Go to: Message List•New Topic•Search
Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train
Author: David Smith
Date: 12-02-2012 - 10:28

Ostrum Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak funding represents 0.05% of the federal
> budget. Any talk about deficit reduction and
> Amtrak is absurd. Real deficit reduction needs to
> see cuts elsewhere including entitlements and
> military along with realistic new revenue. The
> antitax gang and Tea Partiers always like to
> scream about Amtrak because it has a seperate
> budget, is an easy target and they have a great
> dislike for passenger rail transportation.
>
>
> Ostrum


This is the per usual illogic used to continue the forced funding of federal boondoggles - "..... it's only 0.05% of the budget ...". The problem is that Amtrak is just one of thousands of worthless programs out there that are contributing to the ultimate bankruptcy of this country. Death by a thousand slices, as the saying goes.

Ask yourselves this - Is it absolutely imperitive that we continue the ideal of passenger rail only via an unaccountable federal agency, or is there possibly a better way?

Consider this - We've tried it at both extremes. We've had private passenger rail that was taxed and regulated to the point of being an albatross around the necks of the Class I's, and we've had this public passenger rail that is grossly subsidized and wastefully operated to the point of being an albatross around the necks of the taxpayers.

There is probably a better way to do this that will satisfy both the taxpayers and the passenger rail fanatics:

Return passenger rail to the private sector, and incentivise it via tax and regulatory relief.

Navigate: Previous Message•Next Message
Options: Reply To This Message•Quote This Message


Subject Written By Date/Time (PST)
  Amtrak: Throw Money from the Train SPKid 11-30-2012 - 14:22
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Money from the Train Stash 11-30-2012 - 14:50
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Money from the Train 49 Yews 11-30-2012 - 15:29
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train BOB2 11-30-2012 - 15:29
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train SPKid 11-30-2012 - 16:07
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train Phoebe Snow's Boyfriend 11-30-2012 - 19:09
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train Michael Mahoney 11-30-2012 - 16:09
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train Severe Duty 11-30-2012 - 16:18
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train mook 11-30-2012 - 18:57
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train Drew Jacksich 11-30-2012 - 19:23
  Re: A couple of real gems: Peter Griffin 11-30-2012 - 20:44
  Roads vs. trains reality check 12-01-2012 - 08:29
  Re: reality check Severe Duty 12-01-2012 - 08:58
  Re: reality check Erik H. 12-02-2012 - 18:52
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train Phoebe Snow's Boyfriend 11-30-2012 - 21:23
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train Drew Jacksich 11-30-2012 - 23:42
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train mvs 12-01-2012 - 09:05
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train Ostrum 12-01-2012 - 16:43
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train David Smith 12-02-2012 - 10:28
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train synonymouse 12-02-2012 - 14:29
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train synonymouse 12-02-2012 - 14:30
  Re: A year of Amtrak=a week in Afghanistan=a month of direct crop susbidies BOB2 12-02-2012 - 15:58
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train MG42 12-04-2012 - 18:57
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train mook 12-05-2012 - 08:26
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train MG42 12-05-2012 - 16:29
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train *eyeroll* 12-07-2012 - 14:59
  Re: Learn from passenger train history Phoebe Snow's Boyfriend 12-02-2012 - 18:49
  Re: Learn from passenger train history Erik H. 12-02-2012 - 19:04
  Re: Learn from passenger train history Phoebe Snow's Boyfriend 12-02-2012 - 20:06
  Re: Learn from passenger train history mook 12-02-2012 - 20:27
  the simple truth Reality Check 12-03-2012 - 08:33
  Re: the simple truth Sad but true 12-13-2012 - 22:30
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train MG42 12-04-2012 - 18:52
  Re: Amtrak: Throw Dubious Accounting of Cost Under the Train OldPoleBurner 12-05-2012 - 16:36
  The ACTUAL Simple Truth Savvy College Student (Undergrad) 12-04-2012 - 17:19


Go to: Message List•Search
Subject: 
Your Name: 
Spam prevention:
Please, enter the code that you see below in the input field. This is for blocking bots that try to post this form automatically.
 **     **  **     **  **     **  **        **     ** 
  **   **   **     **  ***   ***  **        **     ** 
   ** **    **     **  **** ****  **        **     ** 
    ***     **     **  ** *** **  **        ********* 
   ** **     **   **   **     **  **        **     ** 
  **   **     ** **    **     **  **        **     ** 
 **     **     ***     **     **  ********  **     **
This message board is maintained by:Altamont Press
You can send us an email at altamontpress1@gmail.com