Can't.

Can't.

I am six forty.

I am six forty.

You're listening to the John Cobelt Podcast on the iHeartRadio app. Welcome, how are you. It's good that you're here. Good that you're here, Debra.

You're listening to the John Cobelt Podcast on the iHeartRadio app. Welcome, how are you. It's good that you're here. Good that you're here, Debra.

Oh well, thank you. It's good that you're here too.

Oh well, thank you. It's good that you're here too.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We're all happy here and we're on the air from one inn till four every day after four o'clock. You got the podcast John Cobelt Show on demand, the same as the radio show, and so anything you missed you can listen to it after four. We're going to follow up on yesterday's big story. The Trump administration announced that they are cutting off further funding for California's high speed rail disaster. There was about four billion dollars still on the table and Trump said, no more money. And the Democrats in Sacramento, as they say, are doubling down and they're shouting even louder that they're going to continue the project, even though it's been seventeen years and seventeen billion dollars and there's not even two feet of track laid down. There are some stonehenge stonehenge stoneheads like viaducts that have been built, but there's there's no actual track, there are no trains, there's no train stations, and obviously it wouldn't happen for decades even if they had the money, and they don't have the money at he's not the federal money. Now, let's say get Kevin Kylie on, because Kevin Kylie's Republican Congressman from northern California, and he actually got the ball rolling a couple of weeks before Trump was inaugurated, because he introduced a bill in the House to start the defunding process. Kevin, how are.

We're all happy here and we're on the air from one inn till four every day after four o'clock. You got the podcast John Cobelt Show on demand, the same as the radio show, and so anything you missed you can listen to it after four. We're going to follow up on yesterday's big story. The Trump administration announced that they are cutting off further funding for California's high speed rail disaster. There was about four billion dollars still on the table and Trump said, no more money. And the Democrats in Sacramento, as they say, are doubling down and they're shouting even louder that they're going to continue the project, even though it's been seventeen years and seventeen billion dollars and there's not even two feet of track laid down. There are some stonehenge stonehenge stoneheads like viaducts that have been built, but there's there's no actual track, there are no trains, there's no train stations, and obviously it wouldn't happen for decades even if they had the money, and they don't have the money at he's not the federal money. Now, let's say get Kevin Kylie on, because Kevin Kylie's Republican Congressman from northern California, and he actually got the ball rolling a couple of weeks before Trump was inaugurated, because he introduced a bill in the House to start the defunding process. Kevin, how are.

You doing great? How are you?

You doing great? How are you?

I'm all right?

I'm all right?

Uh, this this is obviously not a big surprise. And there isn't anybody in Washington that can do anything about this, right, Is there any lawsuits that can turn this around or anything?

Uh, this this is obviously not a big surprise. And there isn't anybody in Washington that can do anything about this, right, Is there any lawsuits that can turn this around or anything?

You know, the Democrats.

You know, the Democrats.

This is a process that is well estyled, where when you get a federal grant, you're not allowed to just do whatever you want with the money. You have to abide by the terms of the grand And so that was the purpose of this audit, which was really a compliance review, is to assess is California in compliance with the terms of the four billion dollars in federal grants that's received yeah, and you know, one.

This is a process that is well estyled, where when you get a federal grant, you're not allowed to just do whatever you want with the money. You have to abide by the terms of the grand And so that was the purpose of this audit, which was really a compliance review, is to assess is California in compliance with the terms of the four billion dollars in federal grants that's received yeah, and you know, one.

Of those that's important to talk about. I don't mean to dirupt you, but a lot of people are. They're portraying this as Trump just being vindictive against California and against high speed rail. But actually there is a contract and they have violated the terms of the deal over and over and over again for many years now. So go into detail on that.

Of those that's important to talk about. I don't mean to dirupt you, but a lot of people are. They're portraying this as Trump just being vindictive against California and against high speed rail. But actually there is a contract and they have violated the terms of the deal over and over and over again for many years now. So go into detail on that.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. I mean it's sort of at the most basic level, they were given a grant to build a train and they haven't built a train, so they're out of compliance with the terms of the grant. And in fact, there are a whole host of ways in which there are deemed atict compliance that are not adequately reporting. Their timelines don't make sense, their funding models don't make sense, and nothing has actually been built. They haven't laid any track in seventeen years, despite massive federal funding and massive state funding. And even now, you know, they're saying that this initial set from Baker's Field to Merced it's going to miss its twenty thirty three deadline, when the whole thing LA to San Francisco was supposed to be up and running five years ago. So it is time to finally put this nightmare to an end so we can use these funds on things we actually need.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. I mean it's sort of at the most basic level, they were given a grant to build a train and they haven't built a train, so they're out of compliance with the terms of the grant. And in fact, there are a whole host of ways in which there are deemed atict compliance that are not adequately reporting. Their timelines don't make sense, their funding models don't make sense, and nothing has actually been built. They haven't laid any track in seventeen years, despite massive federal funding and massive state funding. And even now, you know, they're saying that this initial set from Baker's Field to Merced it's going to miss its twenty thirty three deadline, when the whole thing LA to San Francisco was supposed to be up and running five years ago. So it is time to finally put this nightmare to an end so we can use these funds on things we actually need.

Why are they clinging to this Baker's Field to Merced concept. There's it's not going to be used. Nobody's going to take that. There's no market there, right.

Why are they clinging to this Baker's Field to Merced concept. There's it's not going to be used. Nobody's going to take that. There's no market there, right.

The whole thing has just been a scheme to keep the project alive. You might remember in twenty nineteen, Newsom came in its first State of the Union and said, no, high speed rail is never going to happen. But then he quickly did in about case. And the way that they kind of, you know, kept it going was saying, we're going to build this initial Baker's Field Merced segment first is sort of a proof of concept, and so they continue to get more money on the you know, on the supposition that this was actually going to be built, and then you complete the rest of it after that. But the problem is they've proven locally incapable of even making any progress on that initial segment, which no one, as you said, would actually ride.

The whole thing has just been a scheme to keep the project alive. You might remember in twenty nineteen, Newsom came in its first State of the Union and said, no, high speed rail is never going to happen. But then he quickly did in about case. And the way that they kind of, you know, kept it going was saying, we're going to build this initial Baker's Field Merced segment first is sort of a proof of concept, and so they continue to get more money on the you know, on the supposition that this was actually going to be built, and then you complete the rest of it after that. But the problem is they've proven locally incapable of even making any progress on that initial segment, which no one, as you said, would actually ride.

There's a political story out I don't know if you saw it, but it suggests that the reason this project keeps going on is everyone in California government is intimidated by the labor unions. There's fifteen thousand union workers who get employed because of this boon goggle, even though they apparently don't produce anything useful. And so anytime Gavin Newsom or there's Katie Porter is now running for governor, anytime they pop off against high speed rail, they got an ugly phone call from the union and they change their mind the next day.

There's a political story out I don't know if you saw it, but it suggests that the reason this project keeps going on is everyone in California government is intimidated by the labor unions. There's fifteen thousand union workers who get employed because of this boon goggle, even though they apparently don't produce anything useful. And so anytime Gavin Newsom or there's Katie Porter is now running for governor, anytime they pop off against high speed rail, they got an ugly phone call from the union and they change their mind the next day.

Is that what this is about.

Is that what this is about.

Ultimately, this is a fifteen thousand jobs program for the unions, and nobody actually expects to have a high speed rail at the end of this.

Ultimately, this is a fifteen thousand jobs program for the unions, and nobody actually expects to have a high speed rail at the end of this.

Well, this is certainly the talking point that they fall back on when all of us fails. And this is what Newsome's attack dog. He pays a guy at a tax payer money to troll me on Twitter on x This is what he said, Oh, but it's creating so many jobs, and I'm all four jobs. I think jobs that we want to create jobs, but I want to create jobs that are actually doing something useful.

Well, this is certainly the talking point that they fall back on when all of us fails. And this is what Newsome's attack dog. He pays a guy at a tax payer money to troll me on Twitter on x This is what he said, Oh, but it's creating so many jobs, and I'm all four jobs. I think jobs that we want to create jobs, but I want to create jobs that are actually doing something useful.

They safe jobs.

They safe jobs.

Right, You could easily create jobs by having some people dig a hole and then the other people fill the dirt back in, which is essentially what they are doing. But why not actually create the jobs, having them build things like new roads or even new regional transit systems to improve regional transit systems that people would actually ride.

Right, You could easily create jobs by having some people dig a hole and then the other people fill the dirt back in, which is essentially what they are doing. But why not actually create the jobs, having them build things like new roads or even new regional transit systems to improve regional transit systems that people would actually ride.

So it is the unions, you're going to have their sway forever. I mean, they're claiming there's in this California budget, and I know you have no say over that, but they're going to appropriate a billion a year for the next twenty years, and I guess we're all just going to have to eat that, huh, so that the union the workers get.

So it is the unions, you're going to have their sway forever. I mean, they're claiming there's in this California budget, and I know you have no say over that, but they're going to appropriate a billion a year for the next twenty years, and I guess we're all just going to have to eat that, huh, so that the union the workers get.

Paid, well, I don't know.

Paid, well, I don't know.

I mean, with the with the loss of the federal funding, and at my bill houses that I'll make that a permanent state of affairs, then the funding models for this become even more just outrageously delusional. And so I think that if anything is going to force the state to reassess its completely irrational support for this project, despite the massive deficit and everything else, that loss of federal funding maybe it, Which is why I introduced that bill, because I think this is the way that we can bring high speed rail to an end. And in fact, I think that this audit that just came out is the beginning of the end for the project. And again we can have jobs if we just invest in the transportation infrastructure that Californians actually need in fact to have a lot more jobs, because when you create, you know, things that are actually used that are then additional there's additional economic activity associated with that that then we'll create more jobs.

I mean, with the with the loss of the federal funding, and at my bill houses that I'll make that a permanent state of affairs, then the funding models for this become even more just outrageously delusional. And so I think that if anything is going to force the state to reassess its completely irrational support for this project, despite the massive deficit and everything else, that loss of federal funding maybe it, Which is why I introduced that bill, because I think this is the way that we can bring high speed rail to an end. And in fact, I think that this audit that just came out is the beginning of the end for the project. And again we can have jobs if we just invest in the transportation infrastructure that Californians actually need in fact to have a lot more jobs, because when you create, you know, things that are actually used that are then additional there's additional economic activity associated with that that then we'll create more jobs.

Your bill specifically says what it just plan out cuts off high speed rail money forever.

Your bill specifically says what it just plan out cuts off high speed rail money forever.

Correct. It says that this project is ineligible for future federal funding because what they're going to say now is, oh, we just need to wait out of the Trump administration. Then the spickett will turn back on and we'll get billions more from whoever the next president. Is what my bill is saying is now, from this point forward, the project is simply ineligible to receive any federal grant.

Correct. It says that this project is ineligible for future federal funding because what they're going to say now is, oh, we just need to wait out of the Trump administration. Then the spickett will turn back on and we'll get billions more from whoever the next president. Is what my bill is saying is now, from this point forward, the project is simply ineligible to receive any federal grant.

Can you I mean, you've been watching the whole ride here. Can you believe it's been seventeen years and nothing. It's astonishing because we've done shows, you know, every day, we've been covering this thing for seventeen years, and even before that when there was a campaign to get this on the ballot and vote on it.

Can you I mean, you've been watching the whole ride here. Can you believe it's been seventeen years and nothing. It's astonishing because we've done shows, you know, every day, we've been covering this thing for seventeen years, and even before that when there was a campaign to get this on the ballot and vote on it.

And it's just astonishing.

And it's just astonishing.

Even I didn't think in twenty twenty five you wouldn't have two feet of railroad track anywhere, and say this is just astonishing.

Even I didn't think in twenty twenty five you wouldn't have two feet of railroad track anywhere, and say this is just astonishing.

It is. Every day it gets even more farcical. And the fact that they continue to throw good money after that, literally just lighting money on fire, billions and billions and billions of dollars. The New York Times itself said that this there's going to be one hundred billion dollars over budget and we'll even be finished this century. So I think you're right. It's worse than we ever could have imagined.

It is. Every day it gets even more farcical. And the fact that they continue to throw good money after that, literally just lighting money on fire, billions and billions and billions of dollars. The New York Times itself said that this there's going to be one hundred billion dollars over budget and we'll even be finished this century. So I think you're right. It's worse than we ever could have imagined.

All right, Kevin, Well keep fighting. I can't wait for that bills. All right, Kevin Kylie And he's the Republican congressman in northern California, spent a number of years in the legislature.

All right, Kevin, Well keep fighting. I can't wait for that bills. All right, Kevin Kylie And he's the Republican congressman in northern California, spent a number of years in the legislature.

We will tell you more about this.

We will tell you more about this.

I got to read you the quotes from some of the Democratic politicians, I mean they I don't does the Union have picked naked pictures of all these people? I mean naked pictures of Gavin Newsom might do him much damage. Katie Porter is another thing.

I got to read you the quotes from some of the Democratic politicians, I mean they I don't does the Union have picked naked pictures of all these people? I mean naked pictures of Gavin Newsom might do him much damage. Katie Porter is another thing.

You're listening to John Cobelt on demand from KFI AM six forty.

You're listening to John Cobelt on demand from KFI AM six forty.

John Cobelt Show. I Am six forty more stimulating talk radio. Hey, moistline is eight seven seven moist eighty six eight seven seven moist eighty six.

John Cobelt Show. I Am six forty more stimulating talk radio. Hey, moistline is eight seven seven moist eighty six eight seven seven moist eighty six.

We just talked with Kevin Kylie.

We just talked with Kevin Kylie.

He is republic Getting congressman in northern California, and he started on January sixth getting the ball rolling to cut the funding off for high speed rail. He's got a bill that would permanently cut the funding off so it can't be refunded in case there's a Democratic administration replacing Trump in four years, then they would have to go through Congress all over again to get authorization. So now, debor you you spent a few years working up in radio in San Francisco, right, I did. So you must have made a lot of travel back and forth between LA and San Francisco because you know your family was down here.

He is republic Getting congressman in northern California, and he started on January sixth getting the ball rolling to cut the funding off for high speed rail. He's got a bill that would permanently cut the funding off so it can't be refunded in case there's a Democratic administration replacing Trump in four years, then they would have to go through Congress all over again to get authorization. So now, debor you you spent a few years working up in radio in San Francisco, right, I did. So you must have made a lot of travel back and forth between LA and San Francisco because you know your family was down here.

Yes.

Yes.

Yeah, it's a lot.

Yeah, it's a lot.

Of trips every holiday.

Of trips every holiday.

Yeah, and you either drove or took a plane. Right.

Yeah, and you either drove or took a plane. Right.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Did you ever once think to yourself, Gee, I wish there was a train that went between these two cities.

Did you ever once think to yourself, Gee, I wish there was a train that went between these two cities.

No, at the time, I never thought that.

No, at the time, I never thought that.

So it wasn't a desire you had, it wasn't.

So it wasn't a desire you had, it wasn't.

I mean, look, if I could get from here to the Bay Area in an hour, not lying, but a train, but that's impossible, right then I would have thought about it, But I mean the trip is an hour on the plane, and if you don't do that, then it's what five hours by car?

I mean, look, if I could get from here to the Bay Area in an hour, not lying, but a train, but that's impossible, right then I would have thought about it, But I mean the trip is an hour on the plane, and if you don't do that, then it's what five hours by car?

They sold it to us as two and a half hours on the train, and now they're not going to do that. Yeah, it's not even going to be high speed.

They sold it to us as two and a half hours on the train, and now they're not going to do that. Yeah, it's not even going to be high speed.

Right, so it's not I would just why wouldn't we just drive it?

Right, so it's not I would just why wouldn't we just drive it?

Just It never occurred to me because I had had two sons go to school up in the Bay Area, and you had one of your Your son went up there too, right, Yeah, and so we took plenty of trips. I mean, my son was on a baseball team up there, so last year we were going up there most every weekend that they were home. And it never occurred to me, Oh, this would be so much better if I was on a train, you know. I mean, the airport's a painting in the ass, But you're right, the flight, the actual in air portion of the flight is an.

Just It never occurred to me because I had had two sons go to school up in the Bay Area, and you had one of your Your son went up there too, right, Yeah, and so we took plenty of trips. I mean, my son was on a baseball team up there, so last year we were going up there most every weekend that they were home. And it never occurred to me, Oh, this would be so much better if I was on a train, you know. I mean, the airport's a painting in the ass, But you're right, the flight, the actual in air portion of the flight is an.

Hour twenty five minutes or something like that.

Hour twenty five minutes or something like that.

It's really fast.

It's really fast.

So I didn't understand the market, like, like, take all the politics out of it and the wasted money.

So I didn't understand the market, like, like, take all the politics out of it and the wasted money.

It's like, why where is demand for this sort of thing.

It's like, why where is demand for this sort of thing.

Well, if truly, if you could get okay, so I said an hour, but let's just say two and a half hours, which, like you said, that was sold to us. If you don't want to deal with the airport and you don't want to drive, and you want to be able to do work and look at your phone and all that, and going on a train, if it made sense. I mean again, I never thought about that. But if that were really the case, then yes, if it really was going to happen like that, I could see that being beneficial.

Well, if truly, if you could get okay, so I said an hour, but let's just say two and a half hours, which, like you said, that was sold to us. If you don't want to deal with the airport and you don't want to drive, and you want to be able to do work and look at your phone and all that, and going on a train, if it made sense. I mean again, I never thought about that. But if that were really the case, then yes, if it really was going to happen like that, I could see that being beneficial.

Yeah, but you know, even then you get I guess it was going to go to downtown San Francisco, because I got a story today about how they actually built in one of the transportation centers in San Francisco. They have a basement the bottom promenade down there. It was meant for the high speed rail train and they had electrified some rail and so they thought this was going to be a huge.

Yeah, but you know, even then you get I guess it was going to go to downtown San Francisco, because I got a story today about how they actually built in one of the transportation centers in San Francisco. They have a basement the bottom promenade down there. It was meant for the high speed rail train and they had electrified some rail and so they thought this was going to be a huge.

Boost, and I would fly into Oakland for the most part.

Boost, and I would fly into Oakland for the most part.

Well, see that's the thing.

Well, see that's the thing.

You could take the train up there, But then now you got to go find a taxi or Zackbert.

You could take the train up there, But then now you got to go find a taxi or Zackbert.

So then it just doesn't make sense, right.

So then it just doesn't make sense, right.

I tried taking a train years ago when my wife and I lived in New York City and I worked for a radio station about sixty miles away, and I used to drive up and down the Jersey Turnpike twice a day, sixty sixty five miles each way. And it's more of a it's more of a train culture back east within the cities, you know, because they have a pretty well developed in New York and in Boston, Washington a well developed train system, and then they had trains went from New York through Jersey. So I tried it, and it didn't work because I'd have to walk from my apartment into New York to a subway, take the subway to the main train station, then take the train from New York City all the way to Trenton. Actually I had to leave my car in Trenton because when I got off the train, I had to get in the car and drive to the radio station, and then drive the car back.

I tried taking a train years ago when my wife and I lived in New York City and I worked for a radio station about sixty miles away, and I used to drive up and down the Jersey Turnpike twice a day, sixty sixty five miles each way. And it's more of a it's more of a train culture back east within the cities, you know, because they have a pretty well developed in New York and in Boston, Washington a well developed train system, and then they had trains went from New York through Jersey. So I tried it, and it didn't work because I'd have to walk from my apartment into New York to a subway, take the subway to the main train station, then take the train from New York City all the way to Trenton. Actually I had to leave my car in Trenton because when I got off the train, I had to get in the car and drive to the radio station, and then drive the car back.

To the parking ride, get on the.

To the parking ride, get on the.

Train, take it to New York, switch to a subway, get out of the subway, and walk. So there was there was like four components to the trip, and it took even longer exactly. So it was walk, subway train drive, drive train subway walk, And I tried that for like three days, and I said, this is a huge pain in the ass. What are people talking about? And that's what this thing in San Francisco would be. You that same thing here in La If it brings you into Union Station, Well, then what if I live on the west side. What am I going to get on a metro train and get stabbed?

Train, take it to New York, switch to a subway, get out of the subway, and walk. So there was there was like four components to the trip, and it took even longer exactly. So it was walk, subway train drive, drive train subway walk, And I tried that for like three days, and I said, this is a huge pain in the ass. What are people talking about? And that's what this thing in San Francisco would be. You that same thing here in La If it brings you into Union Station, Well, then what if I live on the west side. What am I going to get on a metro train and get stabbed?

Well, yeah, we're definitely not going to do well, I'm going to take a bus.

Well, yeah, we're definitely not going to do well, I'm going to take a bus.

I'm just fumnox as to why they thought that was an answer, But you know, I should know better, And still my mind works in the old way. It never was about providing us with transportation, really, believe.

I'm just fumnox as to why they thought that was an answer, But you know, I should know better, And still my mind works in the old way. It never was about providing us with transportation, really, believe.

Me and understand.

Me and understand.

It was about financing construction unions for the next Well, it'll be thirty five years now, because we've done seventeen years. And now they have a bill to keep throwing a billion dollars of state tax money, your tax money into high speed rail a billion a year for twenty years. So twenty years from now, the unions would have gotten thirty seven years worth of funding, tens of billions of dollars, and then every time. Every time somebody says, why don't we stop this, some union goon gets on TV and go, well, you're gonna cost fifteen dozen jobs, and people don't. Oh that's not good. Fifteen thousand people will be out of work. It's like, no, they should be rebuilding the roads and the bridges. For God's sakes. How about build reservoirs. There's a lot of things that need building.

It was about financing construction unions for the next Well, it'll be thirty five years now, because we've done seventeen years. And now they have a bill to keep throwing a billion dollars of state tax money, your tax money into high speed rail a billion a year for twenty years. So twenty years from now, the unions would have gotten thirty seven years worth of funding, tens of billions of dollars, and then every time. Every time somebody says, why don't we stop this, some union goon gets on TV and go, well, you're gonna cost fifteen dozen jobs, and people don't. Oh that's not good. Fifteen thousand people will be out of work. It's like, no, they should be rebuilding the roads and the bridges. For God's sakes. How about build reservoirs. There's a lot of things that need building.

My god.

My god.

We went to Dodger Stadium last night and we drove through downtown in the one ten free way to the ten. My god, is that a dilapidated freeway? And I realized it was built in the nineteen forties. It is eighty years old, eight more than eighty years old. And it's like this thing has not been touched.

We went to Dodger Stadium last night and we drove through downtown in the one ten free way to the ten. My god, is that a dilapidated freeway? And I realized it was built in the nineteen forties. It is eighty years old, eight more than eighty years old. And it's like this thing has not been touched.

In eighty years.

In eighty years.

And you can't put some good union men on that. And I don't know what they're building out in the Central Valley anyway, except the Stonehenge sculptures.

And you can't put some good union men on that. And I don't know what they're building out in the Central Valley anyway, except the Stonehenge sculptures.

All right.

All right.

But here's the Democrats, and I guess they're all bent over by the union. The Senate Budget Committee chair, oh my god, this weasels in charge of the Budget Committee, Scott Weener, and I'm sure they have him bent over. We've seen this coming and we're gonna do everything we can to prevent it. Regardless of what happens here, we're committed to making this project a reality. And you know how they're spinning it to the to their followers, to progressive voters.

But here's the Democrats, and I guess they're all bent over by the union. The Senate Budget Committee chair, oh my god, this weasels in charge of the Budget Committee, Scott Weener, and I'm sure they have him bent over. We've seen this coming and we're gonna do everything we can to prevent it. Regardless of what happens here, we're committed to making this project a reality. And you know how they're spinning it to the to their followers, to progressive voters.

It's like Trump is against it.

It's like Trump is against it.

That means we're for it right right, So this is a way to stick it to Trump, to keep using California tax money to show Trump that he's not going to win on this issue. And they figure they're cult members, they're religious followers, are say yeah, yeah, yeah, f Satan. Yeah, here's Newsome. I want to get it done. That's our commitment. That's why it's still reflected in this budget for the next twenty years. And it's gas tax money. They call it cap and trade money, but this is the tax on the oil companies which is passed, which has passed through to the gas pump. So I call it all a gas tax because that's what it is, because you pay for all this stuff. They have about five different gas taxes with different names so that you get confused and it seems complicated. They're taking gas tax money and they're using a billion of that every year for the next twenty years for high speed rail by the way as part of the referendum. As part of the law, they weren't supposed to use any any tax money. A Newsom spokes whole named Daniel via Signor. He when anybody asks him about the funding being cut off, he says, go to the budget press conference that Newsom did. That's where Newsom said, We're gonna get it done. That's our commitment. Then then Katie Porter, who's running for governor, missus potato head. You remember she ran for She ran for Senate right against Adam shiff and she face planted. She's the one who dumped hot mashed potatoes on her husband's head.

That means we're for it right right, So this is a way to stick it to Trump, to keep using California tax money to show Trump that he's not going to win on this issue. And they figure they're cult members, they're religious followers, are say yeah, yeah, yeah, f Satan. Yeah, here's Newsome. I want to get it done. That's our commitment. That's why it's still reflected in this budget for the next twenty years. And it's gas tax money. They call it cap and trade money, but this is the tax on the oil companies which is passed, which has passed through to the gas pump. So I call it all a gas tax because that's what it is, because you pay for all this stuff. They have about five different gas taxes with different names so that you get confused and it seems complicated. They're taking gas tax money and they're using a billion of that every year for the next twenty years for high speed rail by the way as part of the referendum. As part of the law, they weren't supposed to use any any tax money. A Newsom spokes whole named Daniel via Signor. He when anybody asks him about the funding being cut off, he says, go to the budget press conference that Newsom did. That's where Newsom said, We're gonna get it done. That's our commitment. Then then Katie Porter, who's running for governor, missus potato head. You remember she ran for She ran for Senate right against Adam shiff and she face planted. She's the one who dumped hot mashed potatoes on her husband's head.

That was before the divorce.

That was before the divorce.

Katie Porter said briefly that she criticized high speed rail and then she got the bad phone call and went to a union event and said she wants to put people to work and I want to get it done for Californians. But she went on TV and criticized the project. At first, they all get the bad phone call from the unions, and the bad phone call is we are going to spend millions of dollars on your opponents and we're going.

Katie Porter said briefly that she criticized high speed rail and then she got the bad phone call and went to a union event and said she wants to put people to work and I want to get it done for Californians. But she went on TV and criticized the project. At first, they all get the bad phone call from the unions, and the bad phone call is we are going to spend millions of dollars on your opponents and we're going.

To drive you out of politics.

To drive you out of politics.

And that's what Newsom is afraid of, and that is what Katie Porter is afraid of. And you have these government agencies that get funded because of high speed rail. You have these labor unions, and these guys don't do anything. It's fifteen thousand people shoveling dirt around up in the Central Valley, spending your money seventeen billions so far, and they have constructed nothing and they will never construct anything. If they actually constructed it and it was done by twenty twenty, then they would have been out of work.

And that's what Newsom is afraid of, and that is what Katie Porter is afraid of. And you have these government agencies that get funded because of high speed rail. You have these labor unions, and these guys don't do anything. It's fifteen thousand people shoveling dirt around up in the Central Valley, spending your money seventeen billions so far, and they have constructed nothing and they will never construct anything. If they actually constructed it and it was done by twenty twenty, then they would have been out of work.

For the last five years.

For the last five years.

So the purpose, and that's why they don't keep track of the money when they do the audits. There is no receipts, there's no paper trail where the money went. It's because the unions, because because Newsom is so corrupt, Katie Porter is so corrupt, Scott Wiener so corrupt, they.

So the purpose, and that's why they don't keep track of the money when they do the audits. There is no receipts, there's no paper trail where the money went. It's because the unions, because because Newsom is so corrupt, Katie Porter is so corrupt, Scott Wiener so corrupt, they.

Just bend over and they take it from the unions.

Just bend over and they take it from the unions.

Because they're so terrified, the little babies, the little cowards. And nobody wants to fight for us, Nobody wants to fight for you at all. Nobody wants to say enough of this nonsense. We're coming up.

Because they're so terrified, the little babies, the little cowards. And nobody wants to fight for us, Nobody wants to fight for you at all. Nobody wants to say enough of this nonsense. We're coming up.

You're listening to John Cobel's on demand from KFI Am six forty.

You're listening to John Cobel's on demand from KFI Am six forty.

We're on every day one until four o'clock and then after four o'clock.

We're on every day one until four o'clock and then after four o'clock.

Now you miss something, What you miss something?

Now you miss something, What you miss something?

John cobell Show on demand the podcast and that's where you catch up to it. We've been Kevin Kylie on in the last half hour, the Northern California Congressman, talking about the high speed rail getting defunded by the Trump administration. And that story will pop up at about a month or so because high speed Rail has thirty seven days to respond, but it's a done deal from Trump's end, no more money. And then Kylie is trying to get a bill passed and that will permanently end federal funding in the future that the next administration couldn't do it with that congressional approval. And amidst all this, you know, in San Francisco there's a lot of die hard progressives who are maybe tearing up a bit over the death of high speed rail. And there's one writer here I don't have his name, but in the San Francisco Chronicle they wrote a headline was high speed Rail was supposed to signal San Francisco's renaissance. And if you've been to San Francisco within the last couple of years, whoa, it's an outdoor drug bizarre mental patient asylum. The headline, well, the story says what Gavin Newsom served as mayor of San Francisco. Get this, He imagined the city not only as a Paris of the West, but as the terminus of an epic rail line that would stretch from Anaheim to South of Market. Here's what Newsom said at a twenty ten ceremony breaking ground for what's now known as the Salesforce Transit Center. And this is where trains were supposed to glide into a busy concourse down below at the basement level.

John cobell Show on demand the podcast and that's where you catch up to it. We've been Kevin Kylie on in the last half hour, the Northern California Congressman, talking about the high speed rail getting defunded by the Trump administration. And that story will pop up at about a month or so because high speed Rail has thirty seven days to respond, but it's a done deal from Trump's end, no more money. And then Kylie is trying to get a bill passed and that will permanently end federal funding in the future that the next administration couldn't do it with that congressional approval. And amidst all this, you know, in San Francisco there's a lot of die hard progressives who are maybe tearing up a bit over the death of high speed rail. And there's one writer here I don't have his name, but in the San Francisco Chronicle they wrote a headline was high speed Rail was supposed to signal San Francisco's renaissance. And if you've been to San Francisco within the last couple of years, whoa, it's an outdoor drug bizarre mental patient asylum. The headline, well, the story says what Gavin Newsom served as mayor of San Francisco. Get this, He imagined the city not only as a Paris of the West, but as the terminus of an epic rail line that would stretch from Anaheim to South of Market. Here's what Newsom said at a twenty ten ceremony breaking ground for what's now known as the Salesforce Transit Center. And this is where trains were supposed to glide into a busy concourse down below at the basement level.

It's supposed to be high speed rail.

It's supposed to be high speed rail.

And he said, we're going to be building something that is our arguably a generation overdue. This was in twenty ten. Fifteen years later, nothing's been built. Right now, the center is a large bus station. It's basement still an empty concrete vault, and now they don't know if that vault's ever going to be filled. So they built this train station below ground, figuring that they were gonna have high speed rail coming through every two hours and the chronicle rights why it may seem like a maddening image. While it may seem like a maddening mirage see maddening. Oh we're not getting high speed rail. High speed rail was considered an element of San Francisco's downtown renaissance. It was gonna be the lynchpin for a new high rise neighborhood that bloomed around the transit center. It's sidewalks lined with cylindrical buildings. More importantly, the train system would help shape a transportation network aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A Yes, the Holy Grail. A well operated rail anchored by two urban metros, La and San Francisco would allow people to move through California without relying on airplanes and cars.

And he said, we're going to be building something that is our arguably a generation overdue. This was in twenty ten. Fifteen years later, nothing's been built. Right now, the center is a large bus station. It's basement still an empty concrete vault, and now they don't know if that vault's ever going to be filled. So they built this train station below ground, figuring that they were gonna have high speed rail coming through every two hours and the chronicle rights why it may seem like a maddening image. While it may seem like a maddening mirage see maddening. Oh we're not getting high speed rail. High speed rail was considered an element of San Francisco's downtown renaissance. It was gonna be the lynchpin for a new high rise neighborhood that bloomed around the transit center. It's sidewalks lined with cylindrical buildings. More importantly, the train system would help shape a transportation network aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A Yes, the Holy Grail. A well operated rail anchored by two urban metros, La and San Francisco would allow people to move through California without relying on airplanes and cars.

Airplanes, bad, cars bad.

Airplanes, bad, cars bad.

Now Here is the plan, Because you have to the supporters of high speed rail.

Now Here is the plan, Because you have to the supporters of high speed rail.

They fall into different categories.

They fall into different categories.

There are the greed bags who are looting the system right the trade unions. They're looting our tax money, along with the engineers, the environmental experts, the land use attorneys, I mean the whole list of professional parasites who then launcher the money back to the politicians with campaign contributions. There are politicians who are just afraid of offending anybody, right. They don't care one way or the other about high speed rail. They can tell it smells bad, but they don't want the labor unions giving them a bad phone call. And then there are the true believers.

There are the greed bags who are looting the system right the trade unions. They're looting our tax money, along with the engineers, the environmental experts, the land use attorneys, I mean the whole list of professional parasites who then launcher the money back to the politicians with campaign contributions. There are politicians who are just afraid of offending anybody, right. They don't care one way or the other about high speed rail. They can tell it smells bad, but they don't want the labor unions giving them a bad phone call. And then there are the true believers.

These are the whack jobs who wake up terrified every morning.

These are the whack jobs who wake up terrified every morning.

The earth is boiling over and it would be in a communist paradise. It would be better if we were all stuffed into trains and buses together and we didn't have the freedom to travel, and the air would be clean and the oceans would be cooler. Here's one of these guys, Tom Radulovich. He's the senior policy manager at the nonprofit nonprofit what does that mean? Probably getting taxpayer grants. It's the think tank called Liveable City. And Radulovich says, let's call it a multi modal California.

The earth is boiling over and it would be in a communist paradise. It would be better if we were all stuffed into trains and buses together and we didn't have the freedom to travel, and the air would be clean and the oceans would be cooler. Here's one of these guys, Tom Radulovich. He's the senior policy manager at the nonprofit nonprofit what does that mean? Probably getting taxpayer grants. It's the think tank called Liveable City. And Radulovich says, let's call it a multi modal California.

What does that mean?

What does that mean?

They always have some weird modernistic sounding phrase that doesn't seem to make any sense. He sees the state as a massive transit ecosystem. Small communities. You're in a small town, small communities that embrace walking and biking. There you go, that's the plan.

They always have some weird modernistic sounding phrase that doesn't seem to make any sense. He sees the state as a massive transit ecosystem. Small communities. You're in a small town, small communities that embrace walking and biking. There you go, that's the plan.

You.

You.

If you live in a small town, you're supposed to walk and bike. You can't drive your car. No, no, no, no, no visiting the bigger cities. But we'll have rail lines, and the rail lines will connect the small towns to the bigger cities. And then in the big city like La or San Francisco, you would have longer haul transit passenger trains. You see how it works. And then nobody drives ever, nobody has any freedom. Nobody can enjoy themselves bike and walk. That's free. All you riff raft peasants in the small towns. Yes, use your legs. Stop polluting the air, stop warming the planet. And so high speed rails are very important in that they spent two point two billion dollars on the Salesforce Transit Center. It opened in twenty eighteen. It was going to be the end point for high speed rail, whisking business travelers from southern California. The transit hub was captivating merchants leased the retail space to sell coffee and food. City planners promised that once the train tracks came to downtown cowtrain commuters who are dropped off in Mission Bay could step right onto Mission Street, but instead of fulfilling Newsom's vision, the transit center became a very expensive bus station. Fifteen years later, it's a bus station and it's a bust.

If you live in a small town, you're supposed to walk and bike. You can't drive your car. No, no, no, no, no visiting the bigger cities. But we'll have rail lines, and the rail lines will connect the small towns to the bigger cities. And then in the big city like La or San Francisco, you would have longer haul transit passenger trains. You see how it works. And then nobody drives ever, nobody has any freedom. Nobody can enjoy themselves bike and walk. That's free. All you riff raft peasants in the small towns. Yes, use your legs. Stop polluting the air, stop warming the planet. And so high speed rails are very important in that they spent two point two billion dollars on the Salesforce Transit Center. It opened in twenty eighteen. It was going to be the end point for high speed rail, whisking business travelers from southern California. The transit hub was captivating merchants leased the retail space to sell coffee and food. City planners promised that once the train tracks came to downtown cowtrain commuters who are dropped off in Mission Bay could step right onto Mission Street, but instead of fulfilling Newsom's vision, the transit center became a very expensive bus station. Fifteen years later, it's a bus station and it's a bust.

They blew a lot of money.

They blew a lot of money.

Now I go to smaller cities back east, their bus stations are actually outdoors. The buses stop, they pull over into a cutout, and the passengers step onto the sidewalk and wander down to a parking lot, or they go lay in the street and become homeless people. Radulovich, though, hey, as long as he gets his nonprofit grants, says, well, as long as the political will exists in California, we'll get there. The only reason there's political will is because they get bribed by the construction unions, and they get bribed by rich, the wealthy interests, the lobbyists, the lobbyists in engineering and in land use, you know, all the attorneys that are in those scam industries. That's the political will. If Newsom wasn't afraid of the trade unions, he would have pulled the plug on high speed rail. He said so a few years ago until he got the bad phone call. And these believers, and they're called believers in the story in urban transit still embrace the dream of a fully connected state. No need to widen freeways. Yeah right, this is their dream. Hey lady, walk yeah, walk from with the nils.

Now I go to smaller cities back east, their bus stations are actually outdoors. The buses stop, they pull over into a cutout, and the passengers step onto the sidewalk and wander down to a parking lot, or they go lay in the street and become homeless people. Radulovich, though, hey, as long as he gets his nonprofit grants, says, well, as long as the political will exists in California, we'll get there. The only reason there's political will is because they get bribed by the construction unions, and they get bribed by rich, the wealthy interests, the lobbyists, the lobbyists in engineering and in land use, you know, all the attorneys that are in those scam industries. That's the political will. If Newsom wasn't afraid of the trade unions, he would have pulled the plug on high speed rail. He said so a few years ago until he got the bad phone call. And these believers, and they're called believers in the story in urban transit still embrace the dream of a fully connected state. No need to widen freeways. Yeah right, this is their dream. Hey lady, walk yeah, walk from with the nils.

Check out my commute every day, which really isn't much better John by the way, Uh oh, holy maybe five minutes getting to work.

Check out my commute every day, which really isn't much better John by the way, Uh oh, holy maybe five minutes getting to work.

No, No need to build additional runways at airports. Yeah, why would you want that? Just have thirty planes all bunched up in the sky overhead. This is what And they're in control of the government, These dreamers, these true believers again, like a religion, even though it makes no sense. What would makes sense is to have an airport with more runways. It would make sense to have freeways with more lanes, double deck them. Look, we have an Orange County. They spent local tax money on freeways. They got eight lanes across in Orange County on the on the five. It's terrific. It's fast. Shootings across in Orange County. The traffic blows wide open. You only got three lanes in downtown. Listen to this. Another one of these guys, Sebastian Petty, a senior transportation policy advisor at another nonprofits. You see you see the pattern here One of the original justifications for high speed rail that I thought were most compelling was looking at the trade offs if you had if you had to expand airport capacity or invest in Highway ninety nine. In other words, what he's saying is the reason you want rail lines is you don't have to expand the airport. You don't have to widen Highway ninety nine. So you end up with a narrow highway, you end up with congested airports, but you're saving money.

No, No need to build additional runways at airports. Yeah, why would you want that? Just have thirty planes all bunched up in the sky overhead. This is what And they're in control of the government, These dreamers, these true believers again, like a religion, even though it makes no sense. What would makes sense is to have an airport with more runways. It would make sense to have freeways with more lanes, double deck them. Look, we have an Orange County. They spent local tax money on freeways. They got eight lanes across in Orange County on the on the five. It's terrific. It's fast. Shootings across in Orange County. The traffic blows wide open. You only got three lanes in downtown. Listen to this. Another one of these guys, Sebastian Petty, a senior transportation policy advisor at another nonprofits. You see you see the pattern here One of the original justifications for high speed rail that I thought were most compelling was looking at the trade offs if you had if you had to expand airport capacity or invest in Highway ninety nine. In other words, what he's saying is the reason you want rail lines is you don't have to expand the airport. You don't have to widen Highway ninety nine. So you end up with a narrow highway, you end up with congested airports, but you're saving money.

Not really, No, you still don't have you don't have a rail line.

Not really, No, you still don't have you don't have a rail line.

So we have a cult. We're in the grips of a cult that's governing the state.

So we have a cult. We're in the grips of a cult that's governing the state.

You're listening to John Cobels on demand from KFI AM six forty.

You're listening to John Cobels on demand from KFI AM six forty.

The moistline is eighty seven seven Moist eighty six eight seven seven Moist eighty six, or the talkback feature.

The moistline is eighty seven seven Moist eighty six eight seven seven Moist eighty six, or the talkback feature.

On the iHeartRadio app.

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I'm sorry to do another San Francisco story, but this is all related and you're not going to believe this. And I also say this because the California Legislator legislature is a disproportionately run by San Francisco progressives. Okay, they have all the leadership posts. They're in charge. So the stuff that comes out of the San Francisco politically anus ends up affecting us here all over California. In San Francisco they have a three hundred and twenty two million dollar deficit. You know what they considered to close the deficit. And I know somebody in LA is going to pick up this stupid idea taxing you if you have a driveway, taxing you one hundred dollars.

I'm sorry to do another San Francisco story, but this is all related and you're not going to believe this. And I also say this because the California Legislator legislature is a disproportionately run by San Francisco progressives. Okay, they have all the leadership posts. They're in charge. So the stuff that comes out of the San Francisco politically anus ends up affecting us here all over California. In San Francisco they have a three hundred and twenty two million dollar deficit. You know what they considered to close the deficit. And I know somebody in LA is going to pick up this stupid idea taxing you if you have a driveway, taxing you one hundred dollars.

If you have a driveway. Do you hear that? What one hundred?

If you have a driveway. Do you hear that? What one hundred?

This was proposed in San Francisco, a one hundred dollars tax if you own a driveway.

This was proposed in San Francisco, a one hundred dollars tax if you own a driveway.

But why they wanted to.

But why they wanted to.

Tax you if you have a curb cut that's the little ramp that cuts into the curb that leads to your driveway.

Tax you if you have a curb cut that's the little ramp that cuts into the curb that leads to your driveway.

They wanted to tax that too.

They wanted to tax that too.

But I don't understand what's the purpose of taxing.

But I don't understand what's the purpose of taxing.

For that because they had a three hundred and twenty two million dollar deficit in.

For that because they had a three hundred and twenty two million dollar deficit in.

The city of saying that they'd rather you not they'd rather you park on the street.

The city of saying that they'd rather you not they'd rather you park on the street.

Em Francisco Chronicle calls it highly imaginative.

Em Francisco Chronicle calls it highly imaginative.

I call it stupid.

I call it stupid.

The driveway could have been a reliable source of revenue because everybody has a driveway.

The driveway could have been a reliable source of revenue because everybody has a driveway.

Okay, isn't that part of your property taxes?

Okay, isn't that part of your property taxes?

Yeah, this would be an extra tax.

Yeah, this would be an extra tax.

I mean it would give them fifteen million a year.

I mean it would give them fifteen million a year.

Okay, come on, get more creative.

Okay, come on, get more creative.

This is dumb, and says Luke Bonnheimer, executive director of Streets Forward, this is a more equitable way.

This is dumb, and says Luke Bonnheimer, executive director of Streets Forward, this is a more equitable way.

So if you don't have a driveway, you can't you don't have you can't afford a house that has a driveway, right, so then you.

So if you don't have a driveway, you can't you don't have you can't afford a house that has a driveway, right, so then you.

So you have an unfair privilege. So an equitable way to use public space. Well, the driveway is not public space. That's your private property.

So you have an unfair privilege. So an equitable way to use public space. Well, the driveway is not public space. That's your private property.

And it also keeps cars off the street, especially in places like San Francisco.

And it also keeps cars off the street, especially in places like San Francisco.

Under the current system, San Francisco essentially subsidizes car owners and building owners by allowing them a free strip of public right of way. That is the sloped curb that leads to the driveway you see between the street and you're the main part of your driveway is the little cutaway, little ramp. So they want one hundred bucks for that every year.

Under the current system, San Francisco essentially subsidizes car owners and building owners by allowing them a free strip of public right of way. That is the sloped curb that leads to the driveway you see between the street and you're the main part of your driveway is the little cutaway, little ramp. So they want one hundred bucks for that every year.

This is really crazy to a homeowner.

This is really crazy to a homeowner.

They right, It might seem brazen for a city to levy a new charge on private property because that's what it is. You're not charging them for the little cutout. You're charging them because the cutout leads to the driveway. I didn't have the driveway, that wouldn't be a cutout exactly.

They right, It might seem brazen for a city to levy a new charge on private property because that's what it is. You're not charging them for the little cutout. You're charging them because the cutout leads to the driveway. I didn't have the driveway, that wouldn't be a cutout exactly.

And that's what I'm saying. You're already being charged property taxes. This should fall into that.

And that's what I'm saying. You're already being charged property taxes. This should fall into that.

Well, they have blown in San Francisco. I hear so much money on the drug addicts and the vagrants and the mental patients that they're they're trying to come up with highly imaginative ways.

Well, they have blown in San Francisco. I hear so much money on the drug addicts and the vagrants and the mental patients that they're they're trying to come up with highly imaginative ways.

You know, one day there's not gonna be a single person living in California. Maybe just homeless people. Yeah, because no one is going to be able to afford it or be want to live here.

You know, one day there's not gonna be a single person living in California. Maybe just homeless people. Yeah, because no one is going to be able to afford it or be want to live here.

According to the City Control Controller Greg Wagner, he was in charge of this group, there were many rounds of brainstorming. As is often the case, some ideas were more feasible than others. Wow, they would have had their heads got off, that's what made it unfeasible.

According to the City Control Controller Greg Wagner, he was in charge of this group, there were many rounds of brainstorming. As is often the case, some ideas were more feasible than others. Wow, they would have had their heads got off, that's what made it unfeasible.

But some idiot Los Angeles just heard this. Oh yeah, they're on the city council and they'll say it. What don't say anything wrong with that?

But some idiot Los Angeles just heard this. Oh yeah, they're on the city council and they'll say it. What don't say anything wrong with that?

Oh no, no, John, They'll put it on the ballot and voters will.

Oh no, no, John, They'll put it on the ballot and voters will.

We've got all right, We got to talk about Trump and Musk coming up next, because this is a few that is shaking America. Here and Debora Mark is live in the CAFI twenty four hour newsroom. Hey, you've been listening to the on Cobalt Show podcast. You can always hear the show live on KFI Am six forty from one to four pm every Monday through Friday, and of course, anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.

We've got all right, We got to talk about Trump and Musk coming up next, because this is a few that is shaking America. Here and Debora Mark is live in the CAFI twenty four hour newsroom. Hey, you've been listening to the on Cobalt Show podcast. You can always hear the show live on KFI Am six forty from one to four pm every Monday through Friday, and of course, anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.