Amtrak's Fate

Riding in the comfort of Acela Express business class can give the traveler a misleading impression of the true state of Amtrak. Due to years of goverment neglect and outright sabotage by the Bush administration, Amtrak is stretched to the breaking point.

The Bush cult's animosity toward Amtrak was clearly on display when the board fired David Gunn, a straight-shootin', steely-eyed railroad man if ever there was one. The reason he was let go? He refused to play fox to the Amtrak henhouse. Instead, he tried to make Amtrak work and resisted those wanted to dismantle it.

Now Dubya has, if I recall correctly, filled the Amtrak board vacancies (through recess appointments) with Michael 'Heckuva Job' Brown clones who will do the boss's bidding.

How long will it be before America becomes the first first-world country with a third-world national railroad?

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