Well, maybe we should look at NASA for help. The NASA budget for 2011 was $17 billion versus the Amtrak subsidy of $1 .5 billion. there should be $1.5 billion worth of savings that can be achieved over at NASA!
Instead of messing with Amtrak, Stop sending taxpayer money to countries who hate us.
Hmmm…to win the conservative vote, Mr. Romney takes the same positions as Jimmy Carter. Isn’t it ironic?
And believe your own magazine’s commentators have observed that freight railroads want to get rid of Amtrak (they could operate their freight trains without having to deal with Amtrak passenger trains getting priority)
I’m a conservative that understands the benifits of rail transportation. Funny, Romney doesn’t UNDERSTAND the government costs of highway and air travel are astronimical compared to the subsidies offered Amtrak. His stand on this issue will cause me to SIT out this next election for the first time in my 68 years!!!
As a fiscally conservative independent I wonder when, if ever, these Republicans are going to understand that ALL transport is subsidized by the taxpayers. Of course our founders understood the necessity of this, just check Article 1, Section 8 of what most of us took an oath to uphold, i.e., the U.S. Constitution.
Those “horrible socialists” speak of Post Offices and Post Roads, the Common Defense, and “general Welfare.” Face it Tea Partiers, our system was wisely set up as mixed bag, not purely one or the other. (The principle writer of the Declaration of Independence founded a taxpayer supported university c. 200 years ago, not a private university.)
Don’t forget what that “radical, socialist Eisenhower” did for us in the 50s. He gave us the largest public works project (in current $$s) that our good ole U.S. of A. has ever seen – the Interstate Highway Project. And he was a Republican president and 5-Star General. I guess the current type of Republicans would dismiss him as just another anti-corporate liberal. Please google his great speech on the dangers of the “military-industrial” complex; Ike’s prediction has come to past. And this is written by one who proudly wore my nation’s uniform for over 20 years, unlike most of the present day shirkers.
What do you expect from the guy who oversaw the laying off of thousands of workers when he was involved with Bain Capital? This is going to help “get people back to work?”
We need to do away with Romney.
Does Romney know anything about the railroads? Even a 4th grader knows, trains have more than 2 wheels.
Using his criteria, let’s close the post offices too.
Can one assume he will cut all of the federal funding for the airline industry.
He’d better get a Tea Party supermajority in both Houses Congress if he wants to eliminate Amtrak. On the other hand, Amtrak and mass transit opponents always seem to go after small fish like Amtrak and he’s only the latest to do so.
If he really wanted to save money he would promote Fairtax…HR 25 and do away with one of the biggest cash cows called the IRS. This countries transportation infrastructure has been neglected way too long. Mitt’s an old hat with old ideas…A true leader is someone who can save money and go forward at the same time…Mitt’s gonna have to find his voters somewhere else…I doubt he’ll carry Florida.
How about we end end support for Interstate Highways and federal suupport for airports
What a F A
What he says he can do, and what Congress allows him to do are two different things.
Mitt is an idiot. I don’t think defunding A-trak or the other two will make a dent in the budget deficit. A small man with a small brain.
I guess I will have to find someone else to vote for.
It is indeed unfortunate that this otherwise learned man is so ignorant of passenger railroad operation. He seems to think that passenger rail should break even or show a profit-I t does not: It is part of a government service. The government has given Amtrak in 40 years what it gives to the airline industry and highway system in one year. If the subsidy to Amtrak is eliminated per his philosophy, and it is a small fraction of one percent of the Federal Budget, Why not stop the subsidy to Airlines and Highways and save a lot more? I would suggest Mr. Romney and his ill-advised staff go back to some basic economic facts of life and get it right before showing such ignorance on the topic.
How can anyone submit thoughtful, on-topic and respectful feedback to a statement such as this???
Mitt Romney. LOL