Republican Study Committee: Cut ALL Amtrak and HSR $

[FayeforCure]

Just received  this tweet:

Does your Congressman support eliminating all Amtrak and high speed rail $? The Rep Study Cmte does - member list here http://bit.ly/gTIQOs

[Ocklawaha]

You do realize Faye, that the $1.5 Billion dollar Amtrak subsidy does more damage to the national budget then all the other programs put together.

Doesn't look like their leadership will let this be pushed ahead without picking it apart, but be sure that the Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute will fight to keep the cuts for ALL RAIL. Just look who the supporters are and it becomes crystal clear that these two groups DO NOT represent the average American.

From your link:

It was not clear Wednesday whether the bill would be pushed hard by leadership, though the prospect seemed unlikely, at least for the moment. Cuts of such magnitude will undoubtedly come under heavy fire from Democrats and liberal interest groups, and Speaker John Boehner has for the most part avoided specific stands on spending cuts, seeking to minimize exposure to attacks from the opposition.

President Obama, in addition, will have the chance in next week’s State of the Union address to speak to a national audience about the country’s fiscal situation, and could point to such cuts as too costly to services for many Americans.

OCKLAWAHA

[FayeforCure]

You do realize Faye, that the $1.5 Billion dollar Amtrak subsidy does more damage to the national budget then all the other programs put together.

OCKLAWAHA

Wow, you must be kidding right?

Here is a partial list of Republican Study Committee cuts:

Amtrak Subsidies. $1.565 billion annual savings.

➢ Eliminate duplicative education programs. H.R. 2274 (in last Congress), authored by Rep. McKeon, eliminates 68 at a savings of $1.3 billion annually.

➢ U.S. Trade Development Agency. $55 million annual savings.

➢ Woodrow Wilson Center Subsidy. $20 million annual savings.

➢ Cut in half funding for congressional printing and binding. $47 million annual savings.

➢ John C. Stennis Center Subsidy. $430,000 annual savings.

➢ Community Development Fund. $4.5 billion annual savings.[/b]

➢ Heritage Area Grants and Statutory Aid. $24 million annual savings.

➢ Cut Federal Travel Budget in Half. $7.5 billion annual savings.

➢ Trim Federal Vehicle Budget by 20%. $600 million annual savings.

➢ Essential Air Service. $150 million annual savings.

➢ Technology Innovation Program. $70 million annual savings.

➢ Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program. $125 million annual savings.

➢ Department of Energy Grants to States for Weatherization. $530 million annual savings.

➢ Beach Replenishment. $95 million annual savings.

➢ New Starts Transit. $2 billion annual savings.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/20/house-gop-gets-specific-on-cuts_n_811557.html

No more trips to Turkey for John Mica!!

And where are the defense budget cuts that even Gates feels are possible, and where the bulk of our taxpayer dollars go to?

The U.S. Department of Defense budget accounted in fiscal year 2010 for about 19% of the United States federal budgeted expenditures and 28% of estimated tax revenues.  Including non-DOD expenditures, defense spending was approximately 28â€"38% of budgeted expenditures and 42â€"57% of estimated tax revenues.

Total Defense spending budget for 2011: $1.449 trillion

For a list of all programs spending more than $1.5 billion:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States

[FayeforCure]

Ok, just seeing how informed we are here...........does anyone know how many military bases the US has around the world?

Most of them got started during the cold war era, are still operational today, and a huge WASTE of money!

[yapp1850]

if congress  stops Amtrak Subsidies how is amtrak going to survive the only lines that will survive is the profible lines and state subsidies lines or amtrak is sold  to a company like virgin rail

[acme54321]

I bet Virgin Rail would be sweet.  You could ride on their train to an airport and get on their plane to a spaceport to get on their rocketplane.

[Ocklawaha]

Wow, you must be kidding right?

Here is a partial list of Republican Study Committee cuts:

OF COURSE I WAS KIDDING! Amtrak in it's entire existence isn't a drop in the bucket to the money we blow on EVERYTHING else. At least Amtrak provides a basic accommodation though as an "old time railroader," I'd stop short of calling it a "service."  You should have seen the look on the faces in Colombia when I explained that my concept of "on-time" means: the door is open, the steps drop down, and the wheel stops turning, as the second hand sweeps over the 12. None of this on-time "15-30 minute window" bull shit that the airlines use.

I'm not against the military spending nor am I against us having bases around the globe which we generally share with our allies. The military is the most under rewarded jobs and education institution in our country.
But having bases around the world should not equate to having wars around the world, the military because of its structure is the best prepared force in the world to deal with KATRINA type disasters. Of course if your on vacation in El Pueblo Mirage, you can just blow it off.

OCKLAWAHA

[tufsu1]

I was given the 2 page list too....it is one study committe, and most of it will go nowhere (note all previous attempts to dismantle Amtrak)...what is really interesting is that the whole plan saves $2.5 trillion over 10 years, and doesn't include defense spending cuts at all....but the program list only saves about $350 billion over 10 years....virtually nothing in a $3 trillion annual budget.

I will be curious to see what congressmen will co-sponsor this as a bill

[peestandingup]

You do realize Faye, that the $1.5 Billion dollar Amtrak subsidy does more damage to the national budget then all the other programs put together.

OCKLAWAHA

Wow, you must be kidding right?

Here is a partial list of Republican Study Committee cuts:

Amtrak Subsidies. $1.565 billion annual savings.

➢ Eliminate duplicative education programs. H.R. 2274 (in last Congress), authored by Rep. McKeon, eliminates 68 at a savings of $1.3 billion annually.

➢ U.S. Trade Development Agency. $55 million annual savings.

➢ Woodrow Wilson Center Subsidy. $20 million annual savings.

➢ Cut in half funding for congressional printing and binding. $47 million annual savings.

➢ John C. Stennis Center Subsidy. $430,000 annual savings.

➢ Community Development Fund. $4.5 billion annual savings.[/b]

➢ Heritage Area Grants and Statutory Aid. $24 million annual savings.

➢ Cut Federal Travel Budget in Half. $7.5 billion annual savings.

➢ Trim Federal Vehicle Budget by 20%. $600 million annual savings.

➢ Essential Air Service. $150 million annual savings.

➢ Technology Innovation Program. $70 million annual savings.

➢ Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program. $125 million annual savings.

➢ Department of Energy Grants to States for Weatherization. $530 million annual savings.

➢ Beach Replenishment. $95 million annual savings.

➢ New Starts Transit. $2 billion annual savings.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/20/house-gop-gets-specific-on-cuts_n_811557.html

No more trips to Turkey for John Mica!!

And where are the defense budget cuts that even Gates feels are possible, and where the bulk of our taxpayer dollars go to?

The U.S. Department of Defense budget accounted in fiscal year 2010 for about 19% of the United States federal budgeted expenditures and 28% of estimated tax revenues.  Including non-DOD expenditures, defense spending was approximately 28â€"38% of budgeted expenditures and 42â€"57% of estimated tax revenues.

Total Defense spending budget for 2011: $1.449 trillion

For a list of all programs spending more than $1.5 billion:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States

I love how those spineless assholes don't dare mention cutting any military budgets or stopping needless wars, which are the REAL boondoggles of our country. http://costofwar.com/ Any true conservative would have a problem with this, period.

But hell yes. Let's cut basic necessities like transportation, education & healthcare. Yee Haw!

[FayeforCure]

You do realize Faye, that the $1.5 Billion dollar Amtrak subsidy does more damage to the national budget then all the other programs put together.

OCKLAWAHA

Wow, you must be kidding right?

Here is a partial list of Republican Study Committee cuts:

Amtrak Subsidies. $1.565 billion annual savings.

➢ Eliminate duplicative education programs. H.R. 2274 (in last Congress), authored by Rep. McKeon, eliminates 68 at a savings of $1.3 billion annually.

➢ U.S. Trade Development Agency. $55 million annual savings.

➢ Woodrow Wilson Center Subsidy. $20 million annual savings.

➢ Cut in half funding for congressional printing and binding. $47 million annual savings.

➢ John C. Stennis Center Subsidy. $430,000 annual savings.

➢ Community Development Fund. $4.5 billion annual savings.[/b]

➢ Heritage Area Grants and Statutory Aid. $24 million annual savings.

➢ Cut Federal Travel Budget in Half. $7.5 billion annual savings.

➢ Trim Federal Vehicle Budget by 20%. $600 million annual savings.

➢ Essential Air Service. $150 million annual savings.

➢ Technology Innovation Program. $70 million annual savings.

➢ Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program. $125 million annual savings.

➢ Department of Energy Grants to States for Weatherization. $530 million annual savings.

➢ Beach Replenishment. $95 million annual savings.

➢ New Starts Transit. $2 billion annual savings.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/20/house-gop-gets-specific-on-cuts_n_811557.html

No more trips to Turkey for John Mica!!

And where are the defense budget cuts that even Gates feels are possible, and where the bulk of our taxpayer dollars go to?

The U.S. Department of Defense budget accounted in fiscal year 2010 for about 19% of the United States federal budgeted expenditures and 28% of estimated tax revenues.  Including non-DOD expenditures, defense spending was approximately 28â€"38% of budgeted expenditures and 42â€"57% of estimated tax revenues.

Total Defense spending budget for 2011: $1.449 trillion

For a list of all programs spending more than $1.5 billion:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States

I love how those spineless assholes don't dare mention cutting any military budgets or stopping needless wars, which are the REAL boondoggles of our country. http://costofwar.com/ Any true conservative would have a problem with this, period.

But hell yes. Let's cut basic necessities like transportation, education & healthcare. Yee Haw!

Thank you, peestandingup!

And as usual we don't seem to know or care about the number of military bases the US has around the world!!!!

My Son In Law has served in Iraq, and his unit will be deployed again in Febr., so I do respect our military personel............, that however doesn't excuse the severe wastefulness of, wait for it..................

The US Has 761 Military Bases Across the Planet, and We Simply Never Talk About It

mostly relics from the cold war..........but no, we MUST cut education and other social services at home!!!

[peestandingup]

You do realize Faye, that the $1.5 Billion dollar Amtrak subsidy does more damage to the national budget then all the other programs put together.

OCKLAWAHA

Wow, you must be kidding right?

Here is a partial list of Republican Study Committee cuts:

Amtrak Subsidies. $1.565 billion annual savings.

➢ Eliminate duplicative education programs. H.R. 2274 (in last Congress), authored by Rep. McKeon, eliminates 68 at a savings of $1.3 billion annually.

➢ U.S. Trade Development Agency. $55 million annual savings.

➢ Woodrow Wilson Center Subsidy. $20 million annual savings.

➢ Cut in half funding for congressional printing and binding. $47 million annual savings.

➢ John C. Stennis Center Subsidy. $430,000 annual savings.

➢ Community Development Fund. $4.5 billion annual savings.[/b]

➢ Heritage Area Grants and Statutory Aid. $24 million annual savings.

➢ Cut Federal Travel Budget in Half. $7.5 billion annual savings.

➢ Trim Federal Vehicle Budget by 20%. $600 million annual savings.

➢ Essential Air Service. $150 million annual savings.

➢ Technology Innovation Program. $70 million annual savings.

➢ Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program. $125 million annual savings.

➢ Department of Energy Grants to States for Weatherization. $530 million annual savings.

➢ Beach Replenishment. $95 million annual savings.

➢ New Starts Transit. $2 billion annual savings.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/20/house-gop-gets-specific-on-cuts_n_811557.html

No more trips to Turkey for John Mica!!

And where are the defense budget cuts that even Gates feels are possible, and where the bulk of our taxpayer dollars go to?

The U.S. Department of Defense budget accounted in fiscal year 2010 for about 19% of the United States federal budgeted expenditures and 28% of estimated tax revenues.  Including non-DOD expenditures, defense spending was approximately 28â€"38% of budgeted expenditures and 42â€"57% of estimated tax revenues.

Total Defense spending budget for 2011: $1.449 trillion

For a list of all programs spending more than $1.5 billion:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States

I love how those spineless assholes don't dare mention cutting any military budgets or stopping needless wars, which are the REAL boondoggles of our country. http://costofwar.com/ Any true conservative would have a problem with this, period.

But hell yes. Let's cut basic necessities like transportation, education & healthcare. Yee Haw!

Thank you, peestandingup!

And as usual we don't seem to know or care about the number of military bases the US has around the world!!!!

My Son In Law has served in Iraq, and his unit will be deployed again in Febr., so I do respect our military personel............, that however doesn't excuse the severe wastefulness of, wait for it..................

The US Has 761 Military Bases Across the Planet, and We Simply Never Talk About It

mostly relics from the cold war..........but no, we MUST cut education and other social services at home!!!

Oh of course. God knows we do need a big defense budget (and I do greatly respect our military people), but I'm with you. Some of these things are just plain wasteful & can't be continued, but we keep doing it anyway & no one questions it. This is not the time we need to be empire building all around the world, while our people here at home do without. It's crazy.

It just makes me angry (more like frustrated) when our leaders (or just people in general) make comments about making cuts to these types of things which are SEVERELY needed, yet don't take a step back & look at the bigger picture. Because a lot of the needless stuff we're doing overseas absolutely dwarfs any of that.

Is it any wonder our country is in the financial shape it's in & how far it's behind in these things? I mean, how long can we even keep this up?? I'm just saying, when the country has to borrow money from China just to keep it's own empire going, you know it's time for some major changes.

[FayeforCure]

I love how those spineless assholes don't dare mention cutting any military budgets or stopping needless wars, need a big defense budget (and I do greatly respect our military people), but I'm with you. Some of these things are just plain wasteful & can't be continued, but we keep doing it anyway & no one questions it. This is not the time we need to be empire building all around the world, while our people here at home do without. It's crazy.

It just makes me angry (more like frustrated) when our leaders (or just people in general) make comments about making cuts to these types of things which are SEVERELY needed, yet don't take a step back & look at the bigger picture. Because a lot of the needless stuff we're doing overseas absolutely dwarfs any of that.

Is it any wonder our country is in the financial shape it's in & how far it's behind in these things? I mean, how long can we even keep this up?? I'm just saying, when the country has to borrow money from China just to keep it's own empire going, you know it's time for some major changes.

Yeah hopefully this picture will bring it home for the ignorant masses that are austerity minded on needed services but blind to the pervasive waste right in front of them:

[Jaxson]

When Republicans occupied the Oval Office and ran Congress during the George W. Bush years, some folks were bandying about the idea of privatizing Amtrak.  Nothing came from it, though.  I took notice of their inaction when it came to the passenger rail system.  They do not seem to have much of a solid passenger rail transportation plan. 
With all of the hassles of flying and the costs of driving, why don't both political parties cooperate to develop Amtrak as a viable alternative?

[JeffreyS]

I love how those spineless assholes don't dare mention cutting any military budgets or stopping needless wars, need a big defense budget (and I do greatly respect our military people), but I'm with you. Some of these things are just plain wasteful & can't be continued, but we keep doing it anyway & no one questions it. This is not the time we need to be empire building all around the world, while our people here at home do without. It's crazy.

It just makes me angry (more like frustrated) when our leaders (or just people in general) make comments about making cuts to these types of things which are SEVERELY needed, yet don't take a step back & look at the bigger picture. Because a lot of the needless stuff we're doing overseas absolutely dwarfs any of that.

Is it any wonder our country is in the financial shape it's in & how far it's behind in these things? I mean, how long can we even keep this up?? I'm just saying, when the country has to borrow money from China just to keep it's own empire going, you know it's time for some major changes.

Yeah hopefully this picture will bring it home for the ignorant masses that are austerity minded on needed services but blind to the pervasive waste right in front of them:

I am pretty sure that graph does not include the operational budgets for Iraq and Afghanistan.  On a pathetically sad note, I still hear fools trying to sell the positives of those wars.

[Ocklawaha]

Y'all won't talk like this when AMTRAK brings down the whole government, it's obviously a subversive scheme to milk the rich in order to provide transportation for the poor.

OCKLAWAHA