Dreamers And Grifters

Way back in 2008, California voters approved, via referendum, a massive project to build a high speed rail (HSR) link from Los Angeles to San Francisco. It was pitched at a cost of $33B, was to be completed by 2020, and was promised to be self-supporting, i.e. no taxpayer subsidies.

Today, it is reported that some foundational work on a 119 mile stretch (out of a planned 776) has taken place, at a cost of $17B, but not a single mile of actual track has been laid. Projected cost quadrupled (and I’m sure will continue to balloon), and analysts have concluded there is no viable path to completion or utility.