Posted on 04/16/2009 1:43:27 PM PDT by Lucky9teen
U.S. President Barack Obama arrives to make remarks on a proposed high-speed rail system in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, April 16, 2009. President Obama outlined his plan for developing "long overdue" high-speed rail on Thursday that would rival air travel, create jobs and help curb the U.S. transportation system's appetite for oil. 
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks to audience members after delivering remarks on a proposed high-speed rail system in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, April 16, 2009. 
Vice President Joe Biden reacts to the audience after making remarks, with President Barack Obama, on expanding the high speed rail system, Thursday, April 16, 2009, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus in Washington.
We suck...but we won.
>>”He’ll make the trains run on time”>>>
Didn’t Hitler do that too?
Biden: "Hi, Huma!!!" < /Hillary plagiarism >
And we will call the hub of the new railroad Mayor Daley Station. We'll take the Big Dig's budget and supersize it Chicago-style.
I am still trying to figure out why they need a high-speed rail system inside of a federal office building.
Biden has to be the original for Jeff Dunham’s puppet Walter. However, Walter is more in touch with reality and has more brain cells.
$8 billion is not even close to enough money to build a high-speed rail system of that magnitude. IIRC, it has been done in Europe for around $20 million a mile, so his $8 billion might give us a grand total of 400 miles of rail.
The look of irritable bowel syndrome.
Jeff Dunham: Dear Walter, can you recommend a good proctologist?
[Walter nudges towards Jeff]
It's like Mr. Roger's trolley to the land of make believe, where if you spend tens of trillions of dollars everything will work out just fine.
Why the hell should I have to go all around the country to go from Texas to Seattle? And why should I have to do it THROUGH Chi-town?
Well....8 billion will build about 24 miles of track. Not sure just how fast the train will go because you gotta have room to slow down, y’know.
I thought muslims didn't like Pork.
You beat me to it. Oh well.
Well, sir, there’s nothing on earth
Like a genuine,
Bona fide,
Electrified,
Six-car
Monorail!
What’d I say?
Ned Flanders: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: What’s it called?
Patty+Selma: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: That’s right! Monorail!
[crowd chants `Monorail’ softly and rhythmically]
Miss Hoover: I hear those things are awfully loud...
Lyle Lanley: It glides as softly as a cloud.
Apu: Is there a chance the track could bend?
Lyle Lanley: Not on your life, my Hindu friend.
Barney: What about us brain-dead slobs?
Lyle Lanley: You’ll be given cushy jobs.
Abe: Were you sent here by the devil?
Lyle Lanley: No, good sir, I’m on the level.
Wiggum: The ring came off my pudding can.
Lyle Lanley: Take my pen knife, my good man.
I swear it’s Springfield’s only choice...
Throw up your hands and raise your voice!
All: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: What’s it called?
All: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: Once again...
All: Monorail!
Marge: But Main Street’s still all cracked and broken...
Bart: Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!
All: Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
[big finish]
Monorail!
Homer: Mono... D’oh!
The center of the universe has recently been relocated to Chi-town (it was another one of those executive orders). Therefore, all high speed rail systems must go through it...
/sarc
Bullet Trains are very common in Japan, and span the entire country. When I rode on them once, they looked to me like they receive pretty good usage (the one I rode from Tokyo to Osaka was crowded). Yet, I still wonder if they are profitable - even there. I seem to recall a story on 60 Minutes, or some such, back in the 70's or 80's, that was about Japan's Bullet Trains. It talked about the corruption that was a part of their construction, and how much they still relied upon government subsidies. In one example they showed images of a bullet train station that was hardly being used, and was way out in the boonies somewhere. The reason for this station out in the middle of nowhere?? The politician whose district contained the station was very influential, so he was able to force them to build a station there. I suspect we will have similar, or worse, decisions made if this thing goes forward in the USA.
Does anyone out there know if Japan's Bullet Trains are profitable today?? I know they are expensive to ride, but I wonder if the Japanese government still has to subsidize them.
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