Apparently they did change the name: the original proposal was to call it the Congressional Relief for Assets Program.

Don't worry, like I said, you've the right idea for keeping the world as it is, it's just a decade or two too late. The one big issue I have with your plan is that it really does encourage BAU of some form. IMHO, BAU in any form leads back to where we are now eventually. That's not a solution, it's slow suicide.

We have to think not just outside the box, but look for an entirely different box altogether. I think that means small communities connected electronically, autonomous/free regions no larger than current states, etc., etc., etc.

But are present locations the right locations for such a socio-political organizational structure? Many likely are not. Your rail could be the tie that binds, but if it comes first, it will bind us to the present. There's plenty of petroleum for a world not based on it to use judiciously for building something like the rail system you envision later.

Anyway...all this off the top 'o me head. In a hurry to get to the baby and get him in the bath, so... with a grain of salt.

Cheers

I tend to agree somewhat.
Although Alan's plan is quite feasible and on the surface quite doable it presumes to predict the future and how the populace will react in the terrible times which many also predict is just about on us..

How do we know how major population centres will react. Will they, with their shiny new electric trains and transport systems welcome the countryside with open arms? Look at shanty towns in cities throughout the world. They grew slowly.
Would we be lucky enough to get a orderly progression to that mode of living in major cities? I think it's the best we can expect.

The expectation is, as times get tough, as work is hard to come by and families begin to get hungry, they will move.
They will move back in with families, they will move to where there is an expectation of a better life of simply just a life.
How this migration and exodus takes place is open for conjecture. Building an inviting haven with all the trappings of a lifestyle to be envied, may be asking for trouble.

As I have stated in the past, IMO the time for pro-activity has long passed. We need to conserve our resources and funds to be able to react to the dynamic times ahead.

Will there be welfare, or soup kitchens? At the present time the USA is fed by less than two percent of the population, probably similar to a lot of western countries dependant on technology to support the mode of living they have grown accustomed to.
The proposed expanded and electrified rail systems will be great in a world of BAU but I don't expect that.

In reality, IMO what is about to unfold will in no way be mitigated by any grandiose engineering schemes.
We need to stop thinking that electric trains will be taking business suited gentlemen to the place of nine to five work or families to visit grandma and Disneyland or vacations on the Riviera.

Lets go with what we have, lets see what unfolds and be ready to act and react positively. That's not to say we don't make plans. We have to be prepared to act to fairly predictable scenarios but also be aware that most of what is about to happen will take us by surprise.

The alternative is of course is to build and expend all we have now. We can maybe give the present generation half a chance. The next generation can go @#$% themselves.