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Opening Arguments

Take this rail and shove it

Fantasy:

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says 80 percent of the country would be served by high-speed rail service once a national network of lines is complete.

[. . .]

He compares high-speed rail today to where the interstate highway system was 50 years ago. After half a century, the dream of a national network of interstate highways has become a reality.

Reality:

Gov. Rick Scott told U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood this morning that Florida did not want the $2.4 billion in federal stimulus money set aside for a high-speed train between Orlando and Tampa.

Comments

Tim Zank
Fri, 02/25/2011 - 11:57am

Ray Lahood is, without a doubt, one of THE most incompetent public servants ever elevated to a Cabinet position. His participation in blatantly trying to destroy Toyota while helping to shovel billions to Government Motors and Fiat (Chrysler) was bad enough, now we observe his blinded ideology or stupidity (you make the call) pushing high speed rail as the be all and end all to America's financial woes.

Partisan hack or moron or both? Tough call.

Harl Delos
Fri, 02/25/2011 - 4:12pm

It's not the be-all and end-all to the country's financial woes, but between consumption of OPEC fuel and terrorism, we can't afford to keep subsidizing air travel.

If air travel is charged full freight, the only people who would fly would be terrorists.

Dave
Sat, 02/26/2011 - 7:53pm

I live in Florida and Gov. Scott ( we call him Lex Luthor ) bagged the Federal money stating the risks were too high. Even though their were private investors available ready to pony up money letting the state off the hook for overruns etc.

Turns out Ricky didn't evaluate all the data that was available. I believe he trusts nobody, Republican or Democrat, in the state of Florida.

Rick Scott defrauded the government for billions so he knows a bad deal when he sees one. Evidently he spotted the fraud in this deal.

Tim Zank
Mon, 02/28/2011 - 10:46am

Well Dave, regardless HOW he knew, I'm just glad he's not going to actively help sink gazillions of taxpayer $$$ into another loser program.

Here's an interesting take on rail:

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/02/27/high-speed-to-insolvency.html

Bob G.
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 11:30am

Tim:
Cripes, AMTRAK can't even manage LOW-speed rail...(without a LOT of red ink fueling their engines)
I'm just sayin'...

;)

Tim Zank
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 12:52pm

Bob, I'm looking for next years big announcement from the administration to be a multi-billion dollar subsidy to stimulate development of the horse & buggy.

Bob G.
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 11:02am

Tim:
As long as it's SOLAR-POWERED...!

;)

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