High speed rail in Taiwan

Citing the famous Daniel Burnham quote to “make no small plans”, President Obama today pushed for high speed rail investments around the country. The highlights:

• The United States is far behind other countries in the developed world in regards to passenger rail.
• Better trains improve national security and the environment by fostering energy independence.
• A new rail network will create jobs in both the short and long term, and improve the economic situation of cities served.
• In addition to the $8 billion included for high-speed rail in the stimulus, there is a further $5 billion proposed for the regular national budget.

If America is to remain competitive in a globalized world of expensive oil, we need this kind of long term investment in modern infrastructure. The President’s dedication to rail (to the tune of $13 billion so far) is really, really fabulous news.