High Speed Rail: Is America Ready?

This piece provides an excellent, relatively comprehensive update on the state of high speed rail in America.

In short, despite Obama's full support, high speed passenger rail travel in America at this moment is a decrepit national embarrassment.

Even though Obama pumped in billions to development in the recently passed fiscal stimulus, our present system is so decrepit, inefficient, and antiquated that the vast majority of the stimulus money will go to fix existing lines that have been starved for decades, most recently under 8 years of the Bush Jr. administration.

I was unaware before reading the above story the extent of citizen opposition to American high speed rail development.  

These people need to realize that more cars and highways are not the answer.  Not to anything good long term to our country, anyway.

I encourage supporters to remember that Rome wasn't built in a day, and that a journey of 10,000 miles begins with a first step.

The French, owners of what's widely regarded as the best nationwide bullet train system in the world, are looking to help.

The full power of the presidency is finally behind the movement.  Obama's even appointed a 'high speed rail czar' in New York's Karen Rae.

 Is high speed rail in America finally on track or permanently derailed?  What do you think?  Comments below welcome!