One of the more amazing parts of this whole boondoggle is it hardly costs anything it all to get in the game. You can buy the politicians off for pennies on the dollar. You donate less than 100k and you get multi million dollar contracts. The cost/benefit for these firms is incredible.
That was my thought as well: the politicians got paid off with very little in donations.... But I'll bet they're buried in a payroll somewhere, perhaps as a dba or 3rd executive assistant to the 2nd lieutenant of the regional associate director.....
And yet the voters in California will almost assuredly maintain this corrupt one party rule because so many are dependent on government aid. California will not reform, it will collapse.
It will never be completed, nor should it be, but if the “bullet train” were to be built, it would take 3 hours to go from LA to SF, 4 hours from Anaheim. You can fly there in 1 1/2 hours. If you fly, you don’t have to worry about earthquakes, union strikes or the transit crime ubiquitous to California. No one will take the train. A hint to the next Nick Shirley: look up who bought RR rights of way in the years leading up to the project’s proposal.
Yes--the rights of way is an interesting topic...I read that the bullet train could have been build next to the already existing train lines..for no paperwork etc.
I’m sorry, but as I continue to read the travesty of this project, I actually have to laugh, but it’s not funny. I remember when working for DWR the state had to round up a bunch of blunt nose lizards from an area where the coastal project the pipeline to the coast was going in. So they rounded up all the lizards and had them in an enclosed fenced area. At some point, someone came through to mow all the grass around it and sparked a fire and burned up all the lizards that they were trying so desperately to protect. Talk about state incompetence.
I lived in the Central Valley, NAS Lemoore, 91-93 finishing my 20 years in the Navy. I know where Merced is. I know where Bakersfield is. Not to be insensitive but they are not premier destinations. Back to the beginning of this story. The voters said OK to a train from SF to LA. THAT WAS NEVER THE PLAN, NOT EVEN CLOSE. The original plan was Oakland to Victorville. Oakland is not SF. Victorville is at least a hour and a half shuttle ride to LAX from the high desert. In other words, the whole thing was a scam from the get go. To your point on the consultants getting rich while producing no track on the ground, Richard Blum, Mr. Diane Feinstein, got the original EIS contract. What a shock. California is a third world state. I was born there and lived in Northern Cal for 30 years. It is sad now. As VDH has chronicled it is state of haves and have nots. Newsom should be in prison.
the Legislature may appropriate funds described in paragraph (1) in the annual Budget Act, to be expended for any of the following high-speed train corridors:
(A) Sacramento to Stockton to Fresno.
(B) San Francisco Transbay Terminal to San Jose to Fresno.
(C) Oakland to San Jose.
(D) Fresno to Bakersfield to Palmdale to Los Angeles Union Station.
(E) Los Angeles Union Station to Riverside to San Diego.
(F) Los Angeles Union Station to Anaheim to Irvine.
(G) Merced to Stockton to Oakland and San Francisco via the Altamont Corridor.
I think you are being too literal. I have no idea what you cited. It was marketed as SF to LA. Never practical never going to happen. Have a technical day.
This is a great example of how corrupt our system has become in the age of professional politicians representing the party rather than their constituents. There was really never any serious effort to build a high speed rail line. All of these funds were disbursed by politicians to create a constituency. It's pathetic, but the parties are no friend to any citizen.
California is a one-trough state. Lots of bloated piggies have their snouts in that trough, grunting and snorting as they slobber up the goodies. From democracy to troughistocracy is but a short way, paved with glittering grift and false promises.
It sounds eerily and outrageously like the “homeless” industrial complex, taking in billions of taxpayer dollars with worsening results. Will Californians ever have enough of this and actually claw back some sanity and real oversight of all of these glaring corrupt boondoggles? Remains to be seen.
It only stands to reason that there are many, many more similar boondoggles across the nation at both the federal and state levels. Yet, we’re told we aren’t paying enough taxes for the things we need.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: stop paying taxes. No withholding, no estimated taxes, don’t file in April. The reply is always the same: you first. Instead of just talking about graft and fraud, we have to stop paying for it. Other ideas? Voting has certainly not helped. $37T debt is now $40T. Oh well.
One of the more amazing parts of this whole boondoggle is it hardly costs anything it all to get in the game. You can buy the politicians off for pennies on the dollar. You donate less than 100k and you get multi million dollar contracts. The cost/benefit for these firms is incredible.
That was my thought as well: the politicians got paid off with very little in donations.... But I'll bet they're buried in a payroll somewhere, perhaps as a dba or 3rd executive assistant to the 2nd lieutenant of the regional associate director.....
Multi million, mid to high 8 figures.
And yet the voters in California will almost assuredly maintain this corrupt one party rule because so many are dependent on government aid. California will not reform, it will collapse.
Exactly. California is like France, a massive grift run by the ruling elites and their minions.
I lived in red California years ago, this would have never happened there.
Change will eventually come....
It will not unless all the people who live there now will move out.
Central influence for me retiring to Florida - can’t see it from here-
Best-
Absolutely. There's another tranche of bond measures in the ballot, and you can bet they'll all pass.
Remember Bond measures mean new taxes.
It will never be completed, nor should it be, but if the “bullet train” were to be built, it would take 3 hours to go from LA to SF, 4 hours from Anaheim. You can fly there in 1 1/2 hours. If you fly, you don’t have to worry about earthquakes, union strikes or the transit crime ubiquitous to California. No one will take the train. A hint to the next Nick Shirley: look up who bought RR rights of way in the years leading up to the project’s proposal.
Yes--the rights of way is an interesting topic...I read that the bullet train could have been build next to the already existing train lines..for no paperwork etc.
I’m sorry, but as I continue to read the travesty of this project, I actually have to laugh, but it’s not funny. I remember when working for DWR the state had to round up a bunch of blunt nose lizards from an area where the coastal project the pipeline to the coast was going in. So they rounded up all the lizards and had them in an enclosed fenced area. At some point, someone came through to mow all the grass around it and sparked a fire and burned up all the lizards that they were trying so desperately to protect. Talk about state incompetence.
reminiscent of the old USSR....too many Californians would be proud of this analogy...
I lived in the Central Valley, NAS Lemoore, 91-93 finishing my 20 years in the Navy. I know where Merced is. I know where Bakersfield is. Not to be insensitive but they are not premier destinations. Back to the beginning of this story. The voters said OK to a train from SF to LA. THAT WAS NEVER THE PLAN, NOT EVEN CLOSE. The original plan was Oakland to Victorville. Oakland is not SF. Victorville is at least a hour and a half shuttle ride to LAX from the high desert. In other words, the whole thing was a scam from the get go. To your point on the consultants getting rich while producing no track on the ground, Richard Blum, Mr. Diane Feinstein, got the original EIS contract. What a shock. California is a third world state. I was born there and lived in Northern Cal for 30 years. It is sad now. As VDH has chronicled it is state of haves and have nots. Newsom should be in prison.
Thanks for saying this. The Bay Area end point was always Oakland.
The Las Vegas-LA Brightline is also a misnomer. The end point is the Ontario airport.
"The original plan was Oakland to Victorville"
Where are you getting that information?
This is from the actual Proposition 1A in 2008:
===================
the Legislature may appropriate funds described in paragraph (1) in the annual Budget Act, to be expended for any of the following high-speed train corridors:
(A) Sacramento to Stockton to Fresno.
(B) San Francisco Transbay Terminal to San Jose to Fresno.
(C) Oakland to San Jose.
(D) Fresno to Bakersfield to Palmdale to Los Angeles Union Station.
(E) Los Angeles Union Station to Riverside to San Diego.
(F) Los Angeles Union Station to Anaheim to Irvine.
(G) Merced to Stockton to Oakland and San Francisco via the Altamont Corridor.
I think you are being too literal. I have no idea what you cited. It was marketed as SF to LA. Never practical never going to happen. Have a technical day.
"I have no idea what you cited"
I told you what I was citing: it was the bill that voters approved.
https://www.lalawlibrary.org/pdfs/PROP_1108_1A.pdf
If that is "too literal" for you, I really don't know what to tell you.
Great breakdown. It is a scam and always was. Gavin Newsom will go down in history as the biggest Ass of a Govenor that ever lived.
The way things are going in this nation, Newsom has a fairly good chance of going down in history as the biggest ass of a President that ever lived.
harris has that honor.
Naah, he'll be an untouchable billionaire by then.
Hard to be worse than Tampon Tim--but Iagree: Newsome is worse.
At least Newsom has affairs with grown women
Let’s hope so. Creep.
This is a great example of how corrupt our system has become in the age of professional politicians representing the party rather than their constituents. There was really never any serious effort to build a high speed rail line. All of these funds were disbursed by politicians to create a constituency. It's pathetic, but the parties are no friend to any citizen.
Parties?
It's a one party state!
California is a one-trough state. Lots of bloated piggies have their snouts in that trough, grunting and snorting as they slobber up the goodies. From democracy to troughistocracy is but a short way, paved with glittering grift and false promises.
And this boondoggle helped make the one party even stronger.
All over the country, it’s one big uniparty.
California is indeed a one party state, but both parties are corrupt and professional pols represent the party, not you, no matter where you live.
Typical...and the government will call it all a success.
And the sheeple will believe the government
Cure the insanity: HILTON FOR GOVERNOR.
Yeah, and I thought Spence Pratt was viable. The deck is stacked.
Or the "banked votes" will surface about two weeks after election dayto fix the results.
Yeah but totally legal
It sounds eerily and outrageously like the “homeless” industrial complex, taking in billions of taxpayer dollars with worsening results. Will Californians ever have enough of this and actually claw back some sanity and real oversight of all of these glaring corrupt boondoggles? Remains to be seen.
Newsom admitted he didn't know where $24 Billion was spent for the homeless.
Easy - it went into pockets.
And yet the gravy train continues while the actual train is a pipe dream.
Bullet Train?? It’s more like a bullet to the Taxpayers’ collective brains and wallets!
It only stands to reason that there are many, many more similar boondoggles across the nation at both the federal and state levels. Yet, we’re told we aren’t paying enough taxes for the things we need.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: stop paying taxes. No withholding, no estimated taxes, don’t file in April. The reply is always the same: you first. Instead of just talking about graft and fraud, we have to stop paying for it. Other ideas? Voting has certainly not helped. $37T debt is now $40T. Oh well.
Waste, fraud, and abuse touches every part of Kalifornia
And unfortunately it has spread rapidly outward.
Check the LAX Skylink monorail project, similar pattern of abuse and incompetence. Recent article: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-10-21/lopez-column-lax-skylink-people-mover-delays