MICA supports Florida HSR, Amtrak and JTA Skyway?

[Ocklawaha]

ANYONE who remembers the trains of the past can tell you, once private operators take to the rails, Amtrak is history.

I'm too young to remember.  Is the implication that the private operators will be more efficient and put Amtrak out of business?  Or that the government will no longer subsidize Amtrak because we now have private operators to do the job?

What kinds of services would lend themselves better to private operators? (long, medium or short distances)

Have you ever seen a federal government issued or military issued desk? The difference will be GI vs LUXURY.
Luxury that will snuff out Amtrak anywhere they attempt to compete (Which I don't expect BTW). As soon as private enterprise launches a route, Amtrak will withdraw from the same.

Well that's what my crystal ball said anyway.

OCKLAWAHA

[FayeforCure]

This sounds like really good news.  Faye must be in Europe again...

No will be there in March.

Got a trip to Alaska before then.

[BridgeTroll]

This sounds like really good news.  Faye must be in Europe again...

No will be there in March.

Got a trip to Alaska before then.

AMTRAK all the way I assume?

[FayeforCure]

You don't suppose a request on Mica's letterhead, point by point, would get a timely, favorable response from JTA?

Exactly, but guess what.........Mica is two-faced and would never directly suggest JTA get on board..........simply doesn't fit the prevailing Jax Republican talking points.

It's such a cop out to say he's waiting for a JTA request.........Mica can be far more proactive for Jacksonville.

But then again Mica's own come to momma moment to support transit as a Republican came about kicking and screaming too:

December 14th, 2010
BLUEPRINT AMERICA
America in Gridlock

[INTERVIEW] What to expect from a Republican-led Transportation Committee
Tom McNamara, Blueprint America



BLUEPRINT AMERICA: You are a Republican â€" and you support transportation and infrastructure spending?

REP. MICA: Well, I tell you though, if you’re on the Transportation Committee long enough, even if you’re a fiscal conservative, which I consider myself to be, you quickly see the benefits of transportation investment. Simply, I became a mass transit fan because it’s so much more cost effective than building a highway. Also, it’s good for energy, it’s good for the environment â€" and that’s why I like it.

BLUEPRINT AMERICA: If anything, you’d say that your time in Congress and on the Transportation Committee has brought you around to these ideas?

REP. MICA: Yes. And, seeing the cost of one person in one car. The cost for construction. The cost for the environment. The cost for energy. You can pretty quickly be convinced that there’s got to be a more cost effective way. It’s going to take a little time, but we have to have good projects, they have to make sense â€" whether it’s high-speed rail or commuter rail or light rail. We got to have some alternatives helping people â€" even in the rural areas â€" to get around.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/america-in-gridlock/interview-what-to-expect-from-a-republican-led-transportation-committee/725/

[BridgeTroll]

But then again Mica's own come to momma moment to support transit as a Republican came about kicking and screaming

Jeez Faye... no one wins with you eh?  How about skipping and chanting?  Crawling and begging?  Sleeping and dreaming?  Do you categorize transit supporters by how they came to support rail transit?  Why on earth should that matter?

[FayeforCure]

But then again Mica's own come to momma moment to support transit as a Republican came about kicking and screaming

Jeez Faye... no one wins with you eh?  How about skipping and chanting?  Crawling and begging?  Sleeping and dreaming?  Do you categorize transit supporters by how they came to support rail transit?  Why on earth should that matter?

Good point Bridge......it comes from a long time observation that Republicans don't usually see the light until it affects them personally.......until it's forced on them and they are faced with it up front.

Let me give you another example where this is clearly the case: Republicans generally fully support embryonic stem cell research only if they have someone in the family with a devastating illness or injury.

[tufsu1]

Good point Bridge......it comes from a long time observation that Republicans don't usually see the light until it affects them personally.......until it's forced on them and they are faced with it up front.

I don't think that's a Republican thing Faye....its pretty much a human thing...many of us advocate for positions because of personal experiences.

[FayeforCure]

Good point Bridge......it comes from a long time observation that Republicans don't usually see the light until it affects them personally.......until it's forced on them and they are faced with it up front.

I don't think that's a Republican thing Faye....its pretty much a human thing...many of us advocate for positions because of personal experiences.

Partly you are right, but in the "I've got mine, you get yours" world of Republicans, they really CANNOT put themselves in the shoes of others to actually imagine any different than their very own experience.

Oh sure, they'll do a little charity volunteerism to symbolically go through the motions of "caring," but the reality of all of their policies is based on a YOYO society, a You're On Your Own society.

Your house burns down..........too bad for you, we just cut firefighter services and on and on the list goes.

[NthDegree]

Rep. Mica's office responds on why he has not expressed support to date for the return to passenger rail service along the FEC:   

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2011/02/02/daytona-amtrak-still-faces-hitches.html

[BridgeTroll]

Seems prudent...

But Mica isn't ready to say if he'll support the project.

"I need to carefully review the final proposal with accurate information regarding passenger count, stops, frequency of service, and long-term costs before making a decision," the congressman said Tuesday in a statement released through Justin Harclerode, communications director for the transportation and infrastructure committee.

Mica and the committee will soon be writing a transportation bill that could authorize funding for highway, transit and highway safety programs for the next five or six years, Harclerode said.