Cal Robs America for Rail Loot

John Seiler:

I hope that the rest of America is happy that even more of its tax money will be robbed to pay for California’s High-Speed-Train-To-Nowhere-Boondoggle. Reports McClatchy:

WASHINGTON — California’s high-speed rail plan will receive up to $624 million in additional federal funds, Transportation Department officials announced Thursday.

The new funding adds to the $715 million in federal funds previously awarded to California. It arrives courtesy of Ohio and Wisconsin, two states where recently elected Republican governors decided not to accept their own allotment of high-speed rail dollars.

“I am pleased that so many other states are enthusiastic about the additional support they are receiving to help bring America’s high-speed rail network to life,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood declared in a written statement.

LaHood’s redistribution of an additional $1.195 billion in high-speed rail funding provoked cheers among lawmakers who had been lobbying for a bigger slice, but regret among some Midwesterners who saw their own money slip away.

California is one of 12 states that will receive a piece of the redirected funds. Florida, the next biggest beneficiary will get $300 million.

California’s two Democratic senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, had both urged LaHood last month to provide additional funding once it became clear Ohio and Wisconsin would forgo their potential share.

“No other state is as ready, as able, or as determined to develop a high-speed rail system in the near future,” Feinstein stated.

Boxer added that the new funding is “great news for California, which has made a strong commitment to high-speed rail and the jobs it creates.”

Of course, the federal taxpayers’ loot is but a fraction of the $90 billion cost — at least — of this demented choo-choo. Ohio and Wisconsin are smart in turning down the dough, because state taxpayers also have to kick in billions, and then pay billions more for maintenance and operation.

Yet, Gov. Arnold, DiFi, Babs Boxer, Debt Maestro Bill Lockyer, and Legislative leaders back the Train to Nowhere.

Meanwhile, in the Real World, the U.S. government just ran up a $150 billion deficit in November, the highest ever. That works out to $1.8 trillion for a year, meaning the deficit now is around 40% of federal spending.

And California’s budget deficit now has jumped even higther, to $28 billion.

Yet all along we have had high-speed trains that take you from L.A. to Sacramento or S.F. in about an hour. They even have wings. They’re called airplanes.

Dec. 10, 2010