
 
 
Ken Prendergast
Executive Director
All Aboard Ohio
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kenprendergast@allaboardohio.org
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