Kerry says Bush Amtrak cuts way off the track

[whometense]

Boston Herald:

Sen. John F. Kerry last night slammed President Bush's plan to cut federal support to the fiscally strapped Amtrak passenger rail system, calling the proposed budget cut ``incomprehensible.''

Kerry, accepting an award for public service from the Kennedy Library Foundation, said the president's plan to zero out Amtrak must be derailed by Congress - and vowed to lead the fight.

Calling the move one of several ``backwards'' steps resulting from White House policies, the Bay State senator said the focus should instead be on building high-speed railway systems to support the industry and create jobs.

[TayTay]

1. I'm glad the Senator mentioned this.

I know the Rethugs want to do away with public funding for this, but it's nutty. Plus they aren't going to get it. I actually believe they use this as a hammer over the heads of certain Dems (like Biden) in order to get concessions. But with this bunch of bastards, ya gotta be careful.

[whometense]

2. I don't put anything

past them. Seems like just a wonderful way to punish us blue stater Northeast corridor types. I know there are other routes that are well-travelled too, but the Boston-NY-DC train is packed all the time.

[elshiva]

3. This is bloody important! We need more public

transport not less!

[Withywindle]

4. Could I love this man any more?

:loveya: Yeah, I probably could - working on it! :loveya:


Amtrak is important to me as a non-driver (loooong story) who likes to visit her parents from time to time - who happen not to have any airports closer than, like, a two and a half hour drive. The nearest Amtrak stop is a LOT more convenient for them.

(Prince, WV - I think about five people actually live in that "town," but it's the closest train stop for a lot of little surrounding mountain communities. It's their link to Chicago at one end of the line and DC - and further on, New York - at the other. I took that line all the time in college too, both the one I went to in New York and the one I went to in Ohio, as Cinci is also on that line.) It's not a bad ride - it's an overnight, but the seats are a hell of a lot more comfortable than on any plane or on Greyhound, scenery's amazing, etc.

Train travel makes SO much sense, and we're the only "civilized" country I know of that treats it like the red-headed stepchild. You'd think we'd cherish it now, considering how geographically huge the US is, how the airlines are tanking one after another, and gee, maybe fuel efficiency wouldn't be a bad thing to think about?

Oh, but it doesn't make a PROFIT...well, duh, most mass transit systems don't. That's not really the point of them, is it? Damn, I sound like some kinda socialist. Well, I'm already in the New McCarthyism's little black book, have been for years.

[whometense]

5. Thanks for that post.

All I ever hear about are northeast corridor riders, so it's great to hear from people from other parts of the country who use Amtrak.

I love the train. It's absolutely the most pleasant and relaxing way to travel, and I agree that we should be emphasizing making it better and cheaper rather than trying to undercut it.

[Withywindle]

8. The Upper Midwest is pretty big on it

There are usually a lot of people on it between Cincinnati and Chicago. (There'd probably be more if the arrival and departure times in Cinci for this line wasn't between 3 and 5 AM) Indianapolis is a decent-sized hub for it. A lot of them change trains in Chicago for stops in Wisconsin too.

[GRLMGC]

6. That's dumb

What's the sense in getting rid of Amtrak? Now, here in CA, we don't really use it much but I imagine it is more widely used in the Northeast where everything is closer in proximity than places are here.

[TayTay]

7. Actually, CA is a heavy train use place

Biden said so on one of the talking heads shows. It is the second highest usuage place in the USA, after the northeast corridor. (Biden takes the trian to work from Deleware all the time. He is Mr. Amtrak.)