Gov. Rick Scott turned down $2.4 billion from the Department of Transportation to help Florida build a rail-line between Orlando and Tampa. As a result, former Republican congressman and current Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, has distributed the money to fifteen states, most of which make up part of President Obama’s Electoral College majority.
LaHood said that he was awarding $2.02 billion to 22 projects in 15 states, mostly in the Northeast and Midwest. California also received funds.
The biggest winners were in the Northeast rail corridor, which will get $795 million. Projects in the Midwest, including a Chicago-to-St. Louis Railway, will get a total of $404.1 million with $186 million going to the Chicago-St. Louis line. California will get $300 million to add 20 miles to its proposed Los Angeles to San Francisco line.
In the words of Rahm Emanuel, Gov. Rick Scott is “effing retarded.” More importantly, this kind of hardball move by the administration doesn’t just divert money to his political base of support; it sends a clear message to moran Republican governors. And how do you think the Floridian congressional delegation feels about their governor’s decision to piss away over two billion dollars and the jobs that would have come with it?
