Rethugs wanted to get rid of Amtrak some time ago..

[SummerSnow]

Mica revives Amtrak privatization effort
By Keith Laing - 02/12/13 09:48 PM EST


Former House Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) is aiming at of his favorite targets when he led the panel, Amtrak, with legislation to end its "monopoly" on rail service. The legislation mirrors a 2011 House Republican effort to privatize Amtrak service in the Northeast that was unsuccessful when moderate suburban Republicans joined Democrats on the transportation panel in opposition to eliminating the rail company's federal funding.

Mica vowed Tuesday to press ahead with his rail privatization plan anyway, however.“Since 1971, Amtrak has run a costly monopoly with Soviet style operations,” Mica said in a statement.

"The debate in Congress over the last 40 years since Amtrak was created…a lot of Republicans say 'it's a disaster, sell it off, let the private sector do it'," Shuster continued in his post-2012 elections comments.

“Four years ago President Obama promised to provide access to most of the nation to high speed rail in 25 years," Mica said. "Since then, his costly proposals have been rejected by at least three states; his California boondoggle is over budget and focused on a route with few passengers; his Midwestern route is a slow-speed excuse for high speed rail; and his all-government Northeast corridor project has soared to $151 billion and a 30-year timetable.”

During his tenure as Transportation Committee Chairman, Mica repeatedly held hearings about Amtrak's financial operations. He memorably went to a Capitol Hill area McDonald's to order a $1 burger and $1 fries to argue that Amtrak was spending too much on its onboard concession sales.

http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/282593-mica-revives-gop-amtrak-privatization-effort

--------------------------

GOP: Amtrak really needs to get out of the commuter rail business

POSTED AT 8:01 PM ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2012 BY ERIKA JOHNSEN

Heartily seconded, Chairman Mica. Via The Hill:

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released a report Tuesday arguing that Amtrak should privatize more of its rail service, which has been a longtime Republican goal.

“We already know that Amtrak’s losses in food and beverage service are a staggering $833 million over the last decade,” Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) said in a statement.

“Now we know that Amtrak wastes the taxpayers’ money bidding on commuter rail contracts that it cannot win, and that hundreds of millions of dollars in savings can be realized if the private sector is given a chance to compete with Amtrak in commuter rail and passenger rail service,” he continued. …

Mica has frequently referred to Amtrak as a “Soviet-style operation.” Amtrak, which was founded by Congress in 1971 to replace a network of private railways, receives an approximately $1 billion subsidy from the federal government every year.

http://hotair.com/archives/2012/09/11/gop-amtrak-really-needs-to-get-out-of-the-commuter-rail-business/

[still_one]

1. another reason why folks in the North East should oppose republicans

[SummerSnow]

2. thank you. They try everything in their power to keep people down who aren't rich.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Years ago - about 1970, I think - Amtrak was created

because the railroads wanted to get out of the passenger business; they couldn't compete with the airlines for long-distance passenger service and were losing money. So why do the GOPers think the remaining railroads (there are only three big ones left) would want to get back into a business that they ditched years ago?

[swilton]

4. Amtrak is starved

and then bullied because it's so skinny

[City Lights]

5. Exactly! nt

[Ron Green]

6. People want to ride. And they do ride, in record numbers

almost every year, despite cuts in service resulting from the foolish notion that a national passenger rail system ought to make money.

Our health care "system" is the same way. This country is a mean son of a bitch most of the time.