Wednesday, June 8, 2011

John Horgan's take on the political/administrative chaos of high-speed rail in California


John Horgan, a Bay Area columnist, is my kind of guy.  Here's a short commentary on the lunacy in California called the high-speed rail project.  Remember what I said: The lunatics are in charge of the asylum.  

There are a number of conversations and discussions floating around the state right now.  Many are engaged in elaborate scheming about this route versus that one, this alignment versus that one, and such transparent ploys as "phased development" and "value engineering."  The former is code for claiming HSR turf without paying for it, and the latter means designing an alignment and route on the cheap.

There is no competence at any level, within or outside of state government, that won't make a huge expensive mess out of this. The project must be terminated, like a giant robot that has become uncontrollable and run amok. 

We don't want another organization in Sacramento taking over for the current collection of geniuses on the CHSRA Board who are micro-managing the entire project all the way down to the nuts and bolts. 

We don't want anybody running this project.  We don't want this project.  The reasons have filled well over 500 blog entries here. 

John, this can't be made worse than it already is.  However, it can't be made any better either.  Now is the time to admit we were wrong, cancel this entire effort, reject the federal funds, and close the doors on HSR in California. The tax payers and voters will thank everyone by re-electing them.
===================
John Horgan: Lawmakers' high-speed rail bid could make things worse
By John Horgan
San Mateo County Times
Posted: 06/08/2011 07:21:56 PM PDT

As much as we'd like to applaud the state Legislature for its belated effort to take over much of the decision-making capability from the California High-Speed Rail Authority, there is reason for nagging skepticism.

Let's be blunt: Even though the authority, and the proposed project in general, is seriously flawed by any objective criteria, the idea of the Legislature assuming control is disturbing.

Why? Because it's those same lawmakers whose harebrained budgetary practices and wacky legislative priorities have driven the state to the brink of insolvency. These pols just don't inspire a whole lot of confidence. Giving them the bullet train's reins would be like making Anthony Weiner the spokesman for Fruit of the Loom.

Then again, what's the alternative? The citizenry here is at the mercy of confirmed fiscal flibbertigibbets as far as the eye can see.

Adding more bureaucrats into this pathetic stew is hardly a guarantee to make things better. It actually could make them worse. Hang onto your hat.

No comments: