Posted on 02/20/2011 3:21:28 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Statists love rail travel. It limits where the citizen can go and they can check papers at both ends.
Indeed!
I loved it when Huckabee laid into Obamas re-peated reference that this and other programs were “investments”.
And when I bought ENRON stock I was told IT was an investment.
This is an “investment” in socialism!
I haven’t watched much of The Simpsons, but somehow I managed to watch the “Monorail” episode twice. I hear “high speed rail” and it brings back memories of Phil Hartman saying, “monorail...monorail...” set to The Music Man. If you haven’t seen it, it ended badly as a financial disaster. Perhaps it was prophetic.
Overview of the National Rail Plan
On October 16, 2008, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) was enacted. Section 307(b)(j)(2) of the Act directed the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration to "develop a long-range national rail plan consistent with approved State rail plans and the rail needs of the Nation as determined by the Secretary in order to promote an integrated, cohesive, efficient, and optimized national rail system for the movement of goods and people[.]" Subsection (j) also directed the Administrator to develop a Preliminary National Rail Plan.
Preliminary National Rail Plan (PNRP)
Delivered to Congress on October 16, 2009, the PNRP represents a springboard for development of the long-range NRP by illustrating the role that rail plays in meeting the strategic goals established by the Secretary of Transportation. The PNRP is an important first step in an ongoing process. The Preliminary Plan lays the groundwork for developing policies to improve the U.S. transportation system. Its goals are consistent with the goals of the U.S. Department of Transportations: to improve safety, to foster livable communities, to increase the economic competitiveness of the United States, and to promote sustainable transportation. PNRP
National Rail Plan (NRP)
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010, enacted into law on December 16, 2009, established a date of September 15, 2010 for completion and delivery to Congress of the long-range National Rail Plan (NRP). FRA is conducting extensive outreach to include stakeholders in the development process for the NRP. Outreach events include webinars, conference calls, focus groups and meetings around the country. A public docket is also available for comments.
Relevant Links
PRIIA
Freight Railroading
Passenger Rail
Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
"Its goals are consistent with the goals of the U.S. Department of Transportations: to improve safety, to foster livable communities, to increase the economic competitiveness of the United States, and to promote sustainable transportation."
And what republicans voted for this pile of sh**, bet it passed without a roll call.
"Sun Rail" is a HUGE link in this "ball and chain" High-Speed Rail national transportation network for Chinese goods (and government jobs) that will pour through the "new and improved" Panama Canal (that we don't own anymore).
If Gov Rick Scott can get help from the voters and make the FL Legislature stop this, opposition to this scam WILL spread to other states facing this same issue.
The VIDEO linked above (in the body of the thread) spells it out.
[excerpt] "Both of these are bad proposals. We just can't afford them," said Matthew Falconer, an activist who described SunRail as a rip-off. "If Rick Scott kills Sun Rail ... he will go from politician to folk hero."
Scott said little about SunRail on Friday. But as part of an executive order Scott signed Jan. 4 requiring that he approve any contract worth more than $1 million, $238 million in SunRail contracts are currently on hold. One, a $168 million contract to design, build and operate the system, missed a Feb. 10 deadline to maintain its guaranteed maximum price. It has been extended to later this month. Documents provided to the governor by the Department of Transportation on Jan. 13 also say this: "Delaying the execution of this contract will result in risk" that could "jeopardize the federal funding."
Over the years, the House repeatedly passed SunRail, but it died in the Senate, where Republican Paula Dockery killed it year after year by pointing out it cost too much money.
That all changed in December 2009, when Republican leaders said approving SunRail would help the state win billions in bullet train money. Partly based on those assurances, the rail legislation passed. Haridopolos voted for it and worked behind the scenes to ensure its passage.
Two of the other Republicans considering a U.S. Senate bid U.S. Rep. Connie Mack and former state Republican House leader Hasner lauded Scott's decision to reject rail money. Like Haridopolos, Hasner voted for the legislation in 2009. But now, he says, he supports Scott because "the money isn't there."
Everett Wilkinson, head of the South Florida Tea Party, said support of the bullet train is "a deal breaker. ... The tea party will actively target and make people aware of anyone who supports high-speed rail." [end excerpt]
Obama is getting desperate, he has to initiate the big development jobs that MUST involve unionized labor.
The unions across America are afraid that the political climate has indeed changed so far and fast that they are now in the spotlight. Just look at another thread about the SEIU organizing solidarity events all across America.
Its no wonder Obama is pushing for high speed rail, its one of the most heavily unionized sectors of industry in America.
Wasn’t there something involving railroads in “Atlas Shrugged?” Maybe a little more prophetic, but then I read it over 35 years ago, so I may be wrong. Funny though- my “Novel Class” teacher in high school, a PK, had me read it while everyone else in class read “The Fountainhead.” At the time I just figured it was because I was a sophomore in a senior class and maybe it was maybe less risque. I now know better.
Yes...and almost all of the 0bambi industrial/social wrecking is covered.
Seems to me 0bambi's teleprompter has been loaded with all of the "dark side" text from Atlas Shrugged.
“It limits where the citizen can go and they can check papers at both ends.”
You mean, exactly like air travel?
spokeshave: Yes...and almost all of the 0bambi industrial/social wrecking is covered.
Atlas Shrugged creeped me out. I read it during summer 2008 and could see so much of what I was reading in zerO’s campaign speeches.
Prophetic is the word.
Can you give me a link to how I can buy a ticket for a ride on GovernmentAir?
I was only referring to the “checking papers at both ends” part. Even though air travel isn’t technically “government”, the government does have control. Someone probably isn’t going anywhere if he refuses to let an official check papers at departure. If a government agent wanted to check someone’s papers upon arrival, I’m pretty sure a refusal would not be an option. When we traveled with cats last year, we were told we’d have to provided the vet paperwork upon arrival. If they can do it for cats, well...
The Obama administration has stripped NASA’s manned space program (killed lunar return and resource development) and funneled that money into the “new and improved” Green NASA that looks at Earth and studies global climate.
Our NASA centers across the country are laying off thousands of skilled workers.
But not to worry — The president has said the Tampa to Orlando rail line will need workers.
With Florida’s new High-Speed Rail link, Florida will be the Rail Coast not the Space Coast.
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