Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Along With A Military-Industrial Complex...

We have the Roadbuilder-Republican Party complex.

How else do you explain that Scott Walker, allegedly against taxes and spending, can endorse the $6.5 billion SE Freeway (sic) plan, doubling to $1.4+ billion the still-unfunded cost of widening I-39/90 between the Wisconsin Dells and the Illinois State line and adding toll lanes in the state, too?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Barrett would give it to Wisconsin Shares or some other welfare program, so pick your poison.

Anon Jim said...

One reason might be that the roads being built or rebuilt are ones that will be used daily by thousands upon thousands of tax-payers, versus being pissed away on some other useless and/or fraudulent program.

Like car-speed rail.

James Rowen said...

Thousands and thousands of people in this state do not own cars, or are too young, infirm, old to drive. Or cannot afford it.

In a society, we support things we do not use, and others pay for things we do use. There are many roads and bridges in the state I will never use. Or state buildings. Or social programs, Commerce programs, DNR programs, and I haven't had a child in public schools for more than 15 years.

I pay a share to keep the society up and running, growing and vital.

Anon Jim said...

Thousands and thousands of people in fact do not own cars, but guess what Rowen - they still use the roads you hate so much.

They themselves may not own a car, but they directly use the roadways travelling via other's cars, taxis, buses (shuttle, Greyhound, et al), etc.

And how exactly does the majoriy of the goods they consume get to the stores or thier homes you ask - via the roadways.

What part of that don't you understand?

Btw citing ineffective, useless, wasteful, and/or fraudulent government programs be it social, commerce, the DNR, and worse of all the public school systems does not enhance your arguement.

Quite the contrary.

James Rowen said...

By your logic (sic), Anon Jim, you and the other suburbanites who come into Milwaukee everyday should pay for the police, fire, health and street services you use.

Maybe Scott Walker's highway lane tolls can be raised so you pay your fair share of what you are using when you drive into the city - - but which other people right now are providing to you with as a subsidy.

Anon Jim said...

Rowen - we suburbanites and out-staters do nothing but pay subsidizing Milwaukee.

At a minimum by virtue of working in Milwaukee (trust me, not by choice) I buy goods and services in Milwaukee for which I pay a sales tax.

And at the macro level, by how much does Milwaukee's various public sector entities spending, exceed the money actually collected from Milwaukee.

Between state and federal funding millions, and cumulatively billions?

MPS alone is a giant sucking black hole of out of district funding.

What is sad here is that by your logic (sic), you see the suburbs and the rest of the state as parasites living off of the host body of Milwaukee, when the exact opposite is true.

jpk said...

@Anon Jim-
Just a quick note. Sales tax revenues do not go towards City of Milwaukee - they go to Milw County. Local municipal roads are funded from the property tax and special assessments on adjacent property owners.

Also - chill out dude.

gnarlytrombone said...

we suburbanites and out-staters do nothing but pay subsidizing Milwaukee

I smell self-satisfied BS. Got a cite for that?

Anony Too said...

So, Anon Jim, you work in Milwaukee but live elsewhere. My guess is that your Milwaukee job requires neither writing or thinking. But it's obvious you have plenty of car time in the old Suburban to listen to Milwaukee squawk radio and Nationally Syndicated Smear and Sneer as your angry postings so closely mirror those of your right-wing nut heroes.

Good luck hanging on!