I've been toying with a grass-roots political action idea, and I'd like to know what you thoughtful people think of it.I've read the NARP plan for Amtrak and I found much to like. It calls for a long-term vision ("vision first, then funding"), incentives to encourage the freight railroads to upgrade their infrastructure, a 2-4 cent increase in the gas tax to pay for it, and a whole lot more.
I read the Bush/Mineta's plan outline and found much to distrust. Basicly they re-read the ARC plan (which has some good points and some klinkers), but Bush/Mineta took out the most essential element: funding. The ARC made it very clear that Amtrak, or whatever replaces it, will require a stable source of federal funding. But Bush/Mineta say they want Amtrak's national system to become dependent on 50 different state budgets. That would spell the end of most interstate services.
Now for my idea.
First: Everyone download the NARP plan, which is available in PDF format at http://www.narprail.org/plan.htm
Second, print either 1) the entire plan (which is 76 pages) or 2) the five page Executive Summary which is at the beginning of the document. Mail the plan (or the Executive Summary) to:
Norman Mineta
Department of Transportation
400 7th St. SW
Washington, DC 20590
Include a brief cover letter explaining in your own words why you think the NARP plan is better than the administration plan.
(I should add that you need not agree with every jot and tittle in the NARP plan. It is a good starting point, not necessarily the final word.)
Third, e-mail anyone you know who might be supportive of this and encourage them to do the same. Thy should in turn forward the message on to others until the whole thing snowballs across the internet. It is especially important to get people involved who are not railfans, just people who like to travel comfortably and efficiently from place to place. That covers most everyone.
The idea here is to fill Mineta's office hip deep with copies of the NARP plan to make a point that Americans demand a decent national rail network and we expect Washington to play a major role. Then maybe the Bush Administration will finally get the picture.
If you have the time you might also send copies to your congressional delegation, local government officials, etc, and ask them to support it as well. If you are really ambitious you might even send copies to your local newspapers and TV stations to educate their reporters.
I've written to Saveamtrak.org and Friends of Amtrak asking what they thought of the idea, but got no response. So I'm laying it out here to see what you guys and gals think.
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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy
The Del Monte Club Car
[This message has been edited by Mr. Toy (edited 06-30-2002).]
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