Author Topic: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train  (Read 5069 times)

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Offline richb

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California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« on: February 12, 2019, 03:38:15 PM »
In a rare moment of sanity,  Gov. Gavin Newsom put a bullet in the idiotic high speed train. 

Figured California was going to build this stupid train come hell or high water.   

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/california-to-pull-plug-on-billion-dollar-bullet-train-cites-ballooning-costs


One section will be completed though,  since they don't want to return federal dollars.   So it will continue to suck tax money.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2019, 04:03:34 PM by richb »

Offline John Florida

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2019, 05:55:06 PM »
  I bet nobody goes to prison for theft.
All men are created equal"
 Filippo Mazzie

Offline richb

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2019, 08:41:35 PM »
  I bet nobody goes to prison for theft.

That you can be guaranteed of.


Sounds like he pulled the plug,  not because it was stupid and costly but because it interferes with getting his pet plan done.  The single payer "health" system he wants to set up in California.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2019, 08:47:38 PM by richb »

Offline Syzygy

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2019, 09:13:17 PM »
I think whomever gave the reasons (in the video at link) for pulling the plug is being a bit disingenuous.  One reason given:  problems with land acquisition.  When has any government--state,  local,  or federa--had any problems acquiring land via eminent domain?

I read several years ago that the problem is with environmentalists' challenges to using the land for this specific purpose.  Plus,  the permitting process was being dragged out and unnecessarily cumbersome,  which would account for a lot of the cost overruns,  I'd think. 

Land acquisition?  I ain't buyin' it.  Environmental whackos jamming up the works?  Sounds more like California to me.  Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of nitwits.  Hoisted on their own petard.

Online Pandora

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2019, 01:49:17 AM »
Long time, no see, syz.   :D
"Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer." - Mark Twain

"Let us assume for the moment everything you say about me is true. That just makes your problem bigger, doesn't it?"

Offline Libertas

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2019, 07:47:34 AM »
I think you two nailed it...either way if CA wants to hemorrhage with trains or single-payer heath nightmare...they'll do it...

The extra-super-sucky part is anytime a TBTF company or government goes tits-up the too-stupid-to-live Establishmentarians in DC always bail that garbage out instead of letting it die!!!
We are now where The Founders were when they faced despotism.

Offline Syzygy

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2019, 09:57:10 AM »
Long time, no see, syz.   :D

Oh,  I'm still around,  just more lurking than posting,  I guess.  Thanks for noticing.  "'Tis Sweet to be Remembered". 

Banned any anti-American Uruguayans lately,  Pan?   ::hysterical::

Online Pandora

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2019, 11:39:41 AM »
Long time, no see, syz.   :D

Oh,  I'm still around,  just more lurking than posting,  I guess.  Thanks for noticing.  "'Tis Sweet to be Remembered". 

Banned any anti-American Uruguayans lately,  Pan?   ::hysterical::

Just the one.  I don't like banning people, but, heavy is the arm that carries the ban-hammer.  To paraphrase.   ::evilbat::
"Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer." - Mark Twain

"Let us assume for the moment everything you say about me is true. That just makes your problem bigger, doesn't it?"

Offline Libertas

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2019, 12:04:55 PM »
This is how I envision Pan...



...somebody we all are glad is on our side!

 ::thumbsup::
We are now where The Founders were when they faced despotism.

Offline John Florida

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2019, 12:12:21 PM »
This is how I envision Pan...



...somebody we all are glad is on our side!

 ::thumbsup::



  Bigger sword less flowing robes.
All men are created equal"
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Online WilliamVA

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2019, 03:12:09 PM »
I think whomever gave the reasons (in the video at link) for pulling the plug is being a bit disingenuous.  One reason given:  problems with land acquisition.  When has any government--state,  local,  or federa--had any problems acquiring land via eminent domain?

I read several years ago that the problem is with environmentalists' challenges to using the land for this specific purpose.  Plus,  the permitting process was being dragged out and unnecessarily cumbersome,  which would account for a lot of the cost overruns,  I'd think. 

Land acquisition?  I ain't buyin' it.  Environmental whackos jamming up the works?  Sounds more like California to me.  Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of nitwits.  Hoisted on their own petard.

There's a pretty good writeup in the Daily Caller today, 2/14/19. 
https://dailycaller.com/2019/02/14/california-high-speed-train-energy/

The part I found interesting was funding for the Central Valley Leg of the rail system.  The Stimulus Program provided 3.5 Billion Dollars,
(sound familiar) to the program conditional on the Central Valley Leg being finished by 2017.  Supposedly extensions were allowed, but
it's been too long.  Guess the Fed will have to take the 3.5 billion back and use it elsewhere (do I hear Wall being whispered in the hallways).

Online WilliamVA

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2019, 03:15:21 PM »
Long time, no see, syz.   :D

Oh,  I'm still around,  just more lurking than posting,  I guess.  Thanks for noticing.  "'Tis Sweet to be Remembered". 

Banned any anti-American Uruguayans lately,  Pan?   ::hysterical::

Just the one.  I don't like banning people, but, heavy is the arm that carries the ban-hammer.  To paraphrase.   ::evilbat::
::falldownshocked::  giggle

Offline Syzygy

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2019, 10:20:00 PM »
I think whomever gave the reasons (in the video at link) for pulling the plug is being a bit disingenuous.  One reason given:  problems with land acquisition.  When has any government--state,  local,  or federa--had any problems acquiring land via eminent domain?

I read several years ago that the problem is with environmentalists' challenges to using the land for this specific purpose.  Plus,  the permitting process was being dragged out and unnecessarily cumbersome,  which would account for a lot of the cost overruns,  I'd think. 

Land acquisition?  I ain't buyin' it.  Environmental whackos jamming up the works?  Sounds more like California to me.  Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of nitwits.  Hoisted on their own petard.

There's a pretty good writeup in the Daily Caller today, 2/14/19. 
https://dailycaller.com/2019/02/14/california-high-speed-train-energy/

The part I found interesting was funding for the Central Valley Leg of the rail system.  The Stimulus Program provided 3.5 Billion Dollars,
(sound familiar) to the program conditional on the Central Valley Leg being finished by 2017.  Supposedly extensions were allowed, but
it's been too long.  Guess the Fed will have to take the 3.5 billion back and use it elsewhere (do I hear Wall being whispered in the hallways).



A whole lot of both,  apparently--land acquisition and enviro compliance:

(From the linked DC story)


Quote
4. Bureaucracy And Environmentalism

Of course, all that infrastructure means going through layers of federal, state and local permitting that often creates delays.

The Washington Post’s Megan McArdle recently noted, “[w]hat Europe does not have, generally speaking, is the ability to tie up the government for a few decades in eminent domain appeals, environmental reviews and so forth.”

For example, National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, reviews of a major project’s environmental impacts can take years and cost millions of dollars. All that money goes toward consultants and lawyers needed to navigate the process.

All along the way, project developers can be tied up in the courts with lawsuits. Environmentalists often find ways to stop projects through technicalities in the NEPA process.

“[T]he U.S. legal system offers citizens an unparalleled number of veto points at which they can attempt to block government projects,” McArdle wrote. “Any infrastructure project bigger than painting a schoolhouse thus has to either fight out the reviews and court cases for years, or buy off the opponents, or more likely, both.”

A 2011 lawsuit complicated California’s attempts to acquire land for the high-speed rail line. A state court ruled against the rail line, and even though the ruling was eventually overturned, it delayed the project.
copyright: Daily Caller
fair use claimed--educational

THAT'S more like it.  THAT,  I can buy.

To even commence a project of that enormity in California without factoring in the added costs and time overruns their garden variety enviro-whackos there would cause,   is sheer stupidity or willful ignorance.  I'm thinking the latter.  Easy to ignore all that if that's what it takes to get the fed bucks.

All money now wasted would have done just as much good if they'd thrown it up a wild hog's ass and hollered "souie."

Offline Libertas

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Re: California to pull plug on 100 billion-dollar bullet train
« Reply #13 on: February 15, 2019, 06:48:27 AM »
It super easy for a proglodyte neerdowell of any tribe to do mischief in the People's Effed Up Paradise of Mexifornia...they have been leading the nation in states with the most batshyt effing insane regulations and laws for several years, decades running.

All money now wasted would have done just as much good if they'd thrown it up a wild hog's ass and hollered "souie." - Syzygy

Dude, that perfectly describes Hussein Obama's trillions in various Porkulus fraud schemes that did nothing but enrich benefactors with taxpayer money that trickled back into Demofascist campaign coffers!!!

PS-This should be a noose around Gagging Gavin's political ambitions, yes?  I mean sure in Progville effing the Feds and nations taxpayers over is probably a valued accomplishment in the minds of the demented...but if he doesn't pay back the $3.5B (as I expect him not to) then outside of the demented he should be damaged goods it would be foolish for anybody to ever trust with more power...though we've seen that chucked to the wind too...

Maybe the Rubicon is long crossed and none of this matters in the old terms any longer.  Yeah, probably is that!
« Last Edit: February 15, 2019, 07:11:57 AM by Libertas »
We are now where The Founders were when they faced despotism.