posted
I just saw reported that Obama is probably going to appoint REPUBLICAN Representative Ray LaHood of Illinois (Peoria etc) to be the next Secretary of Transportation. La Hood is an Amtrak supporter--one of Amtrak's biggest remaining ones among Republicans in Congress, I believe. I don't know if this is final but I believe we'll know in the next few days as Obama wanted to finish appointing his Cabinet before his planned Christmas holidays. . . .
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Here's my question: Given all the other domestic demands for funding, will Amtrak even be looked at beyond the current dribble?
I think the current authorization is as much attention as Amtrak is going to get for a couple years while the economy sorts itself out.
Obama has two huge agendas he must deal with: Economy and SW Asia. I suspect 85-90% of his political time and capital will be consumed by those. Every other issue will compete for 10-15% of his time.
Posts: 1404 | Registered: Oct 2001
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quote:Originally posted by PullmanCo: Here's my question: Given all the other domestic demands for funding, will Amtrak even be looked at beyond the current dribble?
Maybe that's why he's considering a pro-Amtrak DOT chief. Let the secretary handle it so Obama doesn't have to give it so much time himself.
Anyway, I'll add a third priority to your list: energy is going to be a big item on Obama's plate, because it ties into everything else. Energy efficient transportation is a part of that. But he'll leave it to the transportation secretary to work out the details.
I've never heard of LaHood before today. Anybody know his 'trak record?
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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posted
Quite the reverse, Mr Pullman--the Obama admnistration, in accordance with advice from economists on both the left and the right, is planning to get Congress to pass a large stimulus package for the flagging economy, and in addition to a middle class tax cut, the stimulus will include what can help best with (a) job creation, (b) rebuilding the infrastructure, (c) moving the country into a new energy economy. Public transportation relates to all three of those chunks, and Amtrak has already been specifically mentioned along with lots of other things, roads, bridges, etc. Projects that get the most "bang for the buck" (in terms of job creation and cost effectiveness) and those that are "ready to go" (because the stimulus is needed now, not a year from now) are supposedly going to get the green light. At least, this is what I've been gathering from everything that's been said. . . . So, we'll see what happens.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
LaHood is a moderate Republican, highly respected in Illinois as well as on both sides of the aisle in Congress. He has worked a good deal with Democrats on bipartisan projects.
He supported McCain (of course!) but criticized Sarah Palin for her intemperate remarks about Obama. Along with Gingrich and Powell, he's told the RNC to lay off the Obama-Blagojevich connection.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Understand. That said, Amtrak does not have Superliner III ready to bid, nor Amfleet replacement. There are no new locomotives pending in the queue.
There are renovation projects up and down the line, particularly on the NEC, but I hear some people pipe dreaming about a new HSR routing in the Northeast. SFAIK, there isn't a traffic study, nor would condemnation of land be a best/highest use when we need to get folks operating machines again.
In short, I don't see Amtrak being a major player in the basic infrastructure stimulus plan of the nascent Obama Administration.
What am I missing?
Posts: 1404 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
I thought things were further along for Amfleet expansion of some kind, but anyway, even if Amtrak is only a minor player, I think there will be something. Anyway, at least LaHood is Amtrak friendly, and so are Obama and esp Biden. So, we'll just have to see. . .
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by PullmanCo: In short, I don't see Amtrak being a major player in the basic infrastructure stimulus plan of the nascent Obama Administration.
Amtrak has a significant number of out-of-service equipment at the repair yards, and some of these will never see service again.
But quite a number are just bad order, and COULD have been put back into service had funding been there to do it in recent years; and we all know there wasn't a half a cent available for that.
But what will the affect of this new massive HR2095 funding provide; especially if there are States determined to expand service, have old service reinstated, and so on?
Wouldn't it be possible for those funds to go toward bringing this equipment back into service (and some of it could probably be readied very quickly).
Again, am I missing something obvious?
Posts: 110 | From: Kansas City, Missouri | Registered: Mar 2008
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quote:Originally posted by Henry Kisor: Along with Gingrich and Powell, he's told the RNC to lay off the Obama-Blagojevich connection.
At the risk of being too politcal for here, I would consider that a sell-out for which he is being repaid. If the Blagojevich stink had become public pre-November, the picture today might be totally different, and the winner is showing his appreciation.
Posts: 2810 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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If the Blagojevich stink had become public pre-November, the picture today might be totally different[/QB][/QUOTE]
And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle. Did you expect Blago to sell Obama's seat BEFORE he won the election? I detect the flavor of sour grapes in your post.
-------------------- Ocala Mike Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Henry Kisor: Along with Gingrich and Powell, he's told the RNC to lay off the Obama-Blagojevich connection.
At the risk of being too politcal for here, I would consider that a sell-out for which he is being repaid. If the Blagojevich stink had become public pre-November, the picture today might be totally different, and the winner is showing his appreciation.
Too true.... I wonder how long Time sat on this picture of Barrack?
posted
I must ask where are this fellow's transportation credentials? One sentence regarding Illinois highways and airports does not make for a solid background in transportation.
While rail passenger interests had little use for Sec Mineta's credentials, he at least has transportation credentials.
Lest we forget, the SecTrans chair is hardly 'the Big Four'. It never has been and it never will be.
Posts: 9980 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: I must ask where are this fellow's transportation credentials? One sentence regarding Illinois highways and airports does not make for a solid background in transportation.
Exactly! Agree 100%. As said before, I see this a political payoff and notthing more. SecTrans is essentially administrative, not policy setting. If you want any chnages in transportation policy, see congress. They keep this one very close as it involves a lot of money to their various constituiencies.
Posts: 2810 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
Today's New York Times has a front page "below the fold" article regarding SecTrans Ray LaHood. It does not appear to be all that flattering - at least with regards to potential leadership in transportation related issues:
I don’t think they picked me because they thought I’d be that great a transportation person,” Mr. LaHood says with refreshing indifference as to how this admission might play if, say, he were ever to bungle a bridge collapse.
Yes, transportation is Mr. LaHood’s day job, a post that a few days ago required him to attend a groundbreaking ceremony for a highway in New Hampshire, speak to a group about the dangers of tailgating trucks and discuss “bird strikes” on CNN.
But one of the astonishing things about Mr. LaHood, 63, is how limited his transportation résumé is, how little excitement he exudes on the subject (other than about high-speed rail) and how little he seems to care who knows it. So why exactly did President Obama pick this former seven-term Republican congressman from Illinois to oversee everything that moves?
Mr. LaHood posits a theory. “They picked me because of the bipartisan thing,” he explained, “and the Congressional thing, and the friendship thing.”
The “bipartisan thing” and the “Congressional thing” are self-evident: Mr. LaHood is a Republican with close ties to Capitol Hill. One White House insider described Mr. LaHood as “a master of odd jobs,” whose knowledge of Washington allows him to take on assignments as varied as lobbying lawmakers on the budget and helping political novices in the cabinet navigate Beltway social rituals (“cocktail situations,” as Energy Secretary Steven Chu calls them).
“The friendship thing” perhaps most explains why Mr. LaHood is in his job. The White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is one of Mr. LaHood’s closest friends, and wanted him around. Mr. Obama told Mr. LaHood as much when Mr. LaHood interviewed for the job in December.Posts: 9980 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
So the game goes on inside the Beltway; it doesn't matter who's in charge! I'm wondering what particular transportation crisis/tragedy prompts Obama to give his "nice job, Brownie" speech.
-------------------- Ocala Mike Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
Well at least he didn't appoint a memeber of the NY MYA's board. More importantly what is his plane? A NEC time regional plan or LD "State Park joy ride?"
Posts: 516 | From: New Haven, CT USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
When I first posted this, I believe I had confused La Hood with a Republican from OHIO whose name also had La in it, La Tourette maybe? Sorry about that!!! Anyway, THAT was the big Amtrak supporter I was thinking of--it's so long ago, I'm not certain! (Of course, I don't know that either one of them knows anything ABOUT L-D train travel, of course.)
I am puzzled by Tanner's post. Did you mean MTA? plan? I am just guessing but, if so: I do think it's better for L-D if there are people from the Illinois area involved, since Amtrak L-D travel benefits Chicago.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
However, he is from Illinois. Would you trust ANY politician from Illinois to hold your wallet for 5 minutes?
Posts: 2810 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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To tell you the truth, Mr. Harris, I don't really trust politicians from any place. I simply perceive that their overweening self-interest might perhaps occasionally also be in my interest.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
I agree with sojourner. There is not one elected office today to which anyone who tells the truth about his/her plans, thoughts, solutions, could win office. Ergo, they are all dishonest from the get-go to some degree.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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