Organization lobbying for Amtrak fixes?

Started to post this on EB Mess thread but it is really a separable issue. Is there any organization trying to lobby Congress etc. for fixing the problems with passenger trains in this country, especially the LD trains? NARP is a 501c3 which means it can't try to implement or change legislation. Anything else? I've Googled and found nothing.

NARP may be registered under more than one designation. I've seen other groups that have both educational and lobbying arms.

Interesting thought since they wouldn't be allowed to mention any sister non c3 organization on their c3 website. But I'll ask my general question of them. Thanks.

It depends on what you mean by "lobby", given that NARP organizes a "Day on the Hill" to meet with various Congressional figures and present requests from NARP to them.

NARP officials regularly testify at congressional hearings.

NARP is a paid employee of Amtrak. They are highly compromised.

There are all kinds of rail advocacy organizations who try to fix problems with Amtrak and other rail. But with the singular exception of the highly compromised and ineffective NARP organization, all of them are badly underfunded and even more badly understaffed.

Most rail people just talk. Sometimes they get smugly proud of themselves for sending form letters to their representatives. Few are willing to put money into joining anything but NARP. Many fewer still are willing to donate more than a membership due to any of them. And practically nobody is willing to donate the most valuable thing of all- their time.

The organization I am treasurer of has maybe 5 members who are truly active. Under my oversight I doubled our treasury from, dear god, $500 to $1000. Which is barely enough to cover operating expenses, and wouldn't be if a township sponsor didn't let us use their office facility and secretary.

Green Maned Lion said:

Most rail people just talk. Sometimes they get smugly proud of themselves for sending form letters to their representatives. Few are willing to put money into joining anything but NARP.

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Lots of proud but pointless talking. Smug self important attitude. Unwillingness to join forces with others. Sounds like you're describing yourself as much as anyone else.

Green Maned Lion said:

The organization I am treasurer of has maybe 5 members who are truly active. Under my oversight I doubled our treasury from, dear god, $500 to $1000. Which is barely enough to cover operating expenses, and wouldn't be if a township sponsor didn't let us use their office facility and secretary.

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Maybe if you had spent your time speaking about what makes your group better you might have improved your funding levels. Instead your constant whining and bitching about NARP has left me never wanting to donate a single red cent to any group that would have you as an officer.

Per the IRS, they're allowed to engage in some lobbying, but not overly much. Here's the expenditure test.

And I'm kinda curious as to what need you'd have for office facilities or a secretary if you've only got five active members.

The moderately-effective pro-passenger-rail lobbying organizations are mostly state-level and lobby for state-specific improvements.

Lobbying Congress has been highly ineffective for a long time, and even more ineffective in the last decade or two. There is something seriously wrong with the federal government right now. The states have problems too but they seem more pliable.

Jis believes that we can get a couple of small changes through Congress to restore the teeth in Amtrak's ability to force the freight railroads to obey the law on passenger priority, largely because this amounts to restoring the intended meaning of a law which was overturned by an activist, precedent-ignoring right-wing judge.

I'm not mentioning my organization because of several reasons, but I am pointedly not mentioning it. I don't feel this is the place for a plug.

I am more than willing to join forces with others. I was elected to my officership. Has it occurred to you that I act differently, or at the very least, come off better, in person?

Hmm - I had no idea this forum even existed. Thanks Anderson.

neroden said:

The moderately-effective pro-passenger-rail lobbying organizations are mostly state-level and lobby for state-specific improvements.

Lobbying Congress has been highly ineffective for a long time, and even more ineffective in the last decade or two. There is something seriously wrong with the federal government right now. The states have problems too but they seem more pliable.

Jis believes that we can get a couple of small changes through Congress to restore the teeth in Amtrak's ability to force the freight railroads to obey the law on passenger priority, largely because this amounts to restoring the intended meaning of a law which was overturned by an activist, precedent-ignoring right-wing judge.

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Now for something substantive. First, lobbying doesn't have to be directed only at Congress and certainly not at Congress as a whole. Have you looked at DailyKos and its funding ally ActBlue? They're raising millions for "progressive" causes and generating petitions with several hundred thousand signatures. Most are directed at individual Congresscritters in which case their software only allows you to sign if you live in their district (or state in the case of senators). Others go to governors, Obama, FYI, it definitely works. Lots and lots of success stories despite a sabotaged House of Reps.

Experiment in progress - I just posted to an oil-train vs. pipeline thread over at Daily Kos explaining that another little-known side-effect of the fracking and tar sand booms is the demise of EB as a functional means of public transport. I'll post back here if it generates any productive conversation or even righteous indignation.