Freep this CNN Amtrak poll

CNN ^ | 6/24/02 | GrandmaPatriot

[GrandmaPatriot]

Needs freeping big time.

[John Jorsett]

Geeze. 54% say, 'Yes' to the government bailing out Amtrak. No wonder spending is out of control.

[WellsFargo94]

Okay, my vote for NO is in

[rep-always]

Voted NO, and that's all there is to it. Geez, everybody wants a bailout these days.

[Shermy]

This number is miniscule compared to the money given to Airlines, through bailouts (like last October $15 billion) and subsidies of airports, FAA, etc. Airlines just have better P.R.

[anymouse]

Air travel has become an integral part of our economy, transporting people and cargo with minimal government subsides. Amtrak is ignored by most economic sectors, despite masive government subsides. It only carries passengers on limited runs. Frieght railroad service will still go merrily along (if not improve) if Amtrak were completely shut down.

There was a day when passenger rail service was the backbone of the transportation infrastructure. Now planes and cars carry people and trucks carry most of the overland cargo.

No point in further rewarding incompetent management and poor transportation efficiencies.

[Benrand]

Bruce Morton (CNN) had a typical incorrect at it's core piece lover the weekend on Amtrak, completely misrepresenting the underlying economics.

Airlinese may get bailed out, but year after year? They do turn profits sometimes, most of the time. Amtrak doesn't and has never.

[Gaston]

Acording to Amtrak website.

In fiscal year 2001, Amtrak ridership reached an all time high with more than 23.5 million guests.
Each day, approximately 60,000 guests travel on Amtrak.

Acording to Hartsfield Atlanta Airport website.

Hartsfield currently serves 78 million passengers yearly.
Which averages over 213,000 passengers daily.

[OldFriend]

How come no one is mentioning that the Chairman of the Board of AMTRAK is Michael Dukakis.............

Right after 9/11 he was asking for money to put a fence the entire length of the east coast to protect the trains from terrorists..........and he wanted money to put trained guard dogs on every train. AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH