The High-Speed Rail and Transit Debacle

Since President Obama has been in office, there has been a massive push from many parties to establish the groundwork for a high-speed rail system here in the United States. With the admirable leadership of Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, the funding has become available and already dispersed to construct several rail corridors as pilots for the rest of the country, one being in my homestate of Florida between Tampa and Orlando. Though this line and the others are far from perfect and only a baby step in establishing a nationwide system (which honestly, seems more and more like a farfetched dream), it is SOMETHING!

However, over the past few weeks leading up to the midterm elections and the weeks since, there has been a sudden backlash against these high-speed rail projects as well as other public transit projects within cities. This anti-transit sentiment seems to be due solely to the fact that tax dollars are required to fund these projects.

Well, DUHH!

Do these governors who actually want to give back federal dollars because they think this is a waste of taxpayer dollars really believe that things will just happen? Even with a market like this? Some solutions are to just not spend the money (even though thousands of jobs would be created...) or to put it toward something like highways. Really?

Transit is not meant to make money. It is meant to be equitable. It's purpose is to help people go from point A to point B quickly, efficiently, and sustainably. Is this something that private, deep pocketed investors can provide? Maybe. But the role of government, at least in the United States, according to the Preamble of our Constitution is to "form a more perfect Union,...insure domestic Tranquility,...promote the general Welfare..." I am pretty confident that providing decent public transit is an obligation of our government.

Now, this does not mean that we are off the hook, of course. Do we realize how much we drive and take the plane? Do we realize how dependent we have become on these things? Do we understand the impact it is having on our future? Do we know that there are alternatives, like effective transit and inter-city rail out there? Do we let our government know that we want those alternatives? Are we willing to pay a bit more in taxes? Why not?

I think our politicians and those who are afraid of taxes need to grow a pair and deal with it. Establish the proposed gas sales tax. Levy an income tax in places that don't have one (ahem...Florida...). There, I said it! Call me a socialist, but I will just refer to you as a greedy, non-communal, and blind to the fact that we're actually not the best country in the world like you continue to believe. (I probably won't do that, because I'm nice)

But really, America. I continue to be ashamed that this is even an issue.