Kerry Concedes

[TRNDRVR]

Huh? So it is a fact that President Bush is going to fire you? Or he is going to eliminate your job?

With the fact that he doesn't support government subsidies for the company I work for, if they are in fact to end, I lose my job. Bush wants them to end.

The United States is one of, if not the only, modernized nation in the world that doesn't fully subsidize its public transportation. I've been to third world countries that have better public transportation (trains) than we do. Pretty sad!

I feel for anybody losing their job, I have been there. I lost mine after 9/11 due to politicians. However, they were local to me, and I knew them and was there when they made the decision. They were also Democrats.

I could have focused on that, but I moved on. Was it fun? No, not at first. But I bounced back and moved on.

Just so you know, I'm a long haul locomotive engineer for Amtrak (hence the screen-name and avatar). I've worked hard and put in my time to get to where I'm at. I could bounce back too, but it would mean a great step back to the very bottom. I'm getting a little old to be starting over.

 

[Urban Redneck]

With the fact that he doesn't support government subsidies for the company I work for, if they are in fact to end, I lose my job. Bush wants them to end.

The United States is one of, if not the only, modernized nation in the world that doesn't fully subsidize its public transportation. I've been to third world countries that have better public transportation (trains) than we do. Pretty sad!

I've been to third world countries that have worse air pollution than we do...do we start taking cats off of our cars? Why fully government subsidize anything? The public school systems works so well.... Fully subsidize the rail system and watch the trains fall off the track...oh wait.... :gag:

It sucks when your job goes away, I know. I think probably 80% of everyone on this board has been there. Are you doing anything to prepare for it? Since when did it become ok to, "Don't ask what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you?"

 

[Glenn B]

Indeed, I have lived in places that had great public transportation. Though, to be honest, I really do not have an opinion either way on the taxpayers funding a rail system.

As for worked long and hard to get where you are... me too. But I had to get over the fact that I was never going to get another job that paid as well as mine did in the location I am in. Even if I moved, I would have had to take a severe cut in pay. It was still a huge change for me, and was not easy. However, I am no longer at the mercy of politicians decisions and to me, that is a great thing.

Starting over as a Firefighter is tough when you are at my age, and have a body that resists even getting out of bed. I could blame the Military for that, just as I could blame the 3 democrats that ended my career as a Chief Officer. Instead, I changed. Do I feel bitter at times? sure, that is normal. But you know what.... it was up to me to rebound, not the government.

Be sure to not get me wrong, I am not saying it is easy, or that I do not appreciate what you do, or your concerns. I do not wish losing a job on anybody (well, other than a few people... hehehe, but their day will come ).

With the fact that he doesn't support government subsidies for the company I work for, if they are in fact to end, I lose my job. Bush wants them to end.

The United States is one of, if not the only, modernized nation in the world that doesn't fully subsidize its public transportation. I've been to third world countries that have better public transportation (trains) than we do. Pretty sad!

Just so you know, I'm a long haul locomotive engineer for Amtrak (hence the screen-name). I've worked hard and put in my time to get to where I'm at. I could bounce back too, but it would mean a great step back to the very bottom. I'm getting a little old to be starting over.

 

[Darky]

If Kerry won, I may have been out a job. He doesn't seem to supportive of the military and with his pacifist ways I doubt he'd need to keep the military at its current size and strength.

 

[XJEEPER]

Found some light reading on Amtrak......I learned something new today!

http://www.thetravelinsider.info/2004/austin.htm
http://www.gop.gov/item-news.asp?docId=44671

http://www.unitedrail.org/news/twa20041006.html

http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/consumer/a/aaamtrakfunds.htm

With the fact that he doesn't support government subsidies for the company I work for, if they are in fact to end, I lose my job. Bush wants them to end.

The United States is one of, if not the only, modernized nation in the world that doesn't fully subsidize its public transportation. I've been to third world countries that have better public transportation (trains) than we do. Pretty sad!

Just so you know, I'm a long haul locomotive engineer for Amtrak (hence the screen-name and avatar). I've worked hard and put in my time to get to where I'm at. I could bounce back too, but it would mean a great step back to the very bottom. I'm getting a little old to be starting over.

 

[Glenn B]

Many thanks xjeeper. Good reading.
Based on that, why should the Gov. subsidize AMTRAK?

What is the impact if we discontinue government subsidies?
Private industry makes a go of it?
Failure of the passenger rail system?

If taxpayers continue to fund a rail that cannot make a profit, are we:
Hopeful it will some day appeal to people
Just saving some jobs

Can Amtrak attrack more people by:
Impoved services
Be on time for once
Be more efficient?
Bite the bullet, spend more to improve services to make it attractive?

Will they attract more people if:
They manage to keep the trains on the tracks?
(ok, I admit that was a bad joke)

Who owns the rail ways? Private industry, or the Federal Govt.?

Why in bloody hell can I not stay in the smoking section for more than 30 minutes? Or have the Communist, Democrat Loving, Govt Money Sucking, Money Bleeders won out, and no smoking at all on trains now?

Hmmmmmm. Choooo Choooo, got me thinking Trains now.

 

[dellstopjeep]

before we start harping on the young guys i have an opinion being an 18 year old. Not all the young people dont vote, a lot dont, but at least one, me, voted. And am very happy with the outcome. everyone comes up to me and goes "so you voting for bush huh, ready to get drafted?" Hell yeah i will fight for my country if it comes down to it. Im not sayin i want to join the military tomorrow and go to iraq, but if it comes down to a serious situation, i want to support my country in anyway possible. and i dont even want to get started on won jon kerry.

 

[TRNDRVR]

Many thanks xjeeper. Good reading.
Based on that, why should the Gov. subsidize AMTRAK?

So based on what you read, you see that funding the rebuilding of Iraq more palatable? Isn't that a country that's more than capable of financing the cost of rebuilding itself? I unfortunately can't help how the higher up of Amtrak runs this company, but like one of those articles Jeff linked, no passenger rail in the WORLD is profitable. I do know that we waste more money in one week rebuilding that POS country than my company ask for help from its fellow Americans.
So I guess it's lets make love to the Iraqi barbarians and lets F*CK your fellow Democratic American workers. I see. Thanks George. Peace brother!!!

 

[Glenn B]

Well, I see you are twisting the domestic question in to a global issue. While doing so, you are laying the blame on one person, the President.

Do you know that Congress votes? You probably do, and you also know that THEY have a little to do with the Govt. In fact THEY approved the spending for Iraq. THEY approved the War Powers. THEY also deal with funding Amtrak. THEY are elected by the people, and are supposed to REPRESENT the people.

How much communication have YOU had with YOUR Congressman? What does He/She say about it? Is He/She willing to fight to have the taxpayers subsidize your job? That is where you need to focus your energy, that is where you will see results, if any.

If the those that are elected by your State, and other States choose not to fund your job at the cost of other taxpayers, I am sorry.

I sincerely doubt our President is out to **** Democratic workers, or make love to terrorists as you claim. That is a bit lopsided.

Again, I hate to see you potentially lose your job. But working off of taxpayer subsidies is certainly not a *sure thing* forever.

So based on what you read, you see that funding the rebuilding of Iraq more palatable? Isn't that a country that's more than capable of financing the cost of rebuilding itself? I unfortunately can't help how the higher up of Amtrak runs this company, but like one of those articles Jeff linked, no passenger rail in the WORLD is profitable. I do know that we waste more money in one week rebuilding that POS country than my company ask for help from its fellow Americans.
So I guess it's lets make love to the Iraqi barbarians and lets F*CK your fellow Democratic American workers. I see. Thanks George. Peace brother!!!

 

[XJEEPER]

I can see your frustrations Dan and I sure don't want you to lose you job .....the whole Amtrax thing is very odd.......but blaming Bush for it's demise is the same argument as saying that Clinton had 8 years to fix Amtrax and didn't. I don't see it as a party thing......who was the President when Amtrax was spun off as "private"? Would it then be his fault?

You obviously know way more about it than I do, but looking at it from a simplistic business perspective........companies in the private sector would not be allowed to stay in business for 3 decades without showing a profit to it's investors/shareholders........the only thing the gov. has done for Amtrax is postpone the funeral.

The real question is.....why?

Amtrax rents rail space from regional rail lines and when the owner's of the rail have a freight train coming through the same corridor as an Amtrax train........the Amtrax train parks on a siding a wait until the line is clear.......Amtrax will never be efficient or profitable unless they own their own rail lines......??

 

[Sarge]

Amtrax rents rail space from regional rail lines and when the owner's of the rail have a freight train coming through the same corridor as an Amtrax train........the Amtrax train parks on a siding a wait until the line is clear.......Amtrax will never be efficient or profitable unless they own their own rail lines......??

And the cost of the land required pretty much rules that out.

Sarge

 

[DrMoab]

I think one reason that rail systems work in other countries better then they do here is due to the size of the country. It countries like Britian and France and Belgum its less than a half days ride to almost anywhere. You can get across countries over there like we can go across states on the east coast here. As long as there are airplanes this country is too inpatient to ride trains. I do belive in rail systems for local areas. I remember when we were about to get UTA TRAX service here...Nobody thought it would work...everybody thought that no one would ride them but in the mornings and evenings you look at those trains and they are packed. I bet you never see an Amtrack train going across country that packed.
I too do not want to see you lose your Job Dan...In fact I wish that Amtrak could get there crap together and expand into the local and commuter market better then they are now...I just don't see it ever happening. And if Congress is going to ever vote on the matter it wont matter who is the press.

Like I said in another thread..My dad went through a very similar deal in the Eighties with Regan. After I posed that I talked to my dad to find out what was the deal...He said that Reagan had an agenda to wipe out the Job Corps. This is who my dad worked for. So Regan spent a bunch of money to do studies on how effective Job Corps really were. Everybody thought there job was done for sure but when the study came back it backfired in Regans face...So maybe that will happen to you...For your sake I hope it does.

 

[Brian Felts]

The LOrd is my provider,not Mr Kerry or President Bush.When you vote for savage acts such as PB abortion annd same sex marrige Its hard for me to support you no matter what your economic plan is.Being in a trade unoin the last for years have been rough but with the Lord having my back ive survived .President Bush even with his faults ,He is human after all.is at least standing up for godly principles.Lay up your treasures inn heaven not earth. :us: God bless the USA

 

[TRNDRVR]

The LOrd is my provider,not Mr Kerry or President Bush.When you vote for savage acts such as PB abortion annd same sex marrige Its hard for me to support you no matter what your economic plan is.Being in a trade unoin the last for years have been rough but with the Lord having my back ive survived .President Bush even with his faults ,He is human after all.is at least standing up for godly principles.Lay up your treasures inn heaven not earth. :us: God bless the USA

:sure:

 

[Fergie]

The LOrd is my provider,not Mr Kerry or President Bush.When you vote for savage acts such as PB abortion annd same sex marrige Its hard for me to support you no matter what your economic plan is.Being in a trade unoin the last for years have been rough but with the Lord having my back ive survived .President Bush even with his faults ,He is human after all.is at least standing up for godly principles.Lay up your treasures inn heaven not earth. :us: God bless the USA

Amen. It is good to see that Christians aren't afraid to voice the reasons they vote the way they do.

I find it hard to understand why Christians voted for Kerry. How can they support a man like that? And if they say that they are Christians and that the like Kerry's economic policies better, then they need to stop and realize that Christian values should come first, not economic motivation.

Fergie

 

[Blair Williams]

Wow...this thread is still going.

Yeah, I'm a libertarian, I would have voted for Badnarik.

P.S. thanks for the attack, guys. its good to see partisanship isnt ruining

:wstupid:

 

[TRNDRVR]

Amen. It is good to see that Christians aren't afraid to voice the reasons they vote the way they do.

I find it hard to understand why Christians voted for Kerry. How can they support a man like that? And if they say that they are Christians and that the like Kerry's economic policies better, then they need to stop and realize that Christian values should come first, not economic motivation.

Fergie

So you think that the good of "Christian values" should come before the good of the people? :scared:

 

[red91]

So you think that the good of "Christian values" should come before the good of the people? :scared:

Where does abortion fall into this...the sanctity of life is a HUGE issue.
I find it interesting that the left calls it PRO-CHOICE.
The fact of the matter is is that it is a PRO-DEATH stance.
Look at a fetus after only a couple of weeks and tell me you cant recognize what it is.

The main problem is that even among the "christians" they have differing values morally.

 

[Fergie]

So you think that the good of "Christian values" should come before the good of the people? :scared:

Are you that blinded by your anti-Bush/anti republicn rhetoric that you can't read what I type?

Show me once where I said that the good of "Christian values" should come before the good of the people!

If you look at what I said instead of going with your knee-jerk reaction, you would see that I said that among people that call themselves Christians, they need to put their Christian values first, not economic policy and such. If you call yourself a Christian and truely believe, then you know that God will provide everything you need.

Fergie

 

[TRNDRVR]

Are you that blinded by your anti-Bush/anti republicn rhetoric that you can't read what I type?

Show me once where I said that the good of "Christian values" should come before the good of the people!

If you look at what I said instead of going with your knee-jerk reaction, you would see that I said that among people that call themselves Christians, they need to put their Christian values first, not economic policy and such. If you call yourself a Christian and truely believe, then you know that God will provide everything you need.

Fergie

Isn't a good economy good for the people? That's how I took your statement. "Christian values should come first, not economic motivation" A good "economic motivation" is good for the people, including yourself. And no, I do not call myself Christian. God provides me with nothing that I can't provide for myself.

PS I'm no more blinded by my anti-Bush/anti republicn rhetoric than you are with your anti-Kerry/anti-democrat rhetoric.