2012 Tuesday: Millions of dollars might not buy a T-SPLOST
Each month, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney — and their respective parties and PACs — report their fund-raising totals. One result is a monthly debate about the propriety of big money in politics, and many participants in that debate begin with the apparent assumption that money is everything in an election.
On the local level, however, we are watching the final days of a campaign in which a gilt Goliath appears mortally wounded by a dollar-poor David. Yes, I’m talking about the T-SPLOST.
The pro-tax campaign yesterday finally released its financial statements (on the last day of its past-due grace period), and it shows pretty much what we all expected: a campaign that has had millions of dollars to persuade voters to tax themselves $7.2 billion during the next 10 years to fund transportation. Here’s how the AJC summarized the standing of the pro- and anti-tax groups:
Citizens for Transportation Mobility — the political action committee pushing the July 31 transportation referendum in metro Atlanta — took in $6.5 million from spring 2011 through July 16, according to a campaign finance report filed Monday. Records show the group dramatically outraised opponents of the tax increase: The Transportation Leadership Coalition, which is fighting the referendum, raised $14,418.
(Full disclosure: Cox Enterprises, parent company of the AJC, donated $250,000 to the pro-tax campaign.)
That’s a 450-to-1 financial advantage for the pro-tax side, which is why virtually all the advertising you see about next week’s referendum is in support of the tax. The tax has the backing of the governor, the mayor of Atlanta and most other local and state elected officials in the 10-county region. It has the research apparatus of governmental and quasi-governmental agencies behind it. It has the area’s major businesses making not-so-subtle suggestions to their employees that they should vote for it.
And yet, according to every recent opinion poll, it’s trailing. In all but the one done for the pro-tax campaign itself, it’s trailing badly. In all that have measured support for the tax over time, that support has fallen by double-digits.
What gives?
For starters, this campaign shows once again the effectiveness of real grassroots organizations, and their ability to tap into large networks of passionate supporters at little or no cost. When the Tea Party Patriots, NAACP and Sierra Club all decide to oppose something, their members tend to be much more firmly committed to that stance than are people swayed by advertising or political endorsements.
We must also acknowledge that any effort to increase taxes amid a still-stagnant economy is something of an uphill climb, even when the purported payoff — easier commutes — affects many people’s everyday lives. That said, the most believable poll two months ago was not one that showed the tax ahead or behind by double-digits, but the one that showed it at 42 percent for and 45 percent against, with the rest of the people undecided. Given the nature of Atlanta’s transportation needs, the referendum was bound to be close despite the economy and the low level of trust in government when it comes to transportation. (And, for the record, I still think it will be fairly very close in the end: single-digits either way.)
But the most important factor — and really the only way this campaign’s financing and evolution are similar to the presidential race — is the ability of those proposing a change to make their case clearly and effectively. Barack Obama’s approval ratings may still be mediocre, but all the money in the world won’t help Mitt Romney if he can’t convince the American people he is suitable alternative. Likewise, traffic in Atlanta may be exasperating for a lot of people, but all the money in the world won’t help the folks at Untie Atlanta if they don’t have a credible pitch about how the tax revenues will help reduce traffic congestion.
And that’s where I think the referendum is in danger of failing.
The message from the pro-tax side has gone something like this:
1. Traffic is bad.
2. Look, there are a lot of projects!
3. In the end, we have to do something.
While hardly anyone disputes Nos. 1 and 3, a great deal of people doubt No. 2 is an adequate bridge between them. To be honest, the pro-tax side has hardly tried to convince the doubters otherwise. It’s simply harped even more on Nos. 1 and 3.
That means there’s no clear, coherent message about how the T-SPLOST projects will help the region today, from the urban core to the suburbs. There is no consistent narrative about how the projects work together in a specific corridor or chokepoint. To the degree the message is something other than “trust us; it’ll work,” the message is the map with 157 projects scattered across it. And that map has become a regional Rorschach test that leaves it to individuals to see future relief or wasted money.
In large part, that’s the fault of the people who put the list together, not the ones now tasked with selling it to the public. But however the blame is eventually assigned if the referendum does indeed fail, that’s the central failure of the T-SPLOST — and the crucial task for whoever has to pick up the pieces if Plan B becomes necessary.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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403 comments Add your comment
HDB
July 24th, 2012
3:54 pm
Tiberius – pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:47 pm
“Don’t invest in green energy projects”—THAT is a SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION you just gave..you have narrowed the definition of the trustee’s actions..so the trust isn’t BLIND!! Reboot, Tibb…..
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:56 pm
HDB, using an opinion piece to try to deflect from the argument you’re losing is not going to earn you any debate points.
Nor is using an opinion piece where a false conclusion is raised by taking a single quote out of an entirety of quotes from Romney’s economic plan.
You are really off your game today.
Common Cents
July 24th, 2012
3:57 pm
Road Scholar
They believe that Holmes bought a ticket for the movie and was in the front row. He pretended (or maybe really did?) to get a call on his cell phone. He walked out of the emergency entrance of the theater (where he had previously parked), propped the door, donned his flak jacket and gear and came back in the theater about 10 mins into the movie and started shooting. I don’t think it is a true “emergency entrance”. If it is like the theaters here, after the movie people leave out of those doors without an alarm sounding. I guess we can kiss that crap goodbye, huh?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:57 pm
No, HDB, a specific instruction would be “Don’t invest in Solyndra”.
Another fail on your part.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
3:58 pm
“.even Romney’s OWN economic advisors say his “plan” won’t work!!”
It would make more sense if you would stop reading a headline and actually read what’s in that Op-Ed piece, HDB. It’s more full from the Atlantic. A far left rag.
I’d have more respect for you if you’d stop pretending to know what you’re talking about. You continue to post articles from far left rags and telling others that those articles are the gospel truth.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
3:59 pm
“Don’t invest in green energy projects”
Amen.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
4:01 pm
HDB
Explain this, sport.
Today, USA Today/Gallup released a poll of adults which found that, by more than 2-1, 63%-29%, voters felt Romney’s tenure at Bain would cause him to make good decisions about turning around the economy and creating jobs. 61% of adults felt that government was doing too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses. The poll also found that Romney was viewed as better able to control government spending.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
4:03 pm
Another lib gets the smack down. Every time the left tries to paint the Tea Party as extreme, they get in big trouble.
ABC President: Ross report hurts coverage
ABC News president Ben Sherwood told staff today that last Friday’s incorrect report by Brian Ross detracts from the network’s otherwise excellent coverage of the Colarado theater shooting, network sources tell POLITICO.
Sherwood’s remarks, made on the network’s daily editorial conference call, came the morning after Ross’s report was picked up by late night comedians John Stewart and Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central, both of whom used Ross’s erroneous suggestion of a Tea Party link to the Colorado theater shooting as fodder for their Monday night routines.
(Brian Ross of ABC takes heat for another blunder)
On Monday’s conference call, ABC News SVP James Goldston also commended the staff for its work, noted the incorrect report, and said that the network was taking steps to ensure it did not happen again, sources told POLITICO yesterday.
A spokesperson with ABC News said the network does not comment on editorial conference calls.
Common Cents
July 24th, 2012
4:07 pm
HDB
“THAT is a SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION you just gave..you have narrowed the definition of the trustee’s actions..so the trust isn’t BLIND!! Reboot, Tibb…..”
Not directed at me, BUT a specific instruction would be “Don’t invest in XYZ Co.” as oppsed to “Don’t invest in any green companies” How do I know this, you ask? Well, aside from being common sense, I work for an investment firm. D’oh!
The legalese at the bottom of those contracts is VERY specific about what is and is not considered specific…
Jefferson
July 24th, 2012
4:18 pm
Romney has something to hide, or he would show.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
4:26 pm
“Romney has something to hide, or he would show.”
Or maybe he’s just toying with you and will release it in October.
Maggie's Daughter
July 24th, 2012
4:27 pm
Just like public schools. Think they can throw $$$ at the problem to fix it. Typical Atlanta chamber solution.
md
July 24th, 2012
4:30 pm
“The Kansas City plant was itself dying. At its 1970 height it employed 4,500; by the late 1980s it was down to 1,000. A year before acquisition, Armco had laid off another 75. Its equipment was old; it faced fierce competition at home and abroad.”
“B.C. Huselton, a vice president of the business at the time, tells me that in 1990 the Armco CEO held a meeting. “He told us, ‘Look, we either try to sell it, or we’ve got to shut it down.’” Armco had shut down another Kansas City facility, Union Wire Rope, only a few years before”
“Huselton says he felt compelled to come forward in response to Democratic attacks: “I held my tongue while this was all going on, and I finally said, ‘I can’t take this anymore.’ We did a lot of good work there and somebody needs to know this.”
“Did it all work out? No. Did we make a difference? I think we made a big difference,” he says. “There’s this vampire story that Bain comes in and shows its teeth and sucks the blood out of the operation. It was really entirely the opposite of that. We went looking for a blood donor.”
And for the record, Huselton has stated publicly that he voted for Obama in 2008……but won’t in round 2.
Old timer
July 24th, 2012
4:30 pm
I think, if we had rail from Town Center…Kennesaw through town to the airport and the same for Mall Of Ga, people would vote for this plan. I would love to get to the Ted, airport, Fox easily and not fight traffic. I know… A pipe dream.
I am not voting for the mess proposed by TSPLOT.
md
July 24th, 2012
4:32 pm
And HDB…..you are aware that the private sector must generate the capital to run both the sectors….right?
All those public sector jobs have to be paid for by the private sector……think that might have a bearing on a sputtering economy??
md
July 24th, 2012
4:34 pm
“Romney has something to hide, or he would show.”
He already said why bother…..if Obama can create lies with what he doesn’t know, why bother putting more fodder out there for the uninformed to create talking points.
HDB is a classic example of why Romney doesn’t need to add anything else to the fray…..this guy hasn’t researched the first point he parrots.
Jose
July 24th, 2012
4:40 pm
OBAMA preaches fairness and being your brothers keeper
yet look at his own life……… he’s a millionaire yet he lets family members live in poverty
spread the wealth hypocrit
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
4:42 pm
“Romney has something to hide, or he would show.”
Yeah, he’s hiding his PRIVACY. Something you libs don’t quite understand.
Jefferson
July 24th, 2012
4:43 pm
Its not gonna look good when asked face to face “what are you hiding?”, now is it ?
md
July 24th, 2012
4:48 pm
“Its not gonna look good when asked face to face “what are you hiding?”, now is it ?”
Depends on which one is answering that one……Romney has money, we all know it. It is not a secret.
On the other hand, if we are talking about the Fast and Furious Docs, College Transcripts/Docs, and possibly the new National Security leak info, then yeh, one of them may have a problem.
Common Cents
July 24th, 2012
4:48 pm
Just like there are a lot of questions that wouldn’t look good ON EITHER SIDE wen they are asked face to face. However, based on what has occurred over the past 4 years, I will take some “change” anyway I can get it. He promised change and that’s what he has left a lot of us with…
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
4:50 pm
“what are you hiding?”
Answer = Nothing.
Next?
Jefferson
July 24th, 2012
4:56 pm
Just wait, so far it hasn’t looked positive.
Jose
July 24th, 2012
4:56 pm
romney needs to stick with attacks about obamas current actions
107 fundraisers
0 meeting with his jobs council
hammer it home
Jose
July 24th, 2012
4:57 pm
obama called bush unpatriotic for adding trillions to the national debt
romney needs to apply obama logic and tell him to look in the mirror
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
5:01 pm
“Its not gonna look good when asked face to face “what are you hiding?”,
And Mitt can respond: “Release your grades, Obama”
Conversation over.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
5:03 pm
“romney needs to stick with attacks about obamas current actions”
He should treat Obama the same way he treated Newt. None of the Mccain style politics. Really go after him and hammer him on EVERYTHING.
Where are the jobs, Obama?
Why didn’t you shut down Gitmo, Obama?
Why did you bribe your own party to get Obozocare passed, Obama?
Why are you the only president in US history to govern over a country that was downgraded by Moodys?
Why did you abandon our allies, Obama?
If the Bush tax cuts were so bad, why did you extend them?
See, it’s easy to go after Obama because GASP…he has a record of crap.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
5:04 pm
“Just wait, so far it hasn’t looked positive.
Only to libs, jefferson. Everyone else is living in reality where unemployment is 8.2%.
If Mitt had anything to hide, the IRS would have come after him decades ago.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
5:07 pm
And Mitt can respond: “Fast and Furious, Obama”
And Mitt can respond: “National Security leaks, Obama”
And the list goes on and on . . .
Michael H. Smith
July 24th, 2012
5:10 pm
Nothing more American than when the underdog or small money wins.
Rah, Rah, T-SPLAT!
tiredofIT
July 24th, 2012
5:14 pm
So Mitt Waffles want to have multiple wars in the middle east. I guess he doesn’t know we are broke or maybe he and is billionaire supports will pay for it?
cynic
July 24th, 2012
5:16 pm
I hate to say we are wasting our time discussing this. I’m sure the folks at Diebold have already preprogrammed the outcome. There is no oversight in TSPLOST and there is no oversight in the election.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
5:17 pm
“So Mitt Waffles want to have multiple wars in the middle east.”
Please provide proof of this in actual statements by Mitt Romney.
Thanks, tiredofIT.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
5:18 pm
“I hate to say we are wasting our time discussing this. I’m sure the folks at Diebold have already preprogrammed the outcome.”
I’m sorry, but this is the most moronic statement of the day. Diebold doesn’t program the outcome of any voting machine. Can’t be done.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
5:20 pm
” I’m sure the folks at Diebold have already preprogrammed the outcome. ‘
Yeah, that’s it.
tiredofIT
July 24th, 2012
5:27 pm
So you haven’t heard his speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Typical chicken hawk rhetoric.
tiredofIT
July 24th, 2012
5:29 pm
Diebold: hackable as an eighty years computer.
tiredofIT
July 24th, 2012
5:30 pm
eighty year-olds computer. If you trust software for voting, then you know understand software.
md
July 24th, 2012
5:34 pm
There is an art to saber rattling too……….
Telling Assad he would really really be in trouble if he used gas on his people doesn’t do much good when the guy has already slaughtered thousands to include innocent children with no consequences……..
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
5:37 pm
“So you haven’t heard his speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars.”
Thanks for NOT providing me with specific quotes regarding your false claim, tiredofIT.
All too typical for you.
“Diebold: hackable as an eighty years computer.”
Utterly false. One must have ACCESS to the machines. Not likely to happen under ANY circumstances. Nice try, but epic fail.
And please tell me how many voting machines you’ve programmed for an election, tireofIT. This should be good.
tiredofIT
July 24th, 2012
5:47 pm
Diebold hacking:
https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=crnk_fspiked&gs_nf=1&gs_mss=diebold%20voting%20machines%20h&tok=b7rVDhpKI4IOBQhd6yhkjQ&pq=diebold%20voting%20machines&cp=27&gs_id=i&xhr=t&q=diebold+voting+machines+hacked&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=diebold+voting+machines+hac&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=4e3bf85154472ca5&biw=1366&bih=653
md
July 24th, 2012
5:51 pm
And right off that link:
“Anyone with about $10, physical access to a Diebold voting machine and rudimentary knowledge of electronics can remotely hack into the device, according to experts at the Vulnerability Assessment Team at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois”
I believe the operative word is “physical access”……….of course, that’s all it takes with a paper vote too…….
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
6:19 pm
md, don’t you always love their argument?
Well, first you need to get access to the machines . . . .
Too funny!
And I noticed that tiredofIT didn’t come back with how many Diebold machines he’s prepared for an election.
Vote-O-Meter
July 24th, 2012
6:19 pm
The latest anecdotal poll by the Vote-O-Meter says the T-SPLOST will pass by a whisker. That will show once again that the entrenched interests can get whatever they want in Atlanta. Of course, if the Vote-O-Meter is wrong and the T-SPLOST loses, it will reflect very poorly on the business and political leadership which had oodles of money but devised a weak transit plan, marketed it poorly, was out-of-touch with the citizenry. and foolishly thought they could fool enough of the people enough of the time.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
July 24th, 2012
6:22 pm
Dems do not know much about Diebold, they just prefer paper ballots. Ask Charlie Rangel or MN Senator Stuart Smalley (Al Franken), if you run short of paper votes, you can always find a few bags full, that you haven’t counted yet.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
6:32 pm
Ruh roh. Obama just stepped in it AGAIN.
Feinstein: Leaks Came From White House
“I think the White House has to understand that some of this is coming from its ranks. I don’t know specifically where, but they have to understand that and do something about it…
Rightwing Troll
July 24th, 2012
7:13 pm
““Don’t invest in green energy projects””
Wow… really? How pathetic can you get? Now lets just go ahead and start throwing trash out the car window again, we’ll show those damn libs..
If Obama came out and said the sky was blue you morons would start a campaign against the color blue… this after 8 years of unmitigated support George of the bungle, which is exactly why things today are as they are…
JamVet
July 24th, 2012
7:37 pm
I got a robocall earlier today from some big muckety muck in the state GOP about how the “liberals” were trying to spread false information about the the T-SPLOST not being necessary.
I damn near dropped the phone from laughing. (Musta been a RINO.)
Today’s GOP certainly has an identity crisis, huh?
They are worse than a confused sixteen year old girl…
md
July 24th, 2012
7:39 pm
” this after 8 years of unmitigated support George of the bungle, which is exactly why things today are as they are…”
Wonder if the dems hadn’t obstructed Georgie on his F/F reform would we even be in this mess??
Another that fails to look at the big picture………
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
July 24th, 2012
8:15 pm
The kookman libs are awfully foamy this evening.