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According to the Associated Press, President Bush's budget for next year calls for spending $900 million for Amtrak. AP says:
Michael Jackson, deputy secretary of Transportation, said the $900 million proposed for Amtrak was designed to encourage the passenger railroad to adopt reforms.
"We can't spend like we've been spending," said Jackson. "We think Amtrak's business model is broken."
Santa Fe 5704 Member # 2277
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Evidently Mr. Jackson needs to get a taste of what it's like out here in the real world. Amtrak needs what they asked for and more yet. America needs Amtrak and not some shoddy little contract outfit to take over passenger runs. President Bush needs to let Amtraks president run with what he needs. Let's quit screwing around and run a railroad the right way.
amtraxmaniac Member # 2251
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If half of these D.C Yahoos had to ride the train, they'd make capital investment for Amtrak a priority.They don't realize that with a business like Amtrak, you have to spend money to make money.
But no...are Cowboy Prez is too busy pickin' fights with evil dictators. O.K, I'll get off my anti-Bush soapbox.
Maybe John Wayne Bush ought to take a field trip to Japan or France and see how they are able to successfully operate a NATIONAL rail service. If he's expecting to see survival through starvation, he will be in for a rude awakening! This budget sucks!! The GOP is trying to kill Amtrak slowly-piece by piece and the Democrats are just standing by and letting them do it.
------------------ Patrick
Mr. Toy Member # 311
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By the logic of the Bush budgeteers a poorly funded Amtrak will become a well run Amtrak by giving it less money than it needs.
Hey! The Defense Department always needs reform. Think how much better run it will be if we cut defense spending, Mr. Bush!
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
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Hard to get that sacred cow Defense Dept out of the feeding trough, especially with this administration. It's hard to believe the admin is still talking about private operators making it all profitable....good grief, if it were possible, they would have emerged long ago.
MPALMER Member # 125
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R Miller,
I agree...if passenger rail were profitable, wouldn't we see Midwest Express Rail, Continental Railways, RailBlue, etc. Maybe the thought is that the US Government could re-create Amtrak as a non-union outfit, but I think that is unrealistic and would be demoralizing. Just yesterday there was a USA Today article that again listed the long distance runs that are threatened to be cut by the time fiscal 04 (10/1/03) rolls around.
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