I am very curious to learn about those too, Specifically the ones that government actively tries to hide, and how they manage to avoid blurting them out under an FOIA request.
1.5 billion for Amtrak in stimulus with daily service mandate (Passed in Congress)
- Thread starter Amtrakfflyer
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tricia
Conductor
I'm pretty sure that the only "constituents" Manchin cares about are his funders.
Years ago, I watched him lie to a man who was staging a sit-in outside his office because his granddaughter was sick from attending an elementary school adjacent to a large coal processing plant. Manchin must have had his empathy cauterized before running for office.
End rant. Back to the thread's actual topic.
IndyLions
OBS Chief
I doubt there are any direct subsidies to private jets.
However, the poster could have been talking about subsidies to private aviation. Yes, private aircraft pay landing fees etc. at the airports that they use. However – not all small airports make enough in landing fees to pay for their existence. Therefore, a lot of airports would go under without federal subsidy. Therefore, the private jets would have a lot fewer places to land. Not being able to land in as many places, and having to use less convenient airports instead – would take a lot of value out of owning a private jet.
That being said – do I support subsidizing private aviation via small airports? Yep.
PaTrainFan
Lead Service Attendant
The Senate Democrats caved and are taking the minimum wage out of the stimulus bill. Bad news for low wage workers, but this at least enhances that odds of the bill being approved.
Given the almost non-viable razor thin majority with the help of the VP that Democrats have in the Senate this was a completely predictable outcome. I suspected all along that the $15/hr was going nowhere given the composition of the Democratic caucus in the Senate.
Also, at least in my book changing the minimum wage is not really something one should be doing in a budget reconciliation, but I guess the entire country is well passed the point where anyone is bothering with discussing what is or is not proper anymore
They could of course also take a potentially disastrous course and refuse to pass the bill without the $15, but that would be a rather spectacular exercise in cutting ones nose to spite ones face unfortunately.
What I find fascinating is that some people are going into this with expectations that are commensurate with the Democrats already having a 2/3rd majority in the Senate.
Subsidies to general aviation may have changed since my ODOT days but likely not. Here's how it worked: the state aviation program is financed by taxes on aviation fuel and property. BUT, if your plane was licensed in Oregon, the fee went to the aviation program and your plane was now exempt from ad valorem taxation (same as autos, trucks, buses and boats). Most of the state aviation revenue comes from commercial air carriers; most of the expenditures benefit general aviation. This started fairly equitably when commercial air service was provided at many small cities and aviation fans dreamed of the "all up" world where there would be even more air served cities.
Acela150
Conductor
I've said it recently, and I believe that it was in this thread. Why the GOP goes after things like Amtrak when it's such a miniscule part of the budget and in this case, stimulus package is beyond me. I'm sure they'd like the result if their wasn't a stimulus package for Amtrak. Which a guess says would cost taxpayers billions more than if there was no stimulus package for them.As predicted the GOP is not as pro Amtrak as they were pre Biden. Viciously going after Amtrak in CoVid bill. Thankfully there’s a few level headed members of the GOP in the Senate and a slim Democratic majority. For the rest of the GOP that wants to keep our infrastructure in the Stone Age “aka 3rd world“ I hope they get voted out in 2 years to put it mildly. Infrastructure puts people to work.
“Rep. Ben Cline added the Amtrak spending to his list of "the most egregious provisions unrelated to COVID" in the stimulus bill.”
Republicans take aim at billions set aside in stimulus bill for infrastructure and transport projects, including Amtrak, BART, and a bridge to Canada
Republicans say funding for a New York-Canada bridge and an extension of San Francisco's subway are pork stuffed in the $1.9 trillion stimulus package.www.yahoo.com
And I'm sure that Rep. Cline's constituents appreciate his attempts to remove the service from his district. *eye rolls*
neroden
Conductor
Wow. If Manchin's like that, then we should be able to work out his price. Most members of Congress who are like that are *cheap*. Buy him off to get rid of the filibuster. If the filibuster is removed, Manchin gets even *more* power than he has now, so even if he's just power-hungry, he should want that. The only thing the filibuster gains him is the ability to hide and pretend that he supports bills he opposes, and that shouldn't be worth that much to him. $50K? $100K?
MARC Rider
Conductor
MARC Rider
Conductor
I'm not sure that this is all Manchin's doing. I think that a lot of people in the Democratic leadership, even some who may approve of getting rid of the filibuster in concept, are a little antsy about doing it under the current circumstances, i.e. a razor-thin Democratic majority in both houses. The 2022 elections aren't that far off, and there's a good chance the Republicans could take one or more of the houses of Congress. If the Democrats have already set a precedent for eliminating the filibuster, imagine what sort of mischief the Republicans could do if they got back into control. We've seen what they did with judges, and how the Supreme Court has changed. Maybe after the 2022 elections, if the Democrats win it with larger majorities than they have now, there might be more interest in doing it.
In the short term for Amtrak funding, it probably doesn't matter, as there are the votes for that in this current bill, whatever posturing the opponents are doing on the media. And people working to increase the minimum wage can continue to work through the states, as I recall that minimum wages have gone up in some through referendums.
Two transportation projects have been removed from the bill. The BART extension and a bridge in NYS.
www.cnn.com
Pelosi's office says 2 controversial projects will be pulled from Covid bill
Two big projects originally slated to be part of the Covid-19 relief bill but criticized as being unrelated to coronavirus relief will be pulled from the package, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office confirmed to CNN on Tuesday.
www.cnn.com
brianpmcdonnell17
Conductor
Apparently the draft bill from the Senate increased the funding for Amtrak from the $1.5 billion allocated in the House bill to $1.7 billion. $150 million of the extra funding is specific to the NEC.
www.google.com
Highlights: What's changed in the Senate's COVID relief bill
Senate Democrats have come out with their version of the $1.9 trillion COVID-relief bill
Ziv
OBS Chief
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I drove a 1981 Toyota Tercel from Miami to San Diego back in 1989 and it nearly killed me it was so boring. Back then there was almost no traffic. My car didn't have a cassette player and there was no good radio station most of the time. I was so bored I tried to see how many miles I could go without touching the steering wheel. I was leaning left and right to keep the car in the lane. I think I got to 40 miles without touching the wheel. The worst part was that if I went faster than 62 mph the car started to scream like it was going to fly apart. And 62 mph on I-10 felt like I could get out and run alongside the car.
Good times. LOL!
Good times. LOL!
Amtrakfflyer
OBS Chief
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Don’t be surprised if the Dems negotiate with themselves and Amtrak’s money gets slashed with the pretense of being made up in another bill. They just don’t know how to govern with a strong hand. All the cuts and negotiations we have seen with unemployment yesterday and today have been the Dems negotiating against themselves.
What really scares me and may be the reason for the above is Joe Manchen. He’s from what is arguably the poorest, least well off State and yet he is demanding cuts to aid/unemployment and against a true minimum wage increase. He’s no more a Dem than Lieberman was.
I don’t think it’s a matter of if but when he switches parties and becomes a “R” sinking Biden’s first 2 years (at least) and any hope of infrastructure stimulus. I’m sure McConnell and corporate interests are willing to give him whatever he wants to make the switch. Time will tell my bet sooner then later unfortunately.
What really scares me and may be the reason for the above is Joe Manchen. He’s from what is arguably the poorest, least well off State and yet he is demanding cuts to aid/unemployment and against a true minimum wage increase. He’s no more a Dem than Lieberman was.
I don’t think it’s a matter of if but when he switches parties and becomes a “R” sinking Biden’s first 2 years (at least) and any hope of infrastructure stimulus. I’m sure McConnell and corporate interests are willing to give him whatever he wants to make the switch. Time will tell my bet sooner then later unfortunately.
Senate Democrats have just negotiated with themselves an additional $200 million for Amtrak, bumping up the total to $1.7 billion.
Highlights: What's changed in the Senate's COVID relief bill
Senate Democrats have come out with their version of the $1.9 trillion COVID-relief bill
www.baynews9.com
Amtrakfflyer
OBS Chief
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Touché. I hope it all stays in there and we have a robust meaningful infrastructure bill soon.
The Infrastructure Bill is a different one from the current Bill. I suspect it will face much higher hurdles in the Senate since it will be subject to 60 votes. There is no way that anyone with a straight face can claim that one to be a budget reconciliation. It will require some amount of bi-partisan support, and will thus have to reflect the desires of those from across party lines that are voting for it to a requisite extent to get them to vote that way.
One needs to remember that Democrats barely have a majority, and people need to moderate their expectations, specially on money bills, based on that reality
PaTrainFan
Lead Service Attendant
Bob Dylan
Conductor
But they did kill the Minimum Wage increase and are keeping the Weekly Unemployment Weekly Amount @ $300 since $10 an hour is so much itll make lazy people stay home instead of working! ( Sarcasm intended!)Senate Democrats have just negotiated with themselves an additional $200 million for Amtrak, bumping up the total to $1.7 billion.
Highlights: What's changed in the Senate's COVID relief bill
Senate Democrats have come out with their version of the $1.9 trillion COVID-relief billwww.baynews9.com
Amtrakfflyer
OBS Chief
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4 anti Amtrak amendments tonight and tomorrow, 2 of which zero out Amtrak funding according to RPA. Now it gets interesting. Will Dems stay united on all 4. I’m honestly not sure.
Also not sure difference between the two zero funding amendments and why they aren’t combined into one. That’s all the info RPA gave out tonight.
Also not sure difference between the two zero funding amendments and why they aren’t combined into one. That’s all the info RPA gave out tonight.
- Hagerty #893 – Strikes all Amtrak funding.
- Johnson #1102 – Cuts Northeast Corridor funding from $970,388,160 to $742,500,500
- Johnson # 1003 – Cuts National Network funding from $729,611,840 to $607,500,000.
- Lee #1132 – Strikes all Amtrak funding
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chrsjrcj
OBS Chief
I think Amtrak has enough bipartisan support today that I'd be beyond shocked if any of the anti-Amtrak amendments come close to passing. Also, don't the amendments need 60 votes to pass?
Let's be honest, Trump's inability to do something has no bearing on how hard it is.
The idea is to slow things down as much as possible, not actually do anything useful (see also: reading the entire bill aloud to an empty chamber).
