[QUOTE=Laserbeams;27965574]The US builds something useful and awesome ?
[editline]10th February 2011[/editline]
Holy shit[/QUOTE]
not neccesarily useful
[QUOTE=yawmwen;27965351]it would be a good investment too if the government was going to use it to pay back debt[/QUOTE]
Highly unlikely it'll happen. Amtrak hasn't posted a profit in ages. Maybe even a decade or two? They are almost entirely kept afloat by federal subsidies...
[editline]9th February 2011[/editline]
Edit: Apparently, Amtrak was founded in 1971, and has yet to turn a profit.
i'd much prefer spending $15 a month for a train pass instead of the $70 a month I pay for gas
[QUOTE=makingthatmaker;27965755]i'd much prefer spending $15 a month for a train pass instead of the $70 a month I pay for gas[/QUOTE]
And where do you live? And where do you commute to?
[QUOTE=makingthatmaker;27965755]i'd much prefer spending $15 a month for a train pass instead of the $70 a month I pay for gas[/QUOTE]
considering its 18-170 dollars for the seattle unlimited bus pass(plus 5 for the card) i would say you would be spending more like 30-300 dollars a month on a train pass
[QUOTE=Ridge;27965701]Highly unlikely it'll happen. Amtrak hasn't posted a profit in ages. Maybe even a decade or two? They are almost entirely kept afloat by federal subsidies...
[editline]9th February 2011[/editline]
Edit: Apparently, Amtrak was founded in 1971, and has yet to turn a profit.[/QUOTE]
but imagine how much money it has saved everyone. If someone wanted to travel from california to chicago by car, it'd cost a few hundred dollars for gas alone. for amtrak, it's ~$500 for a room and food.
[QUOTE=makingthatmaker;27965820]but imagine how much money it has saved everyone. If someone wanted to travel from california to chicago by car, it'd cost a few hundred dollars for gas alone. for amtrak, it's ~$500 for a room and food.[/QUOTE]
then why dont people use it that much
why isnt it profitable
[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;27964248]We're 14 Trillion dollars in debt. That's pretty bad.[/QUOTE]
Raise taxes on the rich.
[QUOTE=makingthatmaker;27965755]i'd much prefer spending $15 a month for a train pass instead of the $70 a month I pay for gas[/QUOTE]
I would rather not sit next to the kind of people who ride public transport here in California.
Also these transit systems would work for a replacement for domestic flights to big cities, but that is about it.
[editline]10th February 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Habsburg;27965837]Raise taxes on the rich.[/QUOTE]
raise taxes equally with a flat tax, your benefits are not their burden.
[QUOTE=Ridge;27965776]And where do you live? And where do you commute to?[/QUOTE]
rural michigan. I travel about 21 miles a day for school
also a round trip in a 1998 honda civic(i used that car because its the car my dad drives) is a little less than 500 in gas, thats half the price it would cost to ride amtrak
and food would be cheaper too
'
its cheaper by far to drive rather than go by rail, rail is for comfort and speed, car is for people who want to save cash
[QUOTE=yawmwen;27965825]then why dont people use it that much
why isnt it profitable[/QUOTE]
because it is slow and AIRPLANES are cheeper-same price/faster
[QUOTE=Ridge;27965701]Highly unlikely it'll happen. Amtrak hasn't posted a profit in ages. Maybe even a decade or two? They are almost entirely kept afloat by federal subsidies...[/QUOTE]
So is gasoline
[QUOTE=yawmwen;27965825]then why dont people use it that much
why isnt it profitable[/QUOTE]
because planes are faster
This is probably one of the greatest things I've heared for the railroad industry in ages!
As a chicago native, I sure hope that our infrastructure is updated with the newer technologies that could provide a safer, effecient, and quicker mode of transportation. Not just for commuters, but for travelers.
The railroad in the united states didn't used to suck as much as they do now. We held many speed records for the railroads. Not to mention, some interesting engines. Like the GTELs.
Maybe, we can get into the era of modernization of our impressive rail system. And start producing some of the most interesting, powerful and industry leading engines once again. Like in the hayday of railroads..
[QUOTE=Bluesummers;27965846]I would rather not sit next to the kind of people who ride public transport here in California.
Also these transit systems would work for a replacement for domestic flights to big cities, but that is about it.
[editline]10th February 2011[/editline]
raise taxes equally with a flat tax, your benefits are not their burden.[/QUOTE]
uh actually they are they are the ones that profit off of society they should pay back to it
[quote=Ridge]Edit: Apparently, Amtrak was founded in 1971, and has yet to turn a profit.[/quote]
That's not what it intends to do. It's a company owned completely by the government.
[editline]9th February 2011[/editline]
it's a service to the people.
[QUOTE=Bluesummers;27965871]because it is slow and AIRPLANES are cheeper-same price/faster[/QUOTE]
planes are way faster
so why is this high speed rail system going to work
its still gonna be (way) slower than a plane, and more expensive than amtrak
[editline]10th February 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Habsburg;27965897]That's not what it intends to do. It's a company owned completely by the government.
[editline]9th February 2011[/editline]
it's a service to the people.[/QUOTE]
uhhh no it isnt
its a government owned corporation
which means its goal is to turn a profit
and its not
[QUOTE=Habsburg;27965872]So is gasoline[/QUOTE]
Nearly 50% of the price per gallon at the pump is due to state and federal taxes...
[img]http://jacksonville.com/sites/default/files/editorial/images/files/Gastaxes061709Web.jpg[/img]
[editline]9th February 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=yawmwen;27965885]uh actually they are they are the ones that profit off of society they should pay back to it[/QUOTE]
They already do; with taxes.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;27965910]planes are way faster
so why is this high speed rail system going to work
its still gonna be (way) slower than a plane, and more expensive than amtrak
[editline]10th February 2011[/editline]
uhhh no it isnt
its a government owned corporation
which means its goal is to turn a profit
and its not[/QUOTE]
Holy fuck, look at this negative Nancy go!! I haven't seen such pessimism in months!
First: It is going to work. Otherwise, we're going to have a bunch of derailed trains. So it needs to work.
Second: Yeah, it is. You try going 500MPH on the road, and make a turn. But consider this: You don't have to stand in line with your shoes off your feet, putting all your possessions through xrays and what not. Also, you don't have to worry about some dude giving your testicles a wirl in their "frisk searches". Oh, you may say "Yeah they're going to do it because terrorists!", or something so irrational. Its the nature of the negative nancy really. But its not going to have the level of security as airliners. Shit starts to change when you get to several miles above the surface of the planet.
And it may turn a profit. As highspeed rail isn't made for coast to coast fucking transportation. Its more city to city. Like, Chicago to St Louis. Or LA to SF. Like that, see? Everyone will prefer this method when it takes them only a few hours to get from A to B instead of 5-6 due to bullshit.
Cheaper? Yeah, it will be. I can see tickets maybe being in the range of ~$100. Not more expensive than Amtrak. It costs $150 to take one of those from Chicago to Springfield. Atleast I sure fucking hope not.
Anymore shitting up technology or my statements from you? Its about damn time the US updates their rail infrastructure. Most of our rails are under 90MPH. Sad seeing that we used to push top speed so far ago.
[QUOTE=>VLN<;27952470]Nobody will use it. These projects have been tried and failed in the US.
Other countries, yes it would work. But not in the US. We like to drive.[/QUOTE]
Write hummer on the side of the train
and put a grill in front of every seat
nail some hubcaps to the back too
bam, America's favourite way to travel
I can't wait. This will cut travel times like crazy.
Flying? no way, add another 4+ hours to your flight time before you even buy the ticket.
Driving? i hope your ass doesn't go numb
[QUOTE=Ridge;27965944]Nearly 50% of the price per gallon at the pump is due to state and federal taxes...
[img_thumb]http://jacksonville.com/sites/default/files/editorial/images/files/Gastaxes061709Web.jpg[/img_thumb][/QUOTE]
And your point is?
[QUOTE=Shady16159;27949227]What the fuck? Doesn't the US have like trillions of dollars of debt needed to be returned? Is the US and th e rest of the world not in a terrible economy?
Sounds pretty cool though.[/QUOTE]
America (and all other countries in the world) can never repay their debt. Due to how interests work and how debt is made, there will forever be inflation which can not be stopped. Inflation will continue forever, meaning the interests the US pays for their national debt is actually non-existing money, since the interest is actually money which is not at the moment in the national poll of already existing dollars.
[QUOTE=Bluesummers;27965846][editline]10th February 2011[/editline]raise taxes equally with a flat tax, your benefits are not their burden.[/QUOTE]
And why should we have a flat tax exactly?
[QUOTE=Bluesummers;27965846]raise taxes equally with a flat tax, your benefits are not their burden.[/QUOTE]
I've explained this multiple times so here goes again
[b]Why a flat tax is a horrible idea[/b]
Poor people require proportionately more of their income to live than rich people do. Therefore, taxing them the same percentage as rich people hurts them more. It is a regressive tax system. That's why it is a bad idea.
There. Pay attention this time.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;27967142]I've explained this multiple times so here goes again
[b]Why a flat tax is a horrible idea[/b]
Poor people require proportionately more of their income to live than rich people do. Therefore, taxing them the same percentage as rich people hurts them more. It is a regressive tax system. That's why it is a bad idea.
There. Pay attention this time.[/QUOTE]
Sounds logical to me.
Someone makes 20k/year and can barely pay the bills
we tax them 30%
Someone makes 1000k/year and lives in a flying yacht the entire surface of which is leather and there is a hooker dispenser
we tax them 30%
Who is hurt more
A good society taxes person A a very low amount and person B a high amount
Hey if they bring this bad boy around Tucson, I'll definatly pick up a job for helping the lay down of track.
[QUOTE=Contag;27948998]I mean, I understand some problems with it, but it's better than giving banks billions because they were extremely greedy.[/QUOTE]
agree and the trains around here are slow - i would love faster trains and more ways to get around!
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