GOP Flip-Floppers Unite to Distract from Jobs-Killing Spree
MADISON- Here’s what Tom Petri had to say on Aug. 10, 2009, about high-speed rail (letter attached):
“This investment will strengthen the surrounding Midwest economies through new rail and construction jobs while also increasing development and connectivity from rural to urban areas.”
Yesterday, of course, Petri joined Paul Ryan and Jim Sensenbrenner in attacking a plan that has had broad bipartisan support since Tommy Thompson first proposed it in 1992 (and Scott Walker first voted for it in 1993), though the troika did acknowledge that Scott Walker had been lying all along about what could and would be done with the rail money.
It’s all part of a political con job now that Scott Walker is forced to admit that he cannot deny the $810 million for a Wisconsin leg of the rail project without killing thousands of jobs here, and sending the money to places like Illinois.
Petri, mind you, also was a co-founder of the Metropolitan Mobility Caucus back in 2008. Their aim was to “advocate for stronger partnerships between federal, state, and local transportation officials; greater use of public transportation, including intercity passenger rail; regional mobility goals; and performance standards”
“Tom Petri used to understand that this project would create thousands of jobs and connect western Wisconsin to the greater Midwest, but now that Scott Walker wishes to avoid discussion of his jobs-killing spree, Tom Petri has joined Walker in singing a different tune,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said. “We call on these flip-floppers to save, not kill, Wisconsin jobs and flip back in the right direction.”
