CAHSR’s problem was that no one would have supported it unless it stopped in every major city on the way. It should have been planned all along to be built down the median of Hwy 5, where little if any infrastructure would need to be built or changed. But no politician would have been on board in the planning stages, so thus we are dealt the spaghetti down the valley.

Yes, CAHSR is flawed but there are so many more federal and or state programs that are more so that it is only a drop in the bucket.

To name a few:

Essential Air Services - Why are we spending millions to fly people from places such as Fresno, Bakersfield, and even smaller towns. Is it really essential when flying to not travel less than two hours to LAX, Sacramento, and the Bay Area - airports that pull their own weight (barely, and through fancy accounting)? Plus, all that money goes to private corporations, not back to the government as rail would/does. That brings up the next taxpayer atrocity.

TSA/Homeland Security - Billions and billions of bullshit. HSR could have been built and operating all over the nation on the wasted money there. Plus in San Jose they can’t even keep a child from sneaking into a wheel well or a crazy homeless woman from walking right through “security” and onto a plane.

There’r the Valley farmers who want us taxpayers to subsidize their water delivery all the while collecting the government handouts and crop insurance.

Also, I’m curious to hear your feelings on the Virginia and Truckee. That was millions of taxpayer dollars to rebuild a railroad to the middle of nowhere (literally) to benefit a select few. I was in favor of it because I’m a foamer but how does it really benifit normal people? Why should the whole state of NV be giving handouts to Virginia and Carson Cities.

I could go on.

The point is, as bad as it is, the CAHSR is nothing compared to other waste and it is a project that would somewhat benefit people. so why not channel anger and efforts at things that really matter?

By the way, you are quite correct that churches get off the hook too easily - especially political ones.

I didn’t accuse you of not paying taxes or insinuate that I didn’t drive on highways, so I’m not sure where you are coming from on those. I’m still curious how the state should go about obtaining the Coast Line, Fresno Sub, or Stockton/Bakersfield Subs. For the record, I took your advice and self-copulated last night.