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Originally Posted by saptech
We will need to have bullet trains criss-crossing this country in the next 20 years. Japan is celebrating the 48th anniversary of its first bullet train this year.
The fact that the technology already exists for us to go from New York to L.A. in 17 hours by train, and that we haven't used it, is criminal. Let's hire the unemployed to build the new high speed lines all over the country.
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I think HSR on the East coast would make sense, from New York to LA probably would be unviable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by saptech
Initiate a program to put light rail mass transit lines in all our large and medium-sized cities. Build those trains in the closed down GM factories, since the government bailed them out. And hire local people everywhere to install and run this system.
For people in rural areas not served by the train lines, have the GM plants produce energy efficient clean buses.
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Light rail is a decent idea. I'd rather a metro, but oft times it isnt practical.
The trains should be built by the most efficient builders IMO, if GM is them fair enough, but otherwise...
Quote:
Originally Posted by saptech
Transform some of the empty GM factories to facilities that build windmills, solar panels and other means of alternate forms of energy. We need tens of millions of solar panels right now. And there is an eager and skilled workforce who can build them.
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Solar is still inefficient, might be better to put that money into R&D.
Building a lot of new nuclear plants, upgrading dams etc, would give large amounts of temporary work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by saptech
To help pay for this, impose a two dollar tax on every gallon of gasoline. This will get people to switch to more energy saving cars or to use the new rail lines and rail cars the former autoworkers have built for them.
Just some thoughts!
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Two dollar tax on a gallon really needs doing. It would be nice to see a carbon tax that everybody pays on fuel, from petrol to heavy fuel oil.
Quote:
Originally Posted by A.Nonymous
I don't think there's a huge demand for light rail here. If we waved a magic wand and had light rail tomorrow I don't see a lot of people using it to travel.
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They would if they had to pay far more to run and own a car, and light rail was affordable.