Amtrak budget debated; Bush threatens veto

[Eugene]

Source: Boston Globe

Amtrak budget debated; Bush threatens veto
Upgrades needed, train officials say

By Marilyn Geewax, Cox News Service | July 15, 2007

WASHINGTON -- With gasoline prices high and airports
congested this summer, record numbers of Americans
are traveling on Amtrak passenger trains.

Still, even with a 5.4 percent jump in ridership so far
this year, Amtrak is not taking in enough money to
continue operating and also pay for critically needed
upgrades of rail cars, bridges, tunnels, and other
infrastructure.

-snip-

To help keep the US passenger railroad rolling, especially
in states outside the Northeast, two Democratic-
controlled congressional committees last week approved
spending measures that would boost the subsidized rail
system's budget far higher than President Bush would like.

-snip-

Both spending bills are expected to win approval in their
respective chambers. Then a compromise funding figure
would be negotiated for the final bill, which likely would
pass in late September. But Bush wants Congress to
spend only $800 million on Amtrak, and has promised to
veto any spending bills that exceed his budget requests.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/07/15/amtrak_budget_debated_bush_threatens_veto

[nxylas]

1. And how much was budgeted for "investment" in roads

Once again, we see the double standard whereby money spent on public transportation is a "subsidy" while money spent on roads is "investment".

[Vogon_Glory]

2. The Lesson That Is Becoming More Apparent Is That

The lesson that is becoming more apparent with Gee Dubya Bush's Duck Soup Posse's antics with Amtrak, with the falling funding that goes back to the states to repair highways, what has happened with the US Army Corps of Engineers with the New Orleans levees is that today's so-called "Conservatives" and today's Republicans CANNOT be trusted to take care of the nation's infrastructure. Right-wingers deliberately neglect to fund the necessary maintenance and improvements needed to keep highways and government-owned passenger rail systems operating, maintain sewers, or keep rivers from washing away homes.

So far George HW's and Barbara Mater's beamish boy has operated under a lucky star. Not even the destruction of New Orleans has stuck to him. I suspect that the full impact of decades of right winger-inspired and Republican-caused neglect will fall to a future president. I'm sure that Karl Rove and his ilk are hoping that it'll be a Democratic administration that reaps what the GOP has sowed.