Passenger Trains > Former Opponent Switches to "Yes" on CA HSR Project

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that he no longer opposes California's $64 billion high-speed rail plan, after withdrawing support for the project more than two years ago.
He told the Sacramento Press Club that he would "100 percent" seek a solid public funding source for the train project if he's elected governor in 2018.
The Democratic former mayor of San Francisco is raising money for a bid when Gov. Jerry Brown is termed out then.
 
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Newsom-seeking-governor-s-office-now-backs-9984365.php
 

Newsom is a complete loon. Anyone who thinks he can run California is delusional.

trainjunkie Wrote:
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> Newsom is a complete loon. Anyone who thinks he
> can run California is delusional.

I tell myself not to judge people by their looks, but Newsom looks pretty slippery, even for a politician. Looks like he is giving himself room to change his mind back. Maybe even back and forth a few times.

trainjunkie Wrote:
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> Newsom is a complete loon. Anyone who thinks he
> can run California is delusional.

Pretty much nailed it.
Here's the local newspaper covering the recent news conference:

"Meeting with reporters Wednesday in Sacramento, he was upfront about his motives: “My goal today is to make absolutely no news.”He largely succeeded."

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article109273127.html#storylink=cpyhttp://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article109273127.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/16 15:53 by TCnR.

Money exchanged under the table will tell the tale...if it's ever revealed.

Folks who've met with him tell me that Newsom is totally out of touch with everyone outside SF and LA - no understanding of the rest of the state.

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

MojaveBill Wrote:
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> Folks who've met with him tell me that Newsom is
> totally out of touch with everyone outside SF and
> LA - no understanding of the rest of the state.

He doesn't understand LA either. He's a total San Francisco guy.

ts1457 Wrote:
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> trainjunkie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Newsom is a complete loon. Anyone who thinks he
> > can run California is delusional.
>
> I tell myself not to judge people by their looks,
> but Newsom looks pretty slippery, even for a
> politician. Looks like he is giving himself room
> to change his mind back. Maybe even back and forth
> a few times.

And if he can flip-flop effortlessly, then he has earned the necessary skills to become a politician.

Anyone else actually read the article? In it, he's "hedging" his support by expressing "concern about financing." (laugh track please) I do give him credit for admitting to flip-flopping, no outright denials, so you can conclude he's not presidential material. :-)

Since this article or other published stories following Gavin Newsom's opinions on CA HSR has not stated WHY he's taking whatever position he's taking, I think it's fair game for me to speculate and put words in his mouth until he explains otherwise. 

I believe his 2014 decision to "withdraw" support comes from the routing indecision and the inevitable "nowhere to nowhere" terminus of the project until the foreseeable future. He probably changed his mind recently, because CA HSR declared that the Central Valley segment will construct north and west to the Bay Area, and possibly San Francisco.

In any case, it seems Newsom realizes he has to kowtow to the state's power brokers in order to get some backroom support for his possible run for governor, and "re-supporting" CA HSR in public is probably a necessary process... so to add to GenePoon's comments above, it's more than just about money changing hands.

Until the opponents can organize and put a "Recall Prop 1A" on the ballot SOON, all you'll be able to rely on will be Newsom flip-flop to end the CA HSR project. Seems the CA voters deserve this project down their throat for the "all talk no action" attitude. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/16 21:55 by cchan006.

PHall Wrote:
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> MojaveBill Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Folks who've met with him tell me that Newsom
> is
> > totally out of touch with everyone outside SF
> and
> > LA - no understanding of the rest of the state.
>
> He doesn't understand LA either. He's a total San
> Francisco guy.

And probably a Scientologist as well.

California doesn't need any more wishy-washy politicians like Newsome.  CA needs someone with a spine, not someone that's spineless.  Brown actually had one once but age apparenty has turned his to jelly...


Allen

MojaveBill Wrote:
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> Folks who've met with him tell me that Newsom is totally out of touch with everyone outside SF and
> LA - no understanding of the rest of the state.

Is there anywhere in CA besides SF and LA???  If so they must be pretty sparsely populated....

There are some of us who think that without Gavin Newsom (there is no "e" in his name) showing leadership back in Feb 2004 we still might not have marriage equality across the nation. He showed a lot of spine then and was shunned by the party establishment for taking that stand. He's also taking the lead on gun initiatives and climate change but I guess these are progressive issues so they probably don't count.

Let the flaming begin -- I'm wearing my asbestos coveralls:-)



bradleymckay Wrote:
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> California doesn't need any more wishy-washy
> politicians like Newsome.  CA needs someone with
> a spine, not someone that's spineless.  Brown
> actually had one once but age apparenty has turned
> his to jelly...
>
>
> Allen

HSR likely will have universal support among the candidates for Governor, particularly if Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearingen is successful for the Rs.

YES! A complete Looser

WP17 Wrote:
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> There are some of us who think that without Gavin
> Newsom (there is no "e" in his name) showing
> leadership back in Feb 2004 we still might not
> have marriage equality across the nation. He
> showed a lot of spine then and was shunned by the
> party establishment for taking that stand. He's
> also taking the lead on gun initiatives and
> climate change but I guess these are progressive
> issues so they probably don't count.
>
> Let the flaming begin -- I'm wearing my asbestos
> coveralls:-)

It just means passenger rail issues are actually NOT important to an average politician. There's no political price to pay for flip-flopping on trains. Like a parrot, I've been ranting about Train Mediocrity and Train Stupidity, and this just goes right along with my train of thought.

So it's fair to speculate that CA HSR is not really a transportation project. Some have accused it of being a front for land grabbing. Some have speculated it as some "make work" project to keep certain political-friendly corporations afloat. Who knows what the real motivation is.