More bad political news for Amtrak

[Anonymous]

The following is an excerpt from a emailing I received. It is not meant as a political party slam (however well-deserved it might be), but simply as information, especially as Amtrak seems to be one on the affected entities.

Dear MoveOn member,

Last week, congressional Republicans responded to Hurricane Katrina by proposing to cut nearly a trillion dollars from vital national services, like health care for the poor and elderly, student loans, Amtrak, and eliminating the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (again!). Republican leaders in Congress are now gauging the public's response to see if they can get away with their plan. We need to show them the answer is "no."

The cost of rebuilding the Gulf Coast, while huge, is far less than what President Bush has given away in tax cuts to the wealthiest one percent. National crises like Hurricanes Rita and Katrina are times for all Americans to stick together and put in our fair share.

The Republican proposal, titled "Operation Offset," was authored by the Republican Study Committee, a group of over 100 influential members of Congress, including powerful committee chairs and members of the Republican leadership. The proposal starts with support from at least these 100 representatives, and they are looking to quickly build momentum.

A full reconstruction of the Gulf Coast region is generally estimated to cost around $200 billion. We could more than meet this cost by rolling back Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for just the wealthiest one percent of the country, which would save us an estimated $327 billion.

"Operation Offset," however, calls for an astounding $949 billion dollars in cuts over 10 years to vital national services —almost five times the full cost of reconstruction. To further put that in perspective, it's also more than 4 times what we've spent in Iraq.

Here are just some of the most egregious cuts:

$225 billion cut from Medicaid, the last-resort health insurance program for the very poor.

$200 billion cut from Medicare, the health care safety net for the elderly and the disabled.

$25 billion cut from the Centers for Disease Control

$6.7 billion cut from school lunches for poor children

$7.5 billion cut from programs to fight global AIDS

$5.5 billion to eliminate all funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

$3.6 billion cut to eliminate the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities

$8.5 billion cut to eliminate all subsidized loans to graduate students.

$2.5 billion cut from Amtrak

$2.5 billion to eliminate the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative

$417 million cut to eliminate the Minority Business Development Agency

$4.8 billion cut to eliminate all funding for the Safe and Drug-Free schools program

http://www.political.moveon.org/images/operation_offset/operation_offset.htm?id=6042-3556762-1cV2AGQqQRnLMRiCMDaoDA&t=4

[Train 284]

Great more bad news! Will it ever stop! AHHHHH!!!

[vsmith]

There are such Draconian cuts in this measure I seriously doubt they could get away with it. Especially the Medicare and Medicade cuts as those directly affect millions of registered voters!

IMHO they should repeal the tax cut to the wealthiest before they cut programs to the poor. Its not like the rich will end up living under a bridge if they have to pay more of their fair share. When those in power place the rights of the wealthy and priviledged above the rights of all others, revolutions start. These extreme "kill the government" Neocons should remember what happened to King Louis the 18th of France !!!

[edbenton]

There is no way in hell t he AARP will allow any cuts like that in Medicare the republicans need to remember this SENIORS VOTE. As for the Medicaid cuts if tehy somehow get them past the NAACP will surely get the vote out next year and can you say bye bye to Bushes cronies running the Congress. The Republican party has a huge probelm they want to be seen has a party that cut spending yet also shows they are human. Fine repeal the tax breaks for the Billionares and keep the Inheratance tax the only people are going to benefit from that are people who have estates worth over 10 mil. I am sick and tired of the Congress sticking it to the middle class and expecting us to pay for everything. Let their buddies pick up their share of the tab for once. If all of the tax breaks in the tax code were elimanated keeping the meal deductions for OTR truckers and Railroaders the goverment would get roughly 900 billion more a year.

[jockellis]

G'day, Y'all,
This sounds like a crock to me unless every Republican in the Congress simultaneously decided to commit political suicide. This manages to alienate just about every single person in the USA. Also, How can they cut $2.5 billion from AMTRAK when the tightwads won't give but $1.2 to $1.4 billion.
The way taxes work, all that re-building of the Gulf Coast will eventually about re-pay all levels of government for their largess.
Jock Ellis
Cumming, GA US of A

[Anonymous]

$6.7 billion cut from the school lunch program for poor children

$8.5 billion cut to eliminate all subsidized loans to graduate students

$4.8 billion cut to eliminate all funding for the Safe and Drug-Free schools program

So much for "No Child Left Behind."

These are pretty extreme cuts. Hopefully saner heads will prevail in Congress, otherwise we're in for one serious train wreck. (pardon the pun)

Like it or not, America needs to have some form of intercity passenger train service. Not everyone likes to fly, or take the bus. Instead of cutting funding to Amtrak, the men and women in Congress should look at what it will take to improve Amtrak's service versus starving it to death.

[Anonymous]

I bet that nobody, either Republican or Democrat suggested any cuts in the pork for their state or district! Sen. Ted Stevens, we want our one-quarter of a billion dollars back.

Have you noticed that all of the stuff that they want to cut involves constituencies that are not, generally, large campaign contributors? Senator Stevens from Alaska still wants his bridge to nowhere. After all, he will get a bunch of kickbacks, in the form of campaign contributions, from that project. Let's vote all of the rascals out, INCLUDING OUR OWN RASCAL!
[V][banghead][censored][soapbox][C):-)]

[Kurn]

The elimination of these programs and subsidies have been on the Republicans wish list for years.They apparently now think that the disasters have given them some ammunition to do so.

[Anonymous]

So how much longer before America becomes a third world country?

[chad thomas]

Amtrak is suppose to get (if all obstacles are overcome) 1.6 to 1.8 billion. If they are going to cut 2.5 billion does that mean Amtrak will owe .7 to .9 billion back to the feds?[%-)]

Sounds like someone needs some plexi-surgery, ya know... where they surgically put plexi-glass in there gut so they can see where they are going with there head up there [censored]. [swg]

[randyaj]

I tire so much at the political retoric that gets sprayed around. A couple of things, one where is the independent sourcing on this? Has anyone seen OBA (Office of Budget and Accounting) release this? Has anyone published a bill that the GAO would show us? Moveon.org is a very left Bush hating organization, I will not trust anything that they publish unless it is verified, no more than I would trust Jerry Fallwell's Moral Majority, both create facts to fit their agenda.
Second in the rant is this why did the wealthy get all the tax cuts? The tax cut was based on the percentage of taxes paid. The more taxes that you paid the larger the rebate. One figure popular media fails to disclose is that the top 1% of the tax payers pay 90% of the tax base. The other 99% of us pay the other 10%. More over I thought the philosophy of this country was that hard work, diligence and success were rewarded not penalized. The philosophy of the left seems to be that anyone that is successful must be penalized (taxed more heavily) than others. Now before you think that some wealthy person is writing this, I am a pastor of a small church, my wife is an elementary school teacher, and we are raising 3 children, so wealthy we are not. This is my perspective so slam away.
best regards
Randy

[JDV5th]

Randy, thank you for an intelligent thought out response. What source did this come from? While I voted for Bush, I don't necessarily agree with everything he does or says. However, there is so much left-wing, liberal minded junk out there (media) whose purpose it is not to educate but to mud sling.
I personally can't see this going through no matter who votes on this. It would be political suicide.

[Anonymous]

Somewhere between the left and the right lies the truth. I just hope the funding cuts don't jeopardize people in the U.S.

[Anonymous]

Moveon is hardly unbiased.

[randyaj]

The figures that I quoted can be obtained through the GAO(Govermental Accounting Office) and the IRS would have them as well, though they probably would be harder to come by from them. As an economics major in college, we studied macro econ heavily(govermental, monetary, large system economics) . One thing that you learn very quickly is that ALL tax systems either encourage or discourage behaivor. For instance, someone above desired the repeal of the tax deduction for over the road drivers for meals. Would this have a positive or negative impact on cafe meal sales? People can say what they will about morality and the goverment; but what the tax system is impacts how people live. Another example is the idea of granting married couples who file joint returns a deduction. Wouldn't this seem to be a reinforcment of the idea of marriage by the goverment? The philosophy of the left that I whole heartedly disagree with is this tax the wealthier more yet. The tax system is graduated as it is so that the higher income not only pay more taxes, but at a higher percentage. Deductions for investment income, IRAs,capital gains are all their to encourage positive economic growth. Thus there is a philosophy in either view, the question is, what is the philosophy behind the tax base and is it helpful to the macro-economic system or harmful? Those are the questions that are being debated in today's world
regards
Randy

[daveklepper]

The only thing that should be cut and it should be cut comopletely is the boondoggle fuel cell Hydrogen resear\rch program that is attempting to solve a problem that Hybrid technnology has solved already and is aimed to an unsafe and uneconomical approach in any case. It is something like a 1.8-2 Billion program. Maybe more.

[trainboyH16-44]

At least. if Amtrak survives, we will be able to see steam as it was in the british empire!
Seriously, though, I didn't know there was any money to cut! TAX AND SPEND!!!
Trainboy

[blhanel]

I think we can come up with things to cut from the recent spending bill that certainly aren't necessary- one that gets mentioned on Fox from time to time is the Rain Forest project here in Coralville, Iowa. I would happily agree that WE DON'T NEED IT. Another one that they singled out is the bridge to nowhere up in Juneau, Alaska. I'm not so sure that the hydrogen research is a boondoggle, though. Hybrid technology reduces our petroleum usage, but not enough. We need something better.

[Modelcar]

....It's true...most of the projected cuts mentioned above have been talked about by our Rep. of this Indiana area...Rep. Pence is his name.

[Anonymous]

It'll probably wind up as always--Amtrak will get enough money to run its routes, but not enough to run them well. [banghead]

[randyaj]

I agree about the rain forest here in Iowa. The idea is to study the rain forest and how to redevelope it. So they plan to build a huge dome here in Iowa so that they can moderate the temperature and humitity so that a rain forest will grow here. Here's a wild idea, why not just go to where the rain forest is and try it there, instead of spending millions of dollars several thousand miles north of where the rain forest grows (and yes I know about the rain forests on the north west coast). Congressman who go to DC and spend and then come home and brag about how much funding they got for their district. So comes about the idea of voting for those who can give us the most, the very thing that Thomas Jefferson said would doom the democracy.
regards
Randy

[Big_Boy_4005]

My Apolitical Rant

(apologies in advance)

BEGIN RANT[soapbox]

The only cuts I want to see are to the careers of politicians. They are all stupid and greedy. They don't care about anyone but themselves, and will say anything to get re-elected. It's all sound bites and lip service in front of the camera, and one big party and joke on the average citizen when the cameras are off.

The problem with Washington is that nobody but the wealthy can even run for office anymore. Campaign financing has made that an impossibility. The goal is to get in, hang on, and get richer. They are all too stupid or self consumed to do what is best for the people, which was the premise under whose guise we elected them in the first place.

Honor left Washington with McCarthy hearings, and the television. The 2006 elections are just over a year away. The campaign ads will be starting soon. The real question is: Will you really have a choice on your ballot, or will both major parties offer up the same crap with different names?

Think about it, if we all got together and voted for third party congressional candidates, maybe, just maybe, we could take our country back and make it great again. As it stands, your voice is only as good as your wallet can make it.

The fall of the American empire is coming. It was fun while it lasted.[:(!][:(][B)][:0][V]

END RANT[soapbox]

[gfjwilmde]

[?]Let's see. Gas IS or will be over $6 a gallon for regular unleaded in some areas in the country.

[:o)]Bush is telling you, you need to conserve fuel while he flies around the world in HIS 747 jumbo jet(s).

[D)]Republicans are telling you, you need to use mass transit(which includes heavy rail commuter services).

[:O]Guess what?? There's no trains anymore after 1 October 2005(especially in the Northeast Corridor where Amtrak own the tracks and where alot of the commuter railroads MUST use the right of way)!!

[%-)]D...UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Vote idiots in and stupidity is what you receive back[B)]!!



GLENN
A R E A L RAILROADER!!!!!
A R E A L AMTRAKER!!!!!
A T R U E L Y D I S S A P P O I N T E D AND A S H A M E D AMERICAN!!![V]

[jeaton]

I am just barely going to get started and then shut up, because this thred is probably heading for a lockdown anyway, BUT, The suggestion to make all the cuts mentioned comes from the fiscal conservatives in congress. Keep in mind that their world view is that the federal government's only role is to make and enforce a moral code. The rest of the work should be done by somebody else.

Fortunately, these folks don't constitute a significant number, they will get in the sound bites that will boost their reelection coffers and Amtrak will continue to limp along.

[dharmon]

Cool......the weekly ba***he republicans / keep my job thread....off to an early start...sponsored by MoveOn.org nonetheless....a reputable and unbiased organization at that....

Dan

[randyaj]

Thanks Dan, I love the humor to break up the ranting! One question to Jeaton. If "those folks" don't constitute a significant number then why Did President Bush recieve a majority vote, and both the Senate and the House futher the majority in the recent elections. I am not trying to enflame anyone just wondering how that can be rationalized.
regards
Randy

[chad thomas]

[Anonymous]

I don't know why y'all are upset. The government has been doing this stuff to us forever.


mike

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by randyaj

Thanks Dan, I love the humor to break up the ranting! One question to Jeaton. If "those folks" don't constitute a significant number then why Did President Bush recieve a majority vote, and both the Senate and the House futher the majority in the recent elections. I am not trying to enflame anyone just wondering how that can be rationalized.
regards
Randy

That's easy to explain...they stole it.......first they redrew the precinct lines where possible to ensure victory. In areas where they couldn't, they used white FEMA boxcars to transport voters from re-education camps in Alaska and North Dakota to Ohio and other key states to stuff the ballot boxes. Then they secretly hired Michael Moore to disgust folks into voting Republican.....And as a final measure, in some places they had to rely on super top secret mind control signals broadcast during Swift Boat Veteran ads to confuse the weak minded. .......After all, no intelligent person would have voted conservative....[:D]

Dan

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

[dinner]