Cantor Caught Celebrating High-Speed Rail After Ridiculing It

While the stimulus was being debated in January, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor called a group of reporters into his office to outline the GOP's objections. As we filed in, we walked past a giant poster ridiculing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for allegedly pushing for high-speed rail connecting Disneyland and Las Vegas.

On NBC's "Meet the Press," Cantor called that project an example of "waste and pork-barrel spending."

Yet one man's pork is another man's prudent investment in transit -- and sometimes the same man's.

Asked about high-speed rail at a recent local event in Virginia, Cantor was all thumbs up. "If there is one thing that I think all of us here on both sides of the political aisle from all parts of the region agree with, it's that we need to do all we can to promote jobs here in the Richmond area," Cantor said of the high-speed rail.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch goes on to report that Cantor "said bringing high-speed rail to the region could further spur economic development, creating as many as 185,000 jobs and bringing $21.2 billion to a region already home to about a half-dozen Fortune 500 companies and 20,000 small businesses."

For Cantor, however, not all high-speed rail is equal, and the Richmond-D.C. project is distinct from Reid's because it is on a list of Department of Transportation-planned corridor projects.

"I'm shocked that that the DNC Chairman, Governor Tim Kaine, would order or tolerate these kind of attacks against the Virginia high speed rail and Democrat Bobby Scott. This is the same old Washington that people have grown sick of and the President campaigned against," said Cantor spokesman Brad Dayspring.

He offered the map below of proposed high-speed rail lines to make the case. The map was produced during the stimulus debate by the White House to back up its push for high-speed rail.

Rail - Free Legal Forms

Ryan Grim is the author of the forthcoming book This Is Your Country On Drugs: The Secret History of Getting High in America

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Comments

[Eris23Skidoo]

Funny the map he provided doesn't show a connection between LA and LV.

[Thinkingclearly]

I look at that high speed rail plan --- and just smile. Look at all the densest populations that are reached with this system. Think of the money being saved by families for Disneyland or trips to parents, or kids in college heading home. All the traffic off the interstates. And the jobs.

Awesome.

Intelligence -- vision -- yes -- this is the administration that is putting OUR COUNTRY FIRST!

[StephBr]

And this time the auto industry is in too bad shape to kill the rail.

[Virginia Plain]

He was agin' it and then he was fer it but then he was agin' it again but now he is fer it.

Eric Can'torwon't.

A REAL Republican!

[Skeetshooter]

There are two things I like about Eric Cantor... -HIS FACE!

[Cybesq]

Funny

[Bedingo]

This Cantor is a real song and dance man. I wonder if he knows Suzie. What a gal. And what a guy this Cantor is. Does he do anything other than and sing and dance?

Please find our what he does for a living. Thank you

[larmarch5]

Not sure about Suzie but he knows Brittney.

[Oonagh]

Intellect equal.

[layman]

A grown Rethug man with a boyish or girly mentality.

[layman]

The GOP keeps sending in the clowns !!!!

[despin]

Please don't spend one nickel on Texas.

[larmarch5]

Anyone have any idea what local letters to the editors in VA papers are saying about this little dweeb? Hey you Virginians, what do his peeps think of him? Good Lord, are any of them paying attention?

[Peabodies]

We're paying attention, and not very proud of Mr. Cantor. Aside the WashPost which adores him, local, privately-owned newspapers are ... critical.

[stevi]

Honestly, we have Jindal and the volcano, Collins and the flu and now Canter and the train. Yup, these guys are spot on! This is how you disintegrate!

[Dwight5]

Cantor's a hypocrite, like most Republicans.

[rabiddog6708]

Cantor's a hypocrite, like ALL Republicans.

[elzohoor]

Amen!

[LMT]

Well, that's what happens when everything you say is based on ideology rather than fact. These "R" keep this up and it'll become such a small, narrow party that Cantor will be the only member left.

[NeverRepublican]

Gee...talking out of both sides of the mouth...

How right -winged fox news republican can you get????!!!!!!!!!

[dimplesmile7]

I think a lot republicans are behind the president but will not go public to admit it.

[Peabodies]

But, but, but ... tax CUTS resolve everything!

[gallimaufry03]

I'm still waiting on the train to take me from disneyland to hookersville nevada.

[larmarch5]

This is actually an Orange County Republican wet dream -- former Anaheim Mayor and Supervisor Don Roth was trying to do their bidding back in the 80's. Never happened then, probably won't now. They already have busses to take the old people to LV when their SS checks arrive.

[prettyinpink]

He is a hero who should be celebrated.

I would never support high speed rail because we would never be able to charge fares high enough to the true operating cost and thus it is destined to become another government run money losing program.

[RanceSpergl]

Why is profit an issue? Who cares if it costs money to run, it's the right answer to our transportation needs. We pay for it, no-brainer?

Really, what is the issue?

The short-sighted and selfish reactions people have to new ideas is amazing.

[ConcernedAmerican]

Your hero is Eric Cantor?

You need new heroes....

[FlyOnTheWall45]

There is enough demand for high speed rail in the designated corridors that fares would support the enterprise. The rails would have the added benefit of reducing travel costs thus stimulating the economy. They would also, by providing an alternative to driving, reduce the wear and tear on interstate highways, reducing maintenance costs. They would also reduce the environmental impact of cars, as more people take trains. They would also save lives, as there would be less drivers. They would compete with airlines and buses, reducing the costs of travel to anywhere, making businesses more efficient and making our country stronger, with a higher economic output, and therefore a higher tax base, thus increasing government revenue that would more than offset any losses.

You've got to look at the big picture, prettyinpink.

[Kalarchis]

The same argument could be made for all new transportation technologies. As the technology becomes widespread, costs will go down and efficiency will go up. It happens every time. But if you want to hold on to old technology while Europe, China, and Japan race past us, be my guest.

[King Cashaw]

World wide, public transport is not a profit maker, but it helps the environment, which if we continue to mess up, it will not matter much. Mother nature will deal with it her own way.

[nylibgrrl]

She already is. We need to act NOW.