March 19, 2010

Scott Walker is true hero of Amtrak procurement

Former assemblyman Walker personally blessed no-bid provision
Neither Scott Walker nor anyone from his staff contacted rail equipment manufacturer Talgo to ask them to consider the Super Steel facility before the company made its decision, Talgo executive Ferran Canals told committee members.
In fact it was Tom Barrett who went to bat for the fabricator.*

But now Scott Walker is accusing Barrett of having "undercut Super Steel's bid" to assemble the equipment at Super Steel's facility.

One might expect that with a top Walker contributor on board, the chairman of Super Steel, among all the characters involved he'd be one who might have some actual hard evidence supporting the ridiculous accusations wafting lately from Walker's camp. But no.

Merely describing a fairly straightforward procurement process from beneath the tin-hatted dome of hysterical paranoia doesn't cut it.

Incidentally, Talgo's facility in Milwaukee has already secured another order for two thirteen-car train sets from the Oregon Department of Transportation (combining the purchases saves both States millions).

Ultimately, of course, it doesn't matter who supplies or assembles the rail equipment. Casually whisper the word "train" within earshot of a local conservative Republican and the froth is instantly ankle-deep.

Meanwhile New Flyer Industries (NFI.UN-TSX) of Winnipeg's share value rose by 50% since Walker accepted $25 million in federal cash to purchase more Milwaukee County buses from the Canadian firm.

(Not that there's anything wrong with that, but the Walkerite double standards on full and shameless exhibition are awfully fragrant.)

* The steel fabricator, not the fabricator of risible talking points.

2 comments:

Helen Bushnell said...

Scott Walker thinks that only money talks.

Anonymous said...

Ugh, that's it. Done with Walker. we need to do whatever it takes to keep this simpleton out of higher office.