Amtrak chief blasts budget proposal
- Thread starter Save Our Trains Michigan
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Gunn is a very Wise "Railroad Man". Considering the dollars he has to work with, he is doing a very good job with Amtrak. As far as Bush seeking the demise of Amtrak, just another Irresponsible action on the part of a fool!! B)
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Kind of like this post.Guest said:
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Amtrak OBS Employee
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What is this all about? OBS... :blink:Guest said:
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If you are an Amtrak Supporter AND also a Bush Supporter , you might have a 'Split Personality'. Your wise half supports Amtrak, your foolish half supports Bush.Guest said:
h34r:
Amtrak Watcher
Lead Service Attendant
Among the Bush budget cuts are those for Amtrak and farm subsidies. Both of these programs/subsidies are popular with red state residents. This is their reward for supporting Bush.
Bush can’t seem to distinguish between programs which, like subsidizing poetry publications at the National Endowment for the Arts only serve a small group of poets who write anthologies for each other; and programs with much wider benefit such as Amtrak. The amazing growth in the number of Amtrak’s riders these past three years proves the rail service is not some irrelevance far out on society’s margins. Just imagine what Amtrak could become if it were funded properly: if the stations were repaired and upgraded, if the trains ran frequently, and if everything was on time – like passenger rail service in virtually every other country of the world.
While riding around on America’s rails I can’t help but become depressed with our bombed-out city centers, the long tracts of rusted “for lease” signs, and the huge piles of wrecked cars and other signs of enormous waste. The contrast with, for example, the view out the train window in Canada or just about any country in Europe is striking.
Bush and those who make decisions for us live in a different world; they don’t live where most Americans live, they don’t deal with the daily stuff most Americans have to deal with, they don’t work the way most American’s work. They don’t wait in line. They don't pay for their own medical costs. They are driven around and flown around in secure, isolated, pristine circumstances. They don't ride the train.
Bush can’t seem to distinguish between programs which, like subsidizing poetry publications at the National Endowment for the Arts only serve a small group of poets who write anthologies for each other; and programs with much wider benefit such as Amtrak. The amazing growth in the number of Amtrak’s riders these past three years proves the rail service is not some irrelevance far out on society’s margins. Just imagine what Amtrak could become if it were funded properly: if the stations were repaired and upgraded, if the trains ran frequently, and if everything was on time – like passenger rail service in virtually every other country of the world.
While riding around on America’s rails I can’t help but become depressed with our bombed-out city centers, the long tracts of rusted “for lease” signs, and the huge piles of wrecked cars and other signs of enormous waste. The contrast with, for example, the view out the train window in Canada or just about any country in Europe is striking.
Bush and those who make decisions for us live in a different world; they don’t live where most Americans live, they don’t deal with the daily stuff most Americans have to deal with, they don’t work the way most American’s work. They don’t wait in line. They don't pay for their own medical costs. They are driven around and flown around in secure, isolated, pristine circumstances. They don't ride the train.
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Politicians live by what the Special Interests dictate to them. Most of them are in their own little world. Bush is especially out of touch when it comes to what is in the best interest of the majority in this country. h34r:
h34r:
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The administration likely also relies on think-tank research like this one http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-266.html .
Please note no mention of the recent $15 billion bail-out of the airlines nor continued impact of bankrupt airlines on our economy. Please note other omissions and terminology (user-tax) arguments to portray a specific picture against Amtrak.
Please note no mention of the recent $15 billion bail-out of the airlines nor continued impact of bankrupt airlines on our economy. Please note other omissions and terminology (user-tax) arguments to portray a specific picture against Amtrak.
How interesting that Mr. Bush is proposing cuts to programs that will hurt the very people that supported him. Instead of cutting government waste, he cuts valid programs, like Amtrak, and maybe plans to spend millions more on wasteful programs. What a mess!
Almost everyone at work is concerned about losing their jobs, But I worry about the old-timers with a few yrs to retirement.
If Amtrak files for bankruptcy, all workers will lose the C-2 protection that was meant to protect us. Reminds me of Eastern Airline and the 1000's of people that were screwed out of their pensions. :angry: Alot of people lost their homes and some committed suicide from the stress. But all the "bigshots" walked away unharmed and wealthy.
Someone at work heard that more money is spent on picking up "road-kill" in the US than Amtrak's budget request! :blink: It's so bizarre, it's funny!
MJ B)
If Amtrak files for bankruptcy, all workers will lose the C-2 protection that was meant to protect us. Reminds me of Eastern Airline and the 1000's of people that were screwed out of their pensions. :angry: Alot of people lost their homes and some committed suicide from the stress. But all the "bigshots" walked away unharmed and wealthy.
Someone at work heard that more money is spent on picking up "road-kill" in the US than Amtrak's budget request! :blink: It's so bizarre, it's funny!
MJ B)
amtrakmichigan
Lead Service Attendant
What happened to the pension plans for employees of other bankrupt railroads in the past? (PC, PRR etc..) Doesn't the Railroad retirement board have an obligation to pay out benefits to the folks who put money in, even though the company they worked for went bankrupt?Miami Joe said:Almost everyone at work is concerned about losing their jobs, But I worry about the old-timers with a few yrs to retirement.
If Amtrak files for bankruptcy, all workers will lose the C-2 protection that was meant to protect us. Reminds me of Eastern Airline and the 1000's of people that were screwed out of their pensions. :angry: Alot of people lost their homes and some committed suicide from the stress. But all the "bigshots" walked away unharmed and wealthy.
Someone at work heard that more money is spent on picking up "road-kill" in the US than Amtrak's budget request! :blink: It's so bizarre, it's funny!
MJ B)
battalion51
Engineer
I believe that's correct. Since the RRB is a government organization and looks at all railroad service (not just one craft or railroad that you work for) I believe the railroad retirement is more secure SHOULD Amtrak go under than it was for the folks over at Eastern.
