Foreshadowing the next four years, 52 Republican House Members including Michele Bachmann (R-MN-06) considered authorization to fund federal highway, transit and highway safety programs at current levels through the end of FY 2014. A No vote was a vote to allow the federal fuel taxes levy to expire and while putting about 4,000 jobs at the Department of Transportation at risk … PLUS too many to be estimated at state projects and as the dominos fall throughout the economic chain.

The transportation bill will direct about $700 million worth of federal funds toward Minnesota during the 27 month lifespan of the bill.

The bill was far lower in spending than what Democrats wanted and did not included funding for railroad systems and programs, including Amtrak.

Simply stated, funding for all transportation-related federal funding would end on Saturday (June 30) but on Friday (June 29), in typical last minute voting, the House Republicans passed the bill 186-52 … then went home for Independence Day parades and other campaign activities.

How the financial markets would have reacted if Congresswoman Bachmann and her colleagues had prevailed, is unknown … but Minnesotans can remember the disruption that the state experienced when it went through a shutdown of transportation projects, state parks and other state operations just one year ago.
Sending a NO FUNDING message is not responsible.

Fast forward to today and the release of the Jobs Report, which was quickly followed by a press release from Congresswoman Bachmann :

“Despite what President Obama says, today’s dismal jobs report is another reminder that the private sector is not doing fine. An employment rate of 8.2 percent is not the change the American people were hoping for.

“As I travel throughout my district and meet with business owners, I have seen first-hand the devastating impact the President’s policies have had on our nation’s economy. Business owners—whether they employ five people or 500 people—express economic uncertainty as the number one reason why they won’t hire more workers. Men and women across the country are struggling to put food on their families’ tables and pay their bills, yet President Obama continues to push for the same failed policies that clearly aren’t working.
….

Considering the vagueness in the press release, one has to wonder if it was written once Ms. Bachmann voted NO for Transportation jobs … but let’s not even contemplate what the jobs outlook would have been with NO funding for Transportation appropriatons but just consider Ms. Bachmann’s statement and remember that President Obama has sent Jobs proposals for Congress to enact … (as described by Ezra Klein in the Washington Post ) :
four parts of his plan: increasing infrastructure investment, hiring more state and local workers, doubling the size of the payroll tax cut and adding a new set of tax cuts for small businesses and companies that hire new employees. Two of those policies imply directly hiring hundreds of thousands of workers. The other two move money into the economy immediately. It’s easier to see how these policies lead to more jobs and demand in the short term.
In terms of the deficit, the Obama administration has put forward a specific set of ideas — mostly by eliminating itemized deductions for wealthier Americans — to pay for its plan.

Mr. Klein contrasts the Obama legislative proposals with the ideas suggested by Mitt Romney – increased oil production, trade with Latin America, cracking down on China, and cutting the corporate tax rate :
working out trade agreements takes a long time. Getting the Keystone oil pipeline up and running takes a long time. Rewriting and implementing a new corporate tax code takes a long time. Changing China’s policies takes a long time. It’s difficult to see how any of these ideas creates a substantial number of jobs quickly.
The Romney campaign has not yet said how it will cut corporate and individual tax rates without increasing the deficit.

Yet, one comment that Ms. Bachmann made that is valid – Business owners—whether they employ five people or 500 people—express economic uncertainty as the number one reason why they won’t hire more workers – but it is Ms. Bachmann and her 51 Republican colleagues who consistently vote NO that foster that fear.

When Ms. Bachmann was asked during her campaign for President if she could support a Budget deal that was based on $10 spending cuts for every $1 in Tax increases, and she said NO … thus the question that the following Members of Congress need to answer for the voters is : Is there any monies that the Federal Government should spend for Transportation jobs ?
Adams, Sandy (R-FL-24)
Amash, Justin (R-MI-03)
Bachmann, Michele (R-MN-06)
Black, Diane (R-TN-06)
Brooks, Mo (R-AL-5)
Broun, Paul (R-GA-10)
Burgess, Michael (R-TX-26)
Campbell, John (R-CA-48)
Chabot, Steve (R-OH-01)
Conaway, Michael (R-TX-11)
Duncan, Jeff (R-SC-03)
Flake, Jeff (R-AZ-06)
Foxx, Virginia (R-NC-05)
Franks, Trent (R-AZ-02)
Garrett, Scott (R-NJ-05)
Gingrey, Phil (R-GA-11)
Gohmert, Louie (R-TX-01)
Goodlatte, Rob (R-VA-06)
Gosar, Paul (R-AZ-01)
Gowdy, Trey (R-SC-04)
Graves, Tom (R-GA-09)
Harris, Andy (R-MD-01)
Huelskamp, Tim (R-KS-01)
Huizenga, Bill (R-MI-02)
Hurt, Robert (R-VA-05)
Jenkins, Lynn (R-KS-02)
Jordan, Jim (R-OH-04)
Labrador, Raul (R-ID-01)
Lummis, Cynthia (R-WY-AL)
Mack, Connie (R-FL-14)
McClintock, Tom (R-CA-04)
McHenry, Patrick (R-NC-10)
Mulvaney, Mack (R-SC-05)
Neugebauer, Randy (R-TX-19)
Nugent, Richard (R-FL-05)
Olson, Pete (R-TX-22)
Paul, Ron (R-TX-14)
Pompeo, Mike (R-KS-04)
Posey, Bill (R-FL-15)
Quayle, Benjamin (R-AZ-03)
Ross, Dennis (R-FL-12)
Schweikert, David (R-AZ-05)
Scott, Tim (R-SC-01)
Scott, Austin (R-GA-08)
Sensenbrenner, Jim (R-WI-05)
Thornberry, Mac (R-TX-13)
Walberg, Tim (R-MI-07)
Walsh, Joe (R-IL-08)
Westmoreland, Lynn (R-GA-03)
Wilson, Joe (R-SC-02)
Woodall, Rob (R-GA-07)
Yoder, Kevin (R-KS-03)

Re-elect these Republicans is a vote for GRIDLOCK and UNCERTAINTY.