I support a competent and well planned High Speed Rail component to California's transportation mix. I support a system that is fully integrated with and supportive of our very successful regional commuter and intercity corridors. I support a sustainable incremental approach, which uses shared, upgraded, grade seperated, and interoperable urban corridors, and goes for speed in the valley, where there can be significant time savings.

I support a rail passenger system that actually takes cars off of our freeways, and gives high quality connectivity to our mid sized urban centers that are losing air service in the valley. I support a service that will give travelers very frequent and fast service to and from our already too congested major urban centers.

I support a high speed rail passenger system that is affordable for the user and the taxpayer. I support a system based on good cost benefit analysis. I support a system with minimum operable segments, not expensive test tracks to nowhere, and I prefer we start with projects that show real benefits to rail passenger operations, efficiency, safety, capacity, and speed, now.

The problem I have with the current HSR effort in California is that the CHSRA is doing none of these things, not too much else, and none of that very well, either.

CHSRA is going to be reformed, and hopefully will begin to address real transportation opportunities and needs, and not the grand illusions (delusions?) of an unaccountable political board and contractor greed. And, I hope that may cause some changes and reality checks to take place.

Does this crazy position make me sound like a liberal, a conservative, or a teabagger, or a tree hugger, or a Thomas hater from Marin? Maybe these stupid views just make me one of those folks, who when he takes a good look at a pig, sees beyond the lipstick, all the way to the bacon?