Only the COMPETENT get fired by BushCo? Oh, yes, it happened again.

[Pirate Smile]

Amtrak Fires Its President in Dispute Over Future

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 - Amtrak's board fired the company's president on Wednesday morning, widening a divide between the Bush administration and Congress over the future of the railroad.

-snip-
Mr. Gunn, who is credited with turning around New York City's subway system in the 1980's and came out of retirement three years ago to steer Amtrak successfully during a financial crisis, described the reason for his dismissal as "ideological."
"Obviously, what their goal is - and it's been their goal from the beginning - is to liquidate the company," Mr. Gunn said in the interview.

-snip-
Mr. Gunn said he did not oppose injecting some competition into the system if it was done carefully. He pointed out that the administration had discussed bankrupting the railroad, which would mean breaking it up, as a way to reorganize.
"They want at least one transportation mode that is totally free market," Mr. Gunn said.

-snip-
The action Wednesday was a sharp turnaround for the board. Asked in September about Mr. Gunn's performance, Mr. Laney told a Senate subcommittee, "Mr. Gunn has done, as far as I am concerned, a splendid job."

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/10/politics/10amtrak.html

Sen. Byron Dorgan was talking about this on Ed Schultz's show today. He said the WH had budgeted $0 for Amtrak but Gunn figured out a way, along with Congress, to keep Amtrak going. That was completely unacceptable - he was waaaayy too competent for BushCo - they wanted Amtrak to go under and he was in the way.

You are too capable to be part of this government under this Administration.

Adios!

[joemurphy]

1. Great work -- screwing up our only really operational

experiment in mass rail passenger transit. Ideologues in the Bush Administration at work again.

[alfredo]

2. they wanted to do the same to head start.

[alfredo]

3. dupe dupe

[EC]

4. How would free market rail transportation work?

Who would have control of the tracks, the scheduling and most of all the liabilities? Or would each rail company have to build their own tracks? Sounds chaotic to me...

[Pirate Smile]

5. Our highways and airports are not private - from the article:

"But highways, airports and ports are all federally subsidized, he said, decrying "all this angst over an operating deficit of 500 million bucks for the whole country, and the bulk of money going into capital or infrastructure."

[JAbuchan08]

6. America is no longer a "society"

in the sense that it is constructed around the idea of mutual co-operation and benefit much as it is a "for profit corporation." They've screwed over every "public" resource there is.,

[Xenotime]

18. * is the next Hitler for this century.

[Nikki Stone 1]

7. Really important. Krugman should write about this one

Recommended

[Pirate Smile]

8. After hearing Dorgan, it sounds like there are a ton of details which

Krugman could dive into about how warped this WH is - they wanted failure, not success.

[Captain Hilts]

9. It's okay to give the airlines BILLIONS, but not AMTRAK millions.

It makes no sense.

[Carla in Ca]

10. No sense at all, considering

more people are using trains now. I also heard the conversation on the Ed Schultz show. How sad this is. Cronyism over competence. Another shameful example of how this WH is railroading us.

Also, I read recently that Amtrak should not completely be blamed for some of the accidents that have occurred. They do NOT own and maintain the tracks. A company called CSX does. Worth looking into.

[Captain Hilts]

14. Then there is the 'small airport' subsidy of $200 per ticket...

Every time someone lands at the Utica, NY airport, Joe and Mary Shit Taxpayer pay two hundred dollars each per ticket to keep that needless airport open.

and, yes, Amtrak doesn't own its own track, yet their deal with CSX is to pay for lawsuits that result from accidents from track conditions. Sweet deal, eh?

The NYT had a series of articles on this topic.

[upi402]

11. * wants to rob everything the common-good has made

and stuff his insatiable pockets.

[Nikki Stone 1]

20. PRECISELY

Hit nail on the head.

[dorktv]

12. How odd...reading House of Morgan and the rise of the railroads

now...

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

13. Hey, I wonder if...

...Brownie likes choo choo trains, I'll bet he can save Amtrak. He did a heck-of-a-job saving New Orleans. Let's get Brownie!!!!

[Kool Kitty]

15. Not so fast!

As a housewife and part-time cashier who grew up playing with model trains (and had a Father that actually worked for the old Jersey Central railroad), I want to run Amtrak! I love trains and I am at least as qualified as Brownie.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

21. I loved trains...

...when I was a kid and I still think they're cool. It would be a real shame to lose Amtrak.

You have my vote to take the reigns of Amtrak, screw Brownie.

[Marie26]

16. Liquidate government

That's their goal. They liquidated FEMA by outsourcing everything & putting a moron in charge. They liquidated the fed. government with huge tax cuts & bigger defecits. They truly don't see the point of domestic government & seem to use it as a chance to reward cronies, get contracts - the rest is cut. The only part of the government that isn't being liquidated is defense - this is the only gov. agency they care about. Pretty soon our schools will be run by corporations, while our wars keep growing & getting more money and lives every year.

[flyarm]

17. I TAKE AMTRACK AUTO TRAIN EACH YR TO MY FLA HOME

and i will say the people are wonderful who work on those trains..it is effecient and always packed to the gills!!

but i will say this that i noticed immediately..the first time i took the train now 4 yrs ago.,.after 9/11...there is never any security checking the cars that go on the trains...no car is checked for contents..and i have watched carefully...and i have never seen one car inspected for contents...

i just retired form one of the airlines involved in 9/11 and i am a security nut case..and i sincerely was bothered by seeing no security at all to take a car fully loaded with all sorts of stuff..and not one was checked or inspected for anything!!
i discussed it everytime i have gone with the cabin attendants ..privately..and they said..no they do not inspect the cars...

now this is post 9/11...and i asked where is the government in all this..they told me over 3 yrs ago..the government was trying to bankrupt Amtrack...

remember this when you take your shoes off at the airport..that these trains are going through your towns and neigborhoods..without any security taking place...

* is a lying fucker!! and security is the last thing this adminsitration gives a shit about!!

i will say ..it will be a service many seniors and families will be hurt by if it is bankrupted BY THE * GOVERNMENT!!

these * assholes care nothing about we the people..not seniors not kids..not families...

this must not be allowed..and this is when we must all take the time to call our congress and raise holy hell!!

fly

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. Stupid junta! Impeach the asshats already!