China Leads World In High-Speed Rail Tracks : NPR

Something is seriously wrong with this picture. Look at the two stories. One about how China is investing heavily in rail infrastructure. And the other how our elected leaders are REJECTING Federal money to build just the same infrastructure!

This from NPR...

China Leads World In High-Speed Rail Tracks : NPR: "China already has thousands of miles of railroads — including the world's longest network of high-speed rail, which is 4,000 miles long. That total is set to double within two years, giving China more high-speed rail tracks than the rest of the world put together."

And this one too..

The governors-elect of Wisconsin and Ohio say they will reject hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding intended to start up new high-speed passenger rail service in their states, even though the projects require their states to pay nothing upfront. Florida's governor-elect may do the same.

That train is dead," announced Republican John Kasich at his first press conference as Ohio's governor-elect. "I said it during the campaign: It is dead. We are not gonna have it." Kasich has said he will reject $400 million in federal funds meant to establish passenger rail service from Cleveland to Columbus and Cincinnati.

In Florida, Republican Gov.-elect Rick Scott suggests he might not take $2 billion for high-speed rails linking Tampa to Orlando and Miami.

Fiscal responsibility is important, but so is building the infrastructure for the future. These high speed rail lines are not pork barrel political expenditures, these are investments in our future.

The Chinese sure seem to know this.