STFU, Candice Miller

[RandySF]

Two nights ago on the news, I saw Michigan Republican Candice Millier whining about the LA-to-Vegas high speed rail project in the stimulus package. If she knew anything about the West or Las Vegas beyond the Strip, she might have kept her mouth shut. It's exactly that mentality that made me leave Michigan in the first place.

[Warpy]

1. Republics are universaly ignorant about this stuff

and barely know any of the issues in their own districts. Once they get into Washington and join the gentlemen's club, they no longer care about public infrastructure. They are constant guests of the rich man's infrastructure of private jets and private airports. Even Democrats fall victim to the persuasive power of this stuff.

[marmar]

2. And actually, Michigan stands to gain from high speed rail.....A Detroit-Chicago-MSP-STL routing....

.... would clearly be one of the corridors......But that probably never occurred to Candy Cane.

[Romulox]

3. So we should just STFU and not complain if a tourist line from LA to LV is built

with stimulus funds?

This is a democracy still, isn't it?

:wtf:

[RandySF]

4. I suppose

If someone wants to ignore the fact that LA is the 2nd largest city in the country and that Las Vegas has been the fast growing metro area in the country. One may also want go no further than the strip to understand that Vegas is more than gambling. Oh, and you would also not understand that the final system would also connect San Francisco and other western cities. But Republcan member of Congress who was part of Engler's team to finish off a dying car state would not understand that.

[Romulox]

5. So you think that even if true, we should STFU. Got it. nt

[RandySF]

7. Everyone has a right to complain

But let's not be like Republicans and talk out of our asses. Even though the LA-LV line is not specifically in the stimulus, it's still inaccurate to call a line between two major Western cities wasteful.

[blue_onyx]

8. I don't understand that reasoning

So because "LA is the 2nd largest city in the country and Las Vegas has been the fast growing metro area in the country" they are more important than the rest of the country?

Edit: "A dying car state." I don't think so. We might be down but we're not out.

[RandySF]

11. I never said that

Looking back at my post, I never said our part of the country is MORE important, but it is important enough, in my opinion, to merit such a system. Miller and some others depict such a connection as just a tourists junket, and that's my reson for shooting back. It's also Michigan's ass-backward thinking when it comes to public transportation.

[blue_onyx]

12. "Michigan's ass-backward thinking when it comes to public transportation."

Well, Michigan does need to focus on public transportation but it's an odd argument when talking about LA. LA is known for its "car culture."

[RandySF]

14. Maybe so in the past

CA voters passed a bond measure last November approving a high-speed corridor connecting LA and San Francisco. LA was designed poorly and its sprawl makes it difficult to design an effective transit system for LA-only. However, a long-distance system will likely be very popular.

[blue_onyx]

10. deleted

[gratuitous]

6. Except there's nothing in the bill specifying that

I'm as cool with criticism as the next fellow, but I generally prefer that criticism happen over something real. The LA-LV high speed rail line has been theorized, but there are no current plans, and the money in the stimulus bill for improving rail service isn't dedicated to that particular project. The distinguished lady from Michigan is complaining about something that exists only in Republican talking points, like the $30 million (or is it $50 million - they've used both numbers) they're alleging is being spent to save an endangered mouse in San Francisco.

[blue_onyx]

9. It's funny that the GOP is complaining about a non-existent project

I would support high speed rail funding as long as it applied to all areas, not just LA-Vegas. A Detroit-Chicago line would be great.

"Distinguished lady." LOL...so funny. She might run for our governor, which is a little scary.

[RandySF]

13. It will benefit Michigan

The Department of Trasportation's designated high-speed corridors includes a connection between Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Toledo, Colombus, Cimcinnati and Cleveland. Chicago would serve as the hub. Based on the map I am looking at, the Detroit-Chicago line would pass through Ann Arbor, Jackson and Grand Rapids (it may also pass close to Lansing).

http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/203

[blue_onyx]

15. Yeah, one of local blogs posted the map

I would like to make the high-speed rail lines go across the entire country. I think it would be great to travel across country by high speed trains. It would definitely be more fun than being stuck in a plane for hours.

[Romulox]

17. I'm not against High Speed Rail; I am against a tourist line from LA to LV.

Michigan will not benefit from that in the least.

[RandySF]

21. Is a line from Detroit to Chicago a "tourist" line?

I knew people who used to go there just for shopping. Do you oppose LA to San Francisco? What about the line that stretches down the Northeast to DC? Are you against tourists using that line as well? You talk like the West would be the only part of the country slated for high-speed rail.

[Romulox]

22. Pretty much. Why can't we build COMMUTER lines like they have in the NE?

You know, along the routes that people use to get to work each day?

[RandySF]

24. I suppose

If you want to keep people in their little corners of the country. I already commute to work via train every day.

[Romulox]

27. Gimme a break. Precious few people commute from Detroit to Chicago every day to work

Similary, very few commute from LA to LV to work. :hi:

[Romulox]

16. I understand that. However, there has been a great deal of talk about this in the press.

[gratuitous]

18. And that talk originated . . . where?

You don't suppose . . . {gasp!} that the Republicans would lie about the bill to stir up public sentiment?! Oh my goodness! Well, fortunately, we here at DU are smarter than that and know a lot better than to be gulled by GOP agitprop designed to cause false divisions over chimeras, right?

[Romulox]

20. The LA Times?

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-stimulus-calif13-2009feb13,0,615156.story

[gratuitous]

25. Curious story

The mention of an LA-LV high speed rail link is almost a throwaway line near the end of a rather long recitation of hopes and dreams for the proposed money. The paragraph comes straight out of the RNC talking points that Eric Cantor has been promulgating, and which both Eschaton and Daily Kos have been tracking, right down to identifying Harry Reid as the author of this project. Those assertions about the line and who’s pushing for it aren’t sourced in the Times story although practically everything else is. Did the Times get buffaloed, or is it just carrying Cantor’s water and hoping nobody notices?

[Romulox]

26. Gimme a break. The LA Times is not a RNC organ.

"he paragraph comes straight out of the RNC talking points that Eric Cantor has been promulgating, and which both Eschaton and Daily Kos have been tracking, right down to identifying Harry Reid as the author of this project."

Is it (however slightly) possible that this is because Harry Reid indeed was the source of the push to send stimulus dollars to Nevada? :think:

[NC_Nurse]

19. Damn. How unfortunate that her name is the same as my daughter's. Only we

spell it "CandAce". Is she in the House?

[RandySF]

23. Yes

She used to be Michigan Sectretary of State and her name occasionally pops up for governor or the senate.