Weekend Reading

Scott Walker, the John Doe Files and How Corporate Cash Influences American Politics
How Privatization Is Killing The Public Sector
Scaring Kids About The National Debt
Wall Street Journal Mourns The Growing Efficiency of the Banking Industry
Elizabeth Warren Asks Obama To Replace Wall Street Regulator For Brazen Conduct
Ruling Against Wall Street Watchdog Decried As Reckless and Partisan
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin Declares 'Oilfield Prayer Day' To Ask God To Protect The State's Oil Industry
Larry Summers Makes The Case For Higher Capital Requirements
Social Security Is Not The Main Driver of the Country's Long-term Budget Problem
Economics Has A Major Blind Spot
Wisconsin Among The Worst Places In U.S. To Start A Business
Talgo Coming Back To Milwaukee
Solution To False 'Benefit Crisis' Isn't Cuts - It's Better Fiscal Policies
America Isn't The Greatest Country On Earth. It's No. 28
The Undercover War Against The Parks
How The Oil & Gas Industry Awakened Oklahoma's Sleeping Fault Lines

Sunday Reading

Gambling With Civilization
20 Big Questions In Science
Median Wage Falls To Lowest Level Since 1998
Mathematics In "The Simpsons"
U.S. Government Is Not $16 Trillion In The Hole
Talgo Files Claim Against State
Why A Regional Tax Is Needed
The Myth Of The Exploding Federal Government
Collapse Of U.S. Infrastructure Spending
No Evidence Obamacare Forcing Large Numbers Into Part-Time Work
The American Health Care System Sucks
A War On The Poor
New Moves To Bail Out The Bucks

The Lingering Failures Of Scott Walker

James Rowen, of The Political Environment, wrote:

What jobs-deprived Wisconsin lost when Walker shut down at the Talgo plant in a low-income Milwaukee neighborhood is flourishing just across the border in Illinois: 

“High speed rail is coming to America and some of that equipment will be built right here in Rochelle,” U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. “What a great thing for our state and what a great opportunity to put our friends and neighbors to work." 

Noted in March, here: 

...Illinois is celebrating the news that $808 million for new trains will be managed or built in Illinois for delivery to five states - - with manufacturing to take place at a plant in Rochelle, IL that is about 25 miles south of Beloit:

Locomotives capable of exceeding the 110-mph speed limit on the passenger rail corridor between Chicago and St. Louis will be bought for Illinois and four other states under a process the Illinois Department of Transportation will lead, officials said Thursday. 

The Federal Railroad Administration selected IDOT to manage the multistate procurement of at least 35 next-generation locomotives for high-speed rail corridors in Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri and Washington state, Gov. 

Pat Quinn said.The Illinois Governor spelled it out:

Today’s announcement is part of the governor’s commitment to bring Illinois’ and our nation’s transportation systems into the 21st century. 

“This decision by the federal government is a testament to Illinois’ role as a national leader in high-speed rail,” Governor Quinn said. “This important multi-state procurement is a key to success for high-speed rail throughout the nation, and I have directed my administration to move forward quickly.”More lost jobs for Wisconsin, where Walker's 250,000 new jobs promise is failing in part because he killed rail construction, manufacturing, R&D and repair employment in our state.

Yet another example of the tremendous failure Scott Walker and the Republicans are when it comes to job creation, long-term planning, and public policy.

Walker's Wake Of Destruction

It seems whichever public office Scott Walker worms his way into, he leaves a stench of corruption, an ever-burgeoning suspicion, and a general wake of destruction.

Train-maker Talgo Sues Governor Walker, Wisconsin

From the increased costs and lawsuits from his attempted privatizations, his lying and duplicitous tactics, to the unconstitutionality of his bills, Scott Walker is (and has been) a disaster.

Open For Business?

Bruce Murphy wonders, Did The State Screw Talgo?

[Talgo CEO Antonio] Perez cannot believe the State of Wisconsin has chosen to terminate two contracts it signed with Talgo nearly three years ago. “What message does this send to other businesses?” Perez asks. “They should be careful of doing business here because Gov Walker does not keep his word. It’s like we’re talking about a Third World country, where people don’t have respect for their contracts.”