Comments on: $10B in Stimulus for High Speed Rail: How Did it Get There and Is it Enough? http://ecopolitology.org/2009/03/06/10b-in-stimulus-for-high-speed-rail-how-did-it-get-there-and-is-it-enough/ The Politics of Energy and the Environment Thu, 24 May 2012 10:41:38 +0000 hourly 1 By: “They’ve thrown the kitchen sink at the him and he’s still above 50%” « The only adult in the room http://ecopolitology.org/2009/03/06/10b-in-stimulus-for-high-speed-rail-how-did-it-get-there-and-is-it-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-6223 “They’ve thrown the kitchen sink at the him and he’s still above 50%” « The only adult in the room Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:54:17 +0000 http://ecopolitology.org/?p=384#comment-6223 [...] around the world, the Obama administration has dedicated over $10 billion clean, efficient high-speed rail projects around the country. While this has been a topic of controversy lately due to Tea Party leaders’ illogical train [...] [...] around the world, the Obama administration has dedicated over $10 billion clean, efficient high-speed rail projects around the country. While this has been a topic of controversy lately due to Tea Party leaders’ illogical train [...]

]]> By: 7 Big Green Moves by the Obama Administration | Official Website of Midwest High-Speed Rail http://ecopolitology.org/2009/03/06/10b-in-stimulus-for-high-speed-rail-how-did-it-get-there-and-is-it-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-6172 7 Big Green Moves by the Obama Administration | Official Website of Midwest High-Speed Rail Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:07:12 +0000 http://ecopolitology.org/?p=384#comment-6172 [...] around the world, the Obama administration has dedicated over $10 billion clean, efficient high-speed rail projects around the country. While this has been a topic of controversy lately due to Tea Party leaders’ illogical train [...] [...] around the world, the Obama administration has dedicated over $10 billion clean, efficient high-speed rail projects around the country. While this has been a topic of controversy lately due to Tea Party leaders’ illogical train [...]

]]> By: China’s 2009 Green Stimulus Almost Double the U.S.’ [Graphic] | Earth & Industry http://ecopolitology.org/2009/03/06/10b-in-stimulus-for-high-speed-rail-how-did-it-get-there-and-is-it-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-2817 China’s 2009 Green Stimulus Almost Double the U.S.’ [Graphic] | Earth & Industry Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:33:03 +0000 http://ecopolitology.org/?p=384#comment-2817 [...] stimulus spent in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on “green” projects like high speed rail, energy efficiency, renewable energy and the smart grid is undoubtedly a hefty sum of money, yet it [...] [...] stimulus spent in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on “green” projects like high speed rail, energy efficiency, renewable energy and the smart grid is undoubtedly a hefty sum of money, yet it [...]

]]> By: Martin Engel http://ecopolitology.org/2009/03/06/10b-in-stimulus-for-high-speed-rail-how-did-it-get-there-and-is-it-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-226 Martin Engel Sat, 07 Mar 2009 19:17:43 +0000 http://ecopolitology.org/?p=384#comment-226 It's not that this is a bad idea. It isn't. But, it is that there are many far higher priorities that are receiving insufficient attention and support in the domain of transportation and transit. High-speed trains are the icing on the cake of well-developed rail systems in Europe and Japan, which we envy. You don't start a cake with the icing, as we are in California; that's nonsense. Furthermore, and this is my central point, we suffer a severe lack of urban and regional mass transit; hence the crazy traffic problems in every major population center. High-speed trains won't touch that problem. People need to get to and from work. To get them out of cars, we need convenient, comprehensive, multi-modal urban and regional transit systems. That's the first priority for transportation dollars, not a luxury train for the well-to-do. It’s not that this is a bad idea. It isn’t. But, it is that there are many far higher priorities that are receiving insufficient attention and support in the domain of transportation and transit. High-speed trains are the icing on the cake of well-developed rail systems in Europe and Japan, which we envy. You don’t start a cake with the icing, as we are in California; that’s nonsense.
Furthermore, and this is my central point, we suffer a severe lack of urban and regional mass transit; hence the crazy traffic problems in every major population center. High-speed trains won’t touch that problem. People need to get to and from work.
To get them out of cars, we need convenient, comprehensive, multi-modal urban and regional transit systems. That’s the first priority for transportation dollars, not a luxury train for the well-to-do.

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