POLITICAL THREAD

[moe_schmoe]

Europe's got a fast rail
I want a ticket to anywhere

Europe's got a fast rail
We go cruising, entertain ourselves

Europe's got a fast rail
Is it fast enough so we can fly away?

 

[TNTUK]

Because it's a large population that is still relatively poor. It's also a communist country.

I'm not saying your hearts in the wrong place. There are portions of the Country that it would be feasible to build, but I don't think the cost would be worth it.

I'm confused.

You say high speed rail won't work in the US b/c we are too large of a country.

I challenge you by saying China is a large country as well.

Then you change the target by saying it works in China b/c they have a large population (we have almost 400 million ourselves) and b/c they are communist? What does their economic system have to do with the system working? And which reason is it?? (Make your mind up Bill).

Europe isn't communist, so that doesn't affect their system.

 

[AustinTXCat]

Hate to break it to you but the Euro is stronger than the dollar. ($1.07 UD dollars equal $1 Euro).

If you don't think another mode of transportation (high speed rail) doesn't boost economic activity, then I don't know what to tell you.

Couple points:

Actually the exchange rate favors the USD. All time weighted high USD/EUR was 0.70 back in 1985. I lived there during the time. Crazy cheap. More recently, we've witnessed swings from $1.58/1€ during the financial crisis of 2008 to $1.30/€ in 2012-2013 when I frequently visited Germany.

High-speed rail: Amtrak operates a watered-down version thereof in the northeast called Acela. Greater population densities make such developments more affordable. All Aboard Florida is another initiative due later this year, which promises "fast" rail between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando in the 80 MPH/130 KPH range.

 

[KopiKat]

Wait - so you don't think high speed rail is also used to transport goods???

Having worked in western Europe a good deal for many years I can almost promise you that high speed rail is not used for "goods" or, more specifically, what we would refer to in American terms as freight. Now if a car or a few cars a devoted to lightweight goods, small or medium boxed, non perishable . . . maybe. But in all my times at European stations on and off high speed trains I've never witness such loading or unloading. Only passenger traffic. Japanese high speeds? Absolutely not. I cannot speak for other systems.

It is completely out of the conscious, cars loaded with open beds of coal or other raw commodity, large tankers, heavy box, even if any of those could be designed or modified for such speed would ever be considered for travel approaching 200 mph. In fact, the high speed trains in Europe are very likely a burden to freight traffic, as those systems share lines, very often, and the high speed rail lines are laid to ensure long arcs, with a minimum cant, and the freight systems are required to use sidings, come to a complete halt, wait for the high speed trains and their passenger traffic to pass, before they can get back on the main track and proceed to their destination, which will likely require stops at additional sidings for additional high speeds, etc. etc. etc.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

One of the justifications for obamas stimulus packages were the "shovel ready" jobs improving our infrastructure. Spent more in 180 days than all previous presidents in us history, combined.

So what happened to those jobs? Or the money? Because none of it got done, apparently

 

[TNTUK]

Couple points:

Actually the exchange rate favors the USD. All time weighted high USD/EUR was 0.70 back in 1985. I lived there during the time. Crazy cheap. More recently, we've witnessed swings from $1.58/1€ during the financial crisis of 2008 to $1.30/€ in 2012-2013 when I frequently visited Germany.

High-speed rail: Amtrak operates a watered-down version thereof in the northeast called Acela. Greater population densities make such developments more affordable. All Aboard Florida is another initiative due later this year, which promises "fast" rail between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando in the 80 MPH/130 KPH range.

The Euro didn't exist in 1985, and prior to the 08 meltdown it was no comparison. I was in Europe in 2007 and it was like $2+ US dollars to $1 Euro...it was much much stronger than the US dollar. And it made for a very expensive trip.

As for your second point, definitely aware of the developments in FL and I believe in CA as well. It's a start, no question.

 

[TNTUK]

One of the justifications for obamas stimulus packages were the "shovel ready" jobs improving our infrastructure. Spent more in 180 days than all previous presidents in us history, combined.

So what happened to those jobs? Or the money? Because none of it got done, apparently

The stimulus bill was 8 years ago. That money is gone, bud.

 

[screwduke1]

Just got to watch this, and Sean Spicer absolutely obliterated the fake news media.

 

[TNTUK]

Having worked in western Europe a good deal for many years I can almost promise you that high speed rail is not used for "goods" or, more specifically, what we would refer to in American terms as freight. Now if a car or a few cars a devoted to lightweight goods, small or medium boxed, non perishable . . . maybe. But in all my times at European stations on and off high speed trains I've never witness such loading or unloading. Only passenger traffic. Japanese high speeds? Absolutely not. I cannot speak for other systems.

It is completely out of the conscious, cars loaded with open beds of coal or other raw commodity, large tankers, heavy box, even if any of those could be designed or modified for such speed would ever be considered for travel approaching 200 mph. In fact, the high speed trains in Europe are very likely a burden to freight traffic, as those systems share lines, very often, and the high speed rail lines are laid to ensure long arcs, with a minimum cant, and the freight systems are required to use sidings, come to a complete halt, wait for the high speed trains and their passenger traffic to pass, before they can get back on the main track and proceed to their destination, which will likely require stops at additional sidings for additional high speeds, etc. etc. etc.

I'm talking consumer goods like textiles, retail goods, etc.

And just because other countries don't necessarily use their high speed rail systems to transport consumer goods (as opposed to say, semis on the highways) doesn't mean it can't be done, correct?

 

[BernieSadori]

One of the justifications for obamas stimulus packages were the "shovel ready" jobs improving our infrastructure. Spent more in 180 days than all previous presidents in us history, combined.

So what happened to those jobs? Or the money? Because none of it got done, apparently

Remember when Obama joked about the shovel ready jobs not being so ready?

What a card that guy is. White guilt!

 

[JumperJack]

Lol. If high speed rail could be profitable in the US, it would already be a reality. That money is better spent on creating alternate or cleaner fuel for jets.

 

[BernieSadori]

I'm talking consumer goods like textiles, retail goods, etc.

And just because other countries don't necessarily use their high speed rail systems to transport consumer goods (as opposed to say, semis on the highways) doesn't mean it can't be done, correct?

Doubtful. Weight issues would likely stop a bullet train from transporting much other than people.

Besides, the biggest delay in receipts isn't while on the rail, it's once it arrives at the yard and how quickly they can get the container to you.

 

[Bill Derington]

I'm confused.

You say high speed rail won't work in the US b/c we are too large of a country.

I challenge you by saying China is a large country as well.

Then you change the target by saying it works in China b/c they have a large population (we have almost 400 million ourselves) and b/c they are communist? What does their economic system have to do with the system working? And which reason is it?? (Make your mind up Bill).

Europe isn't communist, so that doesn't affect their system.

Because the citizens of China by and large are poor. I don't think you understand how communism works.
I already explained why it works in Europe.

Americans simply don't like to travel by rail. When there's other options we use it.

 

[WettCat]

Obama is staying at the home of his Ambassador to Spain James Costas and Costas' interior designer husband.


Well, of course he is.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

The stimulus bill was 8 years ago. That money is gone, bud.

Long gone. But to what? Didn't go for infrastructure as promised.

I guess solyndra and wall Street got it all

 

[CC_332]

Took this yesterday in class. Whoever said schools are force feeding kids liberalism was not talking about my classes!

***FTR, my students have no idea what my political stance is. Seriously.

 

[bigbluefattycat]

Content was fine from Spicer but he needs to work on delivery for sure. Your job is public speaking. Spit it out.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

I'm talking consumer goods like textiles, retail goods, etc.

And just because other countries don't necessarily use their high speed rail systems to transport consumer goods (as opposed to say, semis on the highways) doesn't mean it can't be done, correct?

Why are farm tractors and bulldozers slow? Really your knowledge is laughable.

 

[krazykats]

Doubtful. Weight issues would likely stop a bullet train from transporting much other than people.

Besides, the biggest delay in receipts isn't while on the rail, it's once it arrives at the yard and how quickly they can get the container to you.

This is dead on accurate. Run into these issues on a weekly basis.

Who is TNT? The guy literally is unknown yet BOOM in 1 day has over half of the post today.

The upfront cost alone is enough to shut the idea down completely. No way in hell we justify that measure when trucks/train works as good as we need currently.

Pretty sure Econ 101 is a pre req in college you may want to refer back to........

Supply and demand..........and there is NO demand for high speed rail in America.

Next!

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Actually on 2ND thought, dems KEEP MARCHING!

Btw, congrats on losing Florida, Ohio, and probably Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania forever.

Dems may never have another president because of these soros funded hissy fits.

So keep it up! Whatever it is that trumps done the last 24 hours to offend you (if you even know) - never stop marching.

 

[moe_schmoe]

I remember we were riding, riding on Europe's fast rail
Speed so fast I felt like I was drunk
City lights lay out before us
I had a feeling that I belonged
I had a feeling one day America could build one, build one, build one
Europe's got a fast rail...

 

[bigblueinsanity]

538 says clinton loss probably due to sexism.

Of couuuuurse. I'm sure her being an awful candidate had nothing at all to do with it lol

 

[moe_schmoe]

538 says clinton loss probably due to sexism.

Of couuuuurse. I'm sure her being an awful candidate had nothing at all to do with it lol

Not just sexism, but unconscious sexism. Face it, deep down inside our subconscious we're nothing more than sexist pigs.

 

[UK_Dallas]

Trump playing chess, liberal media playing checkers. IMO. Got a little 3 card monte game going, etc.

 

[screwduke1]

Great news.

 

[KopiKat]

I'm talking consumer goods like textiles, retail goods, etc.

And just because other countries don't necessarily use their high speed rail systems to transport consumer goods (as opposed to say, semis on the highways) doesn't mean it can't be done, correct?

Naturally, that is correct. But then you would have to value that question from a practicality viewpoint. It is clear that you are determined to model any domestic usefulness after whether it would be useful where high speed rail is currently implemented. I'm willing to go there with you based on my experience in professional travel. Based on that, I can tell you that the type of goods you are describing are delivered to market throughout the portions of western Europe I'm familiar with by road, not by heavy "semi" truck (you don't see those in Europe), but by medium to heavy duty over-the-road delivery trucks.

It is very obvious that you have not traveled in Europe or in countries with high speed rail. The delivery distance for items you are talking about would likely not be of any great distance, nor should they often be "pressed for time" like people. You can travel between European cities in a couple of hours by high speed rail for maybe just less than 150 Euros. But for considerably less than that you might be able to get there in 3 hrs., or just slightly longer, by regional train. Your idea of using high speed rail has not considered the additional cost to consumer goods, and it would be substantial. They would not do that in Europe, and again, that seems to be what you are going after, to substantiate a practicality for doing so where high speed rail already exists. Your argument loses on it's own.

None of this is to argue against improvements in domestic rail, possibly to include high speed systems. But nowhere is high speed rail not considerably more expensive than conventional rail, and if it where used for anything other than passenger traffic, it would add considerably to the cost of those goods.

 

[domino79]

Even though I hate politicians, and I think those who ride on their coattails are misguided Pollyannas, this takedown of MSM has got me shakin, rattlin' and rollin'

 

[YourPublicEnemy]

Do libs understand the precedent they have started when losing an election? You want peace and unity when you've won yet you want total chaos when a Republican wins.

These are the nut jobs that will be in for wake-up call if the civilized bunch on the right ever said enough is enough.

 

[YourPublicEnemy]

This is just depressing. To see someone so stupid and mentally weak to welcome this is just alarming. They have no idea what or how stupid they look and how evil and oppressive that religion and hijab represents.

These people are the ones who want open borders and evil imported here while the rest of us are trying to warn them of what their ignorance will lead to.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

Yesterday was like March Madness for me. I stayed with basketball all day except when I lived.

Thank you basketball season. I can't imagine watching the leftist women's March. An attempt at mob rule by losers. Madonna should be prosecuted. Ashley Judd should be disowned by the fanbase. I would not have supported a Republican March on January 21, 2009. Imagine them threatening to blow up the White House then the press backing them.

The press keeps digging and the left is self destructing.

 

[moe_schmoe]

More local law enforcement should do this

Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson says his department’s aggressive stance on immigration reform won’t sink or swim based on whether America embraces or rejects President-elect Donald Trump’s policies.

The hard-nosed peace officer’s longstanding dream of being authorized by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to screen foreign-born arrestees for possible deportation will become a reality in the next four to six months, following yesterday’s signing of a 287(g) partnership agreement by Hodgson and Matt Albence, ICE’s assistant director of enforcement.

"Look, we’re a country of laws. We’re not going to be bullied back on this idea that somehow we’re anti-immigrant because we’re simply saying we’re going to enforce the laws of our country.”

ICE reports it has 287(g) agreements with more than 30 law enforcement agencies in 16 states. Hodgson was only the second in Massachusetts, behind the Department of Correction. Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald Jr. became the third later yesterday.

After jail officers specially trained by ICE identify pretrial detainees as foreign-born during their processing, interview them and run their information against ICE’s database, the feds alone will decide who they want to detain and who will get free passes.

 

[warrior-cat]

I think we should become energy independent on current technology, pay down some debt. Then work towards new technology.

The key to our future (IMNSHO) is energy independence.

This. We need to get a hold of all of the wasteful spending before we enter into something that would cost trillions. It is not a bad idea (the rail) but, we are spiraling out of control in debt. Must control it, then get it down to a manageable level..

 

[KyFaninNC]

First - we pay more for cars and airfare.....bring in a 3rd way to transport us, and the cost of cars and airfare goes down.

Second, when gas prices go up (I remember gas at like $4.50/gal in KY when Bush was president) it offers another way to travel.

Third, those countries can move people, goods and services much more efficiently than we can - which is good for their economies. They are more mobile than us.

Fourth, it reduces traffic congestion and therefore boosts productivity for those countries. We have a major issue of traffic congestion, people running late for work, goods not being delivered on time from one place to the another, etc.

Fifth - it creates jobs. Hundreds of thousands of them.

For starters, last time I checked fares for Amtrack and airline to Orlando FL, the cost was roughly the same, but rail was 3 times slower. Why would I want to be on a train for 12/14 hours versus flying in 2 hours? So unless the rail prices were greatly reduced, not enough people would use high speed rail.

 

[moe_schmoe]

Decrying 'sanctuary cities,' Texas Gov. Greg Abbott threatens to cut millions to Travis County

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened to cut millions to Travis County over the local sheriff's pledge that it will no longer fully cooperate with federal immigration officials.

Sheriff Sally Hernandez, a Democrat elected in November, said Friday her department would stop honoring all federal requests to detain suspects who might be in the United States illegally, the Austin-American Statesman first reported.

"Stiffer penalties coming," Abbott warned.

Abbott has the power to cut off at least $1.8 million in grant funding to Travis County, according to the Statesman.

 

[warrior-cat]

Hmm - can you explain to me what that has to do with anything?

Did Eisenhower say "Hmm we better not build a national highway system b/c our country is too big"? No, he didn't.

We used to be a country not afraid to tackle big projects - now we are a bunch of babies always complaining about the allocation of our taxpayer money. It's ridiculous.

No, not ridiculous because the allocation of taxes have been misused and abused for far too long. I don't disagree with a rail system but, as I posted earlier, we just can't do it until we get wasteful spending under control. It would be irresponsible to tackle anything that big until we could really afford it.

To the China being a communist country remark, I could be wrong but, he probably was eluding to how their leadership can basically take the money they want from the people to build the rail.

 

[KyFaninNC]

Who is TNT?

The guy with a million names, Deeefense HAS to be involved in this.

 

[moe_schmoe]

We don't even need to "make" Iran and SA help. All we would have to do is literally GTFO and leave Syria and Russia to clean up the shitstorm we manufactured (if we wanted to go full isolationist). At the very least we could stop obstructing the factions that are ACTUALLY fighting ISIS.

US under Trump won't send a delegation to Syria talks

“The United States is committed to a political resolution to the Syrian crisis through a Syrian-owned process, which can bring about a more representative, peaceful, and united Syria,” the State Department said in a statement

 

[ram1955]

No, not ridiculous because the allocation of taxes have been misused and abused for far too long. I don't disagree with a rail system but, as I posted earlier, we just can't do it until we get wasteful spending under control. It would be irresponsible to tackle anything that big until we could really afford it.

To the China being a communist country remark, I could be wrong but, he probably was eluding to how their leadership can basically take the money they want from the people to build the rail.

We have more essential matters to spend our money on.
1. Balance the budget. The first President that leads our nation to spending LESS per year than we take in should have his bust added to Mt Rushmore
2. Invest in our defense. Our goal should be to not only be the most powerful nation in the world, but for the rooskies and others to see us as the most powerful;
3. Pay off the debt. However, as far a indebtedness to other nations, first send them a bill for the costs we've incurred on their behalf;
4. Stash enough $ away to cover our SS obligations....I'm 58 but will NEVER be able to draw SS. It's the right thing to do.
5. IF we can figure out a way to provide health care to the masses without raising taxes on ANYONE; without increasing premiums; without increasing co-pays or out-of-pocket responsibility...DO IT.

 

[Vandalayindustries]

The sanctuary city battle is going to be fun to watch. And everyone knows how it will end.

 

[AustinTXCat]

The Euro didn't exist in 1985, and prior to the 08 meltdown it was no comparison. I was in Europe in 2007 and it was like $2+ US dollars to $1 Euro...it was much much stronger than the US dollar. And it made for a very expensive trip.

Correct. Against weighted averages of the strongest currencies at the time, sans the British Pound Sterling, would have been German Deutsch Mark, Dutch Guilder, French Franc and Swiss Franc. Point being is when the EUR moves closer to the USD, as in 1:1 parity, relevant impact on the US economy is negative. Our European imports become cheaper, but results in more expensive exports and usually associated job loss. Ideally, we'd rather stay within the current range for exports sake.