I'll never forget how incredulous I was when I learned that the bond to fund the High Speed Rail project passed, even in the face of a collapsing housing market and a sharp recession here in California.  The electorate here is so, so smart.

Now we learn that the High Speed Rail project is basically dead in the water without almost a hundred billion of additional money invested. Also, even if it is built, its low to non existent ridership will require constant subsidies from the taxpayers.

 In addition, the only possible part of the line that can be completed any time soon goes between Fresno and Bakersfield, where the competition for ridership will be a fine quality highway with no real traffic, which takes about an hour and a half to drive.  So, when you add in the time to get to the train station, park (which will cost you probably 10 to 20 bucks), go in, buy your ticket and wait for your train, how much time will you really save?  Add on the same amount of time getting out of the train and renting another car in Bakersfield, and there probably isn't any time savings, plus it will likely cost more money than driving.  How does zero ridership sound, politicians?

Honestly, the only reason that this boondoggle continues must be to feather the nest of some politically connected union. With this HSR insanity as a specific example, but also the all around idiocy of the liberalism that drives him,  Jerry Brown, with his three terms as governor, along with the Democrats in the legislature, will succeed in destroying the state.  The rest of us just get to suffer.

Related:  California toxic for business.  Just wait until they have to tax the surviving businesses to support the train with no riders.

Also related: Hyper regulation in California creates a war on business.

Also also related:  The number of retired public workers with pensions over 100k a year increased 99% in just two years.  If that trend isn't a warning of oncoming fiscal disaster, nothing is.