Why is funding Amtrak such a struggle? Because Republican districts don’t use it.

[applegrove]

Why is funding Amtrak such a struggle? Because Republican districts don’t use it.

By Philip Bump at the Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/05/13/why-is-funding-amtrak-such-a-struggle-because-republican-districts-dont-use-it/?tid=rssfeed

"SNIP.................



House Republicans had planned to spend Wednesday marking up a transportation spending bill that included steep cuts to the budget for Amtrak, the federally funded passenger train service. As The Post's Colby Itkowitz noted, Congress has delayed passing long-term legislation to fund Amtrak since 2013, instead repeatedly reauthorizing existing funding levels. The last time it passed a long-term bill, in 2008, the vote passed only after a rail disaster. Which, of course, happened again Tuesday night.

The constant struggle of Amtrak to get funding derives largely from the fact that not very many Americans use the rail system. Ridership is heavily centered in the Northeast, in the corridor between Boston and Washington where Tuesday's accident occurred. But more than that, ridership is unevenly distributed politically. Data from the National Association of Railroad Passengers shows the number of passengers that get on or off the train in any given congressional district, and reveals an obvious reason why Republicans might not be too concerned about funding the system.

......

Much of the heavy usage hugs the coasts; California's in-state system sees decent traffic. The Upper Plains states have seen steady usage in recent years thanks in part to the growth of the oil fields on the North Dakota/Montana border.

........

Of those 184 districts, 116 are currently represented by Republicans. On average, ridership in Republican districts was about 41,000 in 2014 -- compared to 261,000 in Democratic districts.



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[MANative]

1. Entirely true.

What these idiots always fail to remember is that the biggest engine of the increasingly information, finance, and service-driven economy is here in the Northeast, and northern states contribute to the national tax base disproportionately. Who benefits from that? Far more federal money goes to "red" states than blue.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

2. Why is funding Amtrak such a struggle?

(Samuel L. Jackson) Airplanes Motherfucker! Have You Heard of Them? (/Samuel L. Jackson)

[Ruby the Liberal]

5. Yes but the planes

have mutherfuckin' snakes!

[DiverDave]

3. Its THIER money!

The rich see every dollar spent on anything but their own interests as 'theft'.
I truly believe they want every social program gutted so they can get it.
They see all the money spent and get angry that it's not going to
them.

It's sick, but it's real.

[yeoman6987]

4. I bet most voters were surprised that Amtrac was

Run by the government. Most thought it was like the airlines.

[Ruby the Liberal]

7. It isn't

It is a Corp - but gets federal funding - so can't really make any major decisions as Congress has the ability to legislate their budget.

[yeoman6987]

8. Would it survive on their own?

Night be better off since Congress is so greedy.

[Ruby the Liberal]

11. Nope

The Post Office is getting by on their own, but the requirement by Congress to pre-fund pensions for 75 years nearly broke them. Amtrak isn't even that close to being profitable.

[elleng]

6. And those that do/did, always support it,

and go wild if closure if their local stations were/are proposed to be closed.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. You may be on to something

Where my Mom lives is a HEAVY GoP district. It is also a stop on the Amtrak line from NYC and Philly.

So close the stops in every district where an R-Idiot voted against funding and tell people to drive 10-20 miles to the next station. I would be pissed as a visitor. Imagine the outcry from the commuters!

[elleng]

14. I have no doubt I am,

at least I WAS, when I worked in the agency that dealt with rail 'abandonments,' and we kept up with this stuff. We did mostly freight matters. The big whiners were on the line to the south of the NE corridor, into Florida: KEEP MY STATION! (Also some in the west too.)

[B Calm]

9. Is Amtrak unionized?

[Ruby the Liberal]

12. Yes.

The line workers are. Not sure about support staff though.

[B Calm]

13. Republicans are all for cheap labor and hate labor unions that bring up wages. That is why they

also hate the US Postal Service.

[Ruby the Liberal]

15. Because putting public safety

in the hands of the cheapest bidders is ALWAYS an awesome idea.

[brooklynite]

16. Tell me who asked for a train from Fort Worth to Oklahoma City...