Rep Jeff Denham Leads The DC Fight Against Valley High Speed Rail

Rep Jeff  Denham Leads The DC Fight Against Valley High Speed Rail

Today congressional representative republican Jeff Denham led a 4 hour meeting in Washington, DC in his fight against high speed rail (HSR). As a state senator, Jeff Denham kept mass transit out of the central valley for the past ten years and, in his new position in Congress, he is determined to keep high speed rail out of the valley for the foreseeable future. Today many local leaders met in Washington, DC to discuss HSR. Denham argues HSR is too expensive and all the valley needs is a couple more lanes on highway 99. Denham has no clue as to the needs of the valley. HSR is needed for the students of UC Merced, for valley seniors and disabled (like our veterans) and for those looking to expand businesses and jobs.
Denham has decided to run for Congress in CD 10 (Turlock to Modesto) in 2012. We must get Denham out!!


Some of the issues I am most worried about include;
1) Funding - I believe the HSR will attract a lot of riders. But people will not use the HSR system if our elected officials have no confidence in it or they constantly talk about "it's too expensive to ride." We need to work out the riding costs so that poor valley residents can use the system and we need to elect people who can discuss all of the issues, but not drag the progressing project down, causing the valley to lose jobs, money, business, investors and an improved quality of life.
2) Excess costs - the costs are increasing on the project and we need to see who is being paid too much and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse.
3) We need to keep the federal money spent in the US. If a lot of the federal funds are going into foreign pockets, then, I want to halt the project until we can get American vendors, specialists, etc. All of the materials must be made in the US, including the rail cars. I do not believe Americans will have confidence in  a China-made rail system.

There are other issues, but these are on the top of my list at this moment.

Yes, our security is at risk

The kidnapping of MLB player Wilson Ramos is an example of why allowing "special rich people" to bypass our elevated TSA screenings will not work. I am sure Ramos was told his family in Venezuela would be harmed if he does not help the gang who kidnapped him. He may even have had childhood dealings with current gang members. Who knows what really happened. He could have been a message for other players, that the gangs can successfully kidnap at will. Three other MLB baseball players from Venezuela have already had family members kidnapped. Will Ramos have to testify in court about hie kidnappers...and will he? In many countries, the police will aid the gangs for cash. Yes, we are less safe in the US - thanks Congress.
Below is an AP article on the kidnapping.
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CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AP)
Venezuelan police rescued Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos on Friday, two days after he was kidnapped, officials announced.


UNSAFE AT HOME
Ramos rescued, authorities say
Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami said on state television that Ramos was ''safe and sound'' and that he was rescued by police. He said the circumstances weren't immediately clear.

Information Minister Andres Izarra initially reported the rescue via Twitter, saying Ramos was ''found alive by security forces in mountainous zone.''

Armed men seized Ramos at gunpoint Wednesday night outside his home in a working-class neighborhood in the city of Valencia. Authorities said Thursday that they had found a stolen SUV used by the kidnappers abandoned in a nearby town.

The abduction was the first known kidnapping of a major league baseball player in a country that has dozens of players on big league rosters in the US, and it brought a renewed focus on worsening violent crime in Venezuela.

Security has increasingly become a concern for Venezuelan players and their families as a wave of kidnappings has hit the wealthy as well as the middle class. Relatives of several Venezuelan major leaguers have previously been kidnapped for ransom, and in two cases have been killed.


INSIDE SCOOP
An american ballplayer talks to Jon Paul Morosi about his experience playing baseball in Venezeula.
Bodyguards typically shadow major leaguers when they return to their homeland to play in Venezuela's winter baseball league, but it was unclear what precautions, if any, Ramos was taking while at his family's home.

Major League Baseball officials said it was the first kidnapping of a major leaguer that they could recall.

Polls consistently say rampant crime is the top worry of Venezuelans. The country has one of the highest murder rates in Latin America, and the vast majority of crimes go unsolved. The number of kidnappings has soared in recent years.
baseball
Fans in both Venezuela and Washington had held candlelight vigils and prayed for his safe release