By Chris Reed

When word came out Thursday night that a new PPIC poll showed the public was against the bullet train fiasco, I wasn’t surprised. But only 54 percent? Wow. Here’s John Myers’ account:

“The survey from the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California finds virtually no change from last year in the public’s wariness of high speed rail and an $11.1 billion bond for water reliability projects. ….

“In the case of high speed rail, that’s especially noteworthy given the long-term cost of the project, now pegged at some $68 billion, was cut by almost a third last year.

“The new PPIC poll finds 54 percent of likely voters now oppose the bullet train project that’s being championed by Gov. Jerry Brown.  Last March, when the estimated cost was closer to $98 billion, 53 percent of likely voters were opposed.”

But even if the price tag was cut, how can this be rejected by only a little more than half of Californians?

It’s built on lies about ridership and cost and private investment. Its most ardent champion is now prepared to testify against it because he says it’s not really even a bullet train any more. It is an assault on federal taxpayers as well as state taxpayers.

Hearing that only 54 percent of Californians are against it is sort of like hearing in October 2001 that 54 percent of Americans were happy with our intelligence agencies.