Bush vs. Amtrak: America Derailed Part 2

by Paul Wilson

Last year, I wrote an article about the imminent demise of Amtrak. Despite support from both republicans and Democrats, the passenger rail service remains in jeopardy. And the Bush administration is winning...

As an 18-year employee of Amtrak, I'll admit to more than a passing interest in its fate. But this issue affects more than the jobs of 40,000 employees nationwide. The bipartisan support for a national rail system has shown this to be not a political issue, but a social one. The problem, however, is that Bush is making it political. And once again, he is forcing members of his own party to vote against him.

As we all know, one of the basic differences between Republicans and Democrats is their views of the federal government's role. On paper, the GOP believes in limiting the power on the federal level, giving each state more control over their legislation and funding. In practice, this form of governing relies on states being able to support themselves.

The Democrats (of which I am, admittedly, one) want a strong central government, funding federal programs which can level the playing field for our poorer citizens. While states still control local government policy, the federal level provides funding for education, roads, welfare programs, etc. (These funds can also be withheld, if a state doesn't comply with national policy, such as a national drinking age).

Ironically, Bush and his team of "Neo-Con" mad scientists have bred these ideals together, creating a monster which eats federal money voraciously and leaves states to fend for themselves. Taking the worst of both philosophies, Bush, Inc. has become bloated and secretive on the federal level, with far more power than the Democrats pictured. The states are free to create their own laws but, with federal funds drying up, they have no power to govern. I cannot believe this is what mainstream Republicans had in mind, either.

If it seems that I am digressing from the Amtrak topic, be assured that there is a point to my tirade...

In part 1 of "America Derailed," I asked an important question: What is the federal government for, if not to provide services to its citizens? Actually, a better question might be, if washington is not funding programs to benefit us, then where are our tax dollars going?

Regrettably, Amtrak is a symptom of a much bigger problem: George W. Bush, and friends, are selling off America, one piece at a time, to the highest bidders. Bush has taken privatization to a whole new level. Or, more precisely, back to an old level...As in, before Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs.

Republicans have always favored free enterprise over a federal welfare program. But as more and more states lose jobs to foreign investors, with cheap labor, Republican leaders are having to answer to their constituents. As our federal deficit soars skyward and funding to states trickles to a halt, the demand for basic services from Washington are growing. This is causing many moderate Republicans to pull away from Bush's neo-conservatives...especially with an election approaching.

Which brings me (finally) back to Amtrak...

Last year, Bush and his congress-in-a-pocket signed an appropriations bill, giving $1.3 billion to Amtrak for 2006.

Our celebration was short-lived. There was a catch. Congress also passed new legislation which requires Amtrak to make drastic cuts in their operating costs. Failure to do so will mean that none of the money can be used to cover dining car and sleeping car operations. Also, instaed of going before Congress once a year to beg for money, Amtrak must now report every three months, just to justify their existence. And the first deadline is July 1st.

In response, Amtrak's long-distance trains are being forced to cut back on quality and service in their dining cars, replacing real food with pre-cooked "airline food," while eliminating chefs, dishwashers and wait staff.

While this is bad enough for our loyal riders, it is very likely that these cuts will not be enough to satisfy the harsh quotas set by the administration. In what is, surely, the plan all along, Amtrak will have no choice but to eliminate dining cars and sleeping cars from all long-distance routes.

Sadly, this is only the first step. According to the budget proposal for 2007, the Bushies want Amtrak to end "costly overnight trains...restructuring its train schedules to emphasize regular, short trips..." "Restructuring" means eliminating thousands of route miles, reducing Amtrak to a series of commuter trains. Most routes would rely on state funding, which many states are unable, or unwilling, to do.

This same budget proposal quotes a Washington Post editorial, which claims that long-distance trains "make little sense today...Amtrak's 15 long-distance trains...travel along World War II routes."

So do most of our nation's highways! And since when is traveling along historic routes a bad thing? The train I work on follows Route 66 and the Santa Fe Trail...Why, we should be buggy-whipped!

Bush's State of the Union address mentioned our nation's "addiction to oil." Wouldn't a modern, national rail system go a long way toward easing that addiction? Instead of relegating Amtrak to history, why not make it part of our future?

Support for Amtrak has crossed party lines for decades. It is simply a basic service that our federal government should provide...mobility. As the "Baby-Boomers" begin to reach senior status, it is imperative that we have an alternative to driving and flying. Tell your representatives that you demand a fully-funded national rail system.

I am also calling on all moderate Republicans to break with tradition and vote a straight Democratic ticket this November. We must break the strangle-hold that Bush has on all three branches of government. Don't get me wrong, I would be a little nervous even if the Democrats had that kind of power. But we need to restore the checks and balances to our national policy-making. Things just run better when one party does not control all three branches.

I wish to thank Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) and other Republican legislators who continue to support passenger rail. It is this kind of bipartisanship that will get Amtrak-and America-back on track.