Romney wants to cut Arts and Amtrak

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Oh boy... Good luck campaigning on that in Michigan and Ohio

How is that? I would think that people in Michigan for example would hate Amtrak because it detracts from vehicle purchasing.

Perhaps so but a lot of the public jobs in that state are on Amtrak, not to mention PA too. Romney will get it from the auto industry too though, as we all know the "let Detroit go bankrupt" thing will likely go back to haunt him.

How will it haunt him when he will be running against the man who actually "let Detroit go bankrupt"?

[Yank2133]

As if that will actually reduce the deficit by any meaningful amount.

We all know that.

Romney is just throwing red meat to the Tea Party.

[Politico]

How do you expect innovation without art being a major focus of society?

How do you equate innovation and art?

Truly one of the most amazing things I've read on this forum.  Amazing but not surprising.  Hey Wonkish what financial services company do you work at?  I just want to make sure I don't read any of their research on innovative products coming to market.

All of the great innovative products are the result of R&D, both private and public (largely the DoD and NASA), not the result of art houses that should be funded by private donations or not funded at all.

We cannot run trillion dollar deficits for long. Romney realizes this. Cuts need to be made, and what can go, must go.

[NVGonzalez]

Oh boy... Good luck campaigning on that in Michigan and Ohio

How is that? I would think that people in Michigan for example would hate Amtrak because it detracts from vehicle purchasing.

Perhaps so but a lot of the public jobs in that state are on Amtrak, not to mention PA too. Romney will get it from the auto industry too though, as we all know the "let Detroit go bankrupt" thing will likely go back to haunt him.

How will it haunt him when he will be running against the man who actually "let Detroit go bankrupt"?

Ask GM and Chrysler. They will tell you.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Oh boy... Good luck campaigning on that in Michigan and Ohio

How is that? I would think that people in Michigan for example would hate Amtrak because it detracts from vehicle purchasing.

Perhaps so but a lot of the public jobs in that state are on Amtrak, not to mention PA too. Romney will get it from the auto industry too though, as we all know the "let Detroit go bankrupt" thing will likely go back to haunt him.

How will it haunt him when he will be running against the man who actually "let Detroit go bankrupt"?

Ask GM and Chrysler. They will tell you.

I know what they will tell me, and what both Romney and Obama actually did and said regarding this issue. So I will know whether they are factually innaccurate regarding anything on this as well. What do you think they will tell me?

You plan to run a campaign on "My opponent wanted to let Detroit go bankrupt", something which has already happened under the incumbent. It won't work. You have to claim Romney wanted to "shut down or liquidate Detroit" to have something that would work, which is factually innaccurate. The only reason it will work is the propensity for lies to be used successfully as part of campaigns and Obama's people are already doing this regarding a statement about Romneycare being a model for the nation.

[Simfan34]

Romney might have very well lost my vote here. Arts and Amtrak? What about the DoD and entitlements. Amtrak might bloody well be profitable if it's business model wasn't so messed up. I can take a train from Chicago to Osceola, Iowa to meet it's 4,000 people, but I can't take one to Des Moines? Amtrak needs to stop serving these ridiculous small towns- if they're going to be served, they ought to be under a state regional rail authority.

And why, unless I was a tourist, would I want to take a train that runs from Chicago to San Francisco in three days, when I could take a plane that takes 3 hours? Even if I was a tourist, why would I want to spend $1,200 on an Amtrak train when it's cramped, old, and has mediocre food? Even VIA Rail is of better quality.

We need decent inter-city service that runs from cities of decent size and sleeper trains for farther distances. Privatize the long-distance routes for tourist service.

As for the arts, how I long for the days that being elitist was a conservative thing.

[Ⓐnarchy in the ☭☭☭P!]

But the amount of money is trivial, so who cares?

Exactly.

You only balance the long term budget by cutting defense, medical expenditures, social security, and income security.  Anyone dwelling on or fighting over cuts to other programs is just trying to get themselves elected/reelected.  It's as simple as that.

Paul's plan balances the budget in two years without touching (directly, anyway) SS and medicare.

[Jacobtm]

How in the hell do you equate police and Amtrack??

Public services which are not designed to create a profit, but to benefit people in other ways.

[Verily]

I enjoy using Amtrak, but I have to admit that it is not profitable.

Maybe it shouldn't be subsidized simply because a few folks enjoy it.

I enjoy using the Interstate system, but I have to admit that it is not profitable.

Maybe it shouldn't be subsidized simply because a few folks enjoy it.

But the amount of money is trivial, so who cares?

Exactly.

You only balance the long term budget by cutting defense, medical expenditures, social security, and income security.  Anyone dwelling on or fighting over cuts to other programs is just trying to get themselves elected/reelected.  It's as simple as that.

Paul's plan balances the budget in two years without touching (directly, anyway) SS and medicare.

Paul doesn't have a plan, just pretty buzzwords.

[Ⓐnarchy in the ☭☭☭P!]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

lolol

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/ron-paul-plan-to-restore-america/

Yes, an entire budget chart of pretty buzzwords.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Romney might have very well lost my vote here. Arts and Amtrak? What about the DoD and entitlements. Amtrak might bloody well be profitable if it's business model wasn't so messed up. I can take a train from Chicago to Osceola, Iowa to meet it's 4,000 people, but I can't take one to Des Moines? Amtrak needs to stop serving these ridiculous small towns- if they're going to be served, they ought to be under a state regional rail authority.

"SIMFAN CALLS FOR DEEP CUTS TO AMTRAK!!!!"

That is what the headline would say if you were running. Call it a hunch.

[Link]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

lolol

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/ron-paul-plan-to-restore-america/

Yes, an entire budget chart of pretty buzzwords.

I wouldn't go rubbing that thing in people's faces.  If you even glance at some of it casually you will realize that "plan" would send the country right back into recession.  And slashing the budget of the CDC?!  Really?

Paul's plan balances the budget in two years without touching (directly, anyway) SS and medicare.

That is not a serious budget.  I give him credit though.  That is exactly the type of stuff you have to do if you don't want to take a penny from Social Security or Medicare.  Trust me though if that thing was ever implemented the term buyers remorse would have to be redefined.

[Link]

How do you expect innovation without art being a major focus of society?

How do you equate innovation and art?

All of the great innovative products are the result of R&D, both private and public (largely the DoD and NASA)

It's a German sports sedan!  Remeber its the Nazis that helped the US with our space program, not the other way around.

[memphis]

Cuz our budget problems are a result of arts and Amtrak. Mkay.

[FloridaRepublican]

Right. Look, the GOP, as they have made abundantly clear, want to plunder and rob the United States, parasitically shifting all the country's wealth, and leaving an impoverished, broken banana republic in their wake. They're very similar to 19th century imperialists, though the ingenious thing is, whereas the Belgians had to subjugate the Congo by force, the Republicans are tricking the natives into inviting them to come colonize them!

And you have a blue avatar because.....?

[Sbane]

Well, Amtrak needs to stop serving the small towns and villages. Good thing I'm not running for office. That being said, getting rid of funding for the East coast sector is just plain retarded. And a true high speed rail system between the big cities of the Midwest as well as California can work. Not so sure about the south, but some routes might be viable. Need true high speed rail for that though. It can't serve the small cities and states though. Federalism F's over America yet again!

[RI]

Right. Look, the GOP, as they have made abundantly clear, want to plunder and rob the United States, parasitically shifting all the country's wealth, and leaving an impoverished, broken banana republic in their wake. They're very similar to 19th century imperialists, though the ingenious thing is, whereas the Belgians had to subjugate the Congo by force, the Republicans are tricking the natives into inviting them to come colonize them!

And you have a blue avatar because.....?

He's supporting Herman Cain as a joke, so he's wearing a blue avatar for a while.

[Simfan34]

Romney might have very well lost my vote here. Arts and Amtrak? What about the DoD and entitlements. Amtrak might bloody well be profitable if it's business model wasn't so messed up. I can take a train from Chicago to Osceola, Iowa to meet it's 4,000 people, but I can't take one to Des Moines? Amtrak needs to stop serving these ridiculous small towns- if they're going to be served, they ought to be under a state regional rail authority.

"SIMFAN CALLS FOR DEEP CUTS TO AMTRAK!!!!"

That is what the headline would say if you were running. Call it a hunch.

More like:

SIMFAN CALLS FOR CUTS TO AMTRAK SERVICES TO SMALL TOWNS, BILLIONS FOR BULLET TRAINS

[Ⓐnarchy in the ☭☭☭P!]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

lolol

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/ron-paul-plan-to-restore-america/

Yes, an entire budget chart of pretty buzzwords.

I wouldn't go rubbing that thing in people's faces.  If you even glance at some of it casually you will realize that "plan" would send the country right back into recession.  And slashing the budget of the CDC?!  Really?

Paul's plan balances the budget in two years without touching (directly, anyway) SS and medicare.

That is not a serious budget.  I give him credit though.  That is exactly the type of stuff you have to do if you don't want to take a penny from Social Security or Medicare.  Trust me though if that thing was ever implemented the term buyers remorse would have to be redefined.

Yes, the economy will suddenly tumble without more FDA and military spending ::

[Lief 🗽]

Right. Look, the GOP, as they have made abundantly clear, want to plunder and rob the United States, parasitically shifting all the country's wealth, and leaving an impoverished, broken banana republic in their wake. They're very similar to 19th century imperialists, though the ingenious thing is, whereas the Belgians had to subjugate the Congo by force, the Republicans are tricking the natives into inviting them to come colonize them!

And you have a blue avatar because.....?

Because I support the destruction of the United States' economy and the redistribution of the country's wealth to a few corporate oligarchs, duh.

[LastVoter]

Right. Look, the GOP, as they have made abundantly clear, want to plunder and rob the United States, parasitically shifting all the country's wealth, and leaving an impoverished, broken banana republic in their wake. They're very similar to 19th century imperialists, though the ingenious thing is, whereas the Belgians had to subjugate the Congo by force, the Republicans are tricking the natives into inviting them to come colonize them!

And you have a blue avatar because.....?

Novelty account. Look at his name.

[Simfan34]

I can give you more solutions for trains in Iowa, as an example.

[NVGonzalez]

Oh boy... Good luck campaigning on that in Michigan and Ohio

How is that? I would think that people in Michigan for example would hate Amtrak because it detracts from vehicle purchasing.

Perhaps so but a lot of the public jobs in that state are on Amtrak, not to mention PA too. Romney will get it from the auto industry too though, as we all know the "let Detroit go bankrupt" thing will likely go back to haunt him.

How will it haunt him when he will be running against the man who actually "let Detroit go bankrupt"?

Ask GM and Chrysler. They will tell you.

I know what they will tell me, and what both Romney and Obama actually did and said regarding this issue. So I will know whether they are factually innaccurate regarding anything on this as well. What do you think they will tell me?

You plan to run a campaign on "My opponent wanted to let Detroit go bankrupt", something which has already happened under the incumbent. It won't work. You have to claim Romney wanted to "shut down or liquidate Detroit" to have something that would work, which is factually innaccurate. The only reason it will work is the propensity for lies to be used successfully as part of campaigns and Obama's people are already doing this regarding a statement about Romneycare being a model for the nation.

If Romney has an excellent spin team (and I wouldn't put it past him especially if he picks up 95% of the Bush people) then that may backfire. However if Obama gets some autoworkers and the car companies to testify on where they would be if they weren't saved and agree to give Romney a hard time then that's where the cookie crumbles. But then again that is what most campaigns work.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Why is everyone convinced art will somehow die if the government doesn't fund it?

[Simfan34]

Why is everyone convinced art will somehow die if the government doesn't fund it?

I'm worried more about the trains.