I Don’t Understand Yet Again

There is a new idea being bantered around in Montana that quite a few people think is a good idea. <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/04/10/news/state/29-train.txt" >A southern passenger train route through the state</a>. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS A GOOD IDEA! It sounds like an extremely stupid idea if you ask me.<br />n<br />nFirst off, they compare it to Amtrak.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>State ridership on Montana's current lone passenger route, Amtrak's Empire Builder along the Hi-Line, is up at least 20 percent and travelers are looking for more options in the face of high gas prices and heightened air travel costs and security, Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger said.</blockquote><br />n<br />nNot a good thing to look at if you ask me, they admit right in the article that the Federal government subsidizes Amtrak to the tune of $1.3 billion, yes that's a b for billion, a year. Adding to that amount wouldn't go over real well so that is not to be expected but wait, they have another idea.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>For the first time, capital matching grants may be available for states looking to expand rail service, said Ray Lang, Amtrak's senior director of governmental affairs in Chicago.<br />n<br />nLegislation setting up such a program is scheduled for debate by a U.S. Senate committee next week.<br />n<br />nThe bill, introduced in January, would provide about $340 million in matching grants a year paying for up to 80 percent of a qualifying project, Lang said.</blockquote><br />n<br />nMatching grants. What an idea, not only will I have to subsidize this idea with my State tax money, I will subsidize it with my Federal tax funds. What a hell of a way to spend my money. Will this passenger service ever pay it's own way or will I have to subsidize it forever? Amtrak has yet to pay for itself so I doubt this idea ever will so another handout from my pocket for an idea that doesn't have a chance of making it.<br />n<br />nAs for grants, you should ask my sister about jobs being provided by Government grants. She had a job paid for that way until the Government would no longer renew the grant. She has been looking for a job ever since. What happens a few years down the road to this idea if the Feds decide to let the grants ruin out and not fund them anymore. Than our state would need to come up with the whole amount if we stupidly buy into this idea. Those grants are a real good thing aren't they? There only good as long as they are funded.<br />n<br />nIf the backers of this mad scheme think this is such a good idea, why don't they raise the money to do it themselves? Approach MRL about leasing the rail space and the engines, cars and everything else to do this and start a private company to provide this service. This would tell me that they really believed in this concept. Running to the government right away for the money means that the idea is not fiscally feasible and it's just another way to crawl into my pocket and pull out money. THIS IS A STUPID IDEA AND NEEDS TO BE KILLED QUICK. IT WILL ONLY COST THE TAXPAYERS LOTS OF MONEY FOR VERY LITTLE BENEFIT.<br />n<br />n<strong>There's no such thing as 'hard sell' and 'soft sell.' There's only 'smart sell' and 'stupid sell.' Leo Burnett </strong>