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The Nation's Pulse
Never the Train Shall Meet
Amazingly, Florida Republicans are determined to ignore all the lessons of Wisconsin.
(Page 2 of 2)
There are better ways for Mica to spend his time. If there’s a great need for the Orlando airport and Disney World to be connected by rail, he might inquire why Disney hasn’t done it yet, despite prospering in Florida since 1971.
But job one for Mica should be to try to torpedo the $63 billion down payment Obama wishes to make on high-speed projects across the nation. He also needs to pay more attention to the backlog of repairs necessary to the nation’s highways and bridges.
Federal spending has reached World War II levels. State and local spending are at historic highs. Americans reading stories about our debt and budget projections can be excused for thinking the numbers are in lire rather than dollars. We’re clearly on the road to financial ruin if we don’t reverse course. But the news out of Wisconsin and Florida shows us that turning this train around ain’t gonna be easy.
About the Author
Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (38) | Leave a comment
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Melvin| 2.21.11 @ 7:19AM
This is the same Bull Squeeze that just before our financial fiasco, that there were what I call the Tambourine Men.
The men who strolled into a municipality patting his tambourine of the public/private partnership of building convention centers.
The extolled to the County and City Councils funding the construction of a convention center was the answer to every local governments financial needs.
The more the County and City Councils fell under the siren song spell of the Tambourine Man he pounded, and pounded harder his message. The County and City Councils fell into a rhythmic trance of, "If we build it they will come."
The Tambourine man pulled out of his carpet back reams of numbers that spelled out only one thing. MONEY, more money than ever could be imagined . Council members swayed to the rhythmic beat of the Tambourine Man of building marble edifices to themselves as great visionaries.
County after county, city after city jumped on the Tambourine Man's band wagon of debt, saddling communities with great beautiful empty halls to house thousands.
But as the County and City Councils looking adoringly at their new shiny warehouses the Tambourine Man smiled to himself pockets bulging with tax payers dollars of his fees to get the project started and he tilted his hat up on his forehead started to walked with a jaunty step, and headed towards the next town slowly tapping the Tambourine of the next bunch of Suckers that sat upon they're thrones of government authority.
These high speed rails are nothing more than a different scam upon the taxpayers. All these convention centers that were constructed in North Carolina now remain empty.
Municipalities within minutes of each other built these warehouses of debt, that have saddled property owners with multiple property tax, and sales tax increases.
And where is the Tambourine Man with his carpet bag of jacked up numbers you ask? Why didn't you know he traded that tired old worn out carpet bag for a nice new shiny train for the next bunch of suckers to buy.
Melvin| 2.21.11 @ 7:27AM
My grammar was atrocious on this post. I apologize, that is what I get for being in a hurry, and lack of morning coffee.
JP| 2.21.11 @ 7:32AM
This is the same GOP which supported Jeb Bush, and from whence Charley Crist political career spawned. These pols are as addicted to taxpayers money as the public employee unions and Dem.
If this is a trend of things to come, the GOP will eventually split.
emo| 2.21.11 @ 4:51PM
Ah yes one of those never happy with the GOP conservatives.
And yet you miss the point that the Gov of FL, WI and OH all cancelled high speed rail projects. But I guess youd rather focus on the legislatures so you can make yourself miserable
Ken (Old Texican)| 2.21.11 @ 7:37AM
Larry,
Is it possible that all the squawking is pure political theater to calm the roiling masses?
Intelligent Design| 2.21.11 @ 7:38AM
Governor Scott has correctly predicted that ridership will never provide enough revenue to make the high speed rail self-sustaining. It would be a constant burden on taxpayers, just like Amtrak, or the existing rail system in the Miami area. Average citizens know this, but apparently a lot of politicians and virtually all of the media don't.
KyMouse| 2.21.11 @ 7:52AM
When I was a kid, our parents took us to Florida every spring on the "South Wind," which had a wonderful conductor who took good care of us (and was very patient with giggly little girls).
A few years ago, a couple of us took the "Texas Eagle" from St. Louis to San Antonio; and although we adore trains (ours is an old L&N family) and were glad we traveled that way, the Amtrak train was far from ideal.
In fact, it was like something out of the Fifties. Our berth's lock was a simple hook-and-eye that wouldn't have slowed anyone down. When meal time came, people who didn't have private berths simply left their belongings on their seats and went to the dining car. Luggage was stowed on the lower level on open shelves right next to the exit door, where anyone could have accidentally-on-purpose taken someone else's bag and disappeared down the platform.
We asked a staff person about what seemed to us to be lax security, but he assured us that they never had any trouble.
Well, when we stopped in Dallas for a moment, two urban youths were taken off the train in handcuffs.
The only part of the train trip that seemed 21st century was the fact that the hot entrees we ordered at meal time were merely heated in the microwave (as our waiter informed us).
I'd love to have the "South Wind" back again, but I'm not in favor of government-backed high-speed rail, after this latest trip on Amtrak.
Richard Baker| 2.21.11 @ 7:56AM
These are the money whores. Sticking their heads up will allow the voters to know whose to cut off in the future.
Brian| 2.21.11 @ 8:03AM
Florida Repubs are notorious cowards. State Repubs have unprecedented power yet just sit on their hands as caretakers of the kingdom build by liberals over 75 years.
bert| 2.21.11 @ 8:09AM
Why ignore the facts. Fl reps are easily bought by the German owned Siemans Corp who who bought off enough Fl Reps to wn this pathetic project and Real Estate con men who can unload alot of worthless real estate. Scott has money and can not be bought off so he is a dangerous person in the state capital.
More trains to nowhere and crooked pols and union goons !
Jeb B| 2.21.11 @ 8:40AM
So if I want to go from Tampa to Orlando, I'll drive to the train station, get on the hi-speed, get off in Orlando, rent a car - prob total time of 1 and 1/2 hours. OR, I drive my own car fm Tampa to Orlando - total time of 1 and 1/2 hour. Hmmm which do I do?
JFGalt| 2.21.11 @ 10:33AM
Hey don't forget that TSA will be there to strip, scan and search you so add another hour at each end for your protection.
emo| 2.21.11 @ 4:54PM
This is why HSR will never work.
Think about LA to San Francisco area. The train will eave downtown LA and go to downtown SFO. But that isnt how most people will want to travel. Someone from Burbank or Orange County might want to go to Oakland or San Jose. The train in that case is far far slower and more expensive than flying Southwest from SNA to SJC.
Len| 2.21.11 @ 8:45AM
Maybe the one requirement that any politician should have for office at state level and higher is an economics degree? Preferably one that has caused the politician to be exposed to the Austrian School.
JFGalt| 2.21.11 @ 10:32AM
So far that adds up to 2.
dsayne| 2.21.11 @ 9:43AM
As a long time railfan, no-one would want to see the return of the successful passenger train more than I would. That being said, even I recognise that massive intervention by the Federal government and the unions is not going to restore a dead industry that they are largely responsible for killing in the first place.
JFGalt| 2.21.11 @ 10:43AM
The problem with trains is what do you do when you get to your destination? Walk? Unlike Europe where you can hop on a light rail or subway system to get to your final destination. This is the only reason that it works in the NE corridor.
JimH| 2.21.11 @ 10:28AM
As a Florida resident, I think all Florida legislators should be required to watch the Simpson's Monorail episode.
JFGalt| 2.21.11 @ 10:32AM
Years ago when this boondoggle in Florida was put forward - what happened? Politicians and their friends started buying up land. Guess where? Where the train's alignment was expected to run. They were privy to the studies and started buying up cheap land between Ft Lauderdale and Orlando ready to sell back to the state at inflated rates. many of them are probably still sitting on that land. If you want to know what's driving this - Follow The Money!
JFGalt| 2.21.11 @ 10:41AM
A train from Orlando Airport to Disney does make sense but that would only require a light rail line. Not any fancy high speed bullet train. Florida is not too bright in this regard. When Miami built their system - the first line should have been from the airport to the beach with a detour to the cruise ship port. Instant revenue to fund itself. But alas, no. It ran from a poor neighborhood to downtown which has little jobs for the poor and then to the financial district and then to a private university and then to a high end shopping mall. Guess what? No riders. When politicians pick the route you know it will be a disaster!
thomas| 2.21.11 @ 11:17AM
I'll am in total agreement that high speed rail anywhere in the US is a boondoggle. But, I am getting tired of the propaganda surrounding Governor Walker's initiative in Wisconsin.
Walker's actions are not economics based. In the first place, his initiative would impact not only state employees, but employees of counties and municipalities in Wisconsin, most of whom are not paid with state money. Secondly, only those public employees unions that normally support Democrats and which specifically did not support Walker's election are being targeted. The police and fire unions, which did support Walker, are specifically excluded from the bill. And, most telling is the fact that the bill would not only limit collective bargaining by these unions to salary only, it would cap what the union could request. The affected unions have now, reportedly, agreed to all of the monetary concessions [retirement and insurance contributions] and the Governor and Republican legislators are still determined to continue to bust these unions.
This is not about economics, but about political payback. And it is being done in a manner that the Republicans and Conservatives have chastised the Democrats for doing for years.
JimBrown| 2.21.11 @ 7:29PM
This year's budget is only part of the story. The only real long term solution to run away government cost is doing away with public employee unions. Even FDR recognized they would not work.
When a private company and it's union negotiate, the affect of increased cost on product sales is recognized. When union and what passes for management in the public sector conspire (more accurate then negotiate for what happens) the assumption is the "customer" has no choice but to pay more.
dirk| 2.22.11 @ 5:50PM
Of the 432 police and fire bargaining units in Wisconsin, only 4 supported Walker in the last election.
Paul from SA| 2.21.11 @ 11:51AM
I don't hate trains, just gov't trains. Gov't trains are just union boondoggles. That's the one main reason Democrats want them.
No gov't spending on trains!
Lois C| 2.21.11 @ 1:39PM
Shame on the Florida state representitives for trying to go around the governor. We finally have a governor who wants to do what is right for the state and he now has to fight not only Obummer but his own legislators who see only dollar signs not the huge financial burden this project will place on the taxpayer. High speed rail is a loser in any state!
Sam Levi| 2.21.11 @ 1:45PM
I don't understand why the Guv doesn't just pull a Ronnie on the teachers. "Go back to work, or your fired."
Sam Levi| 2.21.11 @ 1:46PM
sorry your=you're
PattyMor| 2.21.11 @ 2:41PM
Let's see choo-choo trains to nowhere which nobody wants to ride. Doesn't it just sound wonderful? If its so wonderful, why doesn;t the private sector want to build it. Its no different than "green energy" schemes. Without the gov'ment money, no one in their right minds would invest in this either.
Impeach Don't Wait| 2.21.11 @ 6:46PM
Good point, PattyMor. If there was a dollar to be made in this, the private sector would be all over it.
I hate to see what California's going to do. Quiz: How many people plan to travel between L.A. and San Fran. daily anyway?
emo| 2.21.11 @ 4:49PM
I found this on Huffington Post:
""an International Union of Railways spokesman estimates that worldwide, only two routes (Tokyo-Osaka and Paris-Lyon) have broken even""
I was in Spain in 1993 and Spain's rail system that year lost nearly $1b dollars. In 2003, I was in Japan and bought a JR Rail Pass. Luck too because high speed rail in Japan if you buy one ticket at a time costs as much as flying does.
Paul McGrath| 2.21.11 @ 4:57PM
No problem. Nobody read past the first paragraph anyway.
Vjay| 2.21.11 @ 7:06PM
I have come to believe that "governing" is another term for "spending." we should strongly consider paying our politcians to saty home, because whenever they are on the job, we go farther in debt. Is DC a right-to-work "state?" Tell them all to take an extended stay-cation and work on their next campaigns.
Osamas Pajamas| 2.21.11 @ 8:55PM
Taxpayer-funded highspeed rail is lunacy, and as if to prove that Democrats do not have a monopoly on lunacy, numerous Republicans also support taxpayer-funded highspeed rail. These projects should not get one penny in taxes. If private companies wish to fund these projects and lose money on them --- no problem!
YorYnot| 2.22.11 @ 9:23PM
Mr. Thornberry, How much have we paid for Greco's Trolley to no where here in Tampa? Multiply that exponentially.
Reebok | 8.11.11 @ 3:15AM
is good
العاب | 4.11.12 @ 5:33PM
is very good