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The latest Amtrak train crash has left at least five people killed and dozens injured, with the cause of the crash remaining unknown.
It came on the eve of the railway budget bill that could see the funding for Amtrak slashed by 20 percent, from $1.4 to 1.13 billion.
In comparison, China’s railway budget for the next fiscal year is an estimated $128 billion, the Atlantic news portal reported.
So China spends more on rail? China has 4.5 times as many people. The Amtrak budget is a single rail system, and doesn't include all the local systems throughout the US. What is included in China's budget?
Does it include extensions to the 19 mile mag lev train?
How much money does China spend to improve its air quality? Most certainly not enough.
Does Amtrak own the rails or do they pay another company to use them? If it is the latter, then the owner of the rails is responsible for their upkeep.
That's true for all infrastructure. The federal government is responsible for the interstate system. States for state highways. Counties for county roads. Cities for streets. Railroad tracks are owned by companies like Union Pacific or CSX. Electrical companies are responsible for the power lines. My city is responsible for my water and sewer.
During the "stimulus" a few years ago, we had some sidewalks put in and a new traffic light installed near our house. Were they needed? Probably. Should a single penny of federal money have been spent on them? No. It's not your responsibility to pay for anything in my city.
Why do Democrats think what I earn belongs to the government?
Infrastructure belongs to everyone, so yes what you earn partly does belong to the government. Especially since what you earn is already subsidized by the government. Your education, the sewage treatment for your clean water, the road you drive on and such.
Amtrak is a private business. I do not want to fund nor give any kind of government loans at all to private businesses. if they cannot make it on their own, then let them fail.
I assume Scott Walker is not your candidate of choice.
What is amazing to me is the technology required to prevent something like this should not be expensive, complicated or hard to maintain.
What variables do we need?
Location via GPS
Speed of the train
Track speed limit
Presumably all of this data is already available and at most the track speed limit is one that might not be available onboard. If it isn't it should be.
if ($location_speed > $track_speed)
{
slow_the damn_train_to_track_speed($location_speed);
}
why don't Rs want to invest in Americans? It would result in too many people getting decent paying jobs while a Democrat is in the White House.
again, the democrats had control of congress for four years and did nothing.
Aparently ACA was far more too important to create jobs and build up our infrastructure.
What is amazing to me is the technology required to prevent something like this should not be expensive, complicated or hard to maintain.
What variables do we need?
Location via GPS
Speed of the train
Track speed limit
Presumably all of this data is already available and at most the track speed limit is one that might not be available onboard. If it isn't it should be.
if ($location_speed > $track_speed)
{
slow_the damn_train_to_track_speed($location_speed);
}
Absolutely agree, congress gave railroads a deadline of a few years after the train accident in LA in 2008 and they indicated they needed more time, it was moved to December 2015. This should not be that complicated to the point where it takes 7 years. The accident in Connecticut in 2013 could have also been prevented.
All of you chronic tax complainers should take charge of your lives and use some initiative to improve your circumstances.
Don’t like your taxes now?
Move to an isolated rural location with no water, sewer or sanitation. A place that’s many miles from police, sheriff, and fire departments. No schools anywhere within a 10 mile radius. Nothing but dirt roads with no snow removal in the winter.
There are lots of locations like this around the country.
I literally pay zero taxes. I make my own bio fuel thus I don't pay fuel taxes. I get tax credits for improving the efficiency of my house. Montana doesn't have a sales tax. I pay Fed income tax but get most of it back by said tax credits. Same for Montana. I write the taxes from my plane off as a business exemption since it is on lease back for charter service.
Its a never ending battle to keep people paws off of my money. Imagine those that claim they have nothing seem to think they are entitled to my money. The unmitigated gall.
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