SENATE BILL: High Speed Rail Expansion Act (FAILED)

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Nay

I'm not putting more money into the bottomless pit that is the DoIA. If we're putting federal dollars into the regions and trusting them to deal with a task that really is national in scope, we need to have a say in the plan. Like Nix, I know a little bit about high-speed rail, and the Midwest's plan just doesn't seem like a good use of money. Let's work together to connect our regions' most populous cities along a route that works. We want this system to have high ridership, and meandering through Appalaicha and the Rust Belt is a bit questionable.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

We need a "paper bag over head" smiley.

Still vote nay though. I think we can achieve a lot with high-speed rail as long as it's centred on the right areas. I'd rather work collaboratively on that than spend billions of dollars elsewhere on a project that has no real plan.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Yes, exactly. Or something like "reverse earmarks." On the federal level, we can work to create a sort of master plan with funding mechanism. Then we work out the details with the effected regions and get someone in each legislature to introduce the relevant plan. The legislatures can change things as they see fit, I guess... but the point is that's we'd still be setting a framework in which the regions can hammer things out. It's a balance between oversight and independence that I think would work much better than taking over on the federal level or shoving the entire issue to the regions.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I am having a hard time visualizing the proposal for some reason, Hagrid. Could you war game some kind of example so I can picture it?

Here is a very rough framework for how I think my idea could possibly work. Senator MaxQue's issues would also be addressed. This proposal would formalize a lot of informal processes, but I think it's a fair way to execute a project of this scope.

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[HagridOfTheDeep]

Abstain

I see both sides. No one's out to get anyone. It's just a shame that this bill has turned into a bit of a dud. That's why, if we do go immediately to a final vote, I'll vote nay. That said, I don't want to end debate if someone's going to offer something substantive. My suggestion earlier in the thread wasn't exactly related to what the bill has now become... but I may or may not introduce something similar in the future.

Anyhow, yeah.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Nay