Matt Yglesias

27 Responses to “Good for LaHood”

1. Sarah Paylin Says:
   January 23rd, 2009 at 9:20 am

   Me too on refashioning the stimulus bill. I hope rail gets more of a boost than we’ve seen so far. I have really high hopes for the Obama administration on the rail front.

2. joe from Lowell Says:
   January 23rd, 2009 at 9:33 am

   The stimiulus bill is supposed to focus on work that can be done quickly.

   Are the really a lot more rail projects that can fit into a short-term timeframe than the stimulus bill will fund?

3. Nate Says:
   January 23rd, 2009 at 9:48 am

   @ joe from Lowell
   Somebody (I can’t remember who) pointed out that a substantial number of stimulus projects currently likely to be funded have time horizons extending to 2012-2013. I assure you there are plenty of rail projects that can be built on that time horizon (I can think of many in the two cities I am most familiar with, Philadelphia and DC, alone).

4. Joel Barciauskas Says:
   January 23rd, 2009 at 9:54 am

   I’m hoping the stimulus bill can be re-written in a more transit-friendly manner but the real action will be in permanent legislative changes—the reauthorization of the overarching transportation bill and action on Obama’s proposal for a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank.

   Oh, are we moving the goal posts on day 4 already?

5. joe from Lowell Says:
   January 23rd, 2009 at 10:13 am

   Yes, Joel, moving the goalposts.

   Because while Matt hasn’t changed his position on funding rail, he’s not going to be upset if it gets funded in Bill B instead of Bill A.

   Damn sellout.

6. Ikram Says:
   January 23rd, 2009 at 10:21 am

   I have a reputation as this abstract guy talking about civil rights,” Obama went on. “But anybody who knows my state legislative district knows I fight for our share of resources. And I will fight for Illinois highway dollars.”
   — Barack obama, speaking in 2004 to an audience of AFL-CIO union leaders in southern Illinois.

   C’mon guys. Figure it out.

7. Andrew Fly Says:
   January 23rd, 2009 at 10:24 am

   Lahood’s hearing is on CSPAN2 right now

8. SLC Says:
   January 23rd, 2009 at 10:25 am

   Re Ikram

   Gee, just like Sarah Palin.

   By the way, I assume that Mr. Yglesias will be commenting later today about the reported pick of New York Representative Gillibrand to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate. Just what President Osama needs, another blue dog Democrat.

9. Andrew Fly Says:
   January 23rd, 2009 at 10:44 am

   Lahood had a testy exchange with Claire McCaskill ove earmarks. She wanted to make sure that the the future secretary would be against them, he then said the earmarks are the responsibility of the legislators. After continued prodding from McCaskill, Lahood raised his voice saying (paraphrasing) “the president has stated that he doesn’t want earmarks in the stimulus, and I serve at the pleasure of the president. I want to execute his plan.”

10. Sexytime Says:
    January 23rd, 2009 at 10:51 am

    Lahood can get under my hood any day. Rowr.

11. colby Says:
    January 23rd, 2009 at 10:58 am

    “Lahood had a testy exchange with Claire McCaskill ove earmarks. ”

    Interesting exchange. He’s kind of right- earmarks are often bad, but an executive branch official can’t prohibit them. And since I doubt Obama’s willing to veto the stimulus bill over earmarks, it really IS the legislature’s job.

    In other words, Claire, I love you, but you’re the one you’ve been waiting for.

12. Curtis Says:
    January 23rd, 2009 at 11:03 am

    I think Obama really should have earned the trust of progressives interested in good government by now. Even with picks like Lahood, where it wasn’t immediately obvious that the pick was good, they end up being impressive.

    That doesn’t mean we stop holding his feet to the fire, but it does mean for now he gets the benefit of the doubt.

13. Ralf W. Says:
    January 23rd, 2009 at 1:57 pm

    “More” funding for transit misses the point. Transit funding in the Stimulus got gutted by the House and needs to be restored in the Senate.

    And I agree with Matt’s comments yesterday that the transit funding within the stimulus (as opposed to transit funding in a major transit overhaul bill) should focus on funding local and regional systems in place.

    The Twin Cities are certainly not the only major metro about to see big service cuts, and a potential 50 cent per ride jump after a 25 cent raise just months ago.

    Getting people to and from work affordably and in a lower-carbon way makes sense in a weakened economy.

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