Other countries are far outpacing the U.S. in mass transportation

[zebonaut]

Had we not wasted trillions on useless wars; we might have one of these:

[Hissyspit]

1. Not to mention Wi-Fi and Internet speed.

[grahamhgreen]

2. And ended poverty, homelessness, hunger, funded education, etc....

[SCVDem]

3. We spend so much energy proclaiming that

We're number one, that we haven't noticed we are not!

USA, USA, USA!

Yeah right!

[idendoit]

4. Tubular rail sounds most viable.

With the least up front costs and off the shelf tech. But I stopped watching when they glossed over any mention of the tremendous amounts of energy needed just to convert water to hydrogen. I didn't get to the bike-o-rail. We've enough dedicated bike paths, infrastructure and the political will to make this happen where I live.

[LibDemAlways]

5. Hell, I'd settle for a way to get from my house to

LAX without having to first get into a car and then into a terrible traffic jam. Mass transit. What's that?

[SCVDem]

8. That would be the Flyaway.

Metrolink sure won't get you there.

[LibDemAlways]

9. I have to drive 20 miles through generally terrible traffic to even

get to the Flyaway. Last time I took it, the bus spent almost two hours getting from Van Nuys through the Sepulveda Pass. Made the flight with literally two minutes to spare. Then landed in London and caught the train, right in the terminal, almost directly to the hotel -- arrived in comfort in 20 minutes. And so many Americans are convinced everything here is the best. They obviously don't get around much.

[ErikJ]

6. Forget it, the Koch Brothers will never allow high-speed mass transit in the US.

They own the Republicans through 100 different front groups so just forget it.

[elzenmahn]

7. i wonder if Gavin Newsom has seen this...

...he of ix-naying High-Speed Rail in California.

"Leadership" on his part would have been to work with the affected parties to make this happen. Finding alternative funding sources (yes, even getting private industry, like the airlines who stand to lose the most if such a high-speed rail system between SF and LA is successful, involved), and otherwise carrying this flag, would have earned more respect for him in my book.

Now, he may not even get my vote.

[Dustlawyer]

10. When you compare our locomotives to France, Germany and Japan it is a joke!

The oil companies and airlines are holding us back. If we can ever push hard enough to get real campaign finance reform and publicly funded elections we can start doing what makes the most sense vs. what makes one group more money.

[zebonaut]

11. oh and other countries have outpaced us in health care, and gun safety too

But were number 1! NOT