End of the Line.
We cannot afford to engage in speculative construction projects with low probability of profits when the nation is on the verge of complete economic collapse.
Posted on 11/04/2010 8:59:41 AM PDT by george76
The Republican lawmaker in line to head the House Transportation Committee says he wants to re-examine $10 billion in federal grants for high-speed train service, one of President Barack Obama's signature programs.
Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., the committee's ranking GOP member, told The Associated Press in an interview on Wednesday that he believes high-speed trains are a good idea, but he doesn't agree with the projects selected by the Transportation Department for funding.
Two weeks ago, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a second round of high-speed rail grants. California was awarded an additional $902 million; Florida $800 million.
Several GOP candidates who won gubernatorial races in Florida and Wisconsin on Tuesday are opposed to proposed rail lines in their states, including Scott Walker in Wisconsin and Florida's Rick Scott. Walker has created a website, notrain.com.
Republican John Kasich, who defeated Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland in Ohio, is also opposed to plans to introduce faster train passenger service there.
(Excerpt) Read more at bakersfieldnow.com ...
I would say ping Willie Green but Jim Robinson sent him in exile.
I think NYS got a grant, too. I think it’s kinda stupid because except for a couple cities, all the towns along the route are hick towns.
.
Cris Cristie can be the first witness....can’t wait
Good. For years, I thought he was a harmless crank with an affinity for trains, and never took the time to engage him. When I did, I was appalled...he is a mass-transportation statist who believes wholeheartedly in ramming it down our throats by artificially raising gas prices so high that we can't afford to drive.
Screw him. I am glad he is gone.
The big spenders got trains on the brain and their hands in our pockets.
If high-speed trains are such a good idea, let private companies carry that ball.
(Won’t happen. Passenger service has always been a net money loser. I’m a railroader—I know.)
Government can’t create a market where one doesn’t exist.
Ugh. This is like finding out that your date is a guy under that dress ...
What happened? I wondered where he went.
Jim’s warning to Willie Green:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2607597/posts?page=65#65
Had nothing but good things to say about Weyrich in the past, but if he said anything like that, then obviously he was off track on this one.
I’ll put it this way so there is no misunderstanding. If you continue pushing leftist clap-trap on this website, you get the zot.
It’s not wanted here. Drop it or leave. The choice is yours and I’m not going to argue with you about it. Zip it or zot it.
A total payoff to toal UNION thugs everywhere. Legalized MAFIA is all they are. Scrap it and AMTRAK TOO!
Very few of the people pushing to get their hands on taxpayer money to build passenger rail projects would be caught dead on a train except for the inaugural ribbon cutting.
The closest they will get to a train after that will be getting a station or a rail line named after themselves.
If rail systems are worth building let private industry do it with private capital. But there is a reason all the pro-rail activists won’t invest a penny of their own money. They know there is no way a rail system will pay for itself, there must be an ongoing subsidy for each rider or the trains will travel empty most of the time.
You can’t sell a bond issue or attract private investors with a business plan like that.
The people pushing for new rail systems where I live are well heeled politicians, democrats who travel by BMW, Lexus and limo but know what is best for everyone else, big time political donors who will get fat contracts and well connected landowners who will sell land for the right of way.
I think they are a good idea too under the right circumstances. A high-speed rail line that can pay for itself and links two profitable existing metro transit systems would be a very good idea. I'm just not sure it exists and I wouldn't support it otherwise. The Tampa-Orlando line is a joke. Neither city has a transit system. You would have to drive to the station, park your car, take the high-speed rail to the other city, then rent a car to get to your destination. You end up spending more money and more time. The trains will have to be heavily subsidized and will run empty.
Part of this scam is a payoff to government unions ( with our tax dollars ) who then kick back some campaign cash and free election day labor to the DUmmie politicians.
That’s it!.....His union buddies getting a big slice of your tax increases......
Did he? Well thank you JimRob! When confronted with facts, Willie became simply vile and just kept spamming the forum with bogus claims in support of ideas that are essentially anti-freedom. Just think how it would be to ride his trains with unionized Democrat TSA thugs checking everybody's voting registration before boarding.
I knew things seemed more pleasant around here lately.
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