Breaking News: I still hate Republicans
I know I go on about this way too much, but it really is a drag. Republicans are just a bore. They're petty, vindictive, regressive fuckers. They're like having a hostile retard that you have to constantly attend to, and pretend to care about. They drag their feet on anything progressive and are simply unable to take responsibility. Everything is always someone else's fault.
They're like those people who come to a party uninvited, talk too loud, drink half a beer and then throw up on your carpet.
Why am I so particularly worked up about this yet again?
Because of one of my favorite obsessions. Amtrak.
The US House of Representatives Appropriations committee voted to shut it down yesterday. That doesn't mean it will happen, but it's not a good sign.
I fully realize that if the Amtrak LD trains went away tomorrow, the world would go on. I'm not that nutty.
My problem with this is not about Amtrak per se - it's about how services to the citizens of this country are being cut or starved to death, but we are not seeing any compensation for that loss of service.
Our national parks are cash strapped. Our schools are starved and stuck with ridiculous, non-funded mandates. Our soldiers are lacking equipment and are paid poorly. Our Veteran's are dealing with an outdated health care system who's funding is being cut, even as we create more vets with needs. Our highway system is over burdened and beyond its life expectancy. Our Airline industry is on the brink of collapse. Many of our citizens lack health care, which means that the price of everyone's health care goes up to cover the emergency room treatment. Salaries are not rising to match inflation. People are mortgaging their futures with credit cards and interest-only home loans in a desperate effort to keep up with the Jones.
At the same time, corporations are not paying their fair share of taxes. Companies are free to loot our national resources. The Paris Hilton's of the world get a big fat tax cut, and my taxes? Despite the rumor of a cut, they've actually gone up - particularly when you count property tax. It takes money to run the society that we expect to have.
In short, we're a mess. So let's cut a miniscule government program that probably generates more economic activity across the nation than the cost of its subsidy, destroy the livelihood of probably 20,000 American taxpayers, limit the mobility options to millions of Americans, and flush 35 years of investment (meager investment, but still investment) down the tubes.
In the meantime, Americans are distracted by inanities like Michael Jackson and the Missing Girl of the Moment.
They're like those people who come to a party uninvited, talk too loud, drink half a beer and then throw up on your carpet.
Why am I so particularly worked up about this yet again?
Because of one of my favorite obsessions. Amtrak.
The US House of Representatives Appropriations committee voted to shut it down yesterday. That doesn't mean it will happen, but it's not a good sign.
I fully realize that if the Amtrak LD trains went away tomorrow, the world would go on. I'm not that nutty.
My problem with this is not about Amtrak per se - it's about how services to the citizens of this country are being cut or starved to death, but we are not seeing any compensation for that loss of service.
Our national parks are cash strapped. Our schools are starved and stuck with ridiculous, non-funded mandates. Our soldiers are lacking equipment and are paid poorly. Our Veteran's are dealing with an outdated health care system who's funding is being cut, even as we create more vets with needs. Our highway system is over burdened and beyond its life expectancy. Our Airline industry is on the brink of collapse. Many of our citizens lack health care, which means that the price of everyone's health care goes up to cover the emergency room treatment. Salaries are not rising to match inflation. People are mortgaging their futures with credit cards and interest-only home loans in a desperate effort to keep up with the Jones.
At the same time, corporations are not paying their fair share of taxes. Companies are free to loot our national resources. The Paris Hilton's of the world get a big fat tax cut, and my taxes? Despite the rumor of a cut, they've actually gone up - particularly when you count property tax. It takes money to run the society that we expect to have.
In short, we're a mess. So let's cut a miniscule government program that probably generates more economic activity across the nation than the cost of its subsidy, destroy the livelihood of probably 20,000 American taxpayers, limit the mobility options to millions of Americans, and flush 35 years of investment (meager investment, but still investment) down the tubes.
In the meantime, Americans are distracted by inanities like Michael Jackson and the Missing Girl of the Moment.
posted by Catalina Vel-DuRay @ Thursday, June 16, 2005
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