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I’ve been involved on all sides of the train issue for some 20 years. In that time I’ve seen a drive towards getting one thing, and one thing only, built - Consultants bank accounts. Here in Florida we seem too apt to repeat the disaster of 100 years of Everglades cleanup. Millions and millions of dollars to people who claim to be working on solutions and the most that is produced is 100s of pages of “solutions” and very little work for the money.

This time it’s BILLIONS of tax payer dollars for something that the polls consistently show the people want but the people won’t ride. My argument, from the very first time I heard of this when I worked in government, was let the private sector pay for this. I learned early on that they won’t from their very employees, who stated they can’t build it because they know this can’t make money.

So the lowly taxpayers get stuck with a worthless project that will bleed them dry and probably will never see a train built.

What’s interesting about the “Orlando” to “Tampa” route Obama is touting is that so little work has been done for that proposed route. Most of the effort and money has been put into a trail that goes from western Volusia County to western Orange County. More reason to need to blow away more taxpayers dough!

I could go on. This is a financial disaster that will never meet its expectations. 1 million riders is a conservative estimate of ridership. Dade County’s MetroRail would love to see that number in 5 years. And they’re in a more congested area.

The cartoon is an amalgam of ideas from Ken Culotta, Sally Baptiste and Mark Duren.

I can’t believe this guy is STILL campaigning. He and his staff saw himself on the ropes. Their vacation was cooking up ways to bring the public back to him. So it’s back to the campaign trail. This is a classic political mistake that will fail as it has in the past. Typical of someone and their staff that don’t get politics and think this is a popularity contest. Knowing just the last couple decades of history would have dissuaded them from this move. Oh, well, another President to learn a lesson.

Taylor and Jacob return for a second week.

I’ve been missing pencils lately because I’ve been inking directly on the pencils. Since the medical incident in mid-August I’ve found myself with less time and not using a separate sheet to ink.

Ken Culotta wrote this one. If Washington doesn’t listen to us, we go have the ultimate public option in one year.

This voting booth was a pain in the neck. I originally drew a more recognized voting stall. However, I realized the one above is becoming standardized. It was tough to digitally remove the stall and replace with the newer plasic foldup version and get the voter to fit in. As I worked to fit it in I had a heck of a pain attack (See my presoanl blog) that pulled me away for more than an hour. While going through the pain I kept thinking how best to get the voting booth drawn. The pain fianlly passed and I finished the art.

A friend wrote to me about the difference of college between these two. The educational list ignores the uses of the education. Though McCain did poorly in the Naval Academy, he’s spent the decades since as a distinguished bi-partisan member of Congress. Obama, nearly a career student, jumped from finishing college in his 30s to being a paid community volunteer.  Then basically job hopping in politics for a few years before somehow getting in his head that he was qualified to run for President. Shows what a good talker can do in ten years from college to Senator. Makes me also concerned what Billy Mays is planning. At least Billy Mays has a track record you can follow!

This infuriates me! Obama knows his strengths and doesn’t want to leave his beloved bully pulpit to actual be a leader, something he hasn’t bothered to prove to this point. Whether he likes it or not, he is a Senator. He represents a part of Illinois. Out country is making one of it’s greatest decisions in it’s history. If I find out my representatives in Washington aren’t there looking after my interests, I want them out of office. I knew McCain would want to get into the midst of this and am grateful he did.

I’m against a bailout. But I better see my representatives doing something up there in Washington whether it be for or against a bailout!

The old men’s club just got a feisty new member at the club.

It is absolutely staggering how MSNBC is delivering information. Through a prism of near hate of everything but the Democratic nominee a non-stop commercial for Obama continues on MSNBC. Shame on the National Broadcasting Company.

Taylor and Jacob haven’t made an appearance in awhile. Here they return figuring out their real estate holdings.

This ia a dual edge sword ecitorial. It’s not that conservatives might like Obama to define his views, but that Democrats should be terrified that Obama may not be as pro-choice as they thought. I sure found it curious that he didn’t stand up and make a stance. I realize the audience, but that shouldn’t have stopped someone firm in thier views.

Could there be a better Vice-President for him? Two for the price of one. No gambles here. The perfect match.

Another great gag from Ken Culotta!