In case anyone (not here) had any doubts of what kind of motherfuckers we're dealing with here:

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2017/02/16/will_elaine_chao_axe_federal_funding_for_caltrain.html


Transforming the Caltrain, which runs between San Francisco and San Jose, into an electric railway would be expensive, but it would bring benefits like cleaner, quieter trains (compared with today’s diesel locomotives), more efficient schedules, and increased passenger capacity. The last piece has come to seem especially necessary: The system’s ridership, which now tallies 62,000 riders a day, has doubled since 2009 and nearly tripled since 2004.

The $2 billion modernization project draws its funding from local, regional, and state revenues, plus a federal grant, two years in the making, that planners thought was all but approved. On Friday, this Core Capacity grant becomes eligible for a signature from U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. It’s supposed to be a formality capping a long period of review at the Federal Transit Administration; contractors are in place to start work on electrification on March

But that was before the California’s 14 GOP U.S. representatives asked Chao not to give the state the money, citing the connection between Caltrain electrification and the state's larger, politically tempestuous high-speed rail project. The representatives want an audit of the state's high-speed rail project before Caltrain can move forward.

For Californians, it’s an early test of a simmering fear that the state’s outspoken political opposition to the Trump administration might come with a price. More broadly, Chao’s decision will show the extent to which she—considered the most qualified of Trump’s Cabinet picks but also the one closest to the GOP power structure—will politicize DOT’s billions of dollars in grants. The letter, sent to Chao on Jan. 24, a week before her confirmation, is the rare effort by congressional representatives to deprive their own state of federal money.

[Angry Dragon]

1. kick

[TrekLuver]

2. Hmmm a Government that is spiteful to it's own people.....

[Ilsa]

4. No wonder so many want to "leave",

IOW, secede. They send more money than they get back, and then the assholes throw up roadblocks to halt progress.

[TrekLuver]

5. But I mean who exactly are they hurting.....themselves. So freaking ridiculous.

[calimary]

11. Yes. We do. We're what's called a "donor state."

That's the name given to states that send more tax money to the federal government than they get back in services and federal funding. For California, the last figure I heard was - 78 cents. As in: for every DOLLAR California sends to the US Treasury (i.e.: IRS), we only get 78 cents back.

[Blue_true]

16. You may have it backward.

The last figure I heard was that California sends $1 to the Feds and get $0.25 back. California state leaders should have lawyers study the US Constitution and existing law to determine whether California can withhold money from the federal government if it agrees to give up money that the federal government sends back, California would come out far ahead on such a deal.

[calimary]

20. Frankly, that wouldn't surprise me.

You may be correct on that. The 78-cent figure was the last one I heard, but these things change from study to study and research finding to research finding. I forgot where I found that - sooooooooooooooo much research I'm doing at the moment. Soooooooooo many notebooks I'm filling, taking notes on speeches I've heard, political meetings I've attended, interviews I've monitored, etc. I'm building a folder - printed stuff AND in my Documents file, under the heading of "STRATEGY - RESOURCES." Another way I have something in common with Hillary Clinton: we both like to read things that are printed out. Started it to bring some "fact sheets" with me to guest on a friend's podcast, but he caught the flu and had to reschedule.

SHEESH, Blue_true, I've only been at that for about a week - and I'm already snowed under!

Either way you slice it, it's still most definitely "We-Send-More-Than-We-Get-Back" for us here in California. That whole Calexit thing is starting to grow on me. We sure can use that money HERE. The rains lately have helped stave off the drought, but fucked up our roads, and there's also the dam and spillway up in Oroville. WE can use that money HERE.

[diva77]

7. And unaccountable to its people -- follow the money!!

[dhol82]

3. What a bunch of shits

Hope this comes back to bite them in the ass.

[Augiedog]

6. Not at all surprised. I live in Wisconsin where our lunatic governor did the same thing. The money

actually went to you guys in California, some went to Florida and the rest went , I think to of all places Illinois. Been there done that. Republicans are ideological bankrupt to the point that they will harm their own constituents in furtherance of that ideological terrorism. This is just the beginning of the payback republicans have in mind for those they consider "enemies ". To them, we are all "media" and to be considered "armed" (with a ballot) and dangerous ( with critical thinking skills) .

[NBachers]

8. show up at those bastards' office and make them wish they'd never been born!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. 14 Republicon reps represent Party over State and over Country. . . . nt

[47of74]

14. Always

Republicans always put party ahead of state and country. Always.

I live in the 1st district of Iowa and as far as I'm concerned we have NO representation here in Congress. We have Senators Breadbags McCutyernutzoff and Lawnmower here, along with Trump clone Rod Blum. Those three, along with Steve King are partisan Republicans first, last, and always.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. California is a net donor state in the Union. . . . nt

[iluvtennis]

12. Just downright spiteful I've been a Caltrain rider since 2003 and have personally...

..experienced the hit of 62,000 riders a day. These fed $$ are needed. Of course, we'll find our way through it, BUT this is just shameful

[NewJeffCT]

13. California should gerrymander these 14 Republicans out of existence

or at least cut their number in half.

[MrPurple]

15. That's a good idea - then hold the seats hostage for fair redistricting in Pennsylvia

The art of the deal!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. Interesting idea! . . . . . . nt

[MrPurple]

18. There's a bunch of Republican districts in CA, OR, WA, IL, NY

The D's should gerrymander the fuck out of them and negotiate. How much worse could the Republican controlled states be than they already are?

[Azathoth]

19. Slate is misrepresenting the situation

This isn't Trump or national GOP retaliating against California. The overall high speed rail project in California is bitterly opposed by state Republicans who consider it a boondoggle. They see the electrification effort as a backdoor means of breaking ground on the project. This is really a question of whether the Trump administration will ignore the wishes of a GOP state party by granting tax dollars to a Democratic initiative.