Passenger Trains > hi speed rail could have swung Senate control

Very interesting!

Independent Green Party of Virginia candidate for Senate "Gail for Rail" Parker offered to give her support to whichever major party candidate would back high speed rail in Virginia:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06313/736996-177.stm

Assuming that Allen would not have lost supporters that he already had, Parker's 26,000 votes could have easily changed the outcome in the Virginia Senate race and allowed the Republicans to maintain control in the Senate.

I wonder if Allen wishes he could have a "do-over".

I was thinking the same thing, but rail was pretty low on both major candidates radar screens.

Third party candidates have a long history as spoilers in the US. Ralph Nader's 5% of the Florida vote would have helped Al Gore win that state in 2000. Ross Perot's 3% of the US vote would have re-elected George HW Bush in 1992, blocking Clinton, etc.

> Independent Green Party of Virginia candidate for
> Senate "Gail for Rail" Parker offered to give her

News reports state that Israel is preparing to move against the Iranian nuclear program now that it appears that the US is dropping out.

I look forward to riding those high speed trains.

TB

< News reports state that Israel is preparing to move against the Iranian nuclear program now that it appears that the US is dropping out. >

And all of western Europe are killing their HSR programs and slashing operating subsidies because of this.

tburzio Wrote:
----------------------------------------------------
>
> News reports state that Israel is preparing to
> move against the Iranian nuclear program now that
> it appears that the US is dropping out.
>
> I look forward to riding those high speed trains.
>

For some reason, I couldn't help laughing when I got to the second sentence....

P.S. The edit was because I realized that the previous phrasing conveyed an opposite meaning.

Not supporting HSR dooms senator re-election hopes...that is the funniest thing I have heard in some time. Now Webb is the senator from W.V. construction will begin immediately. Not!

HSR helping on elections this year? Oh yeah, sure! I'll see it to beleive it!

dhart Wrote:
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> Not supporting HSR dooms senator re-election
> hopes...that is the funniest thing I have heard in
> some time. Now Webb is the senator from W.V.
> construction will begin immediately. Not!


Webb is not from WV...Byrd is. Webb is from VA.

Of course the WSJ article would focus solely on the electoral aspect, not on HSR as a potentially viable campaign platform (which it is, given the geopolitical, environmental, and other ramifications). The more I think about it, the sadder I am that more mainstream candidates in heavily populated areas haven't taken HSR and ran with it. Few single solutions could have more positive impact on today's issues than aggressive, targeted development of HSR corridors linked by the national network.

Side note: I had dinner with a commuter airline pilot last week. He flies regional jets and is actually quite angry that he has to fly routes like Chicago-Des Moines or other markets where small RJs are hogging precious landing slots and HSR would be a much more sensible solution. I felt validated when I heard it from a perspective like his.

Presidential aspirants are certain to jump on the pro-Parlour Car bandwagon to swing the Parlour Car voting bloc.

You can all laugh, but the article makes perfect sense.

You are right sir, and I stand corrected and humbled.

Nick Wrote:
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> dhart Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Not supporting HSR dooms senator re-election
> > hopes...that is the funniest thing I have heard
> in
> > some time. Now Webb is the senator from W.V.
> > construction will begin immediately. Not!
>
>
> Webb is not from WV...Byrd is. Webb is from VA.

ProRail Wrote:
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> You can all laugh, but the article makes perfect
> sense.

Since Virginia has a lot of Amtrak service and routes, I wonder if Allen could have gotten Parker's support by just adding his name as co-sponsor to Senate bill S1516, Amtrak reauthorization, which includes provisions for capital investment grants to support intercity passenger rail service, along with a pledge to fight to get priority for a project in Virginia.

I had a long chat with Mike Dukakis on an Acela train prior to the 2004 election. His take was that until rail advocates, environmentalists, etc. make HSR a campaign issue, you won't hear much or see much action on it from elected officials. Common sense, but true.

Dave