Getting back to why commuter rail sucks for a large, rural county with only 440,000 people

8/18/08 UPDATE: see Stephen's 'comment' below or go to http://thegreattrainrobbery.org and sign the petition!

This was my letter to the editor about commuter rail, RTA and the Journal's editorial for 2008. Sat. Jan 19. 2008

Glad transportation included in agenda

Thanks to the State Journal for its 2008 agenda editorial, especially "Steering clear of gridlock."

After reading the Transport 2020 report, the conclusion has to be that it doesn't make sense. The report consultants found that at an "enhanced bus system" spending level, a single bus rider could be added for $1.50, most covered by the rider's fare and the current $4 local and federal tax subsidies. The Transport 2020 plan of keeping the fare the same for commuter trains and buses would kick the tax subsidy up to an estimated $65 per rider -- one way and with fewer riders than the enhanced bus system.

When the Transport 2020 committee, led by and made up mostly of rail advocates, decided to ignore this less expensive bus detour and stay on track for trains and trolleys, they achieved the dubious distinction of national attention for pigheadedness in author Randal O'Toole's 2007 book "The Best-Laid Plans. " (page 171-172)

O'Toole points out that crippling the bus system by turning it into a "train feeder" system and eliminating routes that "compete" with the train artificially forces ridership for trains upward and makes trains an easier sell.

The problem is traffic congestion. The solution is bypassing through traffic around the Isthmus, enhanced bus service and safer high capacity highways.

-- Bill Richardson, Middleton, member, Thegreattrainrobbery.org

Boy did I ever get that wrong

Once again, my near perfect record of predicting the outcome of political contests was confirmed: I got it wrong one more time. Not only did Rudi G. not win in Florida as I predicted, (below, last Tuesday) he got his hinder handed to him and now he's out of the race. If you ever need to know who is going to lose a race check with me!

A 41 Cent solution to your rebate problem

After reading our own Wisconsin State Journal’s rebate editorial, those of other papers and all the letters to the editor about the problems exacerbated, and newly-created pitfalls caused by a federal tax rebate- evil corporations underpaying taxes, echoes of the depression, credit card government and the ever present, “it’s Bush’s fault” hand wringing, here’s a simple 41 cent solution for all this anguish: When your check comes in the mail, endorse it, write, “Pay to the order of the U.S. Treasury”, add a stamp and send it back.

I predict Rudi G will win in FL today

I think Rudi G will win in FL. today. Lots of retired NYC folks there and eastern seaboard also. He has spent a lot of time there and the Mainstream press says its McCain and Mitt. OK, I am hardly every right. But I say Rudi pulls off an upset today.

Hillary Billaries: Democrats smearing Democrats. The VAST LEFT WING CONSPIRACY

I watched Meet the Press yesterday Jan.27,08. I was falling out my recliner laughing at Maureen Dowd and other NY times types telling how 'Shocked, Schocked, I tell you" they were about the white trash behavior of BillHill and the "first Black President" smearing the first Black Candidate with a solid chance of winnning the presidency.

"They lie, they cheat, they stole from the people's white house, they consort and extort money from criminals, they will do anything to win" No, this is not the Republicans talking about the Clintons throughout the 90's and into the 21st Century- it is now the Democrats!

I posted on my door in 1996 a fake flyer for a new biography about the Clintons that I called "White Trash in the White House" I think the time is right to bring that book out now....

Vast Left-Wing ConspiracyJanuary 25, 2008; Page A14
Wall St Jrnal

The Democratic epiphany about the political tactics of Bill and Hillary Clinton continues, with scales falling from eyes on a daily basis. "I think it's not Presidential," said former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, about Mr. Clinton's steady barrage against Barack Obama. "It's not in keeping with the image of a former President, and I'm frankly surprised that he is taking this approach." Mr. Daschle supports Mr. Obama, but how he could be surprised is another matter.

"This is beneath the dignity of a former President. He is not helping anyone, and certainly not helping the Democratic Party," added Vermont Senator Pat Leahy. On the point of "helping" the party, Mr. Leahy seems to have forgotten that the Clinton Presidency was an era of more or less persistent Democratic losses -- except for the Clintons.

Then there's former South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Dick Harpootlian, who once backed Bill Clinton but this week called his political attacks "reprehensible" and described one of Mrs. Clinton's TV ads about Mr. Obama as "a lie." As Mrs. Clinton likes to say, she's had "16 years" of experience in dealing with this "Republican attack machine."

NY Times Endorses McCain = Vote for Rudi

She's bright, witty, well educated, funny and gives better than she gets....and beautiful to boot.

Ann Coulter's 1/23/08 take on John McCain for president here and above link.

If the New York Times endorses Hillary and McCain as their two opposing candidates- as they did this last week- you know Rudi must be "the one" since they also added one (not final) brutal shot at 'DaMayor' to underline yet another reason their circulation is going down faster than Monica.

The Few, the Proud, the Marines new recruiting video

Ok, Ok, I admit I am proud I was in the Marine Band in D.C. 1966-1970 and though we were not "leathernecks" (called ourselves "Leatherchops") now after all these years, I do see the uniqueness of the Corps. If the video here and the title above don't give you a chill, you need to check your pulse. Sempre Fi

Is the Left Losing on UW campus

Tip of the hat to Wendy for emailing me this. The link above and here is to an article by Charlie Sykes about a Political Correct "rat out anyone who offends you" effort by a misguided Dean who seems to be channeling 'La Donna' A.K.A. Donna Shalala the PC queen who managed to repress free speech for students for about 10 years ( and for 17? years for Faculty) with her institution of speech codes. They were struck down 3 times by Federal Judge Shabazz. The last case was the speech code for faculty. He wrote in the next to last judgement that perhaps the law faculty-who were backing the code even after he told them in the first judgement it was unlawful- should "read the constitution and Bill of Rights once in awhile" or something to that effect. These things tend to be horribly one sided in reporting. Example: when the political and physical;y heavy Michael Moore was on campus during the 2004 Presidential race, the college republicans demonstrated against him near the Memorial Union. They had urine thrown on them for daring to confront the monolithic Lefties. They dutifully reported the incident and who they thought had done it to a Dean of students in charge of such incidents. They "investigated" for a couple of days and then let it drop. In this case (Nov 07) Charlie Sykes point out the students just ignored the dumb campaign and then the UW let it drop.

MLKing Jr and the Civil rights struggle against Democrats

Can we all remember on MLK's upcoming Birthday that he wanted people judged on their merits, not the color of their skin?

That what the Main stream Media and the Dems- same thing- call the "Conscience of the Senate" Sen. Byrd of W. Virgina was a Kleagle in the Ku Klux Klan as late as 1948 and used the N word publicly in the late 70's. (with no repercussions)

That Pres. Clinton's hero and mentor Sen. Fulbright (who, by the way Wis. Sen. Joe McCarthy called"Senator Halfbright") and ALGORE's old Man, Sen. Gore participated in the longest recorded filibuster by Sen. Byrd AGAINST the 64 Civil rights Act and voted they all voted against it?

That what the Hilary Clinton campaign is doing to Obama right now with Pres. Clinton dropping the drug use bomb on Obama is a classic example of putting down "an uppity black" not unlike what the southern Democrats were doing to any black person who wanted to vote or run for office after the Civil war?

Subject: Martin Luther King's struggle was against Democrats

January 15, 2008

On this day in 1901, the Alabama Democratic Party called for a convention to write a new state constitution that would prohibit African-Americans from voting. Despite vocal opposition from Booker T. Washington and other Republican civil rights activists, the Democrat scam succeeded.
Democrats dominated Alabama's 1901 constitutional convention, and its chairman was a Democrat. In his opening address, he said: "If we would have white supremacy, we must establish it by law -- not by force or fraud... The negro is descended from a race lowest in intelligence and moral precepts of all the races of men."

Alabama's African-American citizens would not vote in appreciable numbers again until the 1950s.

It was a Republican federal judge, Frank Johnson, who in 1956 ruled in favor of Rosa Parks and who in 1965 ordered the Democrat governor, George Wallace, to permit Martin Luther King's voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery.

At the 2000 Republican National Convention, Condoleezza Rice said: "The first Republican I knew was my father and he is still the Republican I most admire. He joined our party because the Democrats in Jim Crow Alabama of 1952 would not register him to vote. The Republicans did. My father has never forgotten that day, and neither have I."

Democrats want Americans to forget that Republicans supported the 1964 Civil Rights Act much more than did the Democrats.

Republicans today would benefit tremendously from appreciating the true heritage of our Grand Old Party. This Republican heritage article and others are available on the Grand Old Partisan blog each day celebrating 154 years of Republican heroes and heroics.

Michael Zak is a popular speaker to Republican organizations around the country. His e-mail address is Grand_Old_Partisan@hotmail.com. For more information, see www.republicanbasics.com.

President Bush makes an excellent decision for Israel

The guy has guts and he sticks to his word and his guns.

The article below will bring out the usual Bushwackers. Personally I respect the man for his steadfastness and forthright following of his basic principle: Protect Amercia.

Israel doesn't need our "permission" to defend themselves from terrorist sending rockets into civilian neighborhoods just as we do not need to bow to the Cut and Run surrender Democrats version of "peace through appeasement."

In the years ahead I predict that Pres. Clinton will rank even lower than the worst president of the 20th Century- Pres. Carter and Pres. George W, Bush will be seen for the righteous President he is and will be ranked among the best.

Wall Street Journal Bush Gives Israel Scope for Antiterror Acts

By JOHN D. MCKINNON and CAM SIMPSON January 10, 2008; Page A4
JERUSALEM --
President Bush signaled he would give Israel broad leeway to continue raids targeting Palestinian militants and to develop settlements in disputed parts of Jerusalem, despite international pressure to curb such actions.
That cooperative U.S. attitude is likely to ease the political burden that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will face in selling a Palestinian peace deal to a restive public. But it complicates life for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who wants to build political momentum for a U.S.-brokered peace deal in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has carried out its most intensive raids.