corrente

You know, I don't mind subsidizing Bush's red state base with my blue state money—heck, it's one country, right?—but can't they just let me alone, and not trash what I need for my life?

The Bush administration's decision to propose no operating money for Amtrak next year is the starkest signal yet that U.S. transportation planners are serious about dramatically altering or dismantling the troubled rail line, industry experts said on Wednesday.
(via Reuters)

I mean, the entire government is set up to subsidize the automobile, including the military establishment that defends "our" oil. So we can't subsidize Amtrak, and prevent our cities from being choked with more cars? And I don't seem to recall invading any other country in quest of steel rails....

UPDATE Alert reader Elliott Lake corrects my kneejerk blue-state-ness:

Weirder still, it hits red states harder every year--only one place now in all of Idaho to get on the train (Sandpoint, 2 am), and about 3 stops in Montana. As there is no bus service either, it's hitch it or stay for a lot of folks.

OK, so He's fucking the base too. WTF?