Trump and Amtrak/Budget cutting funding

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I'm not sure of anything when it comes to politics and Amtrak.

It seems to me that the most strenuous times for Amtrak seem to happen under Democratic administrations which would seem counter intuitive.

Maybe Trump would go in and straighten out the "mess" that so many on here seem to think Amtrak is in? I just don't see it being cut to the bare bones. I'm so very tired of the status quo with Amtrak.

Would be interesting to know what the vision would be for sure. Maybe someone else has insight.
 
None of the candidates I've been paying attention to have made meaningful statements on Amtrak in this election cycle -- except Trump!

Trump did make a claim that he's going to fix Amtrak infrastructure:

http://dailycaller.com/2015/05/13/trump-on-amtrak-crash-only-way-to-fix-infrastructure-is-to-elect-me/

So, much though it makes me grind my teeth to admit it, Trump might be fine for Amtrak. Except that he has a record of contradicting himself, so who knows.

Bernie and Hillary have both pretty consistently voted for status quo Amtrak funding. I can't find anything more for Bernie.

Hillary has voted against an amendment to increase Amtrak funding (back in 2007).

(Disclosure: I support Bernie.)
 
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The last time I saw Trump talking about Amtrak was immediately after the Philadelphia derailment. Before anybody had any clue what had happened Trump started claiming that this would have never happened on his watch because he would have immediately fixed all of America's infrastructure problems. He never once mentioned how he would actually do this (tea bag pixie dust?) or how it would have helped Amtrak specifically. Every single solution he mentioned appeared to be targeted exclusively toward private and commercial vehicles and aircraft. He never mentioned anything going to passenger rail even once, so apparently his "solution" is somehow completely free, which presumably leaves us with some sort of privatization giveaway followed by cherry picking of assets and eventual dissolution. Personally I think you can find everything you need to know about Trump by looking at how Putin and Burlesconi have run their own governments. They talk the same, act the same, and appeal to the same demographic.

I'm not sure of anything when it comes to politics and Amtrak. It seems to me that the most strenuous times for Amtrak seem to happen under Democratic administrations which would seem counter intuitive. Maybe Trump would go in and straighten out the "mess" that so many on here seem to think Amtrak is in? I just don't see it being cut to the bare bones. I'm so very tired of the status quo with Amtrak. Would be interesting to know what the vision would be for sure. Maybe someone else has insight.
Maybe it's counterintuitive because Amtrak's funding comes from the legislative branch and not the executive branch. If you're going to focus exclusively on the executive branch then consider Bush (43) who repeatedly submitted budget proposals recommending Amtrak's funding be reduced to zero dollars. Then consider Obama who has submitted budget proposals with increased funding for Amtrak each and every year of his administration. For 2017 Obama is proposing $320 billion in green infrastructure programs that includes passenger rail initiatives and a doubling of the TIGER grant program. Trump hasn't proposed anything halfway detailed enough to analyze. Instead of trying to appeal to thoughtful and mature problem solving Trump's focus is almost entirely on immature emotional whining. Not surprisingly it's working out extremely well for him thanks to millions of uninformed low effort voters.
 
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Personally I think you can find everything you need to know about Trump by looking at how Putin and Burlesconi have run their own governments. They talk the same, act the same, and appeal to the same demographic.
I'm not sure about Berlusconi, but Putin is definitely putting in some high speed trains.

Italy is too, but I'm not sure if those projects were initiated on Berlusconi's watch or were already underway when he came in.

Not that that is in any way a reason to support them, but just saying.
 
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It doesn't really matter, because even if he gets the nomination, Trump's arrogance will cost him the election. I lean hard to the right myself - and I can't stand him. Needless to say since I lean to the right, I don't think much of Clinton or Sanders either. I have always voted, but this year I may abstain in the presidential race.

I have a bumper sticker on my car that is connected to a 2008 episode of The Simpsons. Ralph Wiggum in 08 Pick a Winner. It will be more appropriate this time around than it was when I put it on the car.
 
"He never once mentioned how he would actually do this"

Yeah, he makes all these claims without ever saying how he would accomplish anything but people just slobber all over his bluster because it's what they want to hear. Voters scare me more than politicians.

It might be helpful if someone asked him specifically how he feels about Amtrak, the response might tell me more than what he claims he's going to do.
 
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The only hope with him is the fact that he's from NYC where trains are a way of life. Without trains, NYC would probably come to a grinding halt.
 
None of the candidates I've been paying attention to have made meaningful statements on Amtrak in this election cycle -- except Trump!

Trump did make a claim that he's going to fix Amtrak infrastructure:

http://dailycaller.com/2015/05/13/trump-on-amtrak-crash-only-way-to-fix-infrastructure-is-to-elect-me/

So, much though it makes me grind my teeth to admit it, Trump might be fine for Amtrak. Except that he has a record of contradicting himself, so who knows.

Bernie and Hillary have both pretty consistently voted for status quo Amtrak funding. I can't find anything more for Bernie.

Hillary has voted against an amendment to increase Amtrak funding (back in 2007).

(Disclosure: I support Bernie.)
Bernie hasn't said much about Amtrak while running for Pres. although as a senator he's been pretty supportive of the system. Here is a statement he released/made about The Vermonter in 2010. http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/sanders-statement-at-vermonter-groundbreaking

Seeing as he's been fairly consistent in his general stance on things over the years... this statement is probably still pretty true (I haven't fact checked it...)

I will introduce legislation to use this $700 billion in a much more sensible way. My legislation will require that we use roughly half of that revenue to reduce our national debt and roughly half of that money to rebuild our deteriorating infrastructure -- exactly the sort of essential projects that we are doing when we upgradie rail lines like “The Vermonter.”
peter
 
The only hope with him is the fact that he's from NYC where trains are a way of life. Without trains, NYC would probably come to a grinding halt.
I would tend to agree.

While Trump is an unpredictable wild card on this issue, I can envision him re-building Penn Station. OK, it would be called Trump Station, and have a marble and gold ClubAcela.

A new Trump Station would need an expanded Amtrak presents.
 
Trump and Amtrak: Gotta think he would cut it to the bone, if not even completely scrap it, right?
I am quite sure he has no plan other than to make it wonderful, place gold fixtures in the rest rooms and have trains every 10 minutes, just like New York Air (aka Trump Shuttle). I know we are not supposed to discuss politics here, but in Trumps case, I could not resist. He will not get my vote either.
 
The only hope with him is the fact that he's from NYC where trains are a way of life. Without trains, NYC would probably come to a grinding halt.
I would tend to agree.

While Trump is an unpredictable wild card on this issue, I can envision him re-building Penn Station. OK, it would be called Trump Station, and have a marble and gold ClubAcela.

A new Trump Station would need an expanded Amtrak presents.
He can afford to do that on his own dollar.

Amtrak will be renamed Trumptrak.
 
I was watching part of a trump rally on the tv and heard him mention infrastructure. He said China has great airports and high speed rail, but of course he never mentioned actually funding similar projects in the US.

In the end, it's really up to the Congress I suppose.
 
I was watching part of a trump rally on the tv and heard him mention infrastructure. He said China has great airports and high speed rail, but of course he never mentioned actually funding similar projects in the US.
I guess actually recognizing that fact is already a positive sign. I guess there are many Reps who wouldn't willingly admit that.
 
Thanks for digging up the Bernie quote, Peter.

Also, Charlie, I can totally envision Trump Station replacing "Union Station" as the typical railroad station name in the US. And gold and marble everywhere. Oy.
 
Well, our own Bob Dylan has the perfect answer above! We just all write in his name for president :) ! (We have to be careful to use his real name, though, and not "Bob Dylan," or we might end up with a president of Amtrak who insists on piping twangy, off-key music through all the cars!) :p
 
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I will cast my vote for our own Bob Dylan. He knows how to deal with the DC bureaucrats, and as one former Presidential candidate from Alabama said long ago, Dylan would " dump their briefcases in the Potomac!" LOL.
 
What's with this idea of gold in Trump Station? He never NEVER uses gold in his buildings. It's all sort of gold-colored, well-polished bronze. Loud, flashy, phony, and cheap … just like himself.
 
What's with this idea of gold in Trump Station? He never NEVER uses gold in his buildings. It's all sort of gold-colored, well-polished bronze. Loud, flashy, phony, and cheap … just like himself.
I thought this Trump building had gold coated glass?

https://imagesus-ssl.homeaway.com/mda01/67852f56-9f72-492c-82e6-50eae6828ef2.1.10

Potential prototype for a Trump Station's ClubAcela.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/11/04/16/2D9411AD00000578-3303819-image-a-1_1446653257605.jpg
 
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