New streetcar builder is a Bush-Cheney man (Jack Bog's Blog)

As the spectacular waste of money known as the Portland streetcar keeps spreading like a giant, sticky puddle of red ink, now comes word that some of the cars may eventually be built locally. Our congressional pork-catchers just made the much-anticipated announcement that Oregon Iron Works, with facilities in Clackamas and Vancouver, will be developing the capability to build its own streetcars, in hopes of selling them to sucker municipalities all over the country.

So who is Oregon Iron Works? A quick run through the web shows that it's a substantial steel fabrication outfit run by a guy named Terry Aarnio, who, lo and behold, apparently likes to give his money to George Bush and the Republican National Committee; he stood in line to kiss Dick Cheney's ring when the Dickster lurched into town a few years ago. But then, knowing on which side his bread is buttered, Aarnio's also coughed up a few bucks for the campaigns of Patty Murray and Brian Baird, the incumbents up in Vancouver, where he's got a ton of dough invested in plant.

Oregon Iron Works also recently announced that it's branching out into building ocean-going barges. Little wonder, then, that Aarnio's been known to shoot a few hundred bucks now and then to guys like Jim Oberstar, the Minnesota Democratic congressman who's running the House transportation committee.

But Aarnio's political contributions are nothing compared to what his company pays out to Ball Janik for lobbying. Oregon Iron Works apparently does a lot of work for the Pentagon -- that likely explains all the Gucci Gulch activity.

Anyway, in the end, it's nice to see that some of the federal dollars we're burning for the shiny condo-selling toys are staying local. Not in Multnomah County, of course -- nothing real is made here any more -- but at least there should be some additional building activity in Clackamas and the 'Couv.

Alas, we'll get no help from anybody on the millions needed to operate the streetcar every year. That part will continue to come straight from the Portland taxpayers -- the ones who are paralyzed at the first sign of a snowflake because the city can't afford a snow plow.

Comments (9)

Alas, we'll get no help from anybody on the millions needed to operate the streetcar every year.
But what a bargan at only $1.67 per passenger-mile

thanks
JK

Posted by jim karlock | January 26, 2007 4:05 PM

Typical Jack. Lets focus on the contractor....a businessman doing what he should do - further his business.

Now, instead of venting your Bush/Cheney vitriol at the guy who is building the cars and contributing to the Oregon economy that supports all of you Bush-hating 'progressives' and probable employs many of them, why not vent at the LIBERAL politicians that awarded him the contract? Why is the builder's political affiliation even a factor?

You should at least be praising the fact that the contract went to a local company, that will create Oregon jobs, pay Oregon taxes, and benefit all of you ankle-biting Bush haters here in Oregon. It will obviously contribute to an increased 'kicker' next year. Take you money and donate it to the Edwards campaigne.

Posted by butch | January 26, 2007 7:05 PM

that will create Oregon jobs, pay Oregon taxes, and benefit all of you ankle-biting Bush haters here in Oregon.

Not if he does the work in Vancouver.

I do think it's funny that the Democratic leaders of Oregon are all strutting around patting themselves on the back today for getting a contract for a wasteful project to a loyal devotee of the Cult of the Chimp.

BTW, that's your last "typical Jack" comment on this site, "Butchie."

Posted by Jack Bog | January 26, 2007 7:15 PM

Seems to me that if the Democratic leaders had shipped the jobs to somebody out of state just because they were a loyal DNC donor, you'd be screaming bloody hell here.

Nice to see 'em put jobs over politics, eh?

Which isn't to comment anything on whether it's "wasteful" or not.

Posted by Kari Chisholm | January 27, 2007 2:22 AM

Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) made special note at a news conference this week in Eugene that he sponsored the bill that (he says) will result in street cars being built in America. DeFazio also predicted streetcars will be the next big thing all across the U-S-of-A.

Posted by paul | January 27, 2007 10:00 AM

DeFazio also predicted streetcars will be the next big thing all across the U-S-of-A.

You mean other cities are getting a useless multi-million $$ project that takes up lanes of car traffic and is slower than walking too?

Posted by Jon | January 27, 2007 11:50 AM

Jon: You mean other cities are getting a useless multi-million $$ project that takes up lanes of car traffic and is slower than walking too?
JK: Sadly, Portland has been turned into a showroom for toy trains.

They clam that MAX carries 26% of the commuters on the Sunset, but forget to say that is the same as one lane of freeway and that 2/3 of the commuters would be in a bus if MAX didn’t exist. Bottom line: MAX carries 1/3 of one lane of freeway for ONE BILLION dollars cost.

They forget to tell us that the streetcar costs $1.67 per passenger-mile in operating costs alone. (bus costs $0.835; taxi costs 2.50 /mile after a 2.50 boarding fee; private car costs $0.185)

They used to claim that LRT reduces congestion, but gave up on that claim when it bacame to obviously a lie to ignore, so now they claim that LRT directs development. But they forget to tell us that there was no development along Portland’s LRT for the first 10 years. Only after they starting subsidizing the cost of TODs, did the builders start building them.

They claim that high density reduces traffic congestion - it doesn’t.

For more lies that planners tell check out www.DebunkingPortland.com (All claims are linked back to the original, mostly government or newspaper, data sources - follow the links before you complain.)

Thanks
JK

Posted by jim karlock | January 27, 2007 12:41 PM

...also coughed up a few bucks for the campaigns of Patty Murray and Brian Baird, the incumbents up in Vancouver, where he's got a ton of dough invested in plant.

Explain to me again, please, how this comment fits in with your hostility to publically financed elections.

Posted by lin qiao | January 27, 2007 9:48 PM

That Jim Karlock is a real smart man, we should all do what he says...more freeways,more cars, Dang I wish I thought of that before...

Posted by JoeBob | February 2, 2007 2:06 PM

About

Search

Clippings

Archives

Links

E-mail, Feeds, 'n' Stuff

Friday, January 26, 2007

New streetcar builder is a Bush-Cheney man

Comments (9)

Sponsors

In Vino Veritas

The Occasional Book

Road Work