Do You Support Federal Funding For California's High-Speed Rail?

[bripat9643]

I totally support this project. It's the kind of thing we should be doing on a national level. We're looking at least 4000 new jobs being created. I thought Republicans loved jobs being created? No?

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/assets/0/152/159/0150b8aa-a61b-4aeb-9c18-6223d8fe429f.pdf

$68 billion/4000 = $17 million / job

Yeah, that sounds like a typical Democrat jobs program.

 

[Artevelde]

Democratic Lawmakers just gave the green light to start building an estimated $68 Billion high-speed rail line in California. This, despite California being very deep in Debt. They have also requested partial Federal Funding for the project. Should Non-Californians be forced to give their Tax Dollars to this project? What do you think? How do you feel about that?

Public investment in railroad infrastructure is not unprecedented and can be a good thing it the infrastructure being created responds to a real need and can be exploited by private railroad corporations in an economically viable way. I don't believe the government should be involved in running the railroad, once the infrastructure has been created.

As for the question whether the Federal government should support this financially, I believe the Federal government does have a role to support interstate commerce. So, to the extent that a high-speed-tailwayline is part of an interstate network, Federal funding would be appropriate. If it's just meant for the localized needs of one state, then that state should support this on its own.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

It is stupid to just go on pretending that there is no end and no consequences to our addiction of petroleum. Visit Europe. You whiz between countries and cities, you sit back and sip your coffee, a glass of wine, eat your cheese or sandwich and watch the beautiful countryside fly by. (We went from Carcassonne in the wine country in south of France to Brussels in one day and loved every minute of it. Before that, we had gone from Paris to Carcassonne - a wonderful and relaxing trip.)

Then, painlessly, there you are at your destination. Rent a car or take public transportation. Easy, cheap and a hell of a lot easier on our environment.

Or, visit some of our major cities where you can grap a Zip Car, a bicycle, a scooter, go where you want, leave your vehicle of choice at one of the zillion drop offs, pick up a new one later as needed, no huge car expenses but a lot of convenience.

Even if you don't care about the environment, we could save a huge amount using rails to move people or "things". Makes more sense to ship everything by rail to "hubs" and move by truck from there.

But, I see that 80% of those who answered the poll would rather be beholden to foreign oil than be independent of them. Lucky for you, the corrupt R's agree with you because they make a lot of money by keeping us chained them. Think Bush's open mouth kiss with the disgusting Arab.

But hey, we have no way of knowing where Mitten's money is hiding ..................... Maybe he's not in bed with foreign oil. What do YOU think? LOL

It is even stupider to think that going backwards to 19th century technology is going to solve anything.

Bullet trains are 19th century technology? You might as well say that cars are caveman technology, since they both rely on the wheel.

I might, but that would make me as stupid as you. Check it out sometime, trains have been traveling in excess of 100 mph for over a century, the fact that they go a little faster know doesn't change the fact that the first railway was built 200 years ago.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Democratic Lawmakers just gave the green light to start building an estimated $68 Billion high-speed rail line in California. This, despite California being very deep in Debt. They have also requested partial Federal Funding for the project. Should Non-Californians be forced to give their Tax Dollars to this project? What do you think? How do you feel about that?

Public investment in railroad infrastructure is not unprecedented and can be a good thing it the infrastructure being created responds to a real need and can be exploited by private railroad corporations in an economically viable way. I don't believe the government should be involved in running the railroad, once the infrastructure has been created.

As for the question whether the Federal government should support this financially, I believe the Federal government does have a role to support interstate commerce. So, to the extent that a high-speed-tailwayline is part of an interstate network, Federal funding would be appropriate. If it's just meant for the localized needs of one state, then that state should support this on its own.

Why don't you take some time to explain how a 130 mile stretch of rail in the central California that doesn't stop in a major city at any point is part of the interstate transportation system.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Just a note for the 6 people that actually think this is a good idea, every single Democrat on the high speed rail oversight committee in the California Senate voted against this boondoggle. Does that mean they all hate jobs, or is it remotely possible you have no idea what you are talking about?

California approves high-speed rail project after years of debate - San Jose Mercury News

 

[Artevelde]

Democratic Lawmakers just gave the green light to start building an estimated $68 Billion high-speed rail line in California. This, despite California being very deep in Debt. They have also requested partial Federal Funding for the project. Should Non-Californians be forced to give their Tax Dollars to this project? What do you think? How do you feel about that?

Public investment in railroad infrastructure is not unprecedented and can be a good thing it the infrastructure being created responds to a real need and can be exploited by private railroad corporations in an economically viable way. I don't believe the government should be involved in running the railroad, once the infrastructure has been created.

As for the question whether the Federal government should support this financially, I believe the Federal government does have a role to support interstate commerce. So, to the extent that a high-speed-tailwayline is part of an interstate network, Federal funding would be appropriate. If it's just meant for the localized needs of one state, then that state should support this on its own.

Why don't you take some time to explain how a 130 mile stretch of rail in the central California that doesn't stop in a major city at any point is part of the interstate transportation system.

Try reading my post. I'm not definitively choosing one way or another. It depends on the project.

 

[Steelplate]

Simple math tells me it's bullshit. $68 million and 4000 jobs? that works out to $17,000/job, barely minimum wage and you haven't bought land, steel or rolling stock. Conservaderrp is full of shit, as usual.

Yeah, **** those 4000+ people getting a living wage!!

He did 68 million, not 68 Billion.... Meaning it's 1.7 million a person every year for 10 years.... Good work Conservatwerp!

I love conservative math...the first guy makes a mistake of not adding 3 zeros.....and both of them take the total cost of the project and assign that cost directly to wages...as if there are no materials to buy, land to purchase or anything else.

 

[ConservaDerrps]

Just a note for the 6 people that actually think this is a good idea, every single Democrat on the high speed rail oversight committee in the California Senate voted against this boondoggle. Does that mean they all hate jobs, or is it remotely possible you have no idea what you are talking about?

California approves high-speed rail project after years of debate - San Jose Mercury News

Oh I get it. Since you take your matching orders from the GOP establishment, I do too?

 

[Ernie S.]

I totally support this project. It's the kind of thing we should be doing on a national level. We're looking at least 4000 new jobs being created. I thought Republicans loved jobs being created? No?

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/assets/0/152/159/0150b8aa-a61b-4aeb-9c18-6223d8fe429f.pdf

Except that it would loose money and just become another money pit. If there was a profit to be made with high speed rail, a private customer would be building the system right now. In stead, you want to tax 300 million people to subsidize high speed transportation for the 10 or 12 people who would benefit from another government boondoggle.

Hmm. Sounds like a lot of unsubstantiated speculation. Which is also known more commonly as "Bullshit." So why don't you rustle up a few links that support, with actual data now, not Right Wing heeby-jeeby feelings about shit, how it would lose money and become another money pit.

Otherwise, I'll call it California being once again ahead of the curve on cool shit.

Point to one public transportation system in the US that operates in the black.

 

[paulitician]

This is a State matter. If Californians want more Debt and more Taxes, than so be it. But no Federal Tax Dollars should be spent on their farce.

 

[Staidhup]

I totally support this project. It's the kind of thing we should be doing on a national level. We're looking at least 4000 new jobs being created. I thought Republicans loved jobs being created? No?

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/assets/0/152/159/0150b8aa-a61b-4aeb-9c18-6223d8fe429f.pdf

Apparently someone has a problem with the fundamental concept that building a high speed rail system is one thing and operating it and maintaining it as a break even operation is another. Then of course there is the minor issue of the country being virtually broke with non sustainable unfunded liabilities that remain poised to collapse the dollar. Take a course in accounting and look at other federally funded and subsidized mass transit operations and you will soon discover the fallacy of your position. Unfortunately you suffer from delusions of economic reality. Oh by the way, California is already unable to address their Calpers unfunded liabilities and are poised to beg the fed to bail your sorry pathetic asses out, so why do you think the country should bend over and play ATM machine for California?

 

[Mr.Nick]

I totally support this project. It's the kind of thing we should be doing on a national level. We're looking at least 4000 new jobs being created. I thought Republicans loved jobs being created? No?

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/assets/0/152/159/0150b8aa-a61b-4aeb-9c18-6223d8fe429f.pdf

Yeah overpaid union jobs..

If California wants a high speed rail then they can fund it themselves....

How does any of this shit benefit taxpayers in other states, yet they're footing the bill.

Furthermore your argument is stupid considering California could ask for federal taxpayer money to buy everyone in California a Chevy Volt then say "well it will create jobs."

Sure it will create jobs but at what expense????

You wouldn't pay 10 dollars for a loaf of bread would you?? so why the **** should we as a nation fund a 70 billion dollar program that only helps one state???

 

[paulitician]

I totally support this project. It's the kind of thing we should be doing on a national level. We're looking at least 4000 new jobs being created. I thought Republicans loved jobs being created? No?

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/assets/0/152/159/0150b8aa-a61b-4aeb-9c18-6223d8fe429f.pdf

Yeah overpaid union jobs..

If California wants a high speed rail then they can fund it themselves....

How does any of this shit benefit taxpayers in other states, yet they're footing the bill.

Furthermore your argument is stupid considering California could ask for federal taxpayer money to buy everyone in California a Chevy Volt then say "well it will create jobs."

Sure it will create jobs but at what expense????

You wouldn't pay 10 dollars for a loaf of bread would you?? so why the **** should we as a nation fund a 70 billion dollar program that only helps one state???

I hear ya, but i'm pretty sure the Socialists/Progressives won't. They're addicted to spending other peoples' money. This is a State matter. Californians want more Debt and more Taxes? Good for them, but no Federal Tax Dollars. Period, end of story.

 

[ConservaDerrps]

Poor short-sighted Conservatives. Always standing in the way of Progress. Always making it so easy for history to look back and laugh and point.

 

[Artevelde]

Poor short-sighted Conservatives. Always standing in the way of Progress. Always making it so easy for history to look back and laugh and point.

Blind partisanship makes you look so stupid.

 

[Mr.Nick]

I totally support this project. It's the kind of thing we should be doing on a national level. We're looking at least 4000 new jobs being created. I thought Republicans loved jobs being created? No?

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/assets/0/152/159/0150b8aa-a61b-4aeb-9c18-6223d8fe429f.pdf

Yeah overpaid union jobs..

If California wants a high speed rail then they can fund it themselves....

How does any of this shit benefit taxpayers in other states, yet they're footing the bill.

Furthermore your argument is stupid considering California could ask for federal taxpayer money to buy everyone in California a Chevy Volt then say "well it will create jobs."

Sure it will create jobs but at what expense????

You wouldn't pay 10 dollars for a loaf of bread would you?? so why the **** should we as a nation fund a 70 billion dollar program that only helps one state???

I hear ya, but i'm pretty sure the Socialists/Progressives won't. They're addicted to spending other peoples' money. This is a State matter. Californians want more Debt and more Taxes? Good for them, but no Federal Tax Dollars. Period, end of story.

I'm perplexed as to why they even asked???

Of course Nancy Pelosi's logic is; "we want high speed rail in California, we cant afford it so everyone else can pay for it."

What are these snug elite progressives going to do next? call high speed rail a "basic human right?" Hell, I wouldn't put it past Pelosi to say or imply such a thing.

These progressives are totally out of line.

 

[The T]

Poor short-sighted Conservatives. Always standing in the way of Progress. Always making it so easy for history to look back and laugh and point.

Government PROGRESS or that for the private sector? Georgie Soros? Is that you?

 

[The T]

Poor short-sighted Conservatives. Always standing in the way of Progress. Always making it so easy for history to look back and laugh and point.

Blind partisanship makes you look so stupid.

Yep.

 

[Ernie S.]

Simple math tells me it's bullshit. $68 million and 4000 jobs? that works out to $17,000/job, barely minimum wage and you haven't bought land, steel or rolling stock. Conservaderrp is full of shit, as usual.

Yeah, **** those 4000+ people getting a living wage!!

$17,000 a living wage? In California?

In all fairness, my original math was wrong. I used 68 million in stead of 68 BILLION. That would work out to 17 million per job.
When you consider the cost of property for the right of way will be in the billions, rolling stock, more billions, material for the rail bed more billions, California will be very lucky to have 68 million left to pay 4000 workers 17 grand a year.

 

[The T]

This is a State matter. If Californians want more Debt and more Taxes, than so be it. But no Federal Tax Dollars should be spent on their farce.

The other States shouldn't be asked to fund it, period.