My great delusion in re CAHSR from the beginning was the faith that the adults, the smartest guys in the room, you know professional engineers and railroaders, would intervene and optimize the project. mea culpa

When I voted for Prop 1a I too thought Pacheco and the 99 corridor were the way to go. A little while and some thinking later I realized the default route was by far the better. Sadly on the inside Van Ark was the only professional willing to stick out his neck and talk up "reform" Now it looks like he was prescient, an early adopter, of bailing out of a sinking ship.

Our problem is that we continue to think like railroaders and not pols. I can assure Jerry thinks the worm will turn and that a Democratic government in DC will soon ride to the rescue. This will stand as an article of faith with him and the rest of the party hierarchy. Thus they will dig in their heels and wait for the anti-"Cheeto" rapture.