In the earlier post on the imploding CA economy I noted that the silver lining was that CA-AHSR (California Almost High Speed Rail) was dead for a generation. It isn't just that there is no money. That hasn't stopped any number of bad ideas in the past. It isn't that the upcoming bond for the first 20% of the first partial route won't pass. It isn't even my spirited and massive influence as to the security issues. it certainly isn't the hundreds of times I've caught them lying about every aspect of the proposal. Logic and truth are poor horses to use in this contest. Far better to use environmentalism and racism as your stalking horse. Apparently the Pacheco Pass route currently recommended goes through wetlands and induces sprawl and doesn't serve the minority population in the East Bay area. Waaaaa. Here is a SFGate article excerpt:
"If it's defeated, there's no money for either alignment," said Stuart Flashman, an attorney representing several groups that support the Altamont. "Do you want a high-speed rail system, or do you want a pipe dream?"
The rail authority envisions a 700-mile [No. ed.] statewide [No. ed.] high-speed [No. ed.] rail system that would allow travel at speeds in excess of 200 mph [203mph. ed.], whisking travelers from the Transbay Terminal in downtown San Francisco to Union Station in Los Angeles in 2 1/2 hours [No. 2:45 to the Oakland Terminus of the Caltrain connector. ed.]. The proposed system would cost about $40 billion to build [No. The first segment LA to Oakland will cost $43.1b and rising ed.], but the project has no money - or promise of funding - for construction. The bond measure [$10.1b $.6b supposedly for CA-AHSR. ed.] is scheduled to be on the November 2008 ballot, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who persuaded legislators to postpone a vote once, wants it pushed back again to 2010 or 2012.
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Socialism meets reality once again.
16 comments:
F I R S T again... just woke up after a short 8-hour nap from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Think I'll watch some TV, get Mommy to cook me dinner, and then hit the sack!
Waaa!!
I think California is one of the best places for high-speed rail to loose the least amount of money.
You may call it a laus but to me its the pride of ownership.
The cost of the fucking illegal aliens' hospital bills killed high speed rail!
Deport them! I don't want them hatching more "looser" stoners around me.
While I'm on a terribly un-PC rant, I am sick and fucking tired of watching these Native American gaming commercials during the morning news. If they have done so fucking much for the state, why do they have to make a goddamned commercial about it?
Until the automobile industry fucked the state, we had excellent rail in California.
Hey, if you take public transit you can hang with the illegal aliens and their fucking spawn all reaking of bad pot at 8 AM. Reality check for limosine liberals who opposed Operation Return to Sender.
Edgar,
Anthony Glenn suspects that buyer reluctance is hurting his chances to sell his ocean-view home in Laguna Beach, even though he's dropped the price by more than $200,000.
His current price of $1,699,000 is only slightly more than the home's appraised price when he bought it two years ago. But after 51 days on the market, he's had just three buyers come by to look at it.
"The buyers are there, and people have money. People have trust funds," said Glenn, 42, an unemployed high-tech salesman
I think that $1.7 million is the problem. It was just a few years ago that $1.7 was bandied about for the most primo Manhattan penthouse locations.
I think Tony will ultimately see his swinging bachelor pad sell for something less than $500k.
The guy buys at the top and thinks he can sell for the same price plus a little bit? The market has spoken.
K, I get it. You're just jealous of my space age swinging bachelor pad. Fine, but I want high speed rail and I want it now!
The one nice thing about an economic slowdown is that it gives a rare opportunity to kill all sorts of bad ideas. Oh, "environmental impact" and "not serving the interests of the minority community" might be the excuses, but it's really about the fact that when the money's not there, the program won't happen.
If only the Federal government were so constrained . . . (actually, even the Federal level may be reaching the point where there are serious questions about whether the markets will take on more Federal debt.)
Please don't kill me. But I actually think this project is a good idea.
BB,
Bakersfield gets high speed transit to SF, LA and more with very little outlay on their part. Who wouldn't want to be 1 1/2hrs from LA and SF for $80?
That's what makes it great for us.
45 minutes to LA and 1 1/2 hours to SF for next to nothing, we have nothing to lose here. :)
I have the answers.
Doctors and hospitals are getting rich from the illegal's hospital bills.
Television stations are getting rich off of Indian commercials.
Remember that, when you look at all the beautiful houses.
Pot smokers are people I am not afraid of, on buses or anywhere else, you don't see them in the morning, and around here at least, they are rarely illegals.
PS -- It boggles the mind that anyone could be against high speed rail, in a state with the population and the size of California. Are you aware of where most of the public money wasted goes? Public transportation is a pittance of what is spent.
How can they call it "high speed" with that many stops on the line?
What is so horrible about getting something in return for your tax dollars? That is all that socialism is. I suppose blowing up people in a desert is the way you want your tax dollars to be spent?
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