I can't explain anybody's distain for the train, but you hear it from all sorts of places, including Mr Airport himself, Obama's main transportation man. Indeed, every single President since Amtrak was created, including all the democrats except for Obama, have made overt and loud attempts at killing Amtrak. And even he proved totally incompetent at helping the cause. He might just as well have opposed it too, for all the practical difference he made.

But if you really want an explaination for all this - just look no further than the airline industry and its lobby; with its several tens of billions per year in Federal Subsidy, not to even count the billions in local tax dollars regularly invested, in airports.

Then too, this president also saw fit to send hundreds of billions to the auto industry and then hundreds of billions more per year to various state highway departments. But only a paltry 1.3 billion per year for a supposedly national passenger rail system. There was a lot of noise made about high speed rail and a mere 8 billion. But big fat effing deal! -- has anyone seen a single actual shovelful of high speed dirt - or even of "higher speed" - NOT A ONE !

Keep blaming just the repubs, and you will get nowhere in solving this. Go after the real cause; just follow the money - mostly the billions and billions in existing subsidies. That says who really has ALL politician's ears, republicrat or demican. It also says why Amtrak must to be starved to death, or outright killed.

Amtrak has too much market share where it really counts, in the biggest markets (Boston-NYC-Washington & LA-SD). Don't forget, that every single successful corridor operation Amtrak is involved with, is a real thorn in the side of the airline industry. This is especially so in the Northeast and on the Surfliners, where Amtrak has the largest Market shares (over 50% in the Northeast).

Now follow all the filthy lobbyist money, and where it all came from. Certainly not from a non-remunerative public service agency! And even if every adult US citizen gave ten bucks to hire a lobyist for the cause - it's mere chump change. $100 each - still peanuts, compared to the deep pockets of an already heavily subsidized corporate infrastructure.


Sadly, I cannot explain Romney's remarks either, assuming they were not reported out of context; a long time favorite dirty trick of a media, that clearly does not like him. Considering that as governor, well runnning trains were a very big deal to his political future, I question the accuracy of that report. But if it is accurate, it may indicate that his losses in the rabid south, have hurt a litle too much.

I hope he recovers his equilibrium; as I was hoping that his well tested leadership record, combined with a plainly obvious moderation in a number of issues, and most importantly, his reticence to impose his own dogma without a significant concensus; could have had a major moderating effect on both republicans and democrats. Something we all desparately need.

We shall see - but I worry how much more extremism the country can take.