- Banned
- #61
We know this because high-speed rail systems in other nations were not built, and are not operated, anywhere near so cheaply as Obama suggests. In the past decade, Taiwan built a single 215-mile high-speed passenger route for $15 billion. Germany, France, and Italy, often cited as advanced railroad nations, subsidize their rail systems heavily: Between 1995 and 2003, Germany spent $104 billion on subsidies, France spent $75 billion, and Italy spent $64 billion, according to a 2008 study by Amtraks inspector general. Rail ridership in Europe far outpaces that in the U.S., but in spite of these huge subsidies, trains have lost a significant portion of their market share to automobiles and planes since 1980.
High Speed Rail Going Nowhere Fast - CBS News
8 billion for this fallacy known as high speed rail is meaningless and what it will create is a new program that is totally dependant on the Govt. for it's existance. If you wish to have high speed rail like Europe then you will have to fund it like them as well. As for obsolete weapons systems, the F-22 is the ONLY 5th generation fighter aircraft in active duty service. In fact if it were so obsolete then why would China be rapidly developing a counter to it, and Russia as well?
MOSCOW - Russia on Jan. 29 unveiled a new fighter aircraft touted as a rival of the U.S. F-22 stealth jet and developed amid the highest secrecy as part of a plan to modernize the armed forces.
Russia Unveils Fighter Seen as Rival to F-22 - Defense News
OK, seriously...
High speed rail system vs planes we have no use for?
Hmm, I know which one I would choose.
LOL.
Hey, in a related topic, anybody get a load of that +5.7% GDP?
HOLY COW, that's good news