To Daveklepper: I've just read your take on my take on the Amish disappearing, and I hope you're right. I don't want them to disappear, I don't want any unique group here in the US to disappear, I think we'd all be the pooer for it.
What worrys me is the present American culture is so powerful and so pervasive it tends to "homogenize" any part of the country it flows into. It's so powerful it's even spreading around the world without any concious effort on our part. Movies, TV, popular music, and now the Internet and all its iterations.
I certainly hope I'm wrong. I'd be thrilled to be wrong on this one.
daveklepperAnd I think that long distance trains will survive and the USA is better for that.
Back in 1970 when Amtrak (or Railpax) was debated in Congress the consensus that emerged is that the US should maintain a national rail system. That consensus exists to this day and that is what we have.
No doubt there are benefits in better inter city rail service. Some states (notably California) have seen this and are seeking to build intercity rail. However, even today there is no consensus in the Congress that we ought to do this. In fact, if we look at the 2008 Amtrak amendments, the consensus seems to be the opposite, that the Federal Government ought to get out of the intercity business.
Today the discussion is whether Amtrak should exist at all. The loudest voices insist we should abandon Amtrak. I share your hope that Amtrak will survive, Dave. But I do not share your positive outlook for that.
I think that now more than ever those who believe in rail passenger transportation have to stand up and support the Amtrak we have not because it is the best possible Amtrak but because not doing so erodes support for any rail passenger service at all. For that reason I shy away from strong arguments for improved methods even when I agree with them. When the perfect becomes the enemy of the good all to often that gives victory to the worst alternatives.
John
Firelock76What worrys me is the present American culture is so powerful and so pervasive it tends to "homogenize" any part of the country it flows into.
On one level, Wayne, you're right. Go anywhere in the world and what do people want even if they don't have it? They want a car. And when they get a car they drive to McDonalds. But there is one place this homogenization is kind of lumpy: The U S of A.
Dave just pointed out Orthodox Jews are not disappearing. The Orthodox are increasing. And they are not becoming homogenized either. And among Christians the fastest growing group is the fundamentalists who take the Bible literally. And then today we have the strongest movement in our history and perhaps in human history to allow same sex marriage. And then there is the tea party. Agree or disagree with them, they are not going to be homogenized into some generic American. And, to turn to this forum, back in 1970 everybody knew, absolutely knew, that in a few years no one at all would be riding trains. But today Amtrak has more riders than it has ever had in its history. It seems to me that here at home somebody's homogenizer isn't working very well.
John WR daveklepperAnd I think that long distance trains will survive and the USA is better for that. No doubt there are benefits in better inter city rail service. Some states (notably California) have seen this and are seeking to build intercity rail. However, even today there is no consensus in the Congress that we ought to do this. In fact, if we look at the 2008 Amtrak amendments, the consensus seems to be the opposite, that the Federal Government ought to get out of the intercity business. Today the discussion is whether Amtrak should exist at all. The loudest voices insist we should abandon Amtrak. I share your hope that Amtrak will survive, Dave. But I do not share your positive outlook for that. ... John
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My take is the Federal Government, or at least Congress, wants to get out of the business of being a government - force everything that costs money to be private, and keep all the tax revenue for themselves.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDMy take is the Federal Government, or at least Congress, wants to get out of the business of being a government - force everything that costs money to be private, and keep all the tax revenue for themselve
Substitute a political ideological group for federal Government and you are correct.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
schlimm BaltACDMy take is the Federal Government, or at least Congress, wants to get out of the business of being a government - force everything that costs money to be private, and keep all the tax revenue for themselve Substitute a political ideological group for federal Government and you are correct.
I didn't want to make a political statement. TOS and all.
BaltACDMy take is the Federal Government, or at least Congress, wants to get out of the business of being a government - force everything that costs money to be private, and keep all the tax revenue for themselves.
Balt,
My take is different than yours. I think we are in a period of great cultural change. Our political institutions right now are embedded in that culture and they are effected by it pretty much like everything else is. However, because politics is so public we notice it a lot more.
I also believe in the pendulum theory of culture. As an extreme group on one side or the other gets power, as the pendulum swings farther and farther in one direction or other, the stronger the forces with tend to pull it back to the center become. For those of us who are conservative, and supporting Amtrak is a conservative thing to do in that conservatives are people who value and want to keep what we have built up over the years, the key to to battle to maintain it, to keep it until nature takes its course and we can again have some objective perspective.
That is my personal belief. Feel free to take it for what you believe it is worth.
Homogination. The "left" in Israel used to be accused (quite rightly, in my opinion) of wanting to make Israel a "Hebrew-speaking Weimar Republic (Germany before Hitler) and today that are accused of wanting to make Israel a "Hebrew-speakering mineature USA," and there is truth, even to a Disney or Disney-like theme park. You can seen the USA influence in the tee-shirts the kids wear, and things "made in America" automatically capture a higher price. Sometimes this is good, from my point of view, since I now see Chevrolets and Fords around and not just Volkswagens, Toyottas, Hondas, and Dafts.
But what is amazing, is for me, the main street "of the World" is of course the main street of Jerusalem, and you know what? It has a light rail line along its length, that today is seeing 110,000 passenger trips a day! (goes beyond at both ends, of course) Service every 5-1/2 minutes, clean, quiet, smooth, polite, a real dream come true. Something I could not possibly when the Broadway - 42nd Street streetcar line in Manhattan was converted to bus at the end of 1946 when I was going on 15 year old. I ride it frequenctly, and consider it somewhat of a miracle every time. The staff has all local enthnic groups and all ride it. I hope to still be alive at the second miracle, the opening of the high-speed Jerusalem - Tel Aviv line. under construction.
daveklepperI hope to still be alive at the second miracle, the opening of the high-speed Jerusalem - Tel Aviv line. under construction.
I can only wonder what Jesus would think of any rail transportation at all where he once walked.
Why would not he approve?
From the Oratorio "Messiah" by Geroge Frederick Handel:
"Speed thee comfortably to Jerusalem"
Speed thee rapidly to Jerusalem
And cry unto her
That her rail road is accomplish-ed
And her express train is departing
******
The voice of one that crieth at the track gate
"Prepare ye to now come aboard
Make straight in the country a rail-way
Fooooor -- waard!
Foooooor -- waard!"
I am willing to grant Mr. Klepper the lattitude to determine whether or not his version of "Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been removed, That she has received of the LORD'S hand Double for all her sins." is properly respectful of his religious profession, his heritage and his Rodina.
Those are powerful words that speak to a prophesy that looks towards a day when all the peoples of Jerusalem can live there in peace and with justice and prosperity.
These are also powerful words to a person, not only of the Middle East but also of the Near East, whose parents were forcibly driven from their Rodina under parallel circumstances to those spoken to in that passage.
To a person who dares to mock those words, I have one thing to say. Just put a "sock in it."
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
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