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04-16-2009, 08:18 PM   #1
graphicgr8s
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High Speed

Obama wants to start building high speed rail. Uhmmm they can't even keep Amtrak profitable. They passed it here in Fla. Made it a Constitutional amendement in fact. Would have linked Tampa-Mickey Mouse Town- and Little Havana. But once you got to the destination you really couldn't go anywhere unless you had a car. Tampa's bus system is a joke. Mickey's is just a tad better and I don't know about Little Havana. Figures.
More pie in the sky trillion dollar spending.

04-16-2009, 08:43 PM   #2
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Did you ever think that Amtrak isn't profitable because it's a piece of shit, which is what his plan proposes to rectify?


I'm not saying Obama's plan is a guaranteed success, but pointing out that your "They can't even keep Amtrak profitable" argument has got absolutely nothing to do with whether or not his plan will succeed. It's a logical fallacy called non sequitur.
04-16-2009, 08:50 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by RawheaD Quote
Did you ever think that Amtrak isn't profitable because it's a piece of shit, which is what his plan proposes to rectify?


I'm not saying Obama's plan is a guaranteed success, but pointing out that your "They can't even keep Amtrak profitable" argument has got absolutely nothing to do with whether or not his plan will succeed. It's a logical fallacy called non sequitur.
If other cities have mass transit like Tampa than it is doomed to failure. Amtrak isn't cheap either. Amtrak isn't profitable because it is run by the government. The government would go broke running a brothel. HSR will be more of the same. It fails because people in the US want mobility and freedom at the destination.
04-16-2009, 09:00 PM   #4
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It's a brilliant idea and something that's been needed for a long damn time. Also, the concept of keeping it regional is good, since the US is so damn huge. Many cities have absolutely wonderful, or at least fully operational mass transit, even podunk ones like mine. The fact that Tampa doesn't isn't proof of anything at all except for a lack of effort.

04-16-2009, 09:30 PM   #5
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It's an idea we can't afford at this time. And if run by the government will not be profitable.
04-16-2009, 09:40 PM   #6
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Perhaps if he had thought ought his spending bill in advance, he could have used the Spending and Omnibus money to that effect.

The problem is that he is going to now have to come up with money. I think it is a good idea, but so is going to Mars.

QuoteOriginally posted by graphicgr8s Quote
It's an idea we can't afford at this time. And if run by the government will not be profitable.
It is too bad Walt Disney isn't around!
04-16-2009, 10:12 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Blue Quote
Perhaps if he had thought ought his spending bill in advance, he could have used the Spending and Omnibus money to that effect.
According to the Associated Press article on the subject, there's $8bil in the stimulus earmarked for rail improvements.

04-16-2009, 10:36 PM   #8
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For too long the drive and fly culture has made travel by rail to be a poor alternative for mass long distance travel in the US. Lack of central investment and the lack of commitment to build a world class rail system is the root cause, not to mention cheap oil and cheap cars. I have used the Japanese, French and German high speed trains and I have to say the US desperately needs to build up a good rail network badly. Only the federal government can provide the capital investment to make such a rail network viable because no private sector company is willing nor prepared to put up the hugh investment involved, plus US corporations typically take a very narrow and short term profit perspective which in effect means any private sector investment initiative is an automatic non-starter.
04-17-2009, 06:10 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by creampuff Quote
For too long the drive and fly culture has made travel by rail to be a poor alternative for mass long distance travel in the US. Lack of central investment and the lack of commitment to build a world class rail system is the root cause, not to mention cheap oil and cheap cars. I have used the Japanese, French and German high speed trains and I have to say the US desperately needs to build up a good rail network badly. Only the federal government can provide the capital investment to make such a rail network viable because no private sector company is willing nor prepared to put up the hugh investment involved, plus US corporations typically take a very narrow and short term profit perspective which in effect means any private sector investment initiative is an automatic non-starter.
It's not their money.
04-17-2009, 06:33 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by graphicgr8s Quote
It's not their money.
I suppose you'd rather they'd never built the interstate highway system, either.
04-17-2009, 06:34 AM   #11
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America's way behind on rail: the reason Amtrak isn't profitable is because unprofitable lines were dumped off on the government while our money went to over-the-road shipping and *making* the car-based economy. It's sucked because no one's wanted to pay attention to it or pay for it, instead we sit in traffic.

It's one of those things that always gets the budget ax and then conservatives say, "See, government doesn't work. Give tax cuts to oil companies!"
04-17-2009, 06:39 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by graphicgr8s Quote
It's not their money.
Don't you have a tea party to attend?
04-17-2009, 06:43 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by creampuff Quote
Don't you have a tea party to attend?

*lol* Those oh-so-in touch folks calling themselves 'teabaggers.' Talk about off the rails.

This is what we get when we let the *media* get so polarized we've got parts of the country off in their own little world.
04-17-2009, 06:43 AM   #14
graphicgr8s
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ratmagiclady Quote
America's way behind on rail: the reason Amtrak isn't profitable is because unprofitable lines were dumped off on the government while our money went to over-the-road shipping and *making* the car-based economy. It's sucked because no one's wanted to pay attention to it or pay for it, instead we sit in traffic.

It's one of those things that always gets the budget ax and then conservatives say, "See, government doesn't work. Give tax cuts to oil companies!"
Could it be because Americans just don't use it. That we have a different lifestyle than the Europeans?
04-17-2009, 06:48 AM   #15
graphicgr8s
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QuoteOriginally posted by deadwolfbones Quote
I suppose you'd rather they'd never built the interstate highway system, either.
Well if they didn't we would probably be a lot better off. People might take time to actually see America. Take a nice drive and enjoy the journey instead of just getting there.

Now is not the time however to embark on such an expensive and expansive project.
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