Poll: 67% of Floridians support state or federal funding for High Speed Rail

[FayeforCure]

I keep reading, "Take the red pill." - Let's put out the RFP what harm can come from it. Or "Take the blue pill." - If this happens it will be a travesty.

Why hasn't anyone in this country already eaten both the pills and seen where the rabbit hole leads.  This is America - home of the capitalist.  If this was going to be such a goldmine, then why isn't it here already.  This system has been popular in Europe since the mid 60's early 70's?  China in the 90's?  For whatever reason it hasn't grabbed hold here.  Why?

I hate to inform you that both Europe and China are capitalist societies too.

But what they all seem to do better, is work on producing goods for the common good like infrastructure. And those foreign companies that want to bid on the Florida HSR, are for profit "capitalistic" companies, NOT government owned as in a communistic society.

Face it, there are things that other capitalistic nations do much better than the US!!

The problem is that the US is too fragmented in it's approach to planning, so NOTHING gets done ie ONE man stops 30 years of planning using proven LIES to justify his irrational decision out of pure hatred for the Obama administration!!!!

[tufsu1]

I would assume they will be look at this thoroughly (and probably skeptically).

And my assumption is that they probably already have looked at it skeptically and thouroughly and is the reason that they aren't willing to assume the risk.  What's a 300M investment if your looking at 2.4B in guaranteed returns.

Capital costs of infrastructure are hard to recoup....I mean, how many airlines build airports?

That said, the consortiums have so far expressed belief that they can design, build, operate, maintain, and partially finance the train....the 30 year operational costs and risks would be on them.

[FayeforCure]

Well it's over, King Scott won his pathetic game:

No high-speed rail for Florida; Court rules for Scott, feds move to give money to someone else
By Janet Zink and Alex Leary, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Posted: Mar 04, 2011 10:09 AM



TALLAHASSEE â€" The decades-old dream of high-speed rail in Florida died Friday when the state Supreme Court turned down a last-minute lawsuit to save the project and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced he would send Florida's $2.4 billion to other states.

"I know that states across America are enthusiastic about receiving additional support to help bring America's high-speed rail network to life and deliver all its economic benefits to their citizens," LaHood said shortly after he talked by phone to Gov. Rick Scott, who rejected the money for the third and final time.

A number of other states, including California and New York, have been lobbying for a share of Florida's money ever since Scott first rejected it last month.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/no-high-speed-rail-for-florida-court-rules-for-scott-feds-move-to-give/1155233

Too bad the legislature hadn't appropriated the entire $2.4 billion during the Crist governorship.

Just want to add a big Thank You to all the mis-informed and under-informed teabaggers who are working to destroy America!

[thelakelander]

Wow, feds to move money to other state's HSR projects?  I thought we could have these funds reallocated to help expand our highways and for port upgrades?

[FayeforCure]

Wow, feds to move money to other state's HSR projects?  I thought we could have these funds reallocated to help expand our highways and for port upgrades?

Yep, that's so typical of teabggers. They think they know it all............even to the point of calling HSR, monorail!!

For a complete view on HSR and other paranoia of teabaggers ( You decide how well-informed this teabagger is):

Listen to Geoff Ross, President of the Emerald Coast Tea Party Patriots:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjGGiHhRZ_4

[tufsu1]

Wow, feds to move money to other state's HSR projects?  I thought we could have these funds reallocated to help expand our highways and for port upgrades?

like the Port of Miami?

[FayeforCure]

Wow, feds to move money to other state's HSR projects?  I thought we could have these funds reallocated to help expand our highways and for port upgrades?

like the Port of Miami?

You must be kidding........that $77 million for the Miami port weren't federal HSR funds.

[BridgeTroll]

Well it's over, King Scott won his pathetic game:

No high-speed rail for Florida; Court rules for Scott, feds move to give money to someone else
By Janet Zink and Alex Leary, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Posted: Mar 04, 2011 10:09 AM



TALLAHASSEE â€" The decades-old dream of high-speed rail in Florida died Friday when the state Supreme Court turned down a last-minute lawsuit to save the project and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced he would send Florida's $2.4 billion to other states.

"I know that states across America are enthusiastic about receiving additional support to help bring America's high-speed rail network to life and deliver all its economic benefits to their citizens," LaHood said shortly after he talked by phone to Gov. Rick Scott, who rejected the money for the third and final time.

A number of other states, including California and New York, have been lobbying for a share of Florida's money ever since Scott first rejected it last month.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/no-high-speed-rail-for-florida-court-rules-for-scott-feds-move-to-give/1155233

Too bad the legislature hadn't appropriated the entire $2.4 billion during the Crist governorship.

Just want to add a big Thank You to all the mis-informed and under-informed teabaggers who are working to destroy America!

My guess is they are thanking you and yours Faye... for staying home and not voting.  In fact... I know more than a few republicans who are just SOOOooooo happy with the dems... fo not showing up.

You have NO ONE to blame but yourselves.

[JeffreyS]

I wish my fellow progressives had the passion of the Tea Party. As wrong as they seem to be on so many issues passionate now engaged people will do this country good.  I feel like so many Democrats and Republicans are under informed because they picked a side and do not pay attention anymore.  If the members of the Tea Party stay engaged they will weed out the nuts and become more sophisticated voters. I know my rant is condescending to them but hey I see potential.

[FayeforCure]

BT, yeah I'm sure Republicans are soooooo proud of the nutty Teabaggers. BT, why don't you comment on them not knowing the difference between Florida's planned HSR and a monorail.

Have you even seen what this nutso President of the Emerald Coast Patriots spews:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjGGiHhRZ_4

Oh, well I guess in a country where ignorance is considered a virtue ( it's so much easier to mislead the ignorant), there is no point in pointing out the insanity of the teabaggers.

[BridgeTroll]

BT, yeah I'm sure Republicans are soooooo proud of the nutty Teabaggers.

Faye... as always... your anger and disgust are totally misplaced.  Scott needed a few things to happen to be elected.  Tea party support was automatic, republican support, and democrats to stay home.

Due to his past, his clearly stated policies and intentions... a very good number of republicans did not vote for Scott.  The REAL factor in his election as Governer for the next FOUR YEARS is... Democrat voter apathy.  DEMOCRATS are the reason you will not have HSR, DEMOCRATS will be the reason for the things you will soon be railing against.

Blame Rick Scott all you want for these policies... but (man up) and put the blame for his being in office squarely where it belongs.

[NotNow]

There seems to be a lot of name calling and hatred in this thread.  I don't claim to be an expert in rail or public transportation, but I have heard what appear to me to be valid arguments for both sides.  The discussion about the actual validity of the Governor's decision is lost in the vitriol here though.

[middleman]

NotNow, would you like to enlighten us as to the "actual validity of the Governor's decision"?

[JeffreyS]

I have heard valid reasons for both sides as well. I do not believe as the Governor claims Florida is on the hook down the road.

[Ocklawaha]

Not many people travel from Orlando to Tampa on a regular basis.  However, a ton travel the corridor for shorter trips (ex. Tampa to Lakeland, Lakeland to Disney or a Disney or I-Drive to Orlando's airport).  

currently, about 10 million people travel I-4 each year....and that doesn't include the part in Orlando north of Disney!

Come on TU, even YOU know that the HIGH SPEED TRAIN won't take a single car off of I-4's eastern end. A few to Disney from the Airport maybe, and your typical Joe Plumber and family hanging at I-Drive and needing another thrill fix, THAT IS YOUR REAL PASSENGER BASE. For that amount of money we could have hourly or half hourly Amtrak Trains, running on every mainline in the state throughout the day, from Miami to Pensacola via 2-3 routes, and from Tampa to Jacksonville via 2 different routes just on our 1,548 miles of the Florida Strategic Rail System alone.

People in Tallahassee have perhaps asked the question what is more likely to gain a passenger, a FREEway with nearly on-demand resort bus availability and 46,876+ miles of connectivity or a train that runs 85 miles on a very remote piece of highway (even that sounds ludicrous) with hourly availability? Conversely what would a REAL train running every 45 minutes from DOWNTOWN Orlando, to DOWNTOWN, Kissimmee-Poinciana-Haines City-Lake Alfred-Auburndale-Lakeland-Plant City-Tampa-Clearwater-St. Pete AND north to DOWNTOWN Winter Park-Sanford-Deland-Crescent City-Palatka-Green Cove Springs-Orange Park-JACKSONVILLE do for I-4, OH and I-95, and US-17, and US-92, and...

...and that doesn't include the part in Orlando north of Disney!

If your talking HSR, NO PART of it serves this market, it doesn't even reach Orlando proper.

OCKLAWAHA