How Congress Wrecked America's Road System

At one time chairing the House Subcommittee that handled funding for transportation nationwide, former Congressman Ernest Istook, now a Distinguished Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, shares what he learned and gets to the root of the problem with the roads and highways in our country....

From News Max --

Why are our roads so congested?

It’s because of a wreck. By spending fuel tax money on things other than roads, Washington has wrecked the way we pay for highways. With dedicated revenue now drained away, roads are clogged due to wasteful practices by government.

Congested roads hurt our entire economy by slowing people and goods from getting where they need to go. 

This creates new forms of road rage. Contractors, state and local governments are angry because new transportation plans were due from Congress over 30 months ago. October of 2009 was the deadline to renew the legislation that governs roads, highways, rail and mass transit. The latest extension (#9) runs out on June 30.

Lawmakers are stalemated. This became inevitable years ago when Congress violated the trust of drivers who pay fuel taxes. What began in 1983 as a trickle of diversion is now a flood. Over a third of gas tax money is siphoned off for the insatiable appetites of those who want free or subsidized travel.

As noted by The Heritage Foundation’s Ron Utt: “only about 65 percent of federal surface transportation spending is used to support general-purpose roads, while the remaining 35 percent is diverted to high-cost, underutilized programs like trolley cars, transit, covered bridges, hiking trails, earmarks, administrative overhead, streetscapes, flower planting, hiking and bicycle paths, museums, ‘transportation enhancements,’ tourist attractions, and archaeology.”

One alternative that’s gathering support is to give fuel tax dollars back to the states so they can allocate the money. States might also politicize how it’s spent, but they can’t do worse than Washington has.

Our once-viable Highway Trust Fund is effectively broke while roads remain crammed, in disrepair, or both. Any talk of raising fuel taxes is beaten down by consumers. Drivers will pay higher prices if they must; but they rebel at higher gasoline taxes because they know the system misuses that money.

With trust funds almost empty, most Senators and Democrats are ready to break the logjam by borrowing billions so they can continue to shove money out the door in the same old manner. But a phalanx of House Republicans stands in the way. They insist on at least partial reforms before a new transportation bill is passed — reforms that won’t fix all the problems but at least will address some of the waste.

Here’s how bad the drainage of the trust fund has gotten:

The U.S. Department of Transportation for years tracked federal subsidies to different forms of travel. Recognizing that different vehicles carry different numbers of people, and for trips of differing lengths, USDOT measured the subsidies per passenger per each 1,000 miles travelled. The results: 

• Highway users paid $1.91 per thousand passenger-miles.

• “Passenger rail received . . . $186.35 per thousand passenger-miles.

• “[Mass] transit received $118.26 [per thousand passenger-miles].”

The abuse became so embarrassing that the Transportation Department quit calculating the subsidies a few years ago. And Amtrak has stopped filing its monthly disclosures of per passenger subsidies on each train route. (They claim it’s caused by a “financial system conversion” that curiously has taken a year so far.)

The diversion of fuel taxes into non-road projects destroyed public confidence and public support for transportation taxes. The move away from the principle of “user pays” began in 1983 with applying some of the fuel tax dollars toward public transit. That trickle has become a flood of projects and non-drivers who ride at the expense of road users. That’s why transit fares are so cheap. Fares paid by transit users typically are less than half of a system’s operating costs and zero of its construction and capital costs.
 
Transit advocates deceptively claim they reduce congestion by not driving. They never mention that they enjoy subsidized rides even while they take away the money that could have improved the roads and eased the flow of traffic.
 
The diversion did more than create our backlog of needed highway projects. It also destroyed possible public support for raising fuel taxes — because people know the money would go into a tank that is riddled with holes.

Some of those leaks are the waste: Ever-rising construction costs are worsened by red tape such as environmental regulations, “prevailing wage” laws, union-protecting “project labor agreements” and the like.

When the governing principle of “user pays” is removed, our transportation system stalls and breaks down. Congress is mired in a political dogfight because too many want to receive while somebody else pays. It’s a prime example of what happens if we follow the credo of the Occupy movement.

So when you’re stuck in traffic, remember that somebody has been hurt in a wreck. That somebody is you, the driver who carries the load for everyone else.

Former Congressman Ernest Istook chaired the House subcommittee that handled funding for transportation nationwide. Now a distinguished fellow at The Heritage Foundation, he will host the “Istook Live!” daily talk radio show that will soon launch in syndication.

Tea Party Patriots: U.S. Supreme Court Obamacare Decision Tele-Town Hall

From the Tea Party Patriots National Support Team

The timing of the Supreme Court’s decision is subject to lots of rumor and speculations, but a look at what the cases the Court has yet to rule on and its past behavior might help give some indication of when we can expect the Supreme Court’s decision on Obamacare.

The Court is currently reviewing several other cases. Because The Court could decide to announce some decisions together, it will probably provide 12 separate rulings outside of the Obamacare case. As the Supreme Court Justices wind down this session, the Court may take their time and hand out their opinions separately over the course of days or weeks or choose to hand out several cases on a single day.

Many reliable sources speculate that the earliest the Court will announce its decision on Obamacare would be Monday, June 25th.

This could be one of the biggest rulings of this century and we want to bring you as much information as quickly as we can surrounding the ruling.

Within 2 days of the ruling we will be hosting a Tele Town Hall with some very special guests. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Congressman Steve King, Senator Rand Paul and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli will all be joining us on the call to give you their take on what the Supreme Court decides. 

        

The date will be determined when the Supreme Court releases its decision and will either be the night of the ruling or the night following the ruling, but the call will be at 8pm EDT. We'd love to have you join the call!

Click Here to Sign Up Today

We will send an email as soon as we have set the date and the great thing is that once you sign up with your phone number, we will automatically call you to conference you into the call the night of the call.

We look forward to you joining us for this exciting event and yet another stop on the Road to Repeal!

Alabama to UN Agenda 21: Drop Dead!

Agenda 21 has been gradually getting some attention in Ohio, in part because its tentacles are already being felt in our state (and promoted by, e.g., Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium). Marianne has posted quite a bit on the Mansfield Tea Party page here. Earlier this month, Investors Business Daily reported the good news that :

Alabama Bans U.N. Agenda 21 Sovereignty Surrender

Property Rights: Few have heard of Agenda 21, the U.N. plan for sustainable development that tosses property rights aside. But Alabama has, and it recently secured a victory as important as that over union power in Wisconsin.

After Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's stunning triumph over the excesses and abuses of public-sector unions, the London Telegraph's James Delingpole, an indefatigable opponent of global warming fraud, opined in a piece titled, "How Wisconsin And Alabama Helped Save The World," that we should take note of "an equally important but perhaps less well-publicized victory won in the Alabama House and Senate over the U.N.'s malign and insidious Agenda 21."

Agenda 21 is one of those compacts, like Law of the Sea, Kyoto and New START, that are supported by an apologetic administration with a fondness for the redistribution of American power and wealth on a local and global scale.

It fits in perfectly with President Obama's pledge to "fundamentally transform" America, its institutions and its heritage of capitalist freedom.

Agenda 21 has not been ratified by the U.S. Senate, but it may not have to be if in a second Obama term the Environmental Protection Agency pursues it by stealth, as it has other environmental agendas that make war on the free enterprise system and rights we hold dear.

One of those is property rights. "Land ... cannot be treated as an ordinary asset, controlled by individuals and subject to the pressures and inefficiencies of the market," Agenda 21 says.

"Private land ownership is also a principal instrument of accumulation and concentration of wealth and therefore contributes to social injustice; if unchecked, it may become a major obstacle in the planning and implementation of development schemes."

Not liking the sound of that, Alabama recently passed Senate Bill 477 unanimously in both of its houses. The legislation bars the taking of private property in Alabama without due process and says that "Alabama and all political subdivisions may not adopt or implement policy recommendations that deliberately or inadvertently infringe or restrict private property rights without due process, as may be required by policy recommendations originating in or traceable to Agenda 21."

Agenda 21 is intended to foster what environmentalists call "sustainable development" in the belief that man since the Industrial Revolution has been a plague on the planet, plundering its resources while destroying nature and putting the world at risk of disastrous climate change, poverty and disease.

At the end of March, EPA administrator Lisa Jackson jetted off to Paris' ministerial meeting of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, as the press release put it, "to discuss the agency's international efforts on urban sustainability."

Excuse us, but "urban sustainability" at the behest of global organizations is not what the EPA was created to do.

Jackson will represent the U.S. at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which will be held June 20-22 in Rio de Janeiro.

"Specifically, in a transition to a green economy, public policies will need to be used strategically to reorient consumption, investments and other economic activities," a U.N. document describing the conference explains.

The EPA's war on coal, its regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant and its regulatory abuses including the use of drones to spy on American farmers are key parts of this international agenda that Jackson says "is the rarest of opportunities to truly change the world. ... It means working together to strengthen the effectiveness of environmental governance."

We don't need "environmental governance," just a governance of, by and for the people of the United States.

Nor do we need to "reorient" our consumption and economic activities.

Alabama has just told the U.N. and the EPA what they need to be told — don't tread on us.

Full text of the bill is here (and it’s only 3 pages double-spaced). Key paragraphs:

The State of Alabama and all political subdivisions may not adopt or implement policy recommendations that deliberately or inadvertently infringe or restrict private property rights without due process, as may be required by policy recommendations originating in, or traceable to "Agenda 21," adopted by the United Nations in 1992 at its Conference on Environment and Development or any other international law or ancillary plan of action that contravenes the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of the State of Alabama.

Since the United Nations has accredited and enlisted numerous non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations to assist in the implementation of its policies relative to Agenda 21 around the world, the State of Alabama and all political subdivisions may not enter into any agreement, expend any sum of money, or receive funds contracting services, or giving financial aid to or from those non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations as defined in Agenda 21.

The bill went from first reading to signed legislation in about 6 weeks (April 5 to May 16).

Ohio need to tear a page from Alabama’s playbook on this one.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 14, 2012

 

Contact: Diana Price

Clevelandteaparty@gmail.com

We Are Not Fooled By Fairy Tales on Failed Policies

 

Cleveland, OH -  While making a campaign stop for his reelection bid, President Obama visited our great city today to tout the perceived accomplishments of his Administration over the past 4 years.

 

“That President Obama would come to Cleveland, the 7^th most financially distressed city in the U.S., and attempt to spin gold from his 4 years of failed policies into a fairy-tale like story of imaginary accomplishments while he has occupied the White House is beyond belief,” stated Cleveland Tea Party Patriots Co-Coordinator Ralph King.

 

Obama’s EPA regulations have already forced four FirstEnergy Corp. coal-burning power plants to close in Ohio alone. The Ohio Public Utilities Commission told the Associated Press that closing these power plants, “could have a dramatic impact on electric prices” in most of northern Ohio, which produces 47% of our nations electric supply, and beyond.  

 

“While President Obama claims to be for the working man, his failed policies put thousands of area car dealerships out of business and many more people out of work,” said King. “And, it is only because of President Obama’s heavy-handed support of the EPA and his Administration’s ‘War on Coal’ that residents in this region will soon be faced with skyrocketing electric bills and a 300% increase in sewer rates from $3 billion in EPA mandated upgrades – further crippling an already financially distressed region and the ‘working man’ he claims to be helping.”

 

Ohio is an important swing State in the coming election and the President has another major problem to overcome. The people in Ohio roundly rejected his prized “Obamacare” last year when they passed an Amendment to the Ohio Constitution blocking the “Obamacare” mandates now under deliberation by the U.S. Supreme Court.

 

“The Ohio Healthcare Freedom Amendment was a complete embarrassment for the Obama Administration and a rebuke of his policies with all 88 Ohio Counties voting for the Amendment in a mandate like fashion – even in the Democrat strongholds of the state. So who is he trying to fool?” asked Marianne Gasiecki Tea Party Patriots State Co-coordinator.

 

 

The Cleveland Tea Party Patriots are a member group of the Tea Party Patriots (www.teapartypatriots.org) the largest grassroots Tea Party organization with over 3,300 groups across the United States.

 

- ## -

Tea Party Patriots "greet" Pres. Obama at Tri-C Metro

President Obama made a campaign stop in Cleveland today (Thursday, 14 June 2012). He spoke nearly an hour to enthusiastic supporters at the Tri-C Metro campus. Approximately 50 patriots turned up at Tri-C Metro today to register their opposition to Mr. Obama’s policies that have destroyed jobs, and have adversely affected the economy, energy (especially Ohio coal), and healthcare. Tea Party Patriots were standing with Romney supporters, despite the different messages: Tea Party Patriots were there to express opposition to President Obama’s policies; Romney supporters were there to advocate Romney’s candidacy.

Among the media that either photographed and/or interviewed participants were The Plain Dealer (scroll down) - see also here (crowd underestimated), WKYC-TV Ch. 3, WEWS-TV Ch. 5, and a reporter from the AP. Check back for updated links.

UPDATE: Big Government reports that even a liberal "like Jonathan Alter had to admit that [Obama's speech] was, overall, a dramatic failure". Quoted at The Daily Caller:

“I thought this honestly was one of the least successful speeches I’ve seen Barack Obama give in several years,” Alter said. “It was long-winded. He had a good argument to make. And at the beginning of the speech he seemed to be making it in a fairly compelling way but then he lost the thread and the speech was way too long and I think he lost his audience by the end.”

Action Alert: Stop the War on Coal

Earlier this week we posted on how Region 1 EPA Administrator Curt Spalding stated how they feel "Coal Communities should just go away."

The EPA led "War on Coal" being launched by the Obama Administration and supported by Senator Sherrod "Sluggo" Brown (D-OH) will soon cause electricity rates in the N/E Ohio areas to soar due to four power plants in this region being shut down over the new "air cleaner than God ever intended" restrictions on coal plants.

What is happening here in this area is only a small snapshot of what would happen on a larger scale should President Obama, Senator Sluggo and the EPA be successful in their War on Coal.

Below is info on how you can help stop President Obama's out of control EPA and their War on Coal....

From Tea Party Patriots --  

Stop the War on Coal by INSISTING on a YES vote from your Senators on Senate Joint Resolution 37 (S. J. Res. 37), the Inhofe Resolution.

PASSION: This week’s Passion to Action focuses on our efforts to stop another push to increase your utility bills. If you remember, the President warned us that under his Cap and Trade plan, electricity rates would “necessarily skyrocket,” as coal plants would have to be retrofitted and the costs passed on to consumers.

We need to let our Senators know that we disagree. Coal is a plentiful, useful and safe source of electrical power. Many people and many small business “job creators” are dependent on coal to provide consistent low cost energy. At a time when the economy is struggling, this is one of Mr. Obama’s worst ideas. Click here to learn more.

BACKGROUND: Democrats have owned the “global warming will kill us” issue for several decades, but some Republicans , like Senator John McCain, author of the Lieberman-McCain Climate Stewardship Act of 2003, and former congressman Bob Inglis helped to make it a bipartisan issue beginning in 2003. Bob Inglis lost his seat in 2010 and John McCain nearly did as well. In fact, when you look at the voting records of incumbents who were replaced in that election, you might say that the 2010 mid-term elections were a referendum on “Cap and Trade”. It lost, and when it did, President Obama said, ““Cap and trade was just one way of skinning the cat; it was not the only way. It was a means, not an end.” For source, click here.

Instead of Cap and Trade, the Obama Administration has been attempting to reinterpret old laws like the 1970 Clean Air Act to turn them into global warming laws. Their latest regulation is called the Utility Maximum Achievable Control Technology (UMACT) rule (aka MACT, aka “Mercury and Air Toxics Standards” and/or “MATS”). Implementing Utility MACT will raise the cost of coal generated electricity an average of 20% nationally. Unfortunately, there are no environmental benefits associated with the program, but there is a benefit for the President; he gets to keep his word to the Environmental Left to make coal so expensive that alternative energy sources might compete with it. Does this look like a political pay-off to supporters and cronies? It might to someone suspicious of government, someone like you and me. So here’s what we are going to do:

TAKE ACTION 

 Call your Senators TODAY and ask them to vote for S.J. Res. 37, the Inhofe Resolution to overturn Utility MACT. The vote is expected next week. Here are some talking points: This one rule will increase electricity prices 10 to 20 percent nationally.

1. Increasing utility costs on small businesses that could be creating jobs in this weak economy is irresponsible.

2. What this country needs is more freedom for energy producers and fewer, but smarter regulations. CLICK HERE for more detailed information.

3. Inhofe’s resolution will overturn one of the EPA’s most expensive regulations, the Utility MACT. CLICK HERE for more detailed information.

4. Contact Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) and tell them to support S.J. Res. 37, the Inhofe Resolution.

Senator Sherrod Brown

Email: http://brown.senate.gov/contact/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/sensherrodbrown

Cleveland Office PH: (216) 522-7272
Cleveland Office Fax: (216) 522-2239
D.C. Office PH: (202) 224-2315
D.C. Office Fax: (202)228-6321

Senator Rob Portman

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/robportman

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/robportman
Email: http://portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form

D.C. Office Ph#: (202)224-3353
Cleveland Office Ph#: (216)522-7095
Cincinnati Office Ph#: (513)684-3265
Toledo Office Ph#: (419)259-3895
Columbus Office Ph#: (614)469-6774 / 1-800-205-6446 (OHIO)

President Obama's "United States of Indentured Servants"

Consistent with President Obama's campaign promise to "fundamentally transform the United States", a new CBO report shows at our current pace we will become the "United States of Indentured Servants" by 2037....

From the Weekly Standard -- (Emphasis Added)

A new chart produced by the Republican staff of the Senate Budget Committee shows that, according to Congressional Budget Office data released yesterday, debt per American is "on track to triple in a generation":

CBO Data: U.S. Per Person Debt On Track To Triple In A Generation

Currently, as the chart shows, debt per American is at (or around) $50,000. Just four years ago, in 2008, the year President Obama was first elected, debt per person was at $35,000.

In 2037, if things stay relatively the same, debt per American will be at $147,000.

In that year, according to Republican side of the Senate Budget Committee, "the federal government will spend $2.7 trillion per year in interest payments alone, representing more than a quarter of our entire budget that year and greater than the total federal budget in 2003."

Per American family, on average, debt will stand at $382,000 in 2037, only 25 years from now. That figure constitutes an increase of $287,000 per family.

The CBO's numbers were released yesterday as part of its "long-term outlook." The non-partisan governmental organization warns, "waiting to address the long-term budgetary imbalance and allowing debt to mount in the meantime would be detrimental to future generations."

With President Obama and the Democrats known "War on Children" they do not view the growing debt a a detriment to future generations - they look at it as just another insurance policy of owning or controlling your children and/or grandchildren!