• U.S. Unveils $53 Billion High-Speed Rail Plan
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[img]http://i.huffpost.com/gen/245658/thumbs/r-US-HIGH-SPEED-RAIL-PLAN-large570.jpg[/img] [url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/08/us-high-speed-rail-plan_n_820234.html[/url] [quote]WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is calling for a six-year, $53 billion spending plan for high-speed rail, as he seeks to use infrastructure spending to jump-start job creation. An initial $8 billion in spending will be part of the budget plan Obama is set to release Monday. If Congress approves the plan, the money would go toward developing or improving trains that travel up to 250 mph, and connecting existing rail lines to new projects. The White House wouldn't say where the money for the rest of the program would come from, though it's likely Obama would seek funding in future budgets or transportation bills. Obama's push for high-speed rail spending is part of his broad goal of creating jobs in the short-term and increasing American competitiveness for the future through new funding for infrastructure, education and innovation. During last month's State of the Union address, Obama said he wanted to give 80 percent of Americans access to high-speed rail within 25 years. At the same time he's calling for new spending on sectors like high-speed rail in the upcoming budget, Obama also has pledged to cut overall spending as he seeks to bring down the nation's mounting deficit. The White House has said environmental programs for the Great Lakes, and block grants for community service and community development are among the programs that will face cuts. But it's unlikely the cuts Obama proposes in the budget will be enough to appease the GOP. Republicans now controlling the House have promised to slash domestic agencies' budgets by nearly 20 percent for the coming year. The White House has said cuts must be cautious, arguing that drastic reductions in spending could cause the still-fragile economic recovery to stall. Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday the administration wouldn't compromise when it comes to spending on the infrastructure, education and innovation programs Obama is touting. "We cannot compromise. The rest of the world is not compromising," Biden said in Philadelphia at an event announcing the high-speed rail initiative. Obama's call for increased spending on high-speed rail projects is nothing new. He's long seen the sector as an area of opportunity for creating jobs and improving the nation's transportation system. His administration awarded $10 billion in federal grants for high-speed rail projects last year, including $2.3 billion for California to begin work on an 800-mile-long, high-speed rail line tying Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay area to Los Angeles and San Diego; and $1.25 billion to Florida to build a rail line connecting Tampa on the West Coast with Orlando in the middle of the state, eventually going south to Miami. Obama also laid out a plan last summer to invest $50 billion in high-speed rail, as well as highways, bridges, transit and airports, adding it to the first year of a six-year transportation bill. Congress didn't act on the proposal before adjourning last year, but Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said he's confident lawmakers will take up the measure again and deliver a bill to Obama by August.[/quote] im glad, i go to and from school on the current railroads and it sucks.
Oh I forgot we had a spare $53 billion dollars laying around to use for a rail system after we scored big time in our war efforts and amazing economy.
[QUOTE=Rysoke24;27948903]Oh I forgot we had a spare $53 billion dollars laying around to use for a rail system after we scored big time in our war efforts and amazing economy.[/QUOTE] High-speed rail is a good thing. It allows for massive commuter towns. Also, it's over six years. So it's a spare 10 billion, which isn't much considering the benefits.
[quote]to jump-start job creation.[/quote]Yeah, and if it goes the way of California [URL="http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-04/california-and-china-team-high-speed-rail-project"][url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/08/business/global/08rail.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all]the entire project will be outsourced[/url]. [/URL]
I think this will increase the amount of deaths in railroad accidents.
[QUOTE=Contag;27948919]High-speed rail is a good thing. It allows for massive commuter towns. Also, it's over six years. So it's a spare 10 billion, which isn't much considering the benefits.[/QUOTE] Yeah, I'm sure tourists would love it, and the new jobs would boost some economic problems.
[QUOTE=Rysoke24;27948946]Yeah, I'm sure tourists would love it, and the new jobs would boost some economic problems.[/QUOTE] I mean, I understand some problems with it, but it's better than giving banks billions because they were extremely greedy.
Calling republicans rejecting it.
If they're doing an entirely new infrastructure for the trains why not just go MagLev? The main downside to MagLev is having to redo the existing infrastructure.
"What do you mean infrastructure, why isn't this going to the war effort?" - Republicans I'm calling it now.
[QUOTE=Rysoke24;27948903]Oh I forgot we had a spare $53 billion dollars laying around to use for a rail system after we scored big time in our war efforts and amazing economy.[/QUOTE] Hey it's better than diverting funding from abortion clinics.
[url]http://futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2020-2029.htm#hsr[/url]
What the fuck? Doesn't the US have like trillions of dollars of debt needed to be returned? Is the US and th e rest of the world not in a terrible economy? Sounds pretty cool though.
thing is though this kind of transportation would create jobs and (hopefully) improve the economy by allowing better transportation between cities aka your average joe won't be so limited by a job being far away and will spend money not spent on gas towards other things.
Is there a chance the track could bend?
[QUOTE=Amplar;27949247]thing is though this kind of transportation would create jobs and (hopefully) improve the economy by allowing better transportation between cities aka your average joe won't be so limited by a job being far away and will spend money not spent on gas towards other things.[/QUOTE] i would be behind this if the government wasnt in as much debt as they are we really need to cut spending by a lot and start actually paying back our debts
this is true. this rail plan is best set for 10 years from now or so
[QUOTE=yawmwen;27949257]i would be behind this if the government wasnt in as much debt as they are we really need to cut spending by a lot and start actually paying back our debts[/QUOTE] You can't fix a country by spending nothing. That sends it back into debt, and quickly. What you do *NOT* do, is outsource the nation building projects.
I think the idea is a good one, we'll see how it turns out though.
[QUOTE=Rysoke24;27948903]Oh I forgot we had a spare $53 billion dollars laying around to use for a rail system after we scored big time in our war efforts and amazing economy.[/QUOTE] The economy wont grow unless if the government spends money. Keynesian economics, bitch.
[QUOTE=Miskatonic;27949334]The economy wont grow unless if the government spends money. Keynesian economics, bitch.[/QUOTE] It worked for the great depression and turned the US into a superpower.
[QUOTE=Contag;27949303]You can't fix a country by spending nothing. That sends it back into debt, and quickly. What you do *NOT* do, is outsource the nation building projects.[/QUOTE] uh do you know how economics work spending money doesnt magically get us out of debt, spending money puts us in more debt [editline]9th February 2011[/editline] when we are running on a deficit that is which we are
53 billion for that small model train? wow
A bullet train? Outside of Japan? That would be kind of cool and cheaper than flying all over the place. They should run a line that runs from LA to Vancouver. Then they got the whole pacific coast covered.
[QUOTE=RedStar;27949250]Is there a chance the track could bend?[/QUOTE] [img]http://www.lardlad.com/assets/episodes/season4/9f10-big.jpg[/img] not on your life, my hindu friend!
What about us brain dead slobs?
[img]http://www.lardlad.com/assets/episodes/season4/9f10-big.jpg[/img] you'll be given cushy jobs!
I really wouldn't mind one of these going up the west coast.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;27949347]uh do you know how economics work spending money doesnt magically get us out of debt, spending money puts us in more debt [editline]9th February 2011[/editline] when we are running on a deficit that is which we are[/QUOTE] Keynes, read more. And the debt of the United States isn't that bad. It seems like a fair amount, but that's because the GDP of the US is fucking insanely huge.
[QUOTE=seano12;27949389]53 billion for that small model train? wow[/QUOTE] Give em credit man, thats one hell of a shiny model.
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