Is the “Infrastructure Bank” going to get a “Czar”? Are there any other fancy ideas they can come up with to hide the fact that the reason our infrastructure is rotting is because we’re not spending enough money on it? I wish Herbert, instead of blaming “wasteful, inefficient and outmoded 20th-century way of doing politics and government” (although there certainly is that) would tell it straight and put the blame on the American people, where it belongs. The American people don’t want to spend money on this stuff, plain and simple.

So does anyone have a realistic idea of what level of tolling it would take to avoid service cuts and keep monthly passes below $90?

http://www.mta.info/mta/09/overview.html

Re. “Why the Auto Industry Bailout is Doomed”:
This article is exactly right. The country has enough cars and no amount of bailouts will be able to force auto sales numbers high enough for all the existing auto companies to be profitable. Unfortunately it’s a difficult truth that not many people are willing to tell.

Who do you think appointed these people? And what did you think was the criteria for appointment?

Public sector or private, the criteria was the same — a willingness to keep one’s mouth shut and make convenient assumptions.

Pension actuaries. Public budget analysts. Stock analysts. Executive pay consultants. Bond raters. Real estate appraisers. Mortgage brokers. Real estate brokers.

Reporters? I heard a report yesterday that a large share of those laid off from the Newark Star Ledger, one of many newspapers going down the tubes, have been hired as PR people by those they used to cover. I guess you have to do what you have to do.

Etc. etc. etc.

I love the fact that each of these newly automated trains now has a motorman whose sole job is to push a button every 15 seconds to make sure he/she is alert in case of trouble. Sounds like Desmond on Lost, except that our fares are paying for this individual. If that isn’t featherbedding, I don’t know what is.

I urge them to pander. Tap into the populism of the subway & bus riders. Show them the MTA is on the side of the public against politicians that want to hide from reality.

I urge them to grandstand. Have press conferences at all the places that will receive service cuts. Bring people who will not be able to afford to go to work or school because of fare increases or will have to trade-off their metrocard for their food budget.

I urge them to quote the same politicians that argue against service cuts, for fare cuts but who have not come through with the money from other sources to fund their fantasies.

It’s time to fight fire with fire. Lean forward and don’t let them bully you.

There is no way that the current members of the legislature will allow anything but a deferral of all sacrifice to the generations that matter, and a complete collapse after they are gone.