Western Railroad Discussion > Paul Weyrich: "National security requires rail network"

Oct. 22 news from RAILWAY AGE Magazine:
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Paul Weyrich: National security requires rail network

Conservative activist Paul Weyrich has proposed a National Security Public Transportation Act that would create a "network of paratransit and fixed-route bus services, along with new electrified streetcar and light rail lines, serving virtually every destination in America, connected at multiple points to Amtrak’s (and potentially other) intercity passenger trains."

"These intercity passenger trains would provide the long-haul part of the journey, while the buses and local electric trains performed the collector/distributor function," said Weyrich in a paper co-authored by William S. Lind at the Free Congress Research and Education Foundation, which Weyrich heads. "Both rail and bus services could be increased as necessary, in response to greater demand. Fares set on a cost-per-mile basis would keep tickets affordable to ordinary people. It would again become possible to travel from any point in America to any other point, without using a car."

To pay for the national surface transportation network, two funding methods are proposed:

"Put all transportation tax and user fee payments in one transportation trust find to be allocated among all modes. National security considerations should be a primary factor in deciding the allocations.

"Because both the Pentagon's and the department of Homeland Security's budgets are driven to a significant degree by our dependence on foreign oil and our resulting involvement in the Middle East, we suggest that the National Defense Public Transportation Act receive annual funding equal to 5% of the combined DOD and DHS budgets. This funding, like DOD's and DHS's, would come from general revenues, as is appropriate for national security measures."

The study was underwritten by the Business Members of the American Public Transit Association.

rbx551985 Wrote:
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>
> The study was underwritten by the Business Members
> of the American Public Transit Association.

And you can be sure that the study's conclusions were totally unrelated to the fact that the APTA paid for it. We really need another big lobbyist group reaching into our wallets. I remember when conservatives were the ones who went crazy when government was seen as the solution. God save us from this generation of 'conservatives'.

--Mark J

I had a neato idea to make a model railroad with steam engines where the automobiles were being pulled by horses. It was set in the future.

mirage Wrote:
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> rbx551985 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > The study was underwritten by the Business
> Members
> > of the American Public Transit Association.
>
> And you can be sure that the study's conclusions
> were totally unrelated to the fact that the APTA
> paid for it. We really need another big lobbyist
> group reaching into our wallets. I remember when
> conservatives were the ones who went crazy when
> government was seen as the solution. God save us
> from this generation of 'conservatives'.
>
> --Mark J

Amen! You nailed it in a nutshell Mark! Everybody wants a subsidized ride and they want the guy that drives and buys gas to pay for it. In the meantime the city busses completely screw up one traffic lane because they spend all the money on more busses instead of building more bus bays.

No, they are assuming that there will BE no cars...

Oh yeah conervatives have been on the wrong side of the tracks recently, biggest example is BUSHII!