Skip to comments.
Key US Senator: Congress Must Bring Down Railroad Rates
FOXBusiness ^
| Wednesday, September 15, 2010
| Josh Mitchell
Posted on 09/15/2010 2:59:19 PM PDT by Willie Green
click here to read article
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-24 next last
The unintended consequnce of the Staggers Rail and Motor Carrier Acts of 1980 is that the nation's freight carriers have been permitted to merge, consolidate and shed rail capacity to the point that shippers no longer have any competitive choice as to which freight line ships their product.
Rather than getting involved in the micromanagement of freight rates, Congress must seize this opportunity to introduce true competition in the freight Industry.
To achieve this our National Railway System must be patterned after our Airway, Highway and Waterway systems.
IOW, the freight railways should not be permitted monopolistic ownership of the railway track and rights-of-way. Those should be owned and maintained by the government. Just like our airways, highways and waterways.
The freight railcarriers can own/operate the rolling stock, and compete against each other just like tha airlines compete against each other in our airways, the trucking companies compete against each other on our highways, and boat/barge companies compete against each other on our rivers and canals.
End the private monopolies of our nations railways. They are strangling our nation's progress!!!
To: Willie Green
The railroads are too health. Let’s screw them up too so we can bail them out.
2
posted on
09/15/2010 3:01:21 PM PDT
by
DManA
To: Willie Green
I’d rather see Congress brought down.
3
posted on
09/15/2010 3:01:33 PM PDT
by
WOBBLY BOB
(drain the swamp! ( then napalm it and pave it over ))
To: Willie Green
only 13% profits come on now how much had the Rockefeller’s made off their business in the past.
4
posted on
09/15/2010 3:02:56 PM PDT
by
guitarplayer1953
(Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to GOD! Thomas Jefferson)
To: Willie Green
WOW, 13% profit over a decade? How dare they? Does that even keep up with the cost of inflation? Of course not!
This is just another way to take control of our capitalist system & make another slush fund for government to feed off off. Oh, and of course another reason to raise our taxes since they'll need more money for transportation & infrastructure.
5
posted on
09/15/2010 3:05:02 PM PDT
by
patlin
(Ignorance is Bliss for those who choose to wear rose colored glasses)
To: Willie Green
"Key US Senator: Congress Must Bring Down Railroad Rates"
6
posted on
09/15/2010 3:05:29 PM PDT
by
musicman
(Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
To: guitarplayer1953
Not to mention the big rise in the cost of diesel fuel over the last ten years as well. He most likely thinks they still use wood to stoke the boilers. Fargin Maroon!
7
posted on
09/15/2010 3:13:19 PM PDT
by
mazda77
(Rubio - US Senate, West FL22nd, Scott/Carroll - FL Gov/LtGov, Miller-AK US Senate)
To: Willie Green
maybe congress can donate thier salaries to lowering cost of everything...
8
posted on
09/15/2010 3:21:23 PM PDT
by
dalebert
To: Willie Green
Make the railroads free like health care.
9
posted on
09/15/2010 3:21:40 PM PDT
by
kbennkc
(For those who have fought for it freedom has a flavor the protected will never know .F Trp 8th Cav)
To: Willie Green
Your comparisons appear flawed:
1. Truckers use the roads that are totally funded by the taxpayers - us.
2. Barges, etc. use channels, navigation aids, CG services that are totally paid by the taxpayers - us.
3. Airlines use airports that are funded by the municipal bondholders, and the taxpayers - us, might receive a potential return on that investment by landing fees, travel fees, etc.
In comparison: Railroads pay for their own infrastructure; maintain their own facilities, pay municipal property taxes to every jurisdiction they travel through, and for every signal light in your town. Railroad workers receive union wages, and have their own retirement system - not Social Security.
The biggest cost of running railroads is the huge capital investment and maintenance of that investment; and increasing price of fuel.
The rolling stock is mainly owned by others looking for tax havens.
Maybe you wish the rail freight industry to be run like the “hugely successful” Amtrak, which is losing money faster than it can print new ticket prices.
10
posted on
09/15/2010 3:22:15 PM PDT
by
Noob1999
To: DManA
End the private monopolies of our nations railways.
Marxism needs a new slogan.
11
posted on
09/15/2010 3:25:28 PM PDT
by
cripplecreek
(Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
To: mazda77
I would be in full favor of no taxes for over the road diesel fuel just like off road farmers diesel if that would lower the cost of food.
12
posted on
09/15/2010 3:27:36 PM PDT
by
guitarplayer1953
(Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to GOD! Thomas Jefferson)
To: guitarplayer1953
It would dramatically lower the cost of almost everything and with that, an explosion in commerce to go along with it.
13
posted on
09/15/2010 3:33:57 PM PDT
by
mazda77
(Rubio - US Senate, West FL22nd, Scott/Carroll - FL Gov/LtGov, Miller-AK US Senate)
To: DManA
When I saw the headline, I knew it had to be a democrat...wanting the government to control everything.
The free economy is like water - it seeks it own level. Those who don't perform are history, i.e. "Studebaker", New coke, and "betamax".
If the train rates get too high, people will stop shipping by rail; it's called the free market, but people actually have to get up off their dead arses and do something to make it work.
The lazy rabble we call "democrats" seek the "nannystate" for that one, main reason. Laziness.
14
posted on
09/15/2010 3:35:52 PM PDT
by
FrankR
(Standing up to TYRANTS is the only thing that will stop the onslaught of TYRANNY.)
To: DManA
This is Atlas Shrugs the Movie..Live!
To: Willie Green
Golly willie, maybe railroads would then be as profitable as the airlines or as well maintained as highways.
You have postulated some peculiar socialist fantasiies over the years, but nationalizing railroads in the name of conservatism is about as bizarre as it gets.
To: Willie Green
I don't think nationalizing the railroads will find much support. For if you nationalize the privately owned rails, you make the rolling stock next to worthless as now the government will decide who can use the lines and when.
Dagney Taggert doesn't like your idea. I don't think much of it either.
As a side note: I wonder if the fact that this Dim is from West Virginia and the coal industry is pulling his chain as the coal transportation is crimping their bottom line?
17
posted on
09/15/2010 4:05:07 PM PDT
by
IrishCatholic
(No local Communist or Socialist Party Chapter? Join the Democrats, it's the same thing!)
To: Willie Green
DEMOCRATS - MAKING LIFE MORE AFFORDABLE
- AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
(Obama: We knew health costs would go up)
- AFFORDABLE HYBRID CARS
(GM VOLT - Prices starting at only $41,000.00)
- AFFORDABLE RAILROAD SHIPPING RATES
(Bad RR companies are actually making a profit!)
.
18
posted on
09/15/2010 4:08:18 PM PDT
by
Iron Munro
(Obama demands proof we have medical insurance but he can't prove he is a citizen.)
To: Willie Green
This is today's
Daily Willie Green Choo-Choo thread.
Promoting 19th Century technology for the 21st Century.
19
posted on
09/15/2010 4:09:24 PM PDT
by
Petruchio
(I Think . . . Therefor I FReep.)
To: Willie Green
The Railroad Unification Plan is the future. It will avoid cut-throat competition by creating a single pool of profit that will support both high-producing lines and low-producing ones in a fair and equitable manner based on need rather than profit. The director is a fellow named Cuffy Meigs. Name seems familiar...
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-24 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson