Getting back to Amtrak and their contribution to Railroad Retirement, that's taxpayer money that's
subsidizing said retirement. Amtrak doesn't make enough to even matter, I just can't seem to make
sense of everyone supporting another rat hole. Yes, I'm for passenger trains but the people using
them should be paying for that service, not all the rest of us. The highway system would be self
sustaining except for the near total drain to the general fund, the airports not so much but at
least they get used. We're in a position that reflects the outcome from all these pet projects
and great ideas that have become little more than black holes. FDR, the Great Society, all this
sounds great until the reality of paying for it comes to pass. Yes, war is expensive but even it
compares with our social spending. We need to start over, reduce the takers and increase those
who contribute and even that won't happen until we can get the economy moving again. That sure
won't happen by taking more or by printing more money. I know I'm very much on the other side from
many of you and it seems the cravasse is getting bigger and deeper but that's where we're at.