But it's not a question of blaming Republicans, it's simply trying to figure out why they think as they do. You tell them that highways, for example, are subsidized, and they look at you with a blank stare. Why do they not get this? And the numbers are peanuts. In fiscal 2010 the federal government spent more on highways than it has spent on Amtrak in its entire 40-year history.

I think it's the history of the system, starting as private transportation (Even though the railroads complained bitterly that it was losing them money) and then migrating to the public sector. Amtrak critics think it still needs to make money. Highways, on the other hand, have been public for 200 years or so, and thus do not need to make money.

In addition, there is the "death spiral" problem, by which enemies of government starve an agency for funds, resulting in diminished effectiveness of the agency, which diminished effectiveness the enemies then use to justify starving it even more.