from Grist:
This week, Wisconsin Republican primary gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker caught the attention of Washington pundits with his latest ad, because it features the candidate attacking President Obama with smug condescension and sarcasm.
But I was struck because Walker is betting his campaign on stopping Wisconsin's planned high-speed rail link. Even though it would create jobs. Even though it has already received federal funds. Even though the project has already begun. In fact, as the Wisconsin State Journal reported, Walker believes "the state giving back millions of dollars, even money that's already been spent, would be better than finishing the rail project."
Walker has even created an separate online campaign called NoTrain.com, in keeping with the Republican "No We Can't" theme.
While Walker has taken the most audacious stance against federally-supported high-speed rail among gubernatorial candidates, California's Meg Whitman and Ohio's John Kasich have also announced opposition to projects in their states.
Is this a trend? Is there real conservative populist backlash? Could high-speed rail (HSR) opposition determine the outcome of governor's races and stall the Obama administration's efforts to modernize our nation's infrastructure? ...........(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.grist.org/article/can-conservatives-ride-no-train-to-victory/