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DEL.ICIO.USRail reversal may point us to better ideas
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Since Republicans came to power under the Gold Dome, the question has lingered: What difference does it make?
Transportation — and metro Atlanta’s gridlock — is one example.
When Mac Collins was in the U.S. House, and before congressional earmarks became a cause for rage, he and perhaps others in the Georgia delegation earmarked $87 million for the 26-mile Atlanta-to-Lovejoy commuter rail line. Had the proposed train been faster and gone farther, and had it been accompanied by a shift in state government agency offices to the south out of Atlanta, and had there been a targeted job creation zone between Atlanta and Macon, it might have been a worthwhile idea.
But instead it remained a slow train to nowhere that never really made any transportation sense and would never have advanced as far as it did without the lure of earmarked money — which, frankly, was just enough to get the state in trouble.
That project is now reeling from what an AJC story describes as “a stunning reversal of fortune” that “has sent the project careening off the rails.” The “stunning reversal” is prompted by two events. One was the wise decision by new members of the Clayton County Board of Commissioners to rethink the county’s open-ended commitment to cover the line’s operating deficits. The other was a state auditor’s report that cost projections are out of date and that as much as $10 million in engineering costs should have been included but weren’t.
U.S. Rep. David Scott, whose district includes Clayton, thinks the potential loss of federal money “a catastrophic failure of leadership” that’s both “baffling” and “shameful.”
Now to the difference the change in power makes.
The auditor’s report comes because the new chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, state Rep. Ben Harbin (R-Evans) asked for it. And because a Henry County legislator, state Rep. Steve Davis, has championed the interests of taxpayers by raising questions about potential costs and benefits. Their persistence, combined with reservations expressed by cost-benefit conservatives on the state Department of Transportation board, may have brought the state to its senses.
The Georgia Department of Transportation is a projected $74 billion short of the $160 billion it will need through 2035, says DOT Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl. Obviously, undertaking projects that buy no real congestion relief is a luxury — or a waste — the state cannot afford.
There’s some evidence that the inquisitiveness that bodes ill for commuter rail could expand the search for solutions to gridlock.
Robert W. Poole Jr., the director of transportation studies for the Reason Foundation, a Los Angeles-based free-market think tank, made a presentation last week to a joint gathering of the House and Senate transportation committees. It is novel in and of itself that a free-market think tank would be invited to pitch alternatives to legislators.
Poole noted that after Georgians spend $26 billion on transportation infrastructure between now and 2030, congestion will get worse. The transit/carpool model being undertaken here doesn’t work to reduce congestion because metro Atlanta’s density is too low for public transit to be viable, jobs are increasingly not in downtown Atlanta and most commuting is suburb-to-suburb, as demonstrated by last week’s AJC story on long commutes.
“The places that have done the best at keeping congestion under control are those that continued to add capacity,” said Poole. We stopped adding capacity in the 1990s, but traffic didn’t stop growing, he told the committees. About half the traffic congestion that metro Atlanta experiences, said Poole, is caused by weather, accidents, construction and other unusual occurrences and about half is more traffic than the roads can handle.
He offered innovative approaches that would involve the private sector in closing the needs gap and in getting traffic moving, financed mostly by tolls.
The most dramatic would be a tunnel under downtown from Georgia 400 to below I-20, and then above ground to I-675 south of Atlanta, at a projected cost of $6.39 billion. He proposes, too, a separate toll truckway for long-haul trucks that would cut an hour off the trip through Atlanta, extension of the Lakewood Freeway to I-20 east and west, and conversion of HOV lanes to express toll for buses, vanpools and paying customers, with congestion pricing. About 75 percent of the total cost of new congestion-relief improvements could be financed through tolls, he projected.
The ideas are clearly out of the box. And that is good. The answer to metro Atlanta’s traffic congestion problems can’t be 19th-century rail solutions or that congestion is always destined to get worse.
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Comments
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 08:05 AM | Link to this
Good morning all. I am fully in sync with all of Jim’s arguments, but the essay would have far more impact had Jim published this argument on President’s Day. The significance in that one day, a typically-terrible Monday morning, is that we will have unusually light traffic, an event entirely attributable to absence of government workers. If we relocated all state executive agencies to Macon or some other more centrally located section of the state, that President’s Day traffic would be the Atlanta norm. Admittedly we ought to do something to urge the Feds to relocate all of their agencies to Clayton County or somewhere similarly closer to the airport, but moving state offices would be a sound self-help first step for Georgia traffic.
By Southern Democrat
February 6, 2007 08:11 AM | Link to this
Mr. Wooten claims that Poole’s ideas are “thinking out of the box.” Does he not realize that that most hated liberal, Ted Kennedy, was instrumental in implementing such a project in Boston? “The Big Dig” ran a price tag of around $1 TRILLION and still has major issues (including shoddy construction that killed one driver). And forgive me if I am wary of hearing transportation advice from a Los Angeles think tank.
The Lovejoy rail line was never a good idea; an Athens to Atlanta heavy rail with a light rail system throughout Gwinnett is an expensive, yet worthwhile proposition. New Jersey does not have major urban density (no city with more than 2 million people) and yet heavy rail with a light rail complement is immensely successful and drives up property values for towns with a rail station.
Atlanta has always been a nexus and transportation terminus, unless more people start pushing mass transit and high density, in-town development, Atlanta itself will simply be terminated.
By Jim's a Cherry Picker
February 6, 2007 08:21 AM | Link to this
Hi Jim,
“free-market think tank” - ah yes.
How about this for free-market? Levy a surcharge on gasoline so that the state can collect the revenue to build this tunnell. About a dollar a gallon should do it.
Oh…and this isn’t a tax…it’s a free market toll. The ones buying the gas are the ones using the highways. Shouldn’t they pay for that service?
Me thinks so.
By Gaines
February 6, 2007 08:24 AM | Link to this
New Jersey does not have major urban density (no city with more than 2 million people) and yet heavy rail with a light rail complement is immensely successful and drives up property values for towns with a rail station.
Well let’s think about this, where is everyone in New Jersey going? To New York! That is why it works in New Jersey.
By KR
February 6, 2007 08:30 AM | Link to this
Relocating all state executive agencies to Macon would only shift Atlanta’s traffic problem elsewhere. Macon has plenty of traffic problems of its own already, such a relocation would most likely paralyze that city.
By Wad
February 6, 2007 08:30 AM | Link to this
I would have to totally agree with the Souther Democrat. The thing about NJ is they understand that without NYC, no one would live there. Their tax base would be much smaller than it is. Here in the metro atlanta area, it seems like the outer counties don’t see what Atlanta brings to them. Honestly, does Cherokee, Gwinnett, Cobb, Forsyth, and the other counties think that without Atlanta they would be better?
By Curious Observer
February 6, 2007 08:31 AM | Link to this
Most of our traffic problems could be solved overnight by the full implementation of one work-related innovation: telecommuting. Even if it were implemented solely in government jobs, telecommuting would unsnarl the rush-hour traffic jams. Just look at what happens to traffic during government holidays.
But we are still burdened by the existence of Theory X managers—they distrust employees and don’t want to assume the planning burden of supervising employees at a distance. So we will continue to discuss multi-billion dollar road and rail projects that are both impractical and ineffectual.
Take it from one who, during a long management career, implemented telecommuting for reporting employees. A little planning and supervision not only relieves transportation burdens and office expenses, but also boosts employee morale and makes employees think twice before abandoning ship for another employer.
Tunnels and toll lanes are not thinking outside the box. Looking at the true source of traffic congestion is. The notion that all employees have to be at desks located in expensive office buildings, downtown or otherwise, is a relic of past centuries.
By Jeff Cranston
February 6, 2007 08:36 AM | Link to this
At halftime, during the superbowl, I traveled from one television set, my dads, to another at my home. I went from Riverdale to Marietta. There were two million Atlantans watching Prince while I drove straight through the heart of Atlanta. Two million drivers taken off the table. Traffic moved briskly, with no jams. I think I set a record of 33 minutes.
There is your solution: Halftime. Prince. Superbowl. See where this is going? We dont have to build anything to solve our traffic problems. Simply start a 24 hour replay on television of halftime at the 07 superbowl.
24 hours before kickoff, I spotted a gorgeous chinese woman checking out with two gigantic containers of Bud Light at Krogers. She pushed the cart passed me. I just stared, drinking it all in. Life could be a dream. Where did I go wrong. Why didn’t I wait till I met her?
By Seriously
February 6, 2007 08:39 AM | Link to this
Here is part of the problem. Its very similar to the north Fulton vs. south Fulton debate about how tax dollars are spent and who is providing the majority of funds.
This is from an editorial in todays paper. Sound familiar?……
Last week, “researchers” from a California think tank were given a special audience at the Capitol to spin a dystopian fantasy about easing the region’s traffic with a system of hugely expensive underground tunnels running beneath the city, a project that would dwarf Boston’s infamous “Big Dig.” When their loopy presentation ended, one lawmaker asked: “What can the folks who live downstate expect to get out of this?”
This kind of entitlement mentality is going to kill this region. A strong tax producing Atlanta region is whats in it for you.
Why no talk about how our tax dollars are being diverted to South Georgia? Why is it wrong for Fulton but OK for the State?
Its time to create our own State.
By Rod
February 6, 2007 08:41 AM | Link to this
Ah yes, Jim at his usual. The answer for all, as Jim would say, are more toll lanes. Screw the poor people who can’t afford to pay the toll to ride in the fancy lanes. After all, Jim would rather have the common people (99% Democrats) die than help them.
It’s not a sunny day without Republican Jim spitting on poor people.
By Reality
February 6, 2007 08:46 AM | Link to this
Traffic jams will soon be a longed for memory by all of you people. The oil situation is much worse than you think, the dollar situation is even worse than the oil situation, and we have no good fall back position. The deadwood in our society will be the first to go, as they have no physical skills with which to make new lives in a post oil america. If you think it is cold now, just wait until you have no electricity or natural gas with which to heat your home, no fuel with which to power you automobile. Those days are coming, and they are just around the corner.
By Jeff Cranston
February 6, 2007 08:50 AM | Link to this
The true source of traffic congestion is speed. If you force traffic to travel at around 30 mph during rush hours, there would be no jams. the jams occur because it takes longer to slow down, stop and then resume speed than to just go 30 mph, and it’s the cumulative effect of braking, stopping and reaccelerating that costs us the time of a commute. It’s impossible to enact this law, because we are humans who have to speed up to get to a full stop, it’s in our genes. We see stopped traffic and race each other to slam on our brakes barely in time to avoid keeling everyone within six lanes of us. Our delusion about humans having intelligence are derived from people cheating on IQ tests, which ruins curve, which people cant hold when driving because they’re on their cellphones.
If people would develop a sense of the local driving community in the lanes around your car and a quarter mile in front of them and in back, then we could maintain speed. Rushing forward cause all jams, accidents, rage etc.
Fact.
By Reality
February 6, 2007 08:51 AM | Link to this
Curious Observer, based on your long winded posts, I suspect your manager has to keep a close eye on your productivity. Theory X says you should never be left unsupervised. Many offices have seen the drop in productivity caused directly by people loafing on the internet, and have blocked many sites, and in some cases removed internet access from all but a few carefully supervised computers in common traffic areas. How many of the posters on this blog are posting from work? Come on lets take a poll. I am posting from my home. Where are you posting from?
By Jeff Cranston
February 6, 2007 08:55 AM | Link to this
Oil is cheaper now than it was in the seventies. The global economy is more stable than our own in the last fifty years. The wars in the middle east are just the planet venting a little steam which is a good thing.
The only problem we have is people rushing ahead in traffic to get three feet in front of anyone else and then slamming on their brakes to avoid collisions at stop lights which, when they occur and break a fuel line or a gas tank, explode, keeling everyone within a fifty foot circle. True terrorism is in the driving style of the average atlantan. He should be SHOT!
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 08:59 AM | Link to this
Dear KR @ 8:30, you are correct, but only up to a point – we could relatively easily move a huge chunk of the problem and get it right this time. I know almost nothing about Macon, other than where it is on the map. My guess is that rebuilding the entire highway infrastructure in Macon would cost less than adding one lane to the east side of 285. I also suspect Macon’s government would welcome the enhanced tax base.
Just thinking in terms of the general duties of state government, I can think of no reason state bureaucrats have to be in Atlanta. One benefit I seen in moving state government offices is that it would remind the state government that they have a constituency other than Atlanta, an argument along the lines offered by Seriously @ 8:39.
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 09:01 AM | Link to this
Dear Jeff @ 8:50, I disagree – I think it is a simple Venturi effect issue. Need to increase the speed limit to 120 mph, with a minimum speed of 100 mph.
By Jeff Cranston
February 6, 2007 09:05 AM | Link to this
In truth, we should all be driving camrys. 4 cylinder camrys would solve all our problems. No fatalities! (because all cars would have equal weight and bumper height). We’d be free of foreign oil. Nobody could speed ahead to create a traffic jam. All cars should be camrys. The look of a highway or road system where all the cars are identical would be beautiful.. Look how ugly traffic is now. Imagine them all being tan camrys. If people are serious about solving traffic problems, then 4cylinder camrys 4all is the solution.
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 09:08 AM | Link to this
Dear Curious @ 8:31, persuasive argument, thanks.
By PJ
February 6, 2007 09:10 AM | Link to this
Where is exactly are these “places that have done the best at keeping congestion under control?” I suspect Mr. Poole (a hired gun who has no credibility in the transportation profession) would suggest places like Houston or Phoenix or Kansas City. Not only do I not think Atlanta wants to be like those places (who vacations in Houston?), but they still have congestion despite their road spending. The fact is that transit is the only form of permanant congestion relief. Those who choose to ride a train do not have to sit in one second of congestion. Those who choose to drive long distances should be prepared to live with the tradeoffs inherent in that choice, instead of expecting the rest of us taxpayers to subsidize their big house. That’s the real nanny-state giveaway, Jim.
By getoveryourself
February 6, 2007 09:20 AM | Link to this
Has it ever dawned on anyone that we’re the one of the only major metropolitan areas in the Western industrialized world without a comprehensive regional transit system? We freaking 5 million people!! You can’t build enough roads for a metropolis of 5 million people…especially since there is no coherent grid system of roads in the region!
The Lovejoy line was set up for failure. As someone posted earlier, heavily investing in an Atlanta-Athens line via Gwinnett would be a way more worthy endeavor.
And as far as building more freeways through town…you folks out in the suburbs can build all of the multilane highways you want, but you will fail miserably if you try to pass one more freeway through the city. No thanks!
By Reality
February 6, 2007 09:31 AM | Link to this
I suspect Jeff Cranston works for the EPA, with his narrow minded approach (30 mph traffic, 4 cylinder camrays). You can thank the Feds for much of the traffic mess on the downtown connector. The left hand on ramps that were used by traffic going North on I 85 are now restricted to hov traffic only. North bound I-85 now must enter the connector on the right hand side, and move to the 4th lane left within a half mile or so. This creates a mix master effect, with cars stopping in the right hand lanes to wait for an opening to the left. The left hand lanes are then slowed by people stopping to let traffic in to the I-85 lanes. All this thanks to the feds, who in 1995 funded the hov lanes construction, and demanded that only hov traffic use the left hand on ramps.
By Reality
February 6, 2007 09:35 AM | Link to this
Jeff Cranston, you keep making stupid statements. Oil is not cheaper now than it was in the 70’s. In 1970-1973 oil cost less than $3.50 a barrel. It was tripled in price to near $12 per barrel, and that was the so called oil shock. Prices rose to a peak in 1979, but the 70’s as a whole had a much lower oil price than today.
By Redneck Convert
February 6, 2007 09:47 AM | Link to this
We need wider highways. Adding a lane here or there ain’t going to get nothing done. Just look at what happened on GA 400. They added a lane and moved the big traffic jam from Alpharetta to Roswell. We’re stuck after that. I figure we need about 8 lanes each way instead of 4.
I’m not in favor of making trains a better choice. It’s just a bunch of librul sissys that use it. Besides, you know what us people in north Forsyth call MARTA: Moving Afros Returning to Atlanta. And ever see a white bus or train driver? You will be looking a long time.
And I don’t want none of my tax money going to Those People downtown. They would just give all the jobs to Those People, steal all the signs, and allow potholes big enough to swallow my beer truck. Pretty soon we would be seeing more trials of downtown people that stole all the money.
You know what I’m saying is the truth. Tho TFTT, Van, Markus, Dusty, Buy Danish and Wooten think it, they are afraid to come right out and say it. I ain’t.
By Good times long over
February 6, 2007 09:47 AM | Link to this
Well well well. As more and more data comes out, it appears that our slow and inept federal government actually paid out about twice as many claims as were even statistically possible to the Katrina victims of NOLA. In one area, statistics show that only 18,000 homes even existed, yet FEMA paid out over 28,000 claims. In many cases renters were paid over $65,000. More money than they would have earned in five years of employment and certainly more than five times what thier so called personal belonging were worth. This is disgusting and unamerican and plain old thug-thievery.
Im sick of Katrina and the parasites who profited from it. Im sick of hearing our government didnt do enough, when indeed they did TOO MUCH. Urban black America is nothing but a parasite feeding on the government host. It makes me want to throw up. I hope they fill our prisons even fuller with these theieves and savages after they prosecute them to the full extent.
Its where they were headed all along anyway.
By zeke
February 6, 2007 09:52 AM | Link to this
HER IS A NOVEL IDEA! DO AWAY WITH HOV LANES! THEY ARE A USELESS WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY! BUILD THE OUTER BELTWAY! BUILD FEEDER ROUTES FROM I-85 TO I-20, I-85 TO I-75, I-75 TO I-20 ON ALL SIDES OF ATLANTA! THIS WOULD TAKE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC OFF 285 AND THE I’S INSIDE THAT OUTER BELTWAY! STRICTLY ENFORCE THE NO THROUGH TRUCKS INSIDE THAT BELTWAY! GEE, WHAT A SIMPLISTIC APPROACH! BETTER YET, TAKE THE $2 BILLION ABOUT TO BE WASTED ON THE ABSURD BELTLINE PROJECT, AND, USE IT TO HELP BUILD THESE OUTER ROADS, OR, TO WIDEN CURRENT ROADS!
By Reality
February 6, 2007 09:54 AM | Link to this
So Good times long over, you don’t have a problem with the half trillion dollars the feds have given to israel over the past 45 odd years, but you do have a problem with the feds giving a few billions of dollars to poor black americans who have just lost their homes? Gee, let me guess what your religion is…….
By Reality
February 6, 2007 09:56 AM | Link to this
Good times long over, speaking of parasites, why are we still giving Egypt and Israel 5 billion dollars per year? Camp David was in 1979, so after 28 years of peace, either its going to take or not, without anymore of my tax dollars!
By TheOne
February 6, 2007 09:59 AM | Link to this
Off Topic for a moment…
That ba$tard Bush has cut the funding for Peachcare!!!! Now, I thoroughly, completely, without a doubt despise him!!! All of this money to fund a war (that is also ridiculous, but that’s for another rant), and he refuses to help ensure our kids can get healthcare!!!!! What an ignorant, greedy, red necked, SOB!!!!!! I wish we could send him to Iraq to fight on the frontlines!!!!!!!!! BUSH SUCKS!!!!!
By time for the truth
February 6, 2007 10:06 AM | Link to this
It’s not a sunny day without Republican Jim spitting on poor people
snivelling moron rod … consider yourself suitably gobbed on then bubbaturd.
Perhaps the ludicrously disingenuous cretin crapman will one day, some day, on the twelth of never perchance, summon the intellectual honesty to excoriate the resident leftist pondscum for their unremitting venom and bilious Bush hate etc.
NAH … Twill never ‘appen … rather like a lardarse Hitllary or nonentity Osama Obama presidency.
Inbred Rednekkk … please crash your stolen beer lorry at least six or seven times today … cheers in advance tw@atface!!
By time for the truth
February 6, 2007 10:06 AM | Link to this
It’s not a sunny day without Republican Jim spitting on poor people
snivelling moron rod … consider yourself suitably gobbed on then bubbaturd.
Perhaps the ludicrously disingenuous cretin crapman will one day, some day, on the twelth of never perchance, summon the intellectual honesty to excoriate the resident leftist pondscum for their unremitting venom and bilious Bush hate etc.
NAH … Twill never ‘appen … rather like a lardarse Hitllary or nonentity Osama Obama presidency.
Inbred Rednekkk … please crash your stolen beer lorry at least six or seven times today … cheers in advance tw@atface!!
By time for the truth
February 6, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this
Inbred rednekkk
its actually Moving AfriKans Rapidly Through Atlanta … I heard that on the Boortz show almost 10 years ago when I first arrived here.
Please get your patter right you sad little noxious bigot!!
By Reality
February 6, 2007 10:14 AM | Link to this
Just a fraction of the money being wasted in Iraq would provide free human pappilloma virus vaccine for all american teenage girls. That would pay big dividens 20 years down the road, eliminating the cost of treating cervical cancer. Only a few thousand women die from cervical cancer in america each year, by hundreds of thousands under go expensive and painful treatment for this disease that is exclusively caused by infection by this virus. Our medical capabilities may be seriously degraded in 20 years, meaning it may no longer possible to successfully treat this cancer. Then the death rates will go way up. We need to fund this vaccine for all teenage girls now.
By Dennis
February 6, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this
The reality of avoiding rail systems it this; I’m used to driving straight to the work place, and park the car there. I don’t want to walk one bit from a subway station to the work place, because I’ve sat on my buns so long watching t.v. that I’m out of shape and I don’t want to put the effort into changing that and while doing so miss all of those sports that I’ve watched so long I can predict the moves and the plays, and, I don’t want to miss my useless soap operas that tell me what “real” life is all about.
Give me the conservative lifestyle anytime.
You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
By Redneck Convert
February 6, 2007 10:16 AM | Link to this
I see TFTT has posted twicet, I guess just to show off his new PC. Once is enuff, TFTT. Besides, wasn’t there somebody yesterday that told you where you could put your PCs? They would probly fit with room to spare, because you are all a**, and the output is the same.
By Rod
February 6, 2007 10:17 AM | Link to this
hahaha
time for the truth actually called someone else a bigot!!!
hahaha
By Reality
February 6, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this
With a name like “time for the truth” I suspect lies flow from its fingertips like urine from another smaller tip.
By Nor GA
February 6, 2007 10:24 AM | Link to this
As a former insider to the passenger rail project (I still have reams of ridership reports and budgets in my attic), I can say that the Lovejoy line was never considered the best prospect. The Athens numbers always looked better.
The fact that Norfolk Southern was struggling financially about 10 years ago made negotiations for leasing the line much more feasible.
Along comes 9-11, higher fuel prices, a political turnover AND a reversal of financial fortunes for NS. Suddenly NS didn’t need the $ quite so badly. BUT, the die was already cast for pursuing service on the Lovejoy line. Rail is viable in Atlanta, just pick a better line-like Athens.
By time for the truth
February 6, 2007 10:38 AM | Link to this
I could really care LESS about the bleating eminating from you leftist tw@atface vermin! Snivelling moron rod’s intellectual dishonesty continues to effectively cripple any point that she attempts to justify.
Clearly leftist turdbags resort to namecalling in the face of glorious defeat by their conservative BETTERS!!
Moving AfriKans Rapidly Through Atlanta…there…I said it!!
By pattybeth
February 6, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this
Wooten -
Do you ever read these comments? If so and you’ve read these, then you should know that those who enthusiastically endorse your point of view aren’t nearly as shy as you in expressing WHY they hold the views they do. The hatred of Atlanta, fueled by racism bubbles up from under the surface to the top of their comments.
This is what happens when ideology trumps common sense. “Thinking right?” “Common sense?” Please. Give me a break. We’re the only large metropolitan city without a comprehensive regional transit system. It’s a chicken & egg situation; timid suburban whites won’t use transit because it’s not convenient (doesn’t go to enough places) and because they’re afraid of black folks. Get over it. If enough whites would stop being wimps and ride , larger ridership would fund expansion for more convenient routes, and crime would fall as heavy ridership discourages criminals and provides fewer opportunities for criminal activity. Change is inevitable. We can’t pave own way out of this mess, not if we build 16 lane double-decker highways and asphalt over every inch of green space in the state. But chucklehead reactionaries like you keep reinforcing pave-mania by playing on Atlanta-phobia in the burbs. Poo-pooing rail as a “19th century solution” is idiotic. However, I will concede, Wooten, you are an expert on the 19th century - it’s the mindset from which you operate. It’s sweet that the paper gives a column to a decrepit fossil like yourself, who pines in print for a return to the good old days. Please adapt and move forward, or die off and get out of the way.
By time for the truth
February 6, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this
Inbred rednekkk aka curious peeping tom
the web page was shown as not existing twice … but my fact packed fair comment post was nonetheless duly accepted by the cyber liberal fish wrapper. indeed that post was just so wonderfully sententious that Allaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh his self allowed it to post twice!! praise be to Allaaaaaargh!!
Thus far three liberal vermin have predicktably responded sullenly and doltishly in just a few minutes … looks like I’m REALLY getting to the resident dogsqueeze in record time this morning.
By time for the truth
February 6, 2007 10:44 AM | Link to this
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!
HA HA HA HA … the anal obsessive queer cyber stalker was flushed out (gedditt??) in record time too!!
I GOT THE POWER!!!
I GOT THE POWER!!!
By JK
February 6, 2007 10:50 AM | Link to this
Nicely put, pattybeth! Haha! As a suburbanite, the main reason I don’t ride MARTA is that it doesn’t go anywhere near my workplace in another suburb.
But may I point out its other major shortcoming? It’s NOT rapid! Here’s how it works in cities with real rapid transit: You go to the platform. A train roars up, stops, and the doors fly open. People hop off and on, the doors slam shut, and the train roars off. Repeat every five to ten minutes.
MARTA: You go to the platform. You stand there for 20 minutes. In the distance, you see a train amble on up the track. Ten minutes later, it arrives and the doors open. You sit down. Ten minutes later, the train ambles on down the track again. Even though you left three hours early, you arrive to your downtown job interview 30 minutes late, because you took MARTA to avoid getting stuck in traffic and having to find a parking place.
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 10:53 AM | Link to this
Dear pattybeth @ 10:39, I note your collectivist tendencies. If there are cheaper solutions (such as Curious Observer’s advocacy of telecommuting or my argument to relocate large chunks of our less productive citizenry) why do you cling to your demand that we all ride regional transit?
By Seriously
February 6, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this
So rail is not a viable solution?
We should try an experiment. Shut down MARTA rail lines for a month. Those of you against rail think that would improve your morning commute?
By time for the truth
February 6, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this
JESUS H CHIRST!!! Yours truly most humbly agrees with feminazi JK @ 10.50!
MARTA is yet another feable example of big governments failed efforts at public transport. Needless to say that it is blindingly obvious…and let’s be honest…that it is yet another example of incessant pandering to the unremitting racial spoils crowd!
MARTA remains a glib to the evident truth that whites will NEVER opt to ride public transport with black criminals!!
By time for the truth
February 6, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this
The ultimate in cheek = Hitler riding a bicycle through Jerusalem
OR more accurately
Inbred Rednekkk vilifying ANYONE for being mindlessly, moronically and mindnumbingly REPETITIVE!! Christ -even dissslexick ritalin addicted ebonics spouting parrots (like crackpipe) have a slightly wider range of banter than the hopelessly inadequate wanker Inbred!!
By harold
February 6, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this
We need to boot all thru-traffic freight trains out to a railroad outer perimeter and take over all the rail that goes into the heart of the city and use it for commuter trains. Cartersville Acworth Marietta Smyrna and Vinings/Cumberland are ALL on the same damn rail that goes downtown. EMINENT DOMAIN it and give us relief! Build new rail for CSX out west in Polk County. Let ATL bound trains come in from the SW side of town by the airport. Nobody wants to live there anyhow.
By harold
February 6, 2007 11:11 AM | Link to this
the suburb counties need to build their own damn subways to hook into marta like their buses do now.
The Marta Arts Center station can become the “Penn of the South” and then we can legitimately start pretending to be a real city
GET ON IT! QUIT PAVING EXTRA LANES AND GET ON A REAL SOLUTION! JUST GIVE THE LOTTERY MONEY TO YOUR DOT/ASPHALT BUDDIES SO THEY CAN STAY RICH AND NOT COMPLAIN
By pattybeth
February 6, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this
Hi jbmlaw,
Normally, I respond to the column - not those responding to me. But in this case, I’ll merely point out that my post in no way precludes adopting other options, like telecommuting. As to relocating the “less productive,” that comment just reinforces what I said before about the underlying prejudices that bring the real heat to this whole debate.
I basically said scary-cat white folks with Afro-avoidance syndrome should ride transit - I didn’t even bother asking dyed-in-the-wool “gov’mint hatin’” libertarians to change their spots, much less insist that they ride.
As to my “collectivist tendencies” …hmmm, I’m a business owner and a card-carrying capitalist, thanks very much. And hey, I read Ayn Rand in high school too - but most of us got over it. Dyed in the wool or not, you seem a reasonably smart fellow. Enjoy your day.
By Chazman
February 6, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this
We’re talking about rail, yet there is something huge, much more important going on in the world right now. Have you seen the recent storyline in the AJC? And every newspaper in the country?
It’s big, big news. Huge.
The story? Here’s the headline…
Haggard now “Completely Heterosexual”
BBWWHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Before you trash the “liberal rag” for having such a story, remember they had a press release to announce this big news.
I’m sure Time For The Trash is severely disappointed.
By JK
February 6, 2007 11:43 AM | Link to this
Actually Troof, we don’t agree. My issue with MARTA is its inefficiency, compared to how effective transit can be in a city that gives it priority. You may be afraid to ride with people who are different from you, but I rather enjoy, and am not threatened by, demographic diversity.
By RW-(the original)
February 6, 2007 11:50 AM | Link to this
This is the big day, today RW comes out of the closet as a flaming drag queen! Look at my new t**!
By time for the truth
February 6, 2007 11:52 AM | Link to this
poor old hypocritical crapman … once more it robotically sneers at its conservative betters for posting “hate” - yet its own pathetic posts are invariably merely poison pen letters, informed by abject envy of those brave and visionary enough to be on the mainstream political centre-right.
Every damn day I generously tell the leftist afterbirth on here that I’m ‘digging them up as the jocks say, or winding them up’ as we Brits say. And every damn day these ludicrous lefty lemmings get all flustered and bilious and fuss about my usually pretty restrained, legitimate, factual criticism.
yet one of these dogturds, after being told this repeatedly, actually spends hours of its mental hospital secure ward computer time hilariously (and continuously) stalking me, ‘mimicking’ my brisk, entertaining patter. such magical free entertainment is bloody priceless!!
By time for the truth
February 6, 2007 11:55 AM | Link to this
feminazi JK … you’ve been “stalked” by the anal obsessive stalker … that actually wasn’t me!!
I will apologise to you on its behalf though!!
Terribly sorry old girl!!
By Dusty
February 6, 2007 11:57 AM | Link to this
Dusty the little dwarf lady goes into her doctor’s office complaining of an irritated crotch. After an examination, the doctor sighs, “I don’t seem to see any problem. Does it get better or worse at any time?” “Yeah, it’s really bad whenever it rains,” Dusty replies. “Well, then,” says the Doc, “Next time it rains, get in here at once, and we’ll take another look at it.”
Two weeks later, it’s raining really hard, and Dusty shows up at the doctor’s office. “Doctor, it’s really bad today. Please, you have to help me!!” “Well, let’s have a look,” he says, as he lifts her up onto the table. “Oh, yes, I think I see the problem. Nurse, bring me a surgical kit. Don’t worry ma’am, this won’t hurt a bit.”
The dwarf lady closes her eyes in painful anticipation. The doctor begins snipping away and finishes a few minutes later. “There you go, ma’am, try that.” She walks back and forth around the office and exclaims, “That’s great, Doc, what did you do?”
“I just took a couple of inches off the top of your rain boots.”
By Jim
February 6, 2007 12:00 PM | Link to this
The law maker that made the comment’ What can the folks who live downstate expect to get out of this’after Poole made his presentation to them just shows how narrow focus our state law makers are. If the State of Georgia law makers weren’t so jealous of Atlanta and embrace their most prosperous city then maybe the Atlanta region could have a viable mass transit system. They are scared to embrace Atlanta because they thank they might be helping those people. They don’t want to help those people thats not like them. But the truth is, Georgia out side of the Atlanta region is not helping Atlanta. Most of Georgia’s tax revenue comes from the Atlanta region. Its really the other way around. Atlanta’s helping those people in the rest of Georgia. Come on Georgia law makers, its time govern on senseable policy rather then personal pre-1960’s veiws. Georgia and Atlanta should be united in their effort to handle the traffic problem we have and will continue to face.
By Curious Observer
February 6, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this
In an area as geographically dispersed as Atlanta, no rail system is practical, unless we’re talking about making transportation better for the people of the 22nd Century. For Pete’s sake, it takes almost five years just to extend an existing highway lane six miles. Only God knows how many decades it would take to run a rail line from, say, north Fulton County to north DeKalb County. And people who think residents are going to ride a train downtown, transfer to an east-bound train, then walk five miles to a destination have been sniffing too much glue. Even if I had three hours for a commute each way, I wouldn’t do it.
Deal with the source of the traffic problems, not with the symptoms. Why do we have such horrific rush-hour traffic? Nobody wants to think of alternatives to the 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. business model, and nobody wants to consider alternatives to having all employees in a business office, regardless of whether many of those employees could perform their duties at home just as well. So businesses willingly shell out $100,000 per month to rent office space.
A clue to the nature of the problem: consider the traffic mess on Friday afternoons. Many businesses allow their employees to leave a half hour or an hour early on that day. Those employees get in cars and mix with the cars of employees who do not get off early. The result is often total gridlock.
Forget rapid rail and pie-in-the-sky transportation projects. They aren’t going to happen in our lifetimes. Address the problem: too many employees commuting from home to distant locations within the same narrow time bands. Address that need to commute, and you have a chance of avoiding those traffic hassles.
By Dennis
February 6, 2007 12:10 PM | Link to this
You want people to use your rail system? Stop building roads.
You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 12:29 PM | Link to this
Well argued, pattybeth @ 11:17. I’ll add only one note: even if you have an entrepreneurial spirit yourself, that does not preclude you from attempting to manipulate the government to enhance your own profitability. Too often those with collectivist tendencies also seek to profit from those tendencies – sort of “do well by doing evil.”
By Amber
February 6, 2007 12:31 PM | Link to this
I attended Republican state house representative’s town hall meeting last week, and he basically echoed Mr. Wooten’s sentiments — “Most suburban Atlantans won’t use mass transit.” Or “Atlanta has too much sprawl, so mass transit isn’t practical here.”
The San Francisco Bay Area has significantly more people and sprawl and than metro-Atlanta (except to the West, of course). Yes, some people work in the city and others work in the suburbs. They have an excellent rapid transit rail (BART) that effectively runs parallel to the interstates leading into the city. These trains were consistently reliable and consistently full. I understand that Dallas, Texas, a city that is very similar to Atlanta in layout and culture, recently implemented mass transit that is meeting and exceeding all expectations: http://www.dart.org/
I think the experience of Dallas and many other cities demonstrates that rapid transit will work in Atlanta. However, there are three pre-requisites to expanding rapid rail here:
We need a regional authority that can control transit decisions or overrule transit decisions of individual cities or counties. Congestion and air quality is a regional problem that requires a regional solution. As it stands, a single municipality can stand in the way of progress for the entire region.
As a previous poster pointed out, MARTA sucks. MARTA and any adjoining or umbrella system needs better management -– much better.
The bigots need to die off. Mr. Wooten’s and most Georgia legislators’ complete lack of interest in mass transit solutions, which dismiss extremely positive experiences in similar metro areas all over this country and the world, can only be explained by racism.
I’ll close by adding that I agree 100 percent with Curious Observer. Best Buy is showing, at their corporate headquarters, that managing by results is significantly more effective than the archaic approach still used by big business where more face time means bigger raises. Telecommuting should be implemented whenever possible, and for most office workers, it’s possible.
By Scooter
February 6, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this
Congressman David Scott says “it is a catastrophic failure of leadership” to reduce government obligations. Isn’t deficit spending a problem and aren’t we at war? Hmmm? Every time I send him a letter requesting he give HB 25 (The FairTax) a fair review and notice how it would both expand the tax base and alleviate the poor from all payroll taxes, he responds in a fashion that illustrates he did not review and was anything but fair in his conclusions. Maybe we need to find out what Congressman Scott considers good leadership?
I would also like to throw out some mad propers to Eldrin Bell for being realistic and not promising anything and everything to his constituency with no thoughts of the future consequences of those promises. You go Chief!
By Dusty
February 6, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this
The Queen was showing the Archbishop of Canterbury around the royal stable, when one of the stallions close by farted so loudly it couldn’t be ignored. “Oh dear,” said the Queen, “How embarrassing. I’m frightfully sorry about that.” “It’s quite understandable,” said the Archbishop, and after a moment, added, “as a matter of fact I thought it was the horse.”
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 12:54 PM | Link to this
Dear Amber @ 12:31, I note your collectivist tendencies. You err when you assert that any “complete lack of interest in mass transit solutions, which dismiss extremely positive experiences in similar metro areas all over this country and the world, can only be explained by racism.” (Of course, you mean “bigotry” not “racism.”) In fact, I don’t want to ride with anyone not of my choosing – has nothing to do with race. I am a curmudgeon, and I resent subsidizing anyone else’s pipe dreams, especially those grand and expensive dreams so characteristic of the leftists.
By Dusty
February 6, 2007 12:59 PM | Link to this
I don’t post jokes on this blog, much less really bad ones like some silly lil’ name-jacker has done. Oh well. Children will be children.
By Jerry
February 6, 2007 01:00 PM | Link to this
Amber, the results at Best Buy are not all that good.
By I-Scooter-Libby-am-a-Criminal
February 6, 2007 01:02 PM | Link to this
and a traitor. Please put me in a cell with my good buddy Frank Pollard, we get along real good.
By I-Scooter-Libby-am-an-a*****
February 6, 2007 01:09 PM | Link to this
Eight Words with two Meanings
1. THINGY (thing-ee) n. Female…… Any part under a car’s hood. Male….. The strap fastener on a woman’s bra.
VULNERABLE (vul-ne-ra-bel) adj. Female…. Fully opening up one’s self emotionally to another. Male…. Playing football without a cup.
COMMUNICATION (ko-myoo-ni-kay-shon) n. Female… The open sharing of thoughts and feelings with one’s partner. Male… Leaving a note before taking off on a fishing trip with the boys.
COMMITMENT (ko-mit-ment) n. Female…. A desire to get married and raise a family. Male…… Trying not to hit on other women while out with this one.
ENTERTAINMENT (en-ter-tayn-ment) n. Female…. A good movie, concert, play or book. Male…… Anything that can be done while drinking beer.
FLATULENCE (flach-u-lens) n. Female…. An embarrassing byproduct of indigestion. Male…… A source of entertainment, self-expression, male bonding.
7 MAKING LOVE (may-king luv) n. Female…… The greatest expression of intimacy a couple can achieve. Male.. Call it whatever you want, just as long as we do it.
He said . . ….. Shall we try swapping positions tonight? She said . That’s a good idea - you stand by the ironing board while I sit on the sofa and fart!
He said . … What have you been doing with all the grocery money I gave you? She said . .Turn sideways and look in the mirror!
He said . ….. Why don’t women blink during foreplay? She said . . They don’t have time
He said . . How many men does it take to change a roll of toilet paper? She said . We don’t know; it has never happened.
He said . . Why is it difficult to find men who are sensitive, caring and Good- looking? She said ….… They already have boyfriends.
She said…What do you call a woman who knows where her husband is every night? He said . . A widow.
He said . .. . Why are married women heavier than single women? She said … Single women come home, see what’s in the fridge and go to bed. Married women come home, see what’s in bed and go to the fridge.
By I-Scooter-Libby-WET-MY-PANTIES
February 6, 2007 01:13 PM | Link to this
YES JIM, IT IS NOW OFFICIAL, YOU BLOG IS A BIG JOKE!
By Dennis
February 6, 2007 01:16 PM | Link to this
jbmlaw said; “I resent subsidizing anyone else’s pipe dreams, especially those grand and expensive dreams so characteristic of the leftists.”
You mean like Bush/Cheney digging a financial hole for future Americans (including YOUR children) by reducing taxes for the already wealthy, while giving handouts to corporations that can stand on their own in this “free market” “global” economy, while borrowing money at the nations future expense to finance their personal war, while intentionally underfunding social security and medical care;
I’m with you buddy, except that those “pipe dreams” rather than being “the characteristic of the leftists” are the work of the rightie neocon Republicans.
Or, haven’t you been paying real attention to your president and your congress for the past six years?
You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 01:36 PM | Link to this
Dear Dennis @ 1:16, you correctly identify a problem, but as you usually look through the wrong end of the telescope, you err in your analysis. The “financial hole” is entirely attributable to spending – reducing taxes never caused a problem, whereas excessive spending always does. Agree with you on “handouts” to corporations, such as those now attempting to prosper from the “global warming” hoax. I agree that the unfunded contingent liability in social security requires strong medicine, and the Bush/Cheney plan – allowing substantial privatization – was an appropriate remedy; unfortunately Democrats demagogued as usual, and spineless Republicrats reacted as they always do. Blindness to the truth is strictly a leftist trait.
By Joeventures
February 6, 2007 01:45 PM | Link to this
It’s interesting to note that a project quoted a month ago to cost $5 billion is now quoted as costing $6.39 billion.
Not to mention, the Reason foundation must’ve hired people using the metric scales to figure out the size of the tunnel required for the project. You cannot possibly create a double-deck tunnel for three lanes of traffic each in a 44-foot section.
If they’re going to make these proposals, they could at least hire real engineers.
By harold
February 6, 2007 01:49 PM | Link to this
if it is a hoax, it has been disproven like a lite brite
what is the evidence proving “global warming” is a hoax?
oh there is none. it is just talk radio malarkey from idiots
By FairTax Hoax
February 6, 2007 01:58 PM | Link to this
Scooter at 12:47,
According to his website, Congressman David Scott supports the so-called FairTax. However, Neil Boortz’s FairTax is a scam. Here are some of the reason’s why:
If you support the so-called FairTax, then I’m sorry to report that you’ve been conned by the far right — yet again. Don’t feel bad though — they’re very good at it.
By Dennis
February 6, 2007 01:58 PM | Link to this
jbmlaw said, “The “financial hole” is entirely attributable to spending – “
You wouldn’t want me on a jury; not because I couldn’t/wouldn’t hear the case fairly, but because I can cut the the bs of lawyers, including yours.
For the past six years, who’s been doing the “spending” and for what?
It’s always tragic to see how Republicans claim they can’t reign in Bush, but yet yesterday managed to protect him from being sensured.
As to this; “security requires strong medicine, and the Bush/Cheney plan – allowing substantial privatization – was an appropriate remedy” is a crock.
This entire approach is nothing more than a “scheme” to create a way for corporations to get risk free, interest free, tax free money that they can’t get from a lending institution; and knowing full well, as you do, that the average American doesn’t know a damned thing about investing.
And just how much do you suppose an investment of “two percent” of the average income is going to bring in?
More especially so if everybody makes “wise choices”? GET REAL!!!
AND…there aren’t enough laws on the books to protect him/her from being taken just like those taken by the Jeff Skilling types (who took people who OUGHT to know better).
And the safe guards haven’t been made all that much tighter either - and you know that, too.
You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 02:20 PM | Link to this
Dear harold @ 1:49, I know you are a true believer, and perhaps my use of the inflammatory “hoax” was a bit much, but just a bit. Practically everything observed or discovered since 2003 conflicts with the “warmists” representations. I respectfully refer you to http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009625
Dear Fair Tax @ 1:58, many silly arguments here. By your logic, when the Feds tax income of bureaucrats, that is no real tax revenue. Your static analysis assumes the 23% rate will rise because of …what? My guess is that the economic efficiencies gained by the more efficient method will actually cause greater revenue growth than forecast, and rates will drop. Fewer places to audit under fair tax, more efficient use of the bureaucrats.
You argue “apples and oranges” and there is some small truth in your comparative analysis of the tax base, but even that argument ignores economic reality. Income is used two ways: (a) consumption, and (b) savings. All income taxes are levied equally against the consumption portion of income and the savings portion of income. All taxes that reduce the savings base have an immediately detrimental effect on our investible capital base, and thus damage our economy. By moving to a tax strictly on the consumption portion, we eliminate that erosion of the “wealth of nations.”
As to your foolish progressive/regressive argument, all taxes on our most efficient income producers damage productivity with a ripple effect. Anything labeled “progressive” can be alternatively labeled “quasi-criminal.”
Dear dear Dennis @ 1:58, as with a typical leftist, you are more consumed with throwing blame than curing the problem. You will never persuade me that Kennedy’s education bill in 2003 was primarily Republican; you will never persuade me that Daschle’s agricultural bill in 2003 was primarily Republican. (In all fairness, you can assign more blame to the Republicrats for the steel tariffs, although such an anti-free-trade initiative would normally be associated more closely with Democrats.) You have my assurance that I will enthusiastically support every Democrat bill that cuts non-defense spending, although I also suspect that I will have little need for enthusiasm. As to your silly argument that we need more laws on businesses, all trial convictions have come from old laws. Blindness to the truth is strictly a leftist trait.
By Curious Observer
February 6, 2007 02:22 PM | Link to this
The Fair Tax mania will pass. Since the 1930s, the corporations have been trying to figure a way to avoid the matching Social Security contribution, and the wealthy have been focused on dodging progressive tax rates. The so-called Fair Tax is nothing more than a cynical effort to shift the tax burden even further onto lower-income families. The advocates love to talk about how poorer workers “pay no income taxes,” but they conveniently overlook the payroll taxes that form a much larger proportion of a low-income worker’s pay than they do a high-income worker’s pay.
Let Boortz and the other hypocrites stand on the monkey box for a while. The entire scheme they advocate will fall of its own weight. No sensible person is going to relish seeing the elitists’ dividends, stock, and interest earnings freed from taxation while paying a 30 percent sales tax on a loaf of bread.
By The Dude
February 6, 2007 02:33 PM | Link to this
Headline: Rail reversal may point us to better ideas
But probably not.
By Lawyers are ALL Thieves - jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 02:40 PM | Link to this
“all taxes on our most efficient income producers damage productivity with a ripple effect.” I take it you mean billable hours jbmlaw. Who do you bill the hours you loaf on this blog to? Are you one of those lawyers who bills 200 hours in one 40 hour work week? You can get away with that with private clients, but the Feds and the States have put a bunch of you lawyers in prison for fradulent billing. Regardless, I look forward to the day the printing presses stop churning out new dollars, because on that day you and your kind will be reduced to poverty. Expect no help from me or my kind, we will remember you posts here.
By getalife
February 6, 2007 02:40 PM | Link to this
99 Simple Ways For A Conservative To Become Liberal:
Hear Pat Robertson + Jerry Falwell say America deserved 9/11. Watch Dubya look for WMDS under his desk. Be nice to yourself. Vow not to yell or scream at your children or spouse and follow through on your vow. Remind yourself that Ann Coulter is a conservative. Reminisce about the Clinton economy. Hug and be hugged. Open a small business. View the Daily Show or the Colbert Report regularly. Know a relative who could benefit from stem cell research. Receive a Social Security Check for the first time. File a lawsuit for a serious tort after the other side won’t redress the wrong. Drink clean water and realize who to thank for it. Realize that Osama Bin Laden has still not been apprehended. Read Ann Coulter for two minutes. Hear Rush Limbaugh laugh two days after 9/11 about how the 9/11 attacks may have been an act of god. Read about how James Dobson wants fathers to shower with their ten year old sons. Listen to the audio clip of Barbara Bush in the Astrodome. See clips of Bush golfing and guitaring while New Orleans drowned. Actually need and get an abortion for health reasons. Follow the Science on global warming. Care for others. Listen to Bill O’Reilly’s comments about how Sean Hornbeck “enjoyed” being kidnapped for four years. See your wages go up. Hang out with the few remaining Young Republicans on your college campus, then quickly realize there is something seriously wrong with them. Listen to quality music on a regular basis. Be responsible for caring for a domestic pet. Notice your deductible on your health care plan. Watch Keith Olbermann on weeknights. Read Buzzflash, Raw Story, Think Progress, Media Matters, Firedoglake, or hundreds of others great websites for news and information. Read Dinesh D’Souza’s comments blaming Americans for 9/11. Listen to Michelle Malkin spew venom on Fox Noise. Remember that 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia, 0 from Iraq. Go to bank, realize your money is protected because of liberals. Say I love you to your loved ones at least five times a day. Get denied admission to your favorite university because your spot was taken by a Republican legacy. 63, Date a conservative during your college years and then date a liberal immediately thereafter.
Remind yourself that Ann Coulter is a conservative. See the hypocrisy in thrice married Republicans bashing the adultery of others. Share a locker room with Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. Lose a loved one in Iraq. Hang out with people of many cultures often. Examine a copy of a standardized test under NCLB. Get falsely arrested for a crime you did not commit. Find out your good friend is actually gay. Meet Sean Hannity in person. Compare your health care plan under Bush to your plan under Clinton. Listen to Ann Coulter for 4 minutes. Have an HMO refuse to pay your health care bill. Actually listen to liberal talk show hosts one hour a day for a month. Recognize that you pay higher transportation fees because the top 1% just got a tax cut. Be a victim of predatory lending practices by credit card companies. Purchase your first home and realize liberal legislation enabled this purchase. See Ann Coulter on TV for 3 minutes. Read lots of books. Stand by the ocean for hours and just relax. Have Walmart open up shop in your small town or near your small business. Compare Osama Bin Laden’s views on almost all issues to those of the Republican Party platform. Be on the receiving end of Bill O’Reilly’s phone calls after he has eaten a falafel. Smile often. Realize who cut your Veteran’s benefits. Watch reruns of All in the Family. Travel through a known conservative area in rural Georgia, Alabama, or Mississippi. Stumble upon information about quality of life in “blue” states compared to “red” states. Listen to the Two Hour Hate of Mark Levin or Michael Weiner and remind yourself both men are conservatives. Receive your mail on time 99% of the time and actually appreciate it. Watch Brian Kilmeade, John Gibson, or Steve Doucy struggle to put two original coherent sentences together without a teleprompter. Hear Dick Cheney’s predictions over the years on Iraq. Do logic puzzles to build your analytical skills. Receive money from the GI Bill and go to college. Remind yourself that Ann Coulter is a conservative. Listen to Sean Hannity preach hate and remind yourself that he is a conservative. Try getting justice against a corporation that did you wrong. Hear Melanie Morgan call for Jihad. Learn about the Valerie Plame story. Hear Rush Limbaugh’s comments on drug users, then doctor shop for him. Remember how much gas cost prior to Bush being President. Watch Nancy Grace speak into the camera, remind yourself that she is a conservative.
See your home heating bills skyrocket under Republicans. Read the rules for attending Bob Jones University. Go shopping for shoes with Condi Rice at Ferragamos. Read the labels on food products and know who to thank for them being there. Be in the same room with David Horowitz and remind yourself he is a conservative. Look at your cable or phone bill and compare it to the Clinton era. Get redeployed to Iraq for the third time. Plant a garden and appreciate its beauty. Remind yourself that Ann Coulter is a conservative. Grow up in a loving, nurturing home. (Chances are the person would never be a conservative in the first place.) Listen to clips of Glenn Beck calling Katrina victims scumbags and advocating killing billions of people simply for disagreeing with Glenn Beck. Read Daily Kos for two weeks. Tell jokes that don’t insult others. Learn about how Newt Gingrich served his wife with divorce papers while she lay in a hospital bed undergoing cancer treatment. Actually figure out that Republicans have raised middle class taxes since the days of Teddy Roosevelt. Be the victim of a conservative hate crime. See a picture of Ann Coulter within ten minutes of eating a meal. Lose your job because of Nafta or Cafta. Learn about Saudi Arabia and the Bush family. End up in a room alone with Ted Haggard. Watch a clip of George W Bush’s “greatest” quotes.
By jm
February 6, 2007 02:47 PM | Link to this
jbmlaw@1:36 - reducing taxes, without reducing obligations (or in case of our current president increasing those obligations) is how you make the “financial hole” deeper. To run a budget deficit during an economic expansion is the height of fiscal irresponsibility. This is the time you save up for the next economic downturn, which is as inevitable as the tides.
By Ann Coulter is a Butt Ugly Kunt
February 6, 2007 02:48 PM | Link to this
When she dies, the highest and best use of her ugly body will be as a scare crow in some farmers corn field.
By Ann Coulter is a Butt Ugly Kunt
February 6, 2007 02:52 PM | Link to this
jm, this is not a time of economic expansion, not with one third of all gdp coming from the feds and the states. At 2.9 x 10 to the ninth power, the feds are spending the equivalent of ten thousand dollars for each and every man, woman, and child in this country, including the stinking illegal mexican wet backs.
By ryan
February 6, 2007 02:54 PM | Link to this
Carry on, carry on.
It may shock some people what a truthful cost-benefit analysis of road projects would reveal. Road projects are much more heavily subsidized than rail, and much more heavily subsidized than most of their users realize. Most of the anti-rail opponents (which includes, of course, our legislators, who aren’t just benign-sounding “cost-benefit conservatives”) are playing with a stacked deck. Which, under the same logic, is what downtown Atlanta and I-285 will be if an honest analysis isn’t conducted AND publicized.
By jacksonwolff
February 6, 2007 02:56 PM | Link to this
Back on subject, why not use the median in the interstate to build a light rail/monorail system to other areas of the state with stops all along the way? we already own the land and to the best of my knowledge, the only people who use it are cops turning around to ticket me. We could add .50 to the cost of gas to pay for this system, thereby promoting to use of this system and making the people who realy cause the congestion pay for it.
By JS
February 6, 2007 02:57 PM | Link to this
Georgia because of Atlanta was 4th in the nation for states that are the most entrepreneurial(CNN Money).While in a low-entrepreneurship state, Atlanta has the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity of any large city; 430 out of every 100,000 adults have started a business. Another reason why Atlanta need state support for mass transit.
By Ann Coulter is a Butt Ugly Kunt
February 6, 2007 02:58 PM | Link to this
opps, that should have been 2.9 x 10 to the TWELTH POWER.
By Dennis
February 6, 2007 03:06 PM | Link to this
Jbmlaw, as is typical republican custom, your 2:20 in response to my 1:58, “cuts and runs” to ignore the facts as presented; namely -
1) For the past six years, who’s been doing the “spending” and for what?
It’s always tragic to see how Republicans claim they can’t reign in Bush, but yet yesterday managed to protect him from being sensured.
2) the Bush/Cheney plan – allowing substantial privatization – was an appropriate remedy” is a crock.
3)This entire approach is nothing more than a “scheme” to create a way for corporations to get risk free, interest free, tax free money that they can’t get from a lending institution;
4) and knowing full well, as you do, that the average American doesn’t know a damned thing about investing.
5) And just how much will an investment of “two percent” of the average income is going to bring in?
6) More especially so if everybody makes “wise choices”? GET REAL!!!
7) AND…there aren’t enough laws on the books to protect him/her from being taken just like those taken by the Jeff Skilling types (who took people who OUGHT to know better).
8)And the safe guards haven’t been made all that much tighter either - and you know that, too.
C’mon, counselor, keep up with the case/issues. Your little attempts at “by-pass” aren’t going to win the jury and, intelligent people on here are reading your defense.
You wouldn’t want me on a jury; not because I couldn’t/wouldn’t hear the case fairly, but because I can cut the the bs of lawyers, including yours.
You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
By Ann Coulter is a Butt Ugly Kunt
February 6, 2007 03:07 PM | Link to this
jmblay and his secretary, overcome by passion, go to his house for an early afternoon quickie. “Don’t worry,” he assures her, “my wife is out of town on a business trip, so there’s no risk.” As one thing leads to another, the woman reaches into her purse and suddenly gasps, “We have to stop! I forgot to bring birth control!” “No problem,” he replies, “I’ll get my wife’s diaphragm.” After a few minutes of searching, he returns to the bedroom in a fury. “That witch!” he exclaims. “She took it with her! I always knew she didn’t trust me!”
By jmblaw's obit
February 6, 2007 03:09 PM | Link to this
When her husband, jmblaw, passed away, the wife put the usual death notice in the newspaper, but added that he had died of gonorrhoea. Once the daily newspapers had been delivered, a good friend of the family phoned and complained bitterly, “You know very well that he died of diarrhoea, not gonorrhoea.” Replied the widow, “Yes, I know that he died of diarrhoea, but I thought it would be better for posterity to remember him as a great lover rather than the big s** that he really was.”
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 03:12 PM | Link to this
Dear LaAt-J @ 2:40, spreading the leftist love and joy I see. We expect same.
Dear jm @ 2:47, to the extent that you argue we should be cutting off the federal spigot, I totally agree with you. To the extent that you are arguing that we should attempt to damage our economy with higher taxes, I think that would be the height of irresponsibility.
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 03:14 PM | Link to this
Dear Jacksonwolff @ 2:56, why not assess the fee to the mass-transit user who is avoiding traffic?
By jacksonwolff
February 6, 2007 03:31 PM | Link to this
True that the users should bare some of the resposibility, but I think people who JUST LOVE their gas-guzzeling tanks (SUVS) and can’t seem to let them go (not only to ease traffic, but also to help the environment) long enough to go to work, then they should share the burden. If public transportation were available, clean, and on time, I would use it.
By Buy Danish's Long Tall Son Hums
February 6, 2007 03:44 PM | Link to this
A mother was walking down the hall when she heard a humming sound coming from her daughter’s bedroom When she opened the door she found her daughter naked on the bed with a vibrator. “What are you doing?” She exclaimed. The daughter replied, “I’m 35 and still living at home with my parents and this is the closest I’ll ever get to a husband.” Later that week, the father was in the kitchen and heard a humming sound coming from the basement. When he went downstairs, he found his daughter naked on a sofa with her vibrator. “What are you doing?” He exclaimed. The daughter replied, “I’m 35 and still living at home with my parents and this is the closest I’ll ever get to a husband.” A couple of days later the mother heard the humming sound again, this time coming from the den. Upon entering the room, she found her husband watching television with the vibrator buzzing away beside him. “What are you doing?” She asked. He replied, “Watching the game with my son-in-law, Buy Danish’s Long Tall Son.”
By jm
February 6, 2007 03:46 PM | Link to this
jbmlaw@3:12 - if you can’t or won’t cut obligations, then you have to raise taxes. I doubt it does our economy much good to continue to borrow money from China and Saudi Arabia. Real hard to talk tough to the guy who holds your IOU.
By Old jmblaw remembers his hometown
February 6, 2007 03:54 PM | Link to this
One day an 85-year-old jmblaw is taking a stroll around his hometown, which he has lived in for his whole life. As he sees the landmarks, homes, and streets from his youth, he starts reminiscing….
“I remember helping build that bridge when I was 25. I worked hard on that. But people won’t call you ‘the bridge builder’ if you do that here. No, no, they don’t!”
“I remember building that house over there when I was 30. But people won’t call you ‘the house builder’ if you do that. No, no they don’t!”
“I remember building that tavern that I still lounge at when I was 35. If you do that people won’t call you ‘the tavern builder’ either. They sure won’t!”
“But if you fffuck one goat…….”
By jbmlaw
February 6, 2007 03:54 PM | Link to this
Dear Jacksonwolff @ 3:31, I suppose we’ll have to agree to disagree, philosophically. I cannot think of any reason the people avoiding traffic should have right to pick my pocket to subsidize their ride.
Dear jm @ 3:46, let’s abolish several agencies, see how long it takes to miss them. As to the “guy who holds the IOU,” there is actually some power in being so deep in debt that they cannot afford to push you into default.
By FairTax Hoax
February 6, 2007 04:00 PM | Link to this
jbmlaw at 2:20,
My post said nothing about taxing the income of bureaucrats. With regard to taxing consumption vs. savings – the working poor have no access savings and frequently spend even more than their income just for the necessities. The FairTax punishes the working poor and lower middle class for not earning enough to money to save, despite the fact many work harder than you and I combined, by charging them higher “effective” tax rates. (By the way, one can’t analyze the FairTax intelligently without knowing the difference between “effective”, “average” and “marginal” tax rates).
You also imply that savings is more important to our economy than consumption. Savings is as important to the health of our economy than consumption, but not more important. If people are discouraged from consuming and stick all their money in the bank or investments then their savings won’t get them very far.
It’s also nonsense to say that the more a person makes, the more efficient an income producer that person is. We all know people who are in their positions because of reasons that have nothing to do with skills, and we all know of people who are paid way more than they deserve for reasons that have nothing to do with efficiencies. Yes, progressive taxes suck — but the alternative, regressive taxes, are worse.
By Dennis
February 6, 2007 04:07 PM | Link to this
Dear jmblaw, reference my post at 3:06; c’mon, be a good silver-tongued orator and intelligently discuss the issues.
(By the way, I mentioned this before on the forum; some/all of you folks on the right would benefit from Republican economist Bruce Bartlett’s book, “Imposter” [how GWB has run this nation financially into the ground]).
You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
By Jump off point
February 6, 2007 04:09 PM | Link to this
I wouldn’t use no rail service no how no way. The idea that you can lay down a rail and then put a transportation device on top of the rail and some sort of locomotion to get it moving and then transport people back and forth for a fee is so unrealistic, that we may as well be talkin’ ‘bout heavier than air flight, which is equally impossible. First, who would drive the rail thing, second, who would know where to sit or how look out the window or go to the bathroom. You know what I say to you? Dont think about it. Just drive you SUV all over tarnation and burn the gas into the carbonated atmosphere to warm our world to it’s doom which is all the planet deserves. Melt the icecaps!!! Kill the baby seals!
But love me, I’m so cute, no?
By jm
February 6, 2007 04:09 PM | Link to this
jbmlaw@3:54 - donald Trump has used the iou leverage quite well.
By Joseph A. Palermo
February 6, 2007 04:21 PM | Link to this
jbmlaw,
To you comment — “To the extent that you are arguing that we should attempt to damage our economy with higher taxes, I think that would be the height of irresponsibility.” That’s what you far right nuts said in ‘94 when Clinton and Democrats were forced to raise taxes because of massive amounts of federal debt inherited from the Reagan/Bush years. You were wrong. Now Bush 43 has gotten into the same financial mess again, and Democrats are forced to clean up after him.
“But it’s MY money.” Bull$hit. We Americans, through our elected representatives, borrowed trillions from the SS trust fund, China, Japan and others, and we have to pay it back – plus interest. You want low taxes? Quit voting for idiots who run deficit on top of deficit at our expense.
By Debt Hawk
February 6, 2007 04:26 PM | Link to this
jbmlaw wrote: “…there is actually some power in being so deep in debt that they cannot afford to push you into default.”
Desperate argument from a desperate man.
By Jack
February 6, 2007 04:27 PM | Link to this
Several disjointed thoughts here:
All of these tunnels and roads will only increase emissions and smog. Isn’t the proposal to build these tunnels more expensive that the proposal to link the suburbs and Macon, Athens, Columbus via rail? (there are many reasons for extending the rail to the 2nd tier cities, 1 being air service has been killed due to proximity to Atlanta, 2 being they have people in the outlying areas that work in town, though smaller numbers)
Rail would assist with the cleaner air aspect. It will succeed if it goes places where people, work, live, shop and play - ideally following the interstates - and is affordable. MARTA/light rail would need to be expanded as well. Keep in mind commuter rail, hard rail (MARTA), and light rail are different. Commuter rail can be very high speed. Some trains can be made express that have limited stops. The commuter rail would need to tie into the airport and or MARTA. MARTA rail would need to expand into Cobb, Gwinett, Clayton, etc. LIght rail/trolleys/streetcars/busses would tie into the MARTA stations. If this system were in place, you could drive to the commuter rail station, catch a MARTA train, catch a trolley to your place of work. At lunch you could walk or take the trolley.
The design of the train/trolley should incorporate people carry luggage, packages, bikes, etc.
If you consider MARTA a failure, it’s because you have 23 counties in the metropolitan area all on their own agenda. Either consolidate all of metro Atlanta into 1 county (don’t fret, if you must have your own government, you can still form a city). The county would have authority over metropolitan-wide concerns such as transit, air quality, etc. Cities would still control police, fire, etc.
We should raise the gas tax to pay for the improved mass transit. It should be raised gradually as the system is put into place. The higher prices should encourage use of transit. People will not change unless you make them or hit them in the pocket book.
We can’t go on building roads and filling them with cars.
Another problem is take a look at the map. All interstates come through Atlanta. I-285 is no longer a viable Bypass of Atlanta. An outer perimeter would just cause more sprawl. We need to look at building I-14 which would siphon traffic through Macon, and Columbus connect with I-85 in Alabama (which potentially may be extened to Meridian to connect with I-20). Build an Interstate from I-75 near Rome connecting to I-185 through Columbus following GA520 through Albany and connecting back to I-75 in Tifton or continuing on to I-10 near Tallahassee. All through trucks would be required to take these routes.
If you must build HOV lanes, don’t take the current cheap method and take a foot of each existing lane and whatever room in the median. Build 2 divider separated lanes that go one direction in the morning and the opposite in the afternoon. Build exits at all major roads. A double white lane and having to cross 8 lanes of traffic doesn’t work.
By jacksonwolff
February 6, 2007 04:36 PM | Link to this
to jbmlaw @ 3:54. maybe we will have to agree to disagree, but look at it this way, you are not subsidizeing someone elses ride, you are paying for less traffic on your way to and from work. Step two would be to crack down on the people who drive like their car is on fire, suspend their license and make them use the mass transit system so that they will learn to appreciate the PRIVLAGE of driving.
By getoveryourself
February 6, 2007 04:39 PM | Link to this
Jack for Governor 2010!!!
Best post of the day by far!
By Rob
February 6, 2007 04:44 PM | Link to this
The only good thing about Marta is that it goes to the airport from the north side of town.
Extend the rail system to Windward Parkway (as it is already scheduled for by 2017) and add an express train that stops only at Windward, one stop in the Dunwoody’s, one at 5 Points, and then the airport.
Door to door service will be 30 minutes, and you’d fill every express train. You could even double or triple the fare for this train. It might just make Marta solvent again.
By jmblaw and dusty
February 6, 2007 04:57 PM | Link to this
jmblaw and dusty, a married couple drove down a country road, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument, and neither would concede their position. As they passed a barnyard of mules and pigs, the Dusty sarcastically asked, “Relatives of yours?” “Yep,” jmblaw replied. “In-laws.”
By Jessie
February 6, 2007 04:59 PM | Link to this
I liked Jack’s well-informed post at 4:27 so much that I copied the whole thing and sent it to my State Senator and State Representative.
By Jump off point
February 6, 2007 05:00 PM | Link to this
There was only one man who could make the trains run on time: Heetler (unt his frauline Teetler)!
Wait! there was one other man who knew how to run a train: Mussolini (unt his wife Pussolini).
Nobody in Atlanta can run a train worth diddle dang piddle poo.
By Jump off point
February 6, 2007 05:08 PM | Link to this
Depthawk, that formula of super-dept is how Donald Trump made his fortune. He owed over a billion dollars to a bank who had to wait for the donald to right himself. Donald was with Marla Maples at the time who I always thought was beneath him. (No pun)
By jmblaw and dusty
February 6, 2007 05:16 PM | Link to this
jmblaw visits the doctors and says, “Doc, I think I’ve got a sex problem. I can’t get it up for my wife anymore.” The doctor says, “Come back tomorrow and bring her with you.” The next day, the guy shows up with his wife Dusty. The doctor says to the Dusty, “Take off your clothes and lie on the table.” She does it, and the doctor walks around the table a few times looking her up and down. He pulls jmblaw to the side and says, “You’re fine. She doesn’t give me a hard-on, either.”
By jmblaw and dusty
February 6, 2007 05:19 PM | Link to this
jmblaw and dusty went to the doctor for their annual physical exams. Afterwards, the doctor called the jmblaw into his office and told him that he had some good news and some bad news. “The good news,” he explained, “is that dusty has an particular strain of gonorrhea that I have only heard of once before.” The guy paled. “If that’s the good news, then what the hell is the bad news?” “Well,” the doctor elaborated, “the bad news is that I heard about this nasty strain just last week from my dog’s vet.”
By Janine
February 6, 2007 05:30 PM | Link to this
Mr.W. Recently,some days the posters on your blog are just too “out there” for me. WHat’s happening?
By Scooter
February 6, 2007 05:40 PM | Link to this
jbm law, I appreciate your defense of the FairTax. The criticisms are so atypical of the class warfare jockeys. I gave a cursory overview of the critics “arguments” and it seems they are more concerned with what they perceive as the source (Boortz) than they are with researching and applying critical reasoning skills to the proposal. Even though criticism is easy and abundant I will try to address a few.
Currently the “working” poor have payroll taxes deducted from their paychecks making the current system regressive in that fashion. Under the FairTax nobody would have payroll taxes deducted from their checks and everyone would receive an automatic deposit of the monthly amount someone at the poverty level would pay in sales tax, thereby alleviating the poor from any tax burden. The FairTax is inclusive, meaning if an item is marked 100 dollars the 23 dollar sales tax is included in the price. So please don’t say, ‘if something is marked 77 dollars and you pay 100 that is 23/77, or a thirty percent tax. Currently politicians use the “progressive” tax code to grant favors to this group or that. Under the FairTax that power would be removed. Currently individuals cheat the income tax by being paid in cash and companies locate off shore in order to avoid the overly complex system in place now. Under the FairTax companies would have every incentive to relocate into the US, thereby creating jobs and increasing the tax base. Under the FairTax all illegal aliens, wealthy Americans who own offshore companies but spend money in the US, and all tourists would pay America’s tax, further expanding the tax base.
Really, if some people had the will to research things thoroughly on their own, honestly judge them on their merits, rather than searching out others opinions to discount an opinion that comes form someone they dislike, this wouldn’t be such a contentious argument. It is as if these “progressives” want to preserve the powers politicians get through the “progressive” tax code. If anyone out there wants to honestly limit the powers of government check out the FairTax as presented on Wikipedia. Or just stick with the knee-jerk criticisms and continue to disguise them as intelligence.
By Jerry
February 6, 2007 05:41 PM | Link to this
MR. W - Please don’t change a thing, the blog has improved so much in the last week. There is now humor to go with the anger.
By Scooter is a Crook
February 6, 2007 05:47 PM | Link to this
So Scooter, when do they sentence you? Any chance you will seek asylum in Israel?
By AstroPain
February 7, 2007 08:25 AM | Link to this
Just what was that crazy woman going to do with that rubber tubing?
By Devastator
February 7, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this
The blogs have been much more intelligent and readable ever since that idiot “time for the truth” got busted.