California Labor Federation on Whitman’s HSR Stance
Note from Robert: The California Labor Federation asked me to post this on the blog, and I am more than happy to oblige them. Please note that this blog has not and likely will not endorse any candidate for office, although you shouldn’t have to guess too hard about who my choice will be.
Billionaire CEO Meg Whitman continued her hypocrisy on jobs this week, coming out in opposition to high-speed rail and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it would create. Whitman spokeswoman Sarah Pompei told the Sacramento Bee that Whitman opposes the project because the state can’t “afford” high-speed rail.
So let’s get this straight… the state can’t afford to create hundreds of thousands of good jobs with a project that’s already received significant federal funding and voter approval? This appears to be another example – a particularly egregious one – of Whitman showing her true colors on job creation. In her glossy TV ads, Whitman talks a big game about her compassion for the unemployed. But by opposing high-speed rail, Whitman is showing yet again that she doesn’t really care about the state’s jobless.
California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski:
Meg Whitman’s opposition to high-speed rail and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it would create shows how dangerously out of touch she is with the economic realities facing so many California families.
California’s high-speed rail project is precisely the kind of spark our state’s economy needs. Not only would it create good-paying jobs up and down the state, it has the potential to bring manufacturing back to California.
High-speed rail is a no-brainer for California: business, labor, local governments and environmentalists all support the construction of high-speed rail in California for its economic, environmental, business and revenue benefits.
The construction and operation of a high-speed rail system is projected to create 160,000 construction jobs and as many as 450,000 permanent jobs statewide, including in the economically depressed Central Valley.
High-speed rail will make California businesses more competitive, by speeding the movement of goods and people throughout the state, enabling businesses to attract workers, and propelling California tourism.
Voters have already declared their support for high-speed rail, approving Proposition 1A in 2008 for $9.95 billion in bonds to build high-speed rail in California, more than any other state has committed to high-speed rail, and the federal government has already committed more than $2 billion.
Pulaski:
It’s shocking that a candidate for Governor could be so detached from the economic hardships facing our state’s families. With one in eight Californians out of work, how can we afford not to invest in the creation of hundreds of thousands of permanent, good new jobs?
Whitman continues to talk about fiscal austerity, which might explain her opposition to high-speed rail, however unreasonable and uninformed her position is. The problem is, Whitman also touts huge tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations, which would bleed the state of billions of dollars every year. The bottom line: Whitman’s perfectly content giving her millionaire friends tax breaks, but when it comes to creating jobs for Californians, she’s staunchly opposed.
That sort of philosophy is not surprising coming from a career corporate executive with close ties to Wall Street. Job slashing to benefit the corporate elite has become the norm in Whitman’s Wall Street culture. But it’s an incredibly dangerous and damaging proposition for California.
At a time when we desperately need to create good jobs, Whitman has shown once again that she’s the absolute wrong choice for California.
Somebody give Art Pulaski a Pulitzer for this piece! Seriously: 160,000 construction jobs + 450,000 permanent jobs = JOBS, JOBS, JOBS (as Meg would put it). YET SHE’S AGAINST HSR?!!
YesonHSR Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
something I hope they paint all over her atherton rich nimby face
I think hsr is a perfect example of a good stimulus project. Not only do you get labor jobs created from the physical construction, and professional jobs for the design and suppport, and the manufacturing and shipping jobs for materials ( created here or shipped in from elsewhere- either way there’s work to be done) but then you get all the local businesses who benefit whether its the lunch counter or taco truck near the construction site, or the applebees in the subdivision where the welder lives who can now not only pay the mortgage but affored to take the wife and kids out to dinner once in a while with the steady paycheck. you get all that, then you also get a useful physical thing that benefits the people for the next century just like the original railroads did for america. And, not only all of that but then you also get all this potential for real estate developement and all the jobs that come with that. And californian’s get to zippity do around the state freely. And, no ever talks about one huge benefit – tourism…. which will be great enhanced. The potential is nearly unlimited with something so simple and versatile in place.
Anyone who can plainly see those things is either stupid or lying for political reasons.
HSRforCali Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 11:58 am
Something like this could be used against her when she brings up her supposed case for creating “millions of new jobs.”
Brandon from San Diego Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Well, maybe she supports ‘minimum wage’, jobs versus normally paying jobs?
Peter Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
She needs to get maids to clean her house from somewhere, doesn’t she?
Perhaps slim, but there is a possibility that HSR becomes a campaign talking point. Not ‘the’ talking point, but ‘a’ talking point. With that possibility, it seems appropriate to revisit with a repost of ‘why’ HSR is needed for California… for those searching the internet to educate themselves.
My view begins with the recognition that California’s population will grow by another 20 million people by 2050, from 39.1 million in 2010 to 59.5 million in 2050. That is a 50% increase. A product of this increase will be that the State will need to take the lead on increasing the capacity of California’s transportation infrastructure, and particularly for inter-city travel. The menu options include significant increase in airport capacity (runways and terminals), and freeway widenings. Assuming provision for the same capacity thresholds, HSR provides the necessary capacity at a fraction of the cost.
The side benefits of this, which are not trivial at all, include that HSR achieves the necessary capacity with substantially less environmental damage and decreases reliance on foreign fuels, particularly from the unstable Middle East. It is also worth noting that decresaing outflow of American cash to the Middle East will decrease the opportunity for that cash to land in the hands of people intent to blow up American cities and our people.
I doubt very much that mega-Meg worries about what labor thinks, as she is going after their pension plans.
OT but here is a newsflash to all the Tejon nimbys:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/11/BAG51EBH9B.DTL
Guess what – there is a sizeable fault, thought to be quiescent but now found to be active, and just where does it run? Under the hsr thru Tejon? No-o-o-o! Right under a Bakersfield area dam. A direct link to the Wolf Creek fault in the Tehachapis has yet to be determined.
So a 30 mile and half-hour detour and still in a seismic hotspot.
“Chinatown” lives, Jake.
jimsf Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 11:40 am
She won’t be touching pension plans because pension plans are a huge and useful pot of money. It sounds good on the campaign trail but its not gonna happen. She isn’t going to win without labor’s support and even if she did win, she isn’t going to able to implement anything but no one in sacramento is going to cooperate with her. She will be either have to greatly modify her agenda, or, be an outcast.
Btw, did you skip the part about the difference between crossing moving faults on the surface versus underground.
synonymouse Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 11:49 am
Unless you want to expropriate the Loop the Tehachapi detour will require tunnels. It is not possible to predict how much damage a fault can inflict. 1952 was significant and the SP reacted, if I remember correctly, by daylighting some tunnels and reinforcing others. HSR tunnels would obviously be considerably deeper and longer.
Still courting seismic risk and adding 30 route miles of construction, maintenance and time lost. Plus subject to winter snows. Time to revisit Tejon.
Peter Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
So, you talk about how dangerous faults are, and then you recommend routing HSR over Tejon where it would tunnel through a number of faults?
Like Jim said, you skip the part about the differences in danger between crossing moving faults on the surface versus underground.
synonymouse Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Tejon can be tackled in such a way that only the Garlock is crossed in tunnel. This project can be engineered.
Tejon’s problems have been exaggerated and the Tehacahapis shortcomings vastly understated or ignored. They need to solicit a Tejon proposal from an outsider like Herrenknecht.
Peter Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Well, continue to delude yourself.
Peter Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Oh, and one fault crossed in a tunnel is one fault too many, when we have alternatives.
jimsf Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
So it can ben engineered over tejon but can’t be engineered over tehachapi? ug I can’t get sucked into this debate.
Hey lets just leave out the half million who live in the high desert, and while we are at it, lets leave out the millions who live in the valley too. Let just built something that goes from the bay to la in hour. Oh wait we already have that – its called a plane.
So why not put ticketing and baggage in downtown sf with a high speed people mover to the gates at sfo and do the same between downtown la and lax. and then we only have to build a few miles of new infrastructure.
Oh wait, what about the other 20 million people in california who need to go places. oh well they aren’t important.
Brandon from San Diego Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
har har har… how about a new north-south alignment that is in an under-sea tube off the coast line?
StevieB Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
So there is a fault 100 times less active than the San Andreas Fault which runs under the Grapevine to the east of Bakersfield. Seems like evidence for avoiding the Grapevine area for the 100 times less active area.
OT: ICE trains overheat after their AC units fail during heat wave.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100711/ap_on_re_eu/eu_germany_overheated_train
Rafael Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Apparently, A/C failures in individual cars in the aging ICE1 and ICE2 fleet are reportedly quite common, but in this case there was a complete failure in all cars on three trains. DB skimped on maintenance for a number of years in an attempt to improve its balance sheet in the run-up to a partial privatization. The previous grand coalition government wanted to structurally reduce operating subsidies to DB.
For safety reasons, passengers cannot open the windows on high speed trains. In this case, one passenger tried to break a window with a hammer. It’s not immediately clear why no-one activated the emergency brake, given that interior temperatures had already reached dangerous levels. Forty-four individuals required medical attention for heat exhaustion. DB has apologized and is offering compensation. The company is being investigated for criminal negligence.
Note that the newer ICE3 trains were apparently not involved in this particular incident. Regarding the new fleet of 300 ICx trains that will gradually replace the ICE1 and ICE2 plus locomotive-drawn IC and ICE: DB is still negotiating terms and conditions with the preferred vendor, Siemens. The railway wants fancier interiors for its EUR 6 billion than the vendor is willing to deliver.
http://www.thelocal.de/money/20100704-28279.html
Well, not everybody fits the generational pattern:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_Whitman
http://www.insidebayarea.com/my-town/ci_15479236
Frankly, I’m just a little leary reading about her coming up so far and so fast in the corporate world. Seems awfully lucky–and I wonder if such luck leaves one deprived of how hard it is in most cases to really accomplish anything. Such luck also would have her in contact primarily with the really well off, well off, well off older folks (WOWOWOOFers is how the acronym comes out–that was fun!), and most of them don’t know about peak oil or other problems–they’ve been too busy making money to notice. . .and some cynically think they can just run away. . .
YesonHSR Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
She no longer represents what California is…, her postion on HSR sums up alot about what she is…
OT: I had previously posted that the PCC would be having a Caltrain Electrification presentation at their July 16th meeting. Instead, it seems the presentation was this past Friday, July 9th – done by Mike Scanlon.
I missed it. Was there anyone who went who could describe what was presented? I understand the presentation didn’t quite go into the level of depth that would cover the concerns that, for instance, CA4HASR presented in their letter. Anyone?
Tony D. Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
What a slimy organization the PCC is! Were they afraid HSR supporters were going to show up at the July 16 meeting? Outrageous!
Joey Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Let’s not get too presumptuous
Robert Cruickshank Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Agreed, this seems like a simple mistake.
Nadia Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Actually, it was my fault. I had seen the date as the 16th and then it seems it was moved up. So mea culpa on that one. Sorry!
Robert Cruickshank Reply:
July 12th, 2010 at 10:23 am
No worries. As I said, a simple mistake. I’m sure I’ve made my share of them in the 2+ years I’ve run this blog!
Robert, it is best that this blog is as politically-netural as possible, and not an anti-right wing/conservative/Republican web site, as I do not believe that every Republican or conservative is against high-speed rail. There are those who strongly support it (e.g. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood), and there are different types of Republicans and conservatives. I identify myself neither a Republic, Democrat, conservative, liberal, or libertarian, but a moderate.
I am wary of “fat queens” (which I coined to refer to wealthy women akin to “fat cats”) like Meg Whitman, and it is more disturbing that this upcoming election season, there is a large number of them running for public office. The rich should not be trusted in politics and do not serve the common interest of California, the United States, and mankind.
Robert Cruickshank Reply:
July 12th, 2010 at 10:24 am
I agree that this blog seeks to be politically neutral. However, that does not mean we will be politically silent. We’re not going to endorse any candidates, but we also are going to discuss the HSR positions of the candidates for office, and criticize those candidates, regardless of party, whose positions are anti-HSR.
Just for reference on federal spending priorities, check out the US Navy plans to massively overhaul and expand its fleet over the next 30 years. Cost: in excess of $15 billion per year.
You can never have too many aircraft carriers. There are evildoers in them thar mountains.
YesonHSR Reply:
July 12th, 2010 at 9:14 am
Like the Roman Empire on a fast time line the US spends large amounts of money on the miltary while the empire crumbles.
synonymouse Reply:
July 12th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
We almost lost World War II but we lucked out on technical innovation(radar, the bomb)and the fact our home base was not touched so we could quickly produce massive amounts of armaments, ships, tanks, planes, etc. The fascists almost won.
Perhaps Rome’s worst mistake was failure to adequately deal with a threat close to its borders, not in a remote corner of the Empire. The dissolute and jealous Tiberius recalled Germanicus just as the latter was progressing with the pacification of Germany as far as the Elbe. They should have learned from Hannibal that the Alps are a porous line of defense. Rome needed to make Germany an assimilated latinized province, but failed to prioritize. Incompetent and corrupt leadership – three really terrible emperors almost in a row. Read Suetonius’ “Twelve Caesars”
Spokker Reply:
July 12th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Off topic, but in the video game Mass Effect humanity is just one of many alien species. The game describes their military as weak but clever compared to other species, in that they are always innovating and prefer to get behind enemy lines and sabotage supply lines and stuff like that.
So when we get into space wars maybe we’ll save the universe from Space Germany.
People like Whitman always claim that we have no funds for high speed rail. Meanwhile, we are spending billions in highway construction and maintenance. All we are asking for is to use some of the money to fund California high-speed rail which will relieve highways by tens of thousands of cars per year. Particularly stations will create hundreds of thousands of permanent jobs.
I know from Europe that ALL high-speed rail stations function as shopping malls, besides being state-of-the-art transportation hubs. They are also surrounded by unique stores as business knows that millions of people leave and enter the station.
Emma Reply:
July 12th, 2010 at 11:46 am
A great example is the St. Pancras Arcade of St. Pancras station, London.
http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/stpancrasinternation/stpancrasinternation3.html
Official site:
http://www.stpancras.com/shop/
synonymouse Reply:
July 12th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
Whitmans’s oppostion is welcome as it can put back on the table a superior starter alternative: SFO-Dunbarton, Altamont, I-5 median, Tejon tunnels mit branch to Bakersfield-Fresno and extension to Sac in the first stage.
Apparently Brown hasn’t even bothered to critique the current CHSRA scheme even tho Altamont is manifestly better for his home base. Seems to me he has already joined Ron Dellums in somnolent retirement.
OT: Palo Alto considering funding a rail corridor study. San Jose Mercury article mentions that Palo Alto may need to hire a part-time consultant. Maybe Clem can help them see the light? On the other hand, it should be a walk in the park for en expert like Richard M. to set Palo Alto straight in rail corridor planning.
http://tinyurl.com/2eegb27
synonymouse Reply:
July 12th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Slight digression but what’s wrong with this for PA:
http://freericks.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2136807
YesonHSR Reply:
July 13th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
they probally would whinn about even that….and this just might be the it..no Billion dollar tunnels
Joey Reply:
July 13th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Severa creeks make below-grade difficult. Plus, you need considerable space on each side for construction (think property takes). This is true of retained fill too, though not of aerial structures.
synonymouse Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Aerial structures will require a significant security buffer zone outboard of the actual structure with very extensive fencing. The trench will already have that buffer so the fencing can be right at the edge of the downsloping walls.
Peter Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
“Aerial structures will require a significant security buffer zone outboard of the actual structure with very extensive fencing.”
What do you base this claim on?
synonymouse Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
The hsr is a more attractive target for terrorists than a freeway, therefore standard freeway clearance from private property(including buildings straddling the ROW) won’t apply. For instance you will have to provide enough clearance such that a carbomb could not get close enough to a stanchion to bring it down. And the question is there as to just how close are you going to allow an open window or a rooftop from which an attack can be launched?
Not to mention blight mitigation attempts such as landscaping which will require a wider footprint.
adirondacker12800 Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
The hsr is a more attractive target for terrorists than a freeway
You are just pulling this out of your nether regions aren’t you? HSR has been running in Japan for 45 years. In Europe for decades. How many car bombs have there been since then? I can think of two spectacular ones in the US.
Pray tell, how do they keep the car bombs away from a car filled freeway?
Peter Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
If they’re targeting trains a crowded subway or commuter train would be a much more enticing target. Oh wait, that already happened (attempts in New York, successful attacks in Moscow, Madrid, London).
HSR trains aren’t full enough for that to be worthwhile.
adirondacker12800 Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Beyond attempt in New York, though he was just a random crazy person not part of an organized terrorist organization. Or the Black Tom attack, though that was more technically sabotage not terrorism – blew out windows 90 miles away in Philadelphia. Or the Sarin attacks in Tokyo. Or………..
YesonHSR Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 8:52 pm
those creeks have very little flow..much larger waterways have been changed ..some kind of piping can get them under and back up