Unbelievably foul opposition to high-speed rail

“Leaders” from Atherton, Menlo Park, and Palo Alto have vehemently opposed high-speed rail coming through their towns on its way up the San Francisco peninsula to downtown San Francisco where a major new main transportation center is being built in the center of downtown.

Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto and environmental groups in August 2008 sued to block the [California High Speed Rail] plan, leading to an epic legal saga that resulted in numerous public hearings and 163 court filings. They argued that the
Peninsula route would negatively harm the environment and sued under the California Environmental Quality Act.

They lost however. Nonetheless:

Atherton Vice Mayor Jerry Carlson, however, has not resigned himself to the bullet train coming through his town. He notes that the state still needs tens of billions of dollars to extend the line to the Bay Area.

“It’s a long time from now, and they’re going to need a lot more money than what’s on the table,” said Carlson, whose town last week donated $10,000 to a separate Central Valley lawsuit against the bullet train.

source:
California high-speed rail finally wins Peninsula lawsuit after five years

I cannot believe that there are people capable of such foulness in positions of authority.

Flashman said he would discuss with his clients a possible appeal to a higher court. Another case by the same plaintiffs is now winding its way through the state Court of Appeal, and it probably won’t be heard until this fall.

Unbelievably foul. Things like this make me seriously question the governmental system in the United States. After such a disgustingly ugly presidential campaign season, after the ugly battles over the budget, when one looks at how a country like China has, within the past 20 years build one of the best and most extensive high-speed rail systems in the world, and manages to change leadership and run the country more-or-less smoothly without all the disgusting spectacles, it makes me think.

I know about Tibet but I also know that China has not ever bombed another country in recent history, except perhaps in a past proxy war against US hegemony.

Anyhow, I give credit to the leaders here with visions who are pushing through high-speed rail and other major transit and environmental upgrades.