High-speed rail opposition demonstrates weak leadership
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St. Petersburg Times
02/27/2011
U.S. Rep. Richard Nugent's support of Gov. Scott's opposition to the $2.4 federal funding of a speed train for Florida was discouraging news, but not surprising.
And Hernando and Pasco Counties' other representatives who voted for the governor and support his train veto actions, Hernando Commissioner David Russell, state Reps. Robert Schenck, and Jimmy Smith, are no surprise either. State Sen. Mike Fasano's urging a delay in the decision until a Florida Department of Transportation ridership study was completed, demonstrates weak leadership as well.
Seldom am I on the side of business interests in Florida and the Tampa-Orlando area, but when it comes to promoting mass transportation, local and state jobs, less dependency on fossil fuels, less highway congestion, and a wider distribution of new community developments throughout the state, then such a project has my full support and advocacy.
Nugent, and fellow state and federal legislators, with their so-called concern about our country and state's deficits, could have addressed this matter with vision years ago, if they had stood up against their party, the Congress and their president, of going to war foolishly in the Middle East.
If Nugent is so concerned about a speed rail project as being "too costly," or because "the federal government takes such an enormous share of Americans paychecks that there is little left for the states basic responsibilities," then where was his voice in opposition to both going to and participating in an eight-year war, so far, when it made little sense, and knowing then that the financial costs would be high.
According to the nonprofit National Priorities Project, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, since 2001, have cost our country $1.1 trillion and counting. Florida's share of these two wars has been $63.4 billion. And Hernando County taxpayers alone have paid out over $436 million. Ironically, the amount of money from our 5th Congressional District, is $2.27 billion, almost the exact amount that Gov. Scott is rejecting with Nugent's support.
And we have not even addressed the issue of 5,000 American soldiers lives lost and the 100,000 plus injured.
Opposition to the war now, and to Gov. Scott's train veto, is the most patriotic and financially responsible action Nugent and his colleagues should take now.
