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Re: To Subsidize Or Not To Subsidize
Author: Zephyrus
Date: 09-11-2012 - 17:41
Q: "What is the difference between vital investment and pork barrel?"
A: "Whether you like the program or not."
I know some folks will debate me on that, but that is fact as I see it, having studied politics for so long and worked close to it.
To say the Right wants to cut spending and the Left doesn't is completely false and overly simplistic. The Right wants to cut CERTAIN spending, as does the Left, and both sides want to continue CERTAIN spending. The disagreement is in what.
The Right derives a lot of political support from the farm belt, corporations, etc. (Not saying the Left does not, but it is less so, or at least less visible.) So cutting the throats of their contributors is not on the agenda, and they will fight to expand their benefits.
Amtrak is nothing more than an easy target. I am sure that some on the Right legitimately believe it is a boondoggle, but I find most just use it as a whipping boy, a way to show their fiscal resolve. Note how many Republican politicians will support Amtrak WHEN IT IMPACTS / BENEFITS THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
I think a lot comes down to this. If their is a program one side likes, and the other side can oppose it safely without cutting their own support, they will do it, just to make noise if nothing else. Amtrak is one of those programs the Left tends to like, many people have no interaction with and the Right can safely flog.
Note that no one talks about privitizing the Air Traffic system. Or cutting highway subsidies.
My two cents.
A: "Whether you like the program or not."
I know some folks will debate me on that, but that is fact as I see it, having studied politics for so long and worked close to it.
To say the Right wants to cut spending and the Left doesn't is completely false and overly simplistic. The Right wants to cut CERTAIN spending, as does the Left, and both sides want to continue CERTAIN spending. The disagreement is in what.
The Right derives a lot of political support from the farm belt, corporations, etc. (Not saying the Left does not, but it is less so, or at least less visible.) So cutting the throats of their contributors is not on the agenda, and they will fight to expand their benefits.
Amtrak is nothing more than an easy target. I am sure that some on the Right legitimately believe it is a boondoggle, but I find most just use it as a whipping boy, a way to show their fiscal resolve. Note how many Republican politicians will support Amtrak WHEN IT IMPACTS / BENEFITS THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
I think a lot comes down to this. If their is a program one side likes, and the other side can oppose it safely without cutting their own support, they will do it, just to make noise if nothing else. Amtrak is one of those programs the Left tends to like, many people have no interaction with and the Right can safely flog.
Note that no one talks about privitizing the Air Traffic system. Or cutting highway subsidies.
My two cents.
