High Speed Rail: The Dream Scheme Scenario
6th March 2011
Ever since Jay Gould, Leland Stanford, and Cornelius Vanderbilt acquired their first legislatures, railroads have been best understood as political networks, rather than as transportation lines. The Obama administration is hyping high-speed rail (HSR) with a $53 billion proposal not because the president is a trainspotter or because he collects back copies of the Official Guide of the Railways (like I do). Rather, it’s because politicians understand that the states blew their money on generous pension plans, pretentious sports stadiums, and bridges to nowhere, and now need billions to plug their budget deficits. It’s easier to funnel money into tapped–out state capitals under the smoke and mirrors of a feel-good rail project than it is to announce that the federal government stands behind states’ subprime debts. The Government Accounting Office estimates unfunded state liabilities at $405 billion, which is probably what HSR would, in the end, cost. Think of it as the Stimulus Express.
Actually, appearances to the contrary notwithstanding, I don’t suspect the TSA of being under orders to make the process of flying so unpleasant that people will prefer — and vote to fund — High Speed Rail. That would show an unprecedented degree of foresight on the part of government employees, who have never in the past demonstrated even plain common sense, much less showed any inclination than to look more than about 15 minutes into the future.