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What is with this Knollenberg of MI? If you want any optimism, then the State of MI needs to get rid of this guy who knows absolutely nothing about running a railroad. Is there a rule that committee chairs must be unknowledgable of many of the topics they write legislation for? His suggestion is Amtrak could salvage the LD trains by cutting them all to three days per week each way, get rid of the sleepers and food. Now who could survive on that kind of set up? They could convert the sleepers into extra baggage cars to hold all the food and drink the passengers would have to bring on board. It is hard enough to schedule trips on the Cardinal and I'm sure on the SL which are on three day schedules.

If Amtrak is going to be killed, let it die with dignity and grace not a malingering, slow suffocation.
 
Lets take whatever we can do to save Amtrak now. LD trains were 3 or 4 times a week in the not to distant past. Amtrak just needs to survive the next year or two until new elections, then hopefully LONG term funding can be passed.
 
If the people in the senate are that bleeping stupid, this country is screwed, and the lost of the train system is only going to be one of many major concerns for the country.

I suspect by the time this pile of crap gets to the senate, it will get somewhat straightened out, and Amtrak will continue to limp along on as it has been. But under Bush, nothing will really get fixed. He's got to go in the next election.
 
Yes he will be gone! But what if brother Jeb Bush is the Republican nominee? I think the whole Bush family would rather be titled than elected, you know, Your Royal Highness.
 
And if you want to read something to really make you angry, read the NY Times today, an assessment of Dubya's anti-missle defense system, a $130 BILLION fiasco that doesn't work, the "fantastic $130 billion-plus windfall for the defense industry" ... "badly flawed system remains unable to detect or destroy an incoming missile despite the continuing billions spent on complex problems with booster rocket, radar and satellite systems." Note that the amount spent would fund Amtrak for approximately SIXTY to SEVENTY YEARS. And the President used that vast expense of tax dollars as an assist in getting himself re-elected, promising in advance that the system would work. When is the Country going to wake up and realize they are living in W's nightmare? How much more of this fertilzer is it going to take, and how many generations is it going to take to dig us out of the hole he's putting us in?
 
Extreme partisan political rhetoric may make you feel good, but it will do nothing to help save Amtrak. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls; Amtrak is in serious trouble. They are all but broke today and will be in desperate shape by the end of this fiscal year (if they even make it). Amtrak’s trouble has nothing to do with missile defense or Iraq. It has everything to do with a growing perception that Amtrak as a means of providing passenger trains is an anachronism that modern transportation has left behind. Supporting Amtrak means proving that perception wrong.

Here is the bottom line. George Bush won reelection and will be in office until January 2009. Republicans control Congress until at least January 2007. Amtrak’s survival requires funding in 2005. So, Amtrak needs support of this administration and this Congress to survive. Getting that support will require convincing some Republicans and the administration to support funding Amtrak. Doing that will require showing that funding Amtrak is actually a relevant and worthy transportation expenditure and that it is the best way to provide intercity passenger rail. Simply slamming Bush and Republicans will get Amtrak advocates nowhere and, in fact, will ultimately hurt the cause.

So, take a deep breath, control your stress, face the political reality and deal with it.
 
To a certain extent, that's correct. However, it is also true that rich friends or no rich friends, big campaign contributors or not, sooner or later these folks have to answer to the common man, at the polls, and even the stupidest politician is going to have that at the back of his or her mind. And if they start hearing a loud enough number of complaining voices or reports from other people that people are complaining, and if the polls keep falling through the floor, sooner or later they will realize that we the people have enjoyed all we can stand and maybe they better start listening to somebody other than dubya. So making loud complaining noises, if there are enough of us doing it, WILL make a difference. And I certainly have written to my elected reps, on several occasions, as I hope everybody else here is doing, so that this forum is not the only place where our opinions are being delivered, although it may be perhaps a bit more pungent here than in our more direct communications.
 
This is the week coming up...in the house. Keep those calls coming. I call everyday. Lets make this work, theres enough support on both sides in the FULL house to get a positive result!
 
One must also remember that this is a committee resolution, and the full hoiuse has much more diverse veiws of subjects. $500 million was also proposed last year, and the year before that, oinly top be shot down when the full house voted on the final bill. Keep contacting our elected representatives on both the Federal and State level, in order to get their votes of support.
 
PRR 60 said:
Extreme partisan political rhetoric may make you feel good, but it will do nothing to help save Amtrak...... Simply slamming Bush and Republicans will get Amtrak advocates nowhere and, in fact, will ultimately hurt the cause.
So, take a deep breath, control your stress, face the political reality and deal with it.
Click to expand...
It is not necessarily partisan politics. I, at least for now, am a Republican and voted for GWB two times and twice for his father. So I bear some responsibility here. :(
 
Midland Valley said:
PRR 60 said:
Extreme partisan political rhetoric may make you feel good, but it will do nothing to help save Amtrak......  Simply slamming Bush and Republicans will get Amtrak advocates nowhere and, in fact, will ultimately hurt the cause.
So, take a deep breath, control your stress, face the political reality and deal with it.
Click to expand...
It is not necessarily partisan politics. I, at least for now, am a Republican and voted for GWB two times and twice for his father. So I bear some responsibility here. :(
Click to expand...
I'm in the very same boat. In fact, I am the secretary of the local Republican Party and a Republican-appointed election commissioner. I honestly thought about resigning in light of all this; however, I feel determined to fight this battle within my own party and stand my ground.

Aside from all that, I too am confident that the full house will take a different stand on this, and so will the Senate. Let's not give up, no matter what!!! Keep those phone calls, letters, and e-mails going!
 
lepearso said:
Midland Valley said:
PRR 60 said:
Extreme partisan political rhetoric may make you feel good, but it will do nothing to help save Amtrak......  Simply slamming Bush and Republicans will get Amtrak advocates nowhere and, in fact, will ultimately hurt the cause.
So, take a deep breath, control your stress, face the political reality and deal with it.
Click to expand...
It is not necessarily partisan politics. I, at least for now, am a Republican and voted for GWB two times and twice for his father. So I bear some responsibility here. :(
Click to expand...
I'm in the very same boat. In fact, I am the secretary of the local Republican Party and a Republican-appointed election commissioner. I honestly thought about resigning in light of all this; however, I feel determined to fight this battle within my own party and stand my ground.

Aside from all that, I too am confident that the full house will take a different stand on this, and so will the Senate. Let's not give up, no matter what!!! Keep those phone calls, letters, and e-mails going!
Click to expand...
I'll also mention the simple fact that it's not all Republican's that are against Amtrak. One of Amtrak's biggest supporters for years has been Texas' Kay Baily Hutchenson (I hope I spelt that right). I don't know that I agree with all that she's done over the years, but she has remained steadfast in her support of a nationwide Amtrak and I applaud her for that.

Then we have Tommy Tompson, former Governor of Wisconson if memory serves, who was also one of Amtrak's biggest supporters and served with distinction on the Amtrak board for years. Amtrak even named a P42 in his honor for all of his work. It is a shame that he was silenced by the Bush administration, but that doesn't change all the good work and promotion he did for years on Amtrak's behalf.

I'm sure that further research would uncover still more Republican's who have done good by Amtrak over the years. The current situation seems to be more due to the Bush White House and perhaps some ultra-conservative Republican's, rather than the Republican party as a whole.
 
Senator Kay Baily Hutchenson has been really quiet this year regarding Amtrak. Didnt vote for the Byrd Admendment either. Has anyone got a letter from her or heard her speak on the issue? I got the impression a couple years ago if Amtrak didnt get their on time performance in TX under control she may not fight for Amtrak as she did in the past?
 
amtrak_flyer said:
Senator Kay Baily Hutchenson has been really quiet this year regarding Amtrak. Didnt vote for the Byrd Admendment either. Has anyone got a letter from her or heard her speak on the issue? I got the impression a couple years ago if Amtrak didnt get their on time performance in TX under control she may not fight for Amtrak as she did in the past?
Click to expand...
There is a possibility that she feels the DOT plan is better for Texas than the present Amtrak system. Texas is considering building high-speed rail between Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston. Under today’s funding system, the entire capital cost of the project would be borne by Texas. Under the Bush proposal, a Federal match would at least theoretically be available. Texas would have to pay operational costs regardless (Amtrak would only operate such trains with state support), so Texas would appear to benefit from the Bush funding plan. The loss of the Texas Eagle and the Sunset Limited might be considered a minor trade-off compared to the potential for several hundred million dollars in federal capital grants.

The fact is that in some cases and in some locales, the Bush plan for intercity rail could be perceived as being better than what we have today. This is particularly true where states are considering new or improved intra-state corridor services and would not require multi-state operating and funding agreements (Texas, California, Florida, and New York are possible). In these areas support for continuing the Amtrak status quo might be lukewarm even from previous strong advocates. Senator Hutchinson might be such a case.
 

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