Posted on 01/30/2011 8:04:48 AM PST by rabscuttle385
Key Republicans are embracing a major spending initiative outlined in President Obama's State of the Union address.
Two top members of the House Transportation Committee said they will push the president's initiative seeking to give 80 percent of Americans access to high-speed rail over te course of the next 25 years.
"I believe it's good for America to develop a high-speed rail corridor in the Northeast corridor," Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), the chairman of the railroad subcommittee, said according to the Connecticut Post. "It's a place we have to start, we have to accomplish it, because then I believe all of America, in the various corridors around the country, will want high-speed rail if they see success here."
Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), the chairman of the whole committee, also said Friday he was "pleased that President Obama has helped to launch a system for improved passenger rail service for our nation."
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Sheesh, what was I thinking!
And to those not in his district, use his office zip code, and make up an address so you can make sure he gets your email. FreepMail me if you don't know how to do it. I can write ALL MEMBERS of Congress and they think I am one of their constituents. Yes, someone told me I am not being honest doing that. Well, when EVERY congressman gets their salary, my tax dollars are in there somewhere. And how the Congressman votes in PA or other states affects me here in FL!
This article is not about whether people enjoy traveling by train or not; it is about the government funding a train system in the US. We did it already.
Promised rider fees did not begin to cover the expense. The government ran the trains to serve itself and it’s unions. Crime on the trains was too risky for people to use them. They were safer driving their cars. Crime in neighborhoods that were forced to host train stations was a huge problem.
Liberals played this entitlement like a drum. They riled up train riders (government employee unions)against those who demanded the trains be self sustaining. The cost and size of the train service was without end. Most of the public did not even use the service they paid for with their taxes. They mostly served leftist power in the cities. Liberals played the train service against highway funding. To fix or build a road or bridge was to take money away from the train entitlement...
I remember all this.
There is that thing called gas tax.
You do know about it?
Every time you buy a gallon of fuel, you pay your part for those highways.
Therefore, they are paid for by the user.
Now on the other hand if I never ride the train, how can it be justified that I pay for the track?
“Are they really THAT STUPID?”
at least dear reader is:
Biting the bullet on expenses
The President ordered the cabinet to cut a whopping $100 million from the $3.5 trillion federal budget!
I’m so impressed by this sacrifice that I have decided to do the same thing with my personal budget. I spend about $2000 a month on groceries, medicine, bills, etc, but it’s time to get out the budget cutting ax, go line by line through my expenses, and go to work.
I’m going to cut my spending at exactly the same ratio -1/35,000 of my total budget. After doing the math, it looks like instead of spending $2000 a month; I’m going to have to cut that number by six cents!
Yes, I’m going to have to get by with $1999.94, but that’s what sacrifice is all about. I’ll just have to do without some things, that are, frankly, luxuries.
Taxpayer
High-speed rail COULD actually make sense Portland ME - Raleigh NC, BUT (and it’s a big one) - the straight ROW necessary would bulldoze the estates of the richest and most powerful people in the nation, perhaps on the planet - and that will never do.
“Sheesh, what was I thinking! “
You are forgiven, providing that you promise to stop believing the liberal line when it comes to train schedules. It is so easy to get sucked into their propaganda.
What private sector company is going to build high speed rail? Notice there are no takers. Why do you think that is so.Perhaps because there is not one passenger rail system in the US whose ridership does not enjoy government subsidies.Can you spell unprofitable.
PA Freeper Ping! If you want to be removed from my list please FreepMail me. This is an older list, and only one I have right now. Thanks!
“What private sector company is going to build high speed rail? Notice there are no takers. Why do you think that is so.Perhaps because there is not one passenger rail system in the US whose ridership does not enjoy government subsidies.Can you spell unprofitable.”
...and the thing to remember is that we can indulge in these luxuries when our country was in reasonable financial shape. After all, most of us will eat out at nice resturaunts once in a while, if we know that we have the money.
But that is not the case today. Our debt is HUGE and China could pull the plug on us whenever they feel like it. We are in REALLY, REALLY, BAD SHAPE. If government wants to embark on huge new programs, they sure as heck better show some return on investment...and NO ONE is making that claim here. It’s only about ‘jobs’...
For pete’s sake, you never bothered to read the part of the post where I said he wanted private investment in this (because it could be profitable).
In addition, it would be part of the NE coastal passenger rail. And much of the Florida section would in fact be paid for by Florida; even right now we are working on getting county/local money to reopen and rehabilitate the old train station and also get some businesses there.
You may not like it, but there is a need for interconnectivity outside of Texas. Some people actually do need to travel outside of your state and (gasp!) may even need to travel somewhere on the East Coast. The reason that both the railroad barons and the US government invested in the original railroads that opened the West was to make economic interconnectivity possible, and I think this is still true today.
Our airports (which also receive federal monies) are massively overcrowded and for some relatively short distances, it is actually faster to take the train because the train usually starts and leaves from downtown and not an hour away from town, the way flights do. And the same is true of driving if you’re going someplace where you wont need to drive once you get there. Just get off the train and take a taxi to your meeting and there you are.
In short, this is simply one of the things that should be added to our ability to get around our country. It doesn’t have to be a government boondoggle, and I don’t see why there’s so much opposition to it (except, as I have mentioned, for the cases that are pure pork, and which should be vigorously opposed, as Mica is doing).
Pa corruption ping
I am doing it as soon as I post this. Will also email Shuster in PA and tell him what I think! 2012 is coming and they both need to be reminded that we are watching!
Miller, Jeff -(R)- District 1
http://jeffmiller.house.gov/
No. They are, however, really that corrupt.
How many Republicans supported the International Space Station? Rail is bread and butter by comparison.
oopS! Forgot the ping. If you want off my list please just let me know by FreepMail.
I-95. You’d be surprised where it runs.
You’re on the wrong website if you want to run up the national debt.
Again, pay for it locally, ALL OF IT. For people North of Florida, they can also pay for their segments...but, of course none of that will happen, since you guys simply want OUR MONEY for your trains.
rite brytlea
NE CORRIDOR RAIL IS WORKING
people need to think - not just have knee-jerk reactions.
Are you Willie Greens kid brother????????????
Let me put it another way. We are $14T in DEBT. Egypt is exploding and we’re getting real close to seeing $200 oil.
Two things will happen with oil at that price. Our economy will collapse even more and that $14T in debt will finally sink us, Argentina-style. And our highways will clear out, so there won’t be any more traffic jams. Sure, it will cost more to drive, but still MUCH LESS than trains will EVER COST.
And by the way, you really have to get with it. I’ve paid into Social Security for over 20 years. I told my wife that we will not see a penny of that, since it will be means-tested when I retire and I will likely have “the means”. I also told her that I would be fine with that, it just means living in a smaller house and travel less. Sure, I’d like the money - but the COUNTRY IS BROKE, and we need to forget about all of our fantasies. IT IS OVER.
Do the math on the $14T - that’s $45,000 for EVERY man, woman, and child in this country. That’s $180,000 of debt for every family of 4 in this country. WE ARE BROKE, and that doesn’t even factor in future debts for Social Security and Medicare.
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