[talaniman]

Well Tom, until more comes to light, there is not as much to flog NY with as it is in NJ.

[Catsmine]

Well Tom, until more comes to light, there is not as much to flog NY with as it is in NJ.

These are politicians. By definition there will ALWAYS be more corruption.

[talaniman]

these are politicians. By definition there will always be more corruption.

And politicking.

[tomder55]

I'd say there is as much or more on Cuomo than Christie. Cuomo admits to interfering in the work of the commission that Cuomo said would be completely independent . Christie has been accused of having traffic cones set up to get back at political opponents . Cuomo used the power of his office to attempt to go after his political opponents ,and when they came too close to a Cuomo patron ,he canned the commission.

He even was using the fact that he appointed an anti-corruption commission as a campaign talking point .
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/18/ny...orruption.html

Why would he suddenly and abruptly disband the commission ? That is what the Federal prosecutor has to find out .

[tomder55]

so the emperor will be in town this week, tying up traffic on the NY Thruway, so he can use the construction project at the Tappan Zee Bridge to tout his plans for more infrastructure spending . But the real reason he will be there is to throw Cuomo a bone, who appears to be a bit nervous about his upcoming reelection campaign against Rep Westchester County Exec Rob Astorino. (Westchester is on the east side of the Tappan Zee Bridge) .

Christie has been taking heat for months about a couple of traffic cones slowing down traffic over the Hudson River . But the emperor will not take any heat about traffic delays over the Hudson that he will cause.

The emperor will start the ball rolling tomorrow with the release of an analysis on the need to pay for these types of repairs and upgrades. Then Wednesday it's off the NY and Cleveland .Friday he will speak in Washington. The emperor knows that this type of funding must originate in the House of Reps. It's not one of those issues he can accomplish by pulling executive fiat out of his bag of tricks.

The Federal Highway Trust Fund collects more than $30 Billion per year in gas taxes. And there are 47,714 miles of interstate highways that the Trust Fund is responsible for maintaining.
That's $628,746 dollars PER MILE for repairs.

[Catsmine]

That's $628,746 dollars PER MILE for repairs.

And Union kickbacks. And Family obligations. And donor paybacks. And the slush fund.

[talaniman]

Wonder why the house of reps hasn't taken this up? They must be busy with more important stuff. Very little has originated in the house of reps lately, that helps this nation economically. In light of this vacuum somebody has to actually be doing stuff to build/repair roads and bridges.

[smoothy]

THey are working on important things... like getting to the bottom of who is responsible and throwing them in jail.

After all we had to hear about Watergate for 40 years... at least nobody got a paper cut much less died... not to meantion 4 americans dying like Benghazigate.

THe Democrats have been doing EVERYTHING possible to cover it up the last two years....making Nixon a verified SAINT compaired to this administration.

[tomder55]

The emperor should approve the Keystone pipeline as good faith measure. The fact is that Speaker Bonehead does have an unacceptable bill that cannot pass the House. He ties funding to all types of imaginary sources(ie tying road projects to tax revenue from oil drilling).
Here is a couple of things to consider . 1. The Federal Government funds entirely too much of the nations highway funding already. 2. The gas tax is a good way to fund it because it puts the burden on the users of the highways. 3. Bills in both the House and the Senate are chock full of pork that needs to be trimmed before any highway bill is acceptable. 4. We spend $billions in the porkulus bill(aka American Recovery and Reinvestment Act )that was supposed to go to "shovel ready " jobs like infrastructure repair . Where did that money go ?

[Catsmine]

We spend $billions in the porkulus bill(aka American Recovery and Reinvestment Act )that was supposed to go to "shovel ready " jobs like infrastructure repair . Where did that money go ?

I answered that already.

Union kickbacks. And Family obligations. And donor paybacks. And the slush fund.

[talaniman]

Some states have actually leveraged the stimulus money into some useful ongoing road/highway projects. Texas is one.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Texas Stimulus Impact

Texas Recovery: Stimulus Tracking

You could research other states including yours.

http://www.recovery.gov/

[tomder55]

yeah I saw many of these signs when road crews filled in pot holes .....

[paraclete]

they fill in pot holes, that's equivalent to painting rocks white,

Now that's a pot hole
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-13/fire-engine-stuck-in-sink-hole/5448560

have you seen the new plan for roads, made of glass and solar cells? guess what no pot holes?

[talaniman]

You would feel differently if you hit a pothole at 50 miles an hour and tore up your vehicle and killed yourself. Painting rocks it's NOT.

Road repair | Smart Growth America

2013 Report Card for America's Infrastructure | Roads

[smoothy]

If a single dollar of that was actually spent on that... it would have been worthwile... but 99.9% of it just vanished into thin air... without any projects being funded that can be accounted for.

[paraclete]

You would feel differently if you hit a pothole at 50 miles an hour and tore up your vehicle and killed yourself. Painting rocks it's NOT.

Road repair | Smart Growth America

2013 Report Card for America's Infrastructure | Roads

You don't get what I mean. Pot holes mean the underlying structure has given way so filling them is a temporary measure that doesn't attend to the real problem and may mask a greater problem

[NeedKarma]

Pot holes mean the underlying structure has given way

Nope. Usually it's because a crack allowed water in and the cycle of freeze, expand, thaw, freeze, expand, breaks up the asphalt.

[Catsmine]

Nope. Usually it's because a crack allowed water in and the cycle of freeze, expand, thaw, freeze, expand, breaks up the asphalt.

Whereas down South they're often the site of an abandoned ant nest, and Clete's scenario.

[tomder55]

What is a pot hole is the highway funding system. 25% of Federal funding is thrown at mass transit projects ,and other diversions such as bike paths, national park visitor centers, museums,creating scenic trails,and other local pork barrel projects.

[NeedKarma]

Whereas down South they're often the site of an abandoned ant nest

Hah! I never knew that. We are products of our environment indeed. Cheers.