Amtrak vital to country’s transportation system

Amtrak’s last-minute reprieve won’t mean much unless the Bush administration has truly changed its attitude toward passenger rail service.

Amtrak had been on the verge of starting to shut down this week. Thanks to Department of Transportation assurances, the deadline has been extended. As attempts to reach a solution continued Wednesday, the rail passenger service was still in danger of collapse by the end of next week.

Congress and the administration must agree on viable, long-range plans to ensure rail passenger service continues to give Americans an alternative to highway and air travel.

Amtrak’s leadership bears plenty of blame for the financial failures that have been allowed to multiply. The biggest leadership failure, however, comes from the Bush administration, which has appeared willing to let the financial crisis kill off the national system.

The administration says that states should be allowed more control of Amtrak lines. That likely would require states pony up more money — something that would probably be an insurmountable hurdle for Washington and most other states.

As on many other issues, the administration appears to be catering exclusively to the more conservative wing of the Republican Party. Thus, a contentious confrontation has been created where bipartisan cooperation would have been easily obtainable months ago if the administration had paid more attention. Yes, there’s a case to be made for privatization of some governmental activities. It’s more ideological than practical, however, in the case of passenger railroads, which serve valuable functions in most industrialized countries.

Rail passenger service seems to require at least some government subsidy in any country. Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania pointed out recently, "Every industrialized nation in the world subsidizes transportation and in the United States, we subsidize transportation without a second thought on highways, on airlines, on airports, and this country needs Amtrak."

Specter supports direct appropriations to keep Amtrak running, which Washington’s Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, chair of the Senate’s transportation appropriations subcommittee, has been seeking. Murray’s spokesman said Wednesday that the senator was encouraged that Amtrak has additional time.

The administration ought to recognize that most Americans want transportation options. Amtrak needs changes if the nation is to truly enjoy the potential environmental and economic benefits of more passenger service. Wrecking Amtrak will only frustrate Americans’ search for better transportation systems.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

toon
Editorial cartoons for Friday, Feb. 7

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Curtains act as doors for a handful of classrooms at Glenwood Elementary on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Editorial: Schools’ building needs point to election reform

Construction funding requests in Arlington and Lake Stevens show need for a change to bond elections.

Schwab: Trump proves not as bad as feared; it’s worse

Taking food and medicine from kids; surrendering control to Musk; is this what you voted for?

Keep necessary homeless service program at its Everett location

Regarding The Herald’s front-page coverage of the Hope ‘N Wellness community services… Continue reading

We can’t afford the rich not paying their fair share

In a recent column, Todd Welch claims that a wealth tax on… Continue reading

Can we find a politically moderate path, please?

I was just wondering what happened to the moderates. I am a… Continue reading

Kristof: World’s richest men take on world’s poorest people

Trump says the USAID is run by ‘radical lunitics.’ Is saving countless lives now lunacy.

FILE- In this Nov. 14, 2017, file photo Jaìme Ceja operates a forklift while loading boxes of Red Delicious apples on to a trailer during his shift in an orchard in Tieton, Wash. Cherry and apple growers in Washington state are worried their exports to China will be hurt by a trade war that escalated on Monday when that country raised import duties on a $3 billion list of products. (Shawn Gust/Yakima Herald-Republic via AP, File)
Editorial: Trade war would harm state’s consumers, jobs

Trump’s threat of tariffs to win non-trade concessions complicates talks, says a state trade advocate.

A press operator grabs a Herald newspaper to check over as the papers roll off the press in March 2022 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald file photo)
Editorial: Push back news desert with journalism support

A bill in the state Senate would tax big tech to support a hiring fund for local news outlets.

Jayden Hill, 15, an incoming sophomore at Monroe High School is reflected in the screen of a cellphone on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 in Monroe, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Editorial: Students need limits on cellphones in school

School districts needn’t wait for legislation to start work on policies to limit phones in class.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Thursday, Feb. 6

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Lake Stevens school bond funds needed safety work at all schools

A parent’s greatest fear is for something bad to happen to their… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.