General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Time for High Speed Rail in the U.S.A. [View all]hunter
(38,317 posts)California is in fact wealthier, having a greater GDP than Italy.
We can't have high speed rail linking San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and San Diego because... why?
Sadly it seems we will continue to ignore the environmental impacts of fossil fuels, especially gasoline for automobiles and jet fuel for airliners until climate change ends this civilization.
The fundamental problem, of course, is population. With a human population of 8 billion or so, this planet can't support an automobile for every adult. But it can probably support electric high speed rail, and long distance transoceanic and transcontinental travel powered by synthetic carbon neutral fuels, for all the billions of us.
It has to be for all the billions of us, otherwise economic disparities are yet another thing that will tear our 21st century world civilization apart.