So the argument would be "they tried it in Taiwan and it ended up with all the problems opponents predicted it would have, so we have to reproduce it in California"? Having HSR is not a goal. It's a tool. The goal should be having efficient (both monetarily, time-wise and people suffering wise) means of getting people from point A to point B. If California spends $100b of taxpayer money and doesn't get closer to the goal - that means every single person in California just because couple of thousands bucks poorer just so somebody could be proud of California having HSR. Thanks but no thanks.