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10-27-2009, 05:59 AM
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#1
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On Strike!
Frisco_Slug_Esq is offline
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 18,057
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Government-run Transportation
Quote:
WASHINGTON – U.S. taxpayers spent about $32 subsidizing the cost of the typical Amtrak passenger in 2008, about four times the rail operator's estimate, according to a private study.
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Subsidyscope says its review counted certain capital expenses that Amtrak doesn't consider when calculating the financial performance of its routes, namely wear and tear on equipment, or depreciation.
Leading the list was the train traveling between San Antonio and Los Angeles — the Sunset Limited — which lost $462 per passenger. Taxpayers subsidize the losses to keep the passenger train service running.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091027/...B3utkzo3TgtY54
So, when they tell you how efficient the "public option" is going to be, what they really mean is that you will be paying an additional "tax" premium on top of the premium you pay now so that the public sector can steal business away from the private sector.
PS - I like riding on trains, especially the Taggart Line ... 
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I invented i, the square root of neutral 1.
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10-27-2009, 06:00 AM
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#2
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On Strike!
Frisco_Slug_Esq is offline
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 18,057
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For $462, you can fawkin' fly...
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10-27-2009, 06:00 AM
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#3
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On Strike!
Frisco_Slug_Esq is offline
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Posts: 18,057
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... round trip even...
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10-27-2009, 06:51 AM
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#4
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dynamic
SaintPeter is offline
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Denver
Posts: 38,766
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You cannot see the country when you fly.
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10-27-2009, 06:53 AM
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#5
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On Strike!
Frisco_Slug_Esq is offline
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 18,057
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaintPeter
You cannot see the country when you fly.
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Get over your fears Petey, just look down...
So. What's a Greyhound ticket go for these days?
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I invented i, the square root of neutral 1.
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10-27-2009, 07:13 AM
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#6
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Literotica Guru
RightField is offline
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: East Coast
Posts: 5,176
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All this skews the market and causes more economic disruption.
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10-27-2009, 07:18 AM
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#7
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On Strike!
Frisco_Slug_Esq is offline
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 18,057
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And takes bandwidth away from freight delivery, thus raising its cost.
Reminds me of DeTocqueville describing why the American fleet was more cost-efficient than the European fleets towards the end of book one.
__________________
"The grand delusion of contemporary liberals is that they have both the right and the ability to move their fellow creatures around like blocks of wood -- and that the end results will be no different than if people had voluntarily chosen the same actions."
Thomas Sowell |
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10-27-2009, 07:23 AM
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#8
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Liberal critic Downunder
woody54 is offline
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: "NEVER AGAIN" (unless you are Palestinian)
Posts: 10,729
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RightField
All this skews the market and causes more economic disruption.
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A government run transportation system, as a bureacratic entity, doesnt have the same killer motive for profit and allows a tendency for adding "social services" which would be unprofitable for a private operator.
This definitely skews the market in a capitalist world.
Why worry when taxpayers make up any shortfall, but then next years budget allocation will be bigger to cover it ; and repeat year after year.
__________________
"I’m a fuzzy-headed warm-hearted liberal, and I think fuzzy-headed warm-hearted liberalism is an ideological stance that needs defending, if necessary, with a hob-nailed boot-kick to the bollocks of budding totalitarianism." Charles Stross
" Zionism is an agnostic or atheistic socio-political movement that hides itself behind Judaism in order to short-circuit any and all criticism. " Adrian Kreig
"Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people."Oscar Wilde
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10-27-2009, 07:43 AM
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#9
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Literotica Guru
kbate is offline
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 20,782
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AmTrak is just too big to be permitted to fail.
It's government run -- It must be necessary. Plus, the rail unions need those government subsidies to keep their power.
As for the views.... Someday, when you're feeling bouncy and want to see the beauty of New Jersey, take the Amtrak from Philly to Grand Central.... The views of abandoned factories, run down slums, strip malls and liquor stores are astounding.
It only costs slightly more than I'd spend on driving to NYC and for parking - so it must be a good thing for the economy.
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10-27-2009, 07:46 AM
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#10
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On Strike!
Frisco_Slug_Esq is offline
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 18,057
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As long as the Taggart Bridge spans the Mississippi, we should keep AmTrack running!
iAgree!
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I invented i, the square root of neutral 1.
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10-27-2009, 07:51 AM
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#11
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dynamic
SaintPeter is offline
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Denver
Posts: 38,766
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frisco_Slug_Esq
Get over your fears Petey, just look down...
So. What's a Greyhound ticket go for these days?
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Three times what a plane ticket to the same place.
Six times if you need to get back to where you came from. |
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10-27-2009, 07:55 AM
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#12
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On Strike!
Frisco_Slug_Esq is offline
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Posts: 18,057
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You looked it up!???
It was iRhetorical...
__________________
I invented i, the square root of neutral 1.
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10-27-2009, 07:59 AM
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#13
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dynamic
SaintPeter is offline
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Denver
Posts: 38,766
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Easy to bash on public transportation.
I live in a city surround by a million other idiots. If all of us drove our own cars the hiways would be a mess. And some of the people here do not have the ability to drive a car, or do not have a license or insurance or access to a car. Is the mass transportation system paying all of its own bills? No. Should it be cut? I think that would be a mistake.
Denver has light rail and keeps expanding on that system. It has taken tax dollars to make that happen.
And most of the drivers are scabs so all of you union haters can feel good about taking the bus.
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10-27-2009, 08:05 AM
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#14
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On Strike!
Frisco_Slug_Esq is offline
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 18,057
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You should purchase a green bus, establish a profitable route, and sell it...
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10-27-2009, 08:09 AM
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#15
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dynamic
SaintPeter is offline
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Denver
Posts: 38,766
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frisco_Slug_Esq
You should purchase a green bus, establish a profitable route, and sell it...
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We have hybrid buses downtown! And light rail is electric. You cannot get more green than electric! |
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10-27-2009, 08:10 AM
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#16
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Conservatism Czar
off2bed is offline
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The Horse Latitudes
Posts: 8,801
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Quote:
Originally Posted by woody54
A government run transportation system, as a bureacratic entity, doesnt have the same killer motive for profit and allows a tendency for adding "social services" which would be unprofitable for a private operator.
This definitely skews the market in a capitalist world.
Why worry when taxpayers make up any shortfall, but then next years budget allocation will be bigger to cover it ; and repeat year after year.
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In other words, if the free market doesn't support a particular product or service, then it should either be abandoned or free people will figure out a way to sell it profitably.
Take cell phones - very few of us would want to pay $300 for a phone, but we're willing to pay from zero to fifty bucks and finance it through a long term service contract to have the phone.
__________________
Democrat mantra: "The Government is my shepherd, I shall not want."
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10-27-2009, 08:11 AM
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#17
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Conservatism Czar
off2bed is offline
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The Horse Latitudes
Posts: 8,801
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaintPeter
We have hybrid buses downtown! And light rail is electric. You cannot get more green than electric!
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Especially when the power company burns fossil fuels to generate it.
__________________
Democrat mantra: "The Government is my shepherd, I shall not want."
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10-27-2009, 08:12 AM
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#18
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On Strike!
Frisco_Slug_Esq is offline
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 18,057
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaintPeter
We have hybrid buses downtown! And light rail is electric. You cannot get more green than electric!
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Horses?
 Mennonites? |
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10-27-2009, 08:13 AM
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#19
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On Strike!
Frisco_Slug_Esq is offline
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 18,057
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Quote:
Originally Posted by off2bed
Especially when the power company burns fossil fuels to generate it. |
*chuckle* |
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10-27-2009, 08:14 AM
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#20
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Literotica Guru
kbate is offline
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 20,782
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaintPeter
Easy to bash on public transportation.
I live in a city surround by a million other idiots. If all of us drove our own cars the hiways would be a mess. And some of the people here do not have the ability to drive a car, or do not have a license or insurance or access to a car. Is the mass transportation system paying all of its own bills? No. Should it be cut? I think that would be a mistake.
Denver has light rail and keeps expanding on that system. It has taken tax dollars to make that happen.
And most of the drivers are scabs so all of you union haters can feel good about taking the bus.
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AmTrak is not the daily commuter train. Its purpose has nothing to do with lowering highway congestion. |
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10-27-2009, 08:20 AM
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#21
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GB Moderator
Byron In Exile is offline
Join Date: May 2002
Location: San Joaquin County, California
Posts: 33,183
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kbate
AmTrak is not the daily commuter train. Its purpose has nothing to do with lowering highway congestion.
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Yeah, but, trains were cool.
__________________
Sic Semper Cuniculis Parvis
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10-27-2009, 08:22 AM
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#22
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dynamic
SaintPeter is offline
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Denver
Posts: 38,766
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Quote:
Originally Posted by off2bed
Especially when the power company burns fossil fuels to generate it. |
Nothing gets by you. |
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10-27-2009, 08:22 AM
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#23
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dynamic
SaintPeter is offline
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Denver
Posts: 38,766
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kbate
AmTrak is not the daily commuter train. Its purpose has nothing to do with lowering highway congestion.
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Or you. |
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10-27-2009, 08:23 AM
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#24
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On Strike!
Frisco_Slug_Esq is offline
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 18,057
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Its purpose is to placate NE liberals...
The rest is just an excuse to loot everyone else for their mass transit subsidies.
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10-27-2009, 08:24 AM
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#25
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Literotica Guru
kbate is offline
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 20,782
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Byron In Exile
Yeah, but, trains were cool.
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Train still are cool, and are making a comeback in places, as people look for new and different vacation plans. The drive to the beach is over - dead and done, nobody with pride does that one anymore.
A new passenger line - running from east to west - with stops at well appointed Indian Casinos - beginning in Atlantic City, ending in Elko... Stops at every gaming town across the USA.... Gaming car, bar car, etc...
Second line just stays in Nevada with a red car added to the line.
I'm in business! Call me Dagny. |
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