Court rulings gives big boost to high-speed rail

This HSR project has always been driven by politics. (So, what else is new?) The Democrats support it, the Republicans oppose it. (In this case, some of us opposers have crossed party-lines.) What does that mean?

State justice systems typically reflect party lines as well. Said another way, in a blue state, the courts are "blue." In a red state, the justice system is "red" -- as we have seen repeatedly in the southern states. Judge Kenny will not and cannot stop this project unless there is some so egregious and unambiguous evidence against the rail authority that public opinion in California will rise up en masse against this project that even Jerry Brown would have to back down from his relentless support for it.

So? So it means that this HSR project will, during the entirety of Brown's tenure, stay afloat, improvising, kludging, and inventing business plans as it goes along, spending what the CHSRA can get their hands on, certainly unethically (including not telling the truth), perhaps illegally, but enjoying the judicial immunity of pursuing this boondoggle with impunity.

Stopping HSR will take a 'jooge' portion of the state population taking to the streets with torches and pitchforks, if you see what I mean. Is that likely to happen? I don't think so.

"In a judgement issued March 4, Judge Michael P. Kenny concurred that the California High Speed Rail Authority does not have sufficient evidence at this time to show that it can comply with all of the requirements of the 2008."

So the HSR Authority can't prove that the new plan complies with the requirements of the initiative and the judge says that's okay? Seriously?

Only in California...

HSR is a surreal waste of precious resources. The plan doesn't resemble what was sold to voters. The number of citizens that will benefit from it IF (huge IF) it ever got completed in relation to the total state population is skewed as related to the expense. They have no idea how they will pay for it, the citizens now don't want it and yet they are going to plow forward anyway out of pure arrogance and a payoff to the political allies who backed it. I find the HSR situation to be representative of why we are seeing people across the country voting for Trump and Sanders against their otherwise better judgment. They are in rebellion against a government that is beholden to special interests and doesn't listen to the people.

Build it. Quit stalling.

"Build it. Quit stalling."

Yes, please build the train to nowhere. GREAT idea. @@

The fiscally responsible California party could stop it if enough California voters realized that the HSR is nothing but a payoff between Democratic Legislators and Union Interests. Meanwhile California Public schools (K-12) are now ranked 47th in the United States.

So tens of thousands of people will have their property rights vacated through this egregious misuse of eminent domain. When will the voters wise up?

I continue to enjoy posting this...

Boondoggle -

noun: work or activity that is wasteful or pointless but gives the appearance of having value.

verb: waste money or time on unnecessary or questionable projects.


I can't wait to see the final price tag. I will be so over budget.....

IF, and that's a big IF, it ever gets completed it will be well north of 100 billion.

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