Michele Bachmann’s Transportation Manifesto: Rail Spending BAD, Asphalt Spending GOOD (What’s Even Better?)

Some forms of transportation are apparently more equal than others.

Adopting a cost-cutting pose, Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota has slammed “$53 Billion in Rail Spending” in President Barack Obama’s budget proposal:

Thankfully, Congress – not the White House – has the final say on the federal budget. I will stand for fiscal conservatism during the debate and I expect my colleagues to do the same, especially considering our dire financial state. We cannot dig ourselves out of our $14.1 trillion debt by spending another $53 billion we don’t have on rail projects.

A quick check of Barack Obama’s budget submitted to Congress shows proposed spending of $8.3 billion, not $53 billion, on rail projects in the next fiscal year. In order to arrive at a figure of $53 billion, Michele Bachmann lumps together all projected spending on rail projects over the next six years — but her press release doesn’t tell you that.

When it comes down to it, rail is just one way — a highly efficient way — of getting people from one place to another. There are other ways to get people from one place to another, including highways. The federal government spends a lot of money every year — $70.5 Billion — on highways. Michele Bachmann doesn’t tell you this in her latest press release, but she’s fond of highway spending. Very fond of it.

Michele Bachmann, February 8 2009:

Take investments in transportation and infrastructure, which could make a real difference to our economy.

Projects like widening Interstate 94 or building the Stillwater Bridge could be a big boon to our economy and make a significant improvement in the quality of life for Minnesotans. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials reported last year that there are more than 3,000 highway projects nationwide that could be ready for construction within 60 to 90 days. And, those are just highway projects.

While America has watched the unemployment rate creep up, those employed in construction and construction-related jobs have watched it spike higher and more quickly. While it seems axiomatic that investing in transportation and infrastructure would provide new job opportunities for many unemployed construction workers, the truth is the benefit is broader than that.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reported last year that every $1 billion in federal highway investment, when combined with the required state matching funds, supports 34,779 American jobs. Of that, only about 12,000 are actual construction jobs. The rest are in supplier industries or related economic sectors.

Regrettably, the so-called “stimulus” package that was passed by the House last week — without my vote — paid only lip service to transportation and infrastructure investments.

Michele Bachmann, January 7 2009:

The need for rebuilding and refurbishing infrastructure, like bridges and highways, is real. And a smart and targeted investment in infrastructure would help to shore up the construction industry with jobs, at least in the short-term.

And then there’s the military budget, one order of magnitude larger than the highways budget and two orders of magnitude larger than the rail budget:

Michele Bachmann came out last month in favor of increases to the already large military budget.

If Michele Bachmann’s press release were one of full disclosure, its headline would read:

Little Rail Budget BAD, Big Road Budget GOOD, Huge War Budget BETTER!