Poll: High-Speed Rail for $53b

[Mustang]

What does high speed rail run on?

Railroad tracks.

 

[daveman]

No, WillowTree. Most moronic.

How come all you teabaggers don't know that the Post Office is in the Constitution? And that the Post Office MUST deliver to everyone, no matter how inconvenient or non-profitable it is.

Big difference from FED-EX, who can say "Deering, Alaska??? Fuck 'em!" if it doesn't turn a profit.

Government-provided transportation isn't mentioned in the Constitution.

Neither is Socialism For Soldiers, dumbass.

My goodness, but you're a stupid, stupid little man.

 

[rightwinger]

high speed rails are a great idea

Having the government build and run them is a bad idea....just look to how they have handled amtrack for proof.

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it

AMTRAK loses money because Congress forces them to keep unprofitable lines through their districts.

I still don't see how high speed rail other than the Boston- DC corridor can turn a profit.

The infrastructure needed between point A and point B would never be warranted when you can just fly from point A to point B

They do well in Europe. The problem is speed.

I travel several times a month on business. I used to take the air shuttles between NY and DC or Boston. Now I take the Acela because there are fewer hassles and it is more reliable. Cost and time are roughly the same

The next best option for high speed rail would be Philly to Chicago passing through Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Detroit. I would still prefer to take a 2 1/2 hour flight to Chicago rather than the 6 hour train ride. On a business trip, there is a huge difference between a half day trip and a full day trip. A 2 1/2 flight can be tacked on to the end of the business day. You can't do that with a 6 hour train ride

 

[The Joe]

what would you do, because the rest of the world is passing us by, while people like you and willowtwat cry about spending.

the rest of the world is also passing us by in killing christians and mutilating woman.. Should we catch up with those as well?

Moron alert!!!

You're right..you have crush on Clay Aiken and I am a moron for paying for everything you want. You're so worthless in life that you can't figure out to provide for yourself. How long will it be before you have the government tax us to provide somebody to feed you and wipe your ass?

 

[ScreamingEagle]

oh wow....our FUTURE......wait...........the suspense...............is TRAINS....!!!

can we say CRAZY..... (of course most lib ideas are crazy)

if this was circa 1800...then TRAINS would be cutting edge....but this is now....

and have none of you people learned the big lesson yet.....?

...whatever BO promotes it is bound to be something that will HURT our country.....

(our REAL future lies in outer space but of course BO killed that particular effort.....)

so you ask....WHY are trains NOT our future....?

LOOK AT THE FACTS.....

the most optimistic forecasts predict that high speed trains at 110 to 220 mph will take few cars off the roads....at best they will replace for profit private commuter airlines...

they are also not very environmentally friendly....the planners for the Florida line predict it would use more energy and emit more pollution than the cars it would take off the road...California predicts HSR would reduce pollution and lessen green house gas emissions by only a mere .7 to 1.5%....

since Japan introduced its bullet trains it has lost HALF of its market share to the auto....same thing has been happening in Europe....the rail's market share of transportation there has dwindled from 8.2% to a mere 5.8%....

COSTS.....this is what BO is not telling you....we will be throwing piles of good money after bad....this system will cost WAY MORE than you think......and don't forget it is up to the STATES to continue paying and maintaining these money-guzzling subsidized rail systems....can we say increased state taxes....? of course BO doesn't care about laying on all you people all those extra COSTS....in fact it has been his MO to financially cripple the people of America....

in short...high speed rail projects are of little benefit to taxpayers....they are high cost, high risk projects that promise little or no congestion relief, energy savings, or other environmental benefits....

http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-625.pdf

 

[kiwiman127]

When the righties said they wanted their country back, it meant back to the Stone Age technologically. speaking.

 

[LibocalypseNow]

I like the idea but unfortunately our Government cannot afford it. Spending more money we don't have will not help our Economy in the end. Now if this was a private venture,it would be good news all around. Maybe the President can hit is good buddies up over at Google & GE for the cash? He has a very cozy relationship with these Corporations so maybe he can convince them to pony up the $53 Billion. They certainly have the cash. This is just the wrong time to propose this kind of Government spending extravagance. He really should look to the Private Sector on this one.

 

[Sallow]

AMTRAK loses money because Congress forces them to keep unprofitable lines through their districts.

I still don't see how high speed rail other than the Boston- DC corridor can turn a profit.

The infrastructure needed between point A and point B would never be warranted when you can just fly from point A to point B

They do well in Europe. The problem is speed.

I travel several times a month on business. I used to take the air shuttles between NY and DC or Boston. Now I take the Acela because there are fewer hassles and it is more reliable. Cost and time are roughly the same

The next best option for high speed rail would be Philly to Chicago passing through Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Detroit. I would still prefer to take a 2 1/2 hour flight to Chicago rather than the 6 hour train ride. On a business trip, there is a huge difference between a half day trip and a full day trip. A 2 1/2 flight can be tacked on to the end of the business day. You can't do that with a 6 hour train ride

Like I said..

Acelas are primo trains traveling on ancient tracks.

 

[Sallow]

I like the idea but unfortunately our Government cannot afford it. Spending more money we don't have will not help our Economy in the end. Now if this was a private venture,it would be good news all around. Maybe the President can hit is good buddies up over at Google & GE for the cash? He has a very cozy relationship with these Corporations so maybe he can convince them to pony up the $53 Billion. They certainly have the cash. This is just the wrong time to propose this kind of Government spending extravagance. He really should look to the Private Sector on this one.

Not a bad idea.

It's worked out nicely with the space program.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. - SpaceX

 

[ScreamingEagle]

When the righties said they wanted their country back, it meant back to the Stone Age technologically. speaking.

High speed rail is a budget buster....a time buster.....a convenience buster....

After you drive your car ($) or take a bus(e$) to the train station, pay for car parking, pay for your HSR ticket, wait till it arrives, then "zip" to your destination gearing up to 200 mph and then gearing down because of the dozen stops along the way.... then get a cab ($) or bus(e$) to your hotel, get a cab($)or bus(e$) to your destination(s).... and then do everyting in rever$e for the return trip.....at two or three or four times the cost.... and with a whole lot less convenience.....and with a whole lot of time used up....than if you just took your own car.....

...you think the TRAIN is more "technologically advanced" than the CAR....???

 

[ScreamingEagle]

I like the idea but unfortunately our Government cannot afford it. Spending more money we don't have will not help our Economy in the end. Now if this was a private venture,it would be good news all around. Maybe the President can hit is good buddies up over at Google & GE for the cash? He has a very cozy relationship with these Corporations so maybe he can convince them to pony up the $53 Billion. They certainly have the cash. This is just the wrong time to propose this kind of Government spending extravagance. He really should look to the Private Sector on this one.

Our government cannot afford it.....and the private sector cannot afford it....it's a losing proposition which is why they won't invest in it...as opposed to the space program which has limitless potential...

If user fees would pay for even most of the system then it would most likely already be running....like airlines...

 

[LibocalypseNow]

I suggested the only possible solution...This President should just hit his good buddies up over at Google,BP,and GE for the cash. Let them invest and spend the cash on building it. It's their Patriotic Duty no? Between these three mammoth corporations,i'm pretty sure $53 Billion is a drop in a bucket. He needs to make better use of his cozy relationships with these corporations. So,problem solved. You're welcome.

 

[kiwiman127]

I knew we'd see the claim we can't afford it! But,,,,,,

The Military Industrial Complex just keeps on humming.

Monies spent on Military spending (2009) and percentage of GDP.

1 United States 663,255,000,000 4.3%

2 China 98,800,000,000 2.0%

3 United Kingdom 69,271,000,000 2.5%

4 France 67,316,000,000 2.3%

5 Russian Federation 61,000,000,000 3.5%

6 Germany 48,022,000,000 1.3%

7 Japan 46,859,000,000 0.9%

8 Saudi Arabia 39,257,000,000 8.2%

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures

The US already spends more than the rest of the World combined.

And then people complain that we don't have the funds to make America a better country, ala infrastructure, education and quality of life.

Find me an economist who doesn't agree having a solid and competitive infrastructure is good for the US economy.

I understand the apprehension of the government running a high speed rail, but there has been an increase of the private sector working with the government regarding the US infrastructure.

 

[WillowTree]

No, WillowTree. Most moronic.

How come all you teabaggers don't know that the Post Office is in the Constitution? And that the Post Office MUST deliver to everyone, no matter how inconvenient or non-profitable it is.

Big difference from FED-EX, who can say "Deering, Alaska??? Fuck 'em!" if it doesn't turn a profit.

No Cynthia, it was the best post,, now why don't you focus on Amtrak? Gov. run rail loses billions.. par for the course and you idiots want us to build a high speed rail that runs on electricity and at the same time impose a devastating cap and trade tax to tax the shit out of coal companies and coal produces the energy you want to run these electric high speed trains on. you are all morons. you must prove yourselfs capable of thinking your way out of a cracker box before you convince me you know what you are doing. just cause some politician tells you it will be wonderful it won't notice the over 700 hundred waivers from the messiahs obamacare? ain't so damn great is it?

I guess they are correct: you can't fix stupid.

Carry on!

which explains your situation cynthia.. Kerry On indeed.

 

[rightwinger]

When the righties said they wanted their country back, it meant back to the Stone Age technologically. speaking.

High speed rail is a budget buster....a time buster.....a convenience buster....

After you drive your car ($) or take a bus(e$) to the train station, pay for car parking, pay for your HSR ticket, wait till it arrives, then "zip" to your destination gearing up to 200 mph and then gearing down because of the dozen stops along the way.... then get a cab ($) or bus(e$) to your hotel, get a cab($)or bus(e$) to your destination(s).... and then do everyting in rever$e for the return trip.....at two or three or four times the cost.... and with a whole lot less convenience.....and with a whole lot of time used up....than if you just took your own car.....

...you think the TRAIN is more "technologically advanced" than the CAR....???

As a business traveler who has flown over a million miles, I just would not use rail more than I already do. If they build it...I will not come

 

[editec]

I'd like the idea but have no way of knowing if it is economically viaable

However, I also think that low speed bike path highways between major cities are a stellar investment so really...what do I know?

 

[Care4all]

What does high speed rail run on?

Electricity

from Magnets. Magnetic /electricity

 

[ScreamingEagle]

I knew we'd see the claim we can't afford it! But,,,,,,

The Military Industrial Complex just keeps on humming.

Monies spent on Military spending (2009) and percentage of GDP.

1 United States 663,255,000,000 4.3%

2 China 98,800,000,000 2.0%

3 United Kingdom 69,271,000,000 2.5%

4 France 67,316,000,000 2.3%

5 Russian Federation 61,000,000,000 3.5%

6 Germany 48,022,000,000 1.3%

7 Japan 46,859,000,000 0.9%

8 Saudi Arabia 39,257,000,000 8.2%

The US already spends more than the rest of the World combined.

And then people complain that we don't have the funds to make America a better country, ala infrastructure, education and quality of life.

Find me an economist who doesn't agree having a solid and competitive infrastructure is good for the US economy.

I understand the apprehension of the government running a high speed rail, but there has been an increase of the private sector working with the government regarding the US infrastructure.

We pay for the military for PROTECTION......a faster train does not protect you....

If we can afford HSR then why can't we afford to fix our roads and bridges FIRST....that is...if you want a "solid and competitive infrastructure".....?

 

[Sallow]

I knew we'd see the claim we can't afford it! But,,,,,,

The Military Industrial Complex just keeps on humming.

Monies spent on Military spending (2009) and percentage of GDP.

1 United States 663,255,000,000 4.3%

2 China 98,800,000,000 2.0%

3 United Kingdom 69,271,000,000 2.5%

4 France 67,316,000,000 2.3%

5 Russian Federation 61,000,000,000 3.5%

6 Germany 48,022,000,000 1.3%

7 Japan 46,859,000,000 0.9%

8 Saudi Arabia 39,257,000,000 8.2%

The US already spends more than the rest of the World combined.

And then people complain that we don't have the funds to make America a better country, ala infrastructure, education and quality of life.

Find me an economist who doesn't agree having a solid and competitive infrastructure is good for the US economy.

I understand the apprehension of the government running a high speed rail, but there has been an increase of the private sector working with the government regarding the US infrastructure.

We pay for the military for PROTECTION......a faster train does not protect you....

If we can afford HSR then why can't we afford to fix our roads and bridges FIRST....that is...if you want a "solid and competitive infrastructure".....?

Protection from what, exactly?

The Deathstar?

 

[kiwiman127]

I knew we'd see the claim we can't afford it! But,,,,,,

The Military Industrial Complex just keeps on humming.

Monies spent on Military spending (2009) and percentage of GDP.

1 United States 663,255,000,000 4.3%

2 China 98,800,000,000 2.0%

3 United Kingdom 69,271,000,000 2.5%

4 France 67,316,000,000 2.3%

5 Russian Federation 61,000,000,000 3.5%

6 Germany 48,022,000,000 1.3%

7 Japan 46,859,000,000 0.9%

8 Saudi Arabia 39,257,000,000 8.2%

The US already spends more than the rest of the World combined.

And then people complain that we don't have the funds to make America a better country, ala infrastructure, education and quality of life.

Find me an economist who doesn't agree having a solid and competitive infrastructure is good for the US economy.

I understand the apprehension of the government running a high speed rail, but there has been an increase of the private sector working with the government regarding the US infrastructure.

We pay for the military for PROTECTION......a faster train does not protect you....

If we can afford HSR then why can't we afford to fix our roads and bridges FIRST....that is...if you want a "solid and competitive infrastructure".....?

Ya know what? i kinda agree with you.