PRR 60 said:
Not to start a political fight...
I agree with PRR60, in that this is one of those topics that could easily deteriorate into a heated political discussion. I'm pleased that so far everyone has kept their wits about them.
It's easy to blame a President of
any political party for the negatives that occurred under his watch. He is, after all, the most visible member of his party. But consider the following:
* Cuts to Amtrak's route structure have occurred under Presidents of both parties.
* Our government is a system of checks and balances; therefore the actions of a President are backed up by a majority vote in the House and Senate. Remember Congress creates the bills, and the President then chooses to sign or veto them. And on the same note...
* Not always but often our sitting President has had a majority in either the House, the Senate, or both, of the opposite party.
* A man who has been arguably Amtrak's worst enemy, and who ran for President
against George W. Bush in the Republican primary, John McCain, has as of late expressed sentiments in favor of Amtrak. A lot has to do with having David Gunn at the helm; but the John McCain of today is not the John McCain of several years ago. His position on a major Senate committee is perhaps more important that the role he would have played had he become President.
As was mentioned before, while funding for Amtrak is an issue that is near and dear to rail advocates, it is not the only issue facing voters. How our President will handle foreign affairs, the environment, the economy, etc. are all factors involved in choosing the next leader. If the President we pick in 2004 ultimately funds Amtrak sufficiently (so that all trains run on time, there is sufficient available equpment, etc.), but he also starts World War III or sends us into a Depression, have we voted for the right person? A lot more has to be considered, and for that reason I don't think that a forum for discussion of trains is the proper place to endorse any political candidate of any party for any office.
