Paying for a boondoggle
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| Bump at the pump to pay for high-speed rail |
Though California is already facing a $443 billion Wall of Debt, Governor Brown and the state legislature have hijacked $250 million of the cap-and-trade money for the high-speed rail boondoggle.
Of course the unions approve, since even dumb projects create jobs for union members, which is all they care about.
Of course the unions approve, since even dumb projects create jobs for union members, which is all they care about.
Labels: High-Speed Rail
posted by Rob Anderson @ 4:02 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
What are they supposed to care about?
Good question but one I bet they haven't asked themselves. They might consider what's good for the people of the State of California, instead of only jobs for their members, though that of course has to be a major consideration for labor unions.
But good public policy should get some consideration, not to mention some respect for the state's taxpayers, who have to pay the bill.
Most of all, the project has to be judged on its own merits. Brown has never shown that he has any serious understanding of the project itself.
I know this sort of thing is probably not part of their job description, but maybe---just a notion, you understand--- organizations representing many of the working people of California could inform itself and in the process help the Governor while they're at it.
Unfortunately we live in a country where entities pursue their goals doggedly, because by definition that's what they do. Lawyers doggedly try to get off their guilty clients, unions try to get their members jobs at all costs, and businesses prioritize profit over all, even when they say they are doing good for the community - it's only because their bottom line is affected. The problem lies truly with the decision makers - the juries, the judges, the elected officials who see the biased presentations from those lawyers, those unions, those companies, and fail to see them as biased. And often time we allow those entities to appeal to the decision maker's poor moral character through illegal bribes or legal lobbying or campaign donations. Since we're not about to find a race of superhuman judges of impeccable moral character, the fix is
1 - make lobbying illegal
2 - disallow campaign contributions of any kind, at least from corporate "persons"
3 - make the punishment for accepting bribes equivalent to treason
Since the present iteration of this project is not what people voted for in 2008, the state should put it back on the ballot for voters to have another go at it.
Oh great idea Rob
If there was any massive statewide public works project, it should be to expand and repair the water infrastructure, especially to Central California.
We're running out of water but building "high speed" trains that now will travel no faster than driving because of "blended" rail tracks and frequent stops along the Central Valley route. Future HSR patrons can look out train windows at wasted dry land that used to be America's agricultural bread, fruit and vegetable basket.
"If there was any massive statewide public works project, it should be to expand and repair the water infrastructure, especially to Central California.
We're running out of water but building "high speed" trains that now will travel no faster than driving because of "blended" rail tracks and frequent stops along the Central Valley route. Future HSR patrons can look out train windows at wasted dry land that used to be America's agricultural bread, fruit and vegetable basket."
did you know that driving a car actually contributes to the drought? when people take the train instead of a car they are helpful the contribute to improving our water situation.
"If there was any massive statewide public works project, it should be to expand and repair the water infrastructure, especially to Central California.
We're running out of water but building "high speed" trains that now will travel no faster than driving because of "blended" rail tracks and frequent stops along the Central Valley route. Future HSR patrons can look out train windows at wasted dry land that used to be America's agricultural bread, fruit and vegetable basket."
You shouldn't be able to vote.
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