posted
Wait - wasn't he just cutting the ribbon at a Sunrail construction site?
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I've got the hearings on in the background. Mica is promising 3 more hearings before the end of the year. Here's a link to the testimony and a video recording of the hearing via the minority (Democratic) Transportation & Infrastructure committee page.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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posted
When we here all the posturing and pontificating, a look at the following I received a few days back can be somewhat enlightening. Regardless of who and on which side they are, when we here all the talk about government spending, this help bring a little perspective to it.
quote:This rather brilliantly cuts thru all the political doublespeak we get. It puts it into a much better perspective.
Lesson # 1:
* U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000 * Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000 * New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000 * National debt: $14,271,000,000,000 * Recent budget cuts: $ 38,500,000,000
Now, let’s remove 8 zeros and pretend it's a household budget:
* Annual family income: $21,700 * Money the family spent: $38,200 * New debt on the credit card: $16,500 * Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710 * Total budget cuts so far: $3.85
Got It ?????
OK, now Lesson # 2: Here's another way to look at the Debt Ceiling:
Let's say, You come home from work and find there has been a sewer backup in you neighborhood....and your home has sewage all the way up to your ceilings.
What do you think you should do......
Raise the ceilings, or pump out the feces?
Our choice is coming Nov. 2012.
So if we take Amtrak's subsidy and move the decimal 8 places, what would we really be saving and how does it relate to the total money flow?
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
Thanks for that video link, Gil. I listened to a part of it yesterday, but not the whole thing. I don't get the feeling that anyone on the committee wants to "do away with AMTRAK," but they do expect it to be run MUCH MUCH more fiscally responsibly, which is the hope for any business. I agree with that. I admit that I may not understand all the political overtones, however.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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quote:Originally posted by George Harris: Lesson # 1:
* U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000 * Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000 * New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000 * National debt: $14,271,000,000,000 * Recent budget cuts: $ 38,500,000,000
Now, let’s remove 8 zeros and pretend it's a household budget:
* Annual family income: $21,700 * Money the family spent: $38,200 * New debt on the credit card: $16,500 * Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710 * Total budget cuts so far: $3.85
Sorry to nitpick, George, but that last line of cuts should actually be $385.00 according to the figures you give. However, it doesn't change the fact that our spending is wildly out of control.
Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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Rich, you should have hung around to vote for this guy. Otherwise, I have two words for his candidacy: "Good luck".
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by George Harris: Lesson # 1:
* U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000 * Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000 * New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000 * National debt: $14,271,000,000,000 * Recent budget cuts: $ 38,500,000,000
Now, let’s remove 8 zeros and pretend it's a household budget:
* Annual family income: $21,700 * Money the family spent: $38,200 * New debt on the credit card: $16,500 * Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710 * Total budget cuts so far: $3.85
Sorry to nitpick, George, but that last line of cuts should actually be $385.00 according to the figures you give. However, it doesn't change the fact that our spending is wildly out of control.
Yep, you are right. That is what I get for doing a copy-paste without first reading carefully.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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