I agree 100% that no tax dollars should go to support any part of a wealthy corporation's bottom line or investments. With that said, I see this as more of an issue of improving our nation's transportation infrastructure to be less dependent on trucks to move our goods. Trucking companies, airlines, and shipping companies have received nearly a free ride from day one while our railroads have paid for almost all of their infrastructure (except the initial land give-aways 150 years ago). If UP and BNSF are receiving public funding to improve the most important (one of only two) north-south rail line in the western 1/3 of the country so they can run more trains more efficiently, than it is an investment in EVERYONE's future.

I don't see ANY public benefit to the trillion dollars invested in our self destructive banks and automotive companies. Wonder what all that TARP money could have done to improve our rail infrastructure?