Silver bullet policy solutions are those that solve a myriad of issues in one tidy move. The aptly named bullet train- a high speed link between Northern and Southern California (pictured)- could do that for the Golden State and put ambitious climate targets within reach.

High speed, long distance rail is not a new idea; the Japanese and Europeans basically have it down to a science. It is not even a new idea for California, as it was originally proposed in the early 90s. The bullet train, which would run between San Francisco and Los Angeles, would be able to travel more than two hundred miles an hour and offset increasingly expensive interstate airtravel.

Though Governor office rep Sabrina Lockhart is on record arguing that "It's not cost-effective in the short term” all signs actually point to yes on that one. The bullet train is projected to make twice its costs in less operating time than it would take to build it. Study after study reports that the bullet train is solidly cost effective, that a market has existed for years and that demand of the service is rising. Further, some speculate that California will not be able to meet its precedent setting climate goals without such a project.

So, what’s the problem? Looks like it’s Schwarzi. Though Arnold Schwarzenegger has been a better governor than Californians expected, taking admirable leadership in climate change rhetoric and solar initiatives, his office seems to be demonstrating a lot of inertia on this subject. Junior State Assemblywoman Fiona Ma told reporters that "The governor needs to get on board. This is an important environmental issue. For him not to be behind it doesn't make sense."

In part, financing seems to be a political hurdle. The bullet train has a big up front price tag that voters will need to float. Though Arnold Schwarzenegger has crossed many typically partisan lines to get behind environmental initiatives, there is a lot of inertia regarding the big spending required for the bullet train. At the same time, though a bond measure to build a bullet train would look like a large number, the investment itself is sound. There is healthy private sector support for the train, but like most cleantech, is seeking a stable regulatory environment and strong public leadership to encourage investment.

Ironically, every year the train is not built, it adds nearly two billion dollars in costs to the project. However it seems that the train is in the works, either with Schwarzenegger or without him. Schwarzenegger would do himself a service by endorsing a bond for the high speed rail. His tenure has been interesting thus far, but supporting a high speed train would turn his time in office from a curiosity into a legacy. 

More at the SFGuardian.