Biden is a long-time supporter of Amtrak!

[XOKCowboy]

See what happens when you use public transportation? Besides his daily commute on Amtrak he's been supporting Amtrak in the Senate throughout his career.

John McCain? He of course has been trying to kill Amtrak and turn it private for years.

Hat's off to Kos for the story and links. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/23/122527/867/20/573570

[billyoc]

1. 35 years of daily Amtrak commuting.

I can't even imagine it!

[nerddem]

10. my freshman year i'd only take amtrak

between school in philly and home in virginia.

i love riding the train, it would be sweet to do so everyday.

[wishlist]

2. A MSNBC pundit mentioned Biden knows many Amtrak employees well nt

[gateley]

20. Obama mentioned that in his speech, too. nt

[DarthDem]

3. Good Catch

I think that's something that will resonate with a lot of commuters and users of public transit. Biden's son Hunter (not the DE atty gen - - that's Beau) is also on the Amtrak board.

[Cleita]

4. There have been too many millionaires in government whose feet

don't touch the ground. It's going to be good to get an ordinary Joe, who understands how regular people live, in a position of high power. I guess this is what always attracted me to Dennis Kucinich and John Edwards.

[Arkana]

19. "ordinary Joe"

Quite literally, in fact!

[WhiteTara]

5. well, that's a big YEA

we need public transport and trains are a great way to travel

[elfin]

6. I have an amtrak lapel pin!!

Bought with my very own Amtrak Rewards card -- I know that will impress all - LOVE Amtrak, even with the delays, stops etc. Plus only $10 extra gets you in "Business Class" on my favorite leg (Chicago to Ann Arbor)- right next to the food car (note- NOT a "dining car"), with its own bathroom!!!! Fun and safer than driving and better atmosphere than a bus.

Good for Joe - hope he spends some VP clout to get Amtrak back on track.

[Wizard777]

7. So we have a tire gage and mass transit.

I think they're off to a good start. I checked my pressure. Put in some air and my mileage has improved. But I'm not ready for mass transit. It doesn't always go where I want to.

[roody]

8. We must improve it so that it does go where you go.

[XOKCowboy]

11. That's pretty much the idea...

Advancing public transportation to where more people can and want to use it. It's a cycle also. The farther you extend cheap, dependable European style mass transit infrastructure the more people who will relocate to utilize the service.

[ihavenobias]

18. Amen. I love public transportation and we sorely need more of it, everywhere it's practical n/t

[Selatius]

16. If we could get mass transit up to levels seen in France, Germany, and Japan, it will go where...

you go in most cases. Of course, the car and oil lobby will be against this. People getting off of cars is not good news for oil companies and car companies in terms of profit.

[XOKCowboy]

28. Ding Ding Ding.. The car and oil lobby for 100 Alex

And the answer is who's been paying off congressmen for years to kill Amtrak and all commuter rail.

The prize is our mass transit system is one of the worst in the world.

[XOKCowboy]

9. I wish I could use Amtrak more

I took the California Zephyr from Denver to San Fran and back a couple of times and really enjoyed the trip. If you have time it's much nicer than flying. Now the fares are so high, it's cheaper, easier and faster to drive.

The larger point is that he'll be a high profile advocate for public transportation and that's right in line with the progressive agenda.

[HeeBGBz]

22. I love Amtrak

Wish it was here. We need more commuter rail.

[Naturyl]

12. Every Democrat should support Amtrak.

A nationalized rail service in America? What's not to support?

[XOKCowboy]

14. Amtrak is classic Neocon "break it then try to kill it because it's broken" policy

McCain has used this tactic all during his career in the Senate against Amtrak. Defund it to bare minimum, let it deteriorate till nobody wants to ride it any more then say well it's broken so we should privatize it.

Biden and a 60% majority in the Senate hopefully will help fund expansion and renovation of not only Amtrak but other public transportation projects. We need it to get more cars and trucks off the road.

[RufusTFirefly]

21. Exactly. The former head of Amtrak expressed it almost that way

It was David Gunn, I believe. If I remember correctly, he said something like

"First you starve us. Then you turn around and yell at us for being too skinny."

It's the oldest page from the neo-con playbook.

Coincidentally, here's a picture of Gunn (on the right) with you-know-who.



(The other guy is Senator Carper, also from Delaware.)

Needless to say, I am a huge proponent of public transportation.

[lib2DaBone]

13. Get off that Amtrak Thing Right now..

Support the rebuilding of of local American Rail service into small towns. Get going on renewable energy. Start an employment program for people to work on and rebuild our streets, parks, water systems and schools. DO NOT LET ASSHOLE REPUBLICANS dictate the conversation!!!

[XOKCowboy]

17. I think we're on the same team here..

Local American Rail service into small towns should be part of any public transit plan. Isn't long range commuter rail service, whether it's Amtrak or a similar service, needed also? There will be hundreds of thousands of workers needed to rebuild the railroads and other parts of the infrastructure after so many years of neocon neglect.

[Canuckistanian]

15. Thank God

Rail travel needs to be promoted as a an alternative to cars and planes for fuel efficiency.

Maybe, just maybe, there might be a high speed train system in our part of the world.

It puts America to shame that France and Japan are the innovators in this area.

[NorthCarolina]

23. Seems to me that America should undergo a complete revamping of it's domestic rail service

The US is far behind in utilizing rail service for not only public transportation, but also for shipping via rail as opposed to over the road transport vehicles. The savings in oil alone would be huge, and would also help to cut down on emissions. Long haul truckers might not like it, but rail is a logical way to go IMHO.

[DAMANgoldberg]

24. Yes, I'm a long haul trucker...

Rail shipping only works for half the country, basically CA/OR/WA to TX/OK/MO. You still need trucks for local and remote deliveries. I still need to make a living, however.

[XOKCowboy]

25. I was thinking about you guys...

I'd never say a bad thing about truckers. My grandfather was one. The thing is we need to cut down on using fossil fuels eventually and that's going to mean fewer trucks on the road if it's more economical to put it on a rail car. Trucks would always be needed for local and remote deliveries and new technology is making trucks safer and more economical. We've got to explore all areas.

[JDPriestly]

26. I love Amtrak. More Amtrak, lower gas prices.

[jtrockville]

27. Ironic - I'm reading this while riding Amtrak from NY to DC.

It's sooooooo relaxing. I just finished watching a movie, and I'm catching up on the news. I love traveling by train.

[fishwax]

29. k/r for Amtrak

:kick: