I just want someone to explain to the American public why investing in transportation in Iraq is so much more important than investing in passenger rail right here in the United States of America.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
We are also ignoring and underfunding high speed rail which is one of the best ways to move citizens and improve congestion on our highways.
It's important that we invest in America - literally. The terrorists wanted to destroy our economy, and we can't let our system fall apart. We also have to invest in one another.
How we fund transportation in this country is broken. You all pay a gasoline tax, right? Well, cars go farther, we get electric cars, and so on. And then we do more with the money than just build roads. We do bike lanes and mass transit.
Transportation funding is a win-win for everyone involved.
If we expect to continue our leadership in the global economy, we must invest in a long-term transportation plan -f or both highways and transit programs. Too many of our roads, bridges, and railways have fallen into disrepair.
The fact is that America relies on Amtrak to move people.
This is absolutely bizarre that we continue to subsidize highways beyond the gasoline tax, airlines, and we don't subsidize, we don't want to subsidize a national rail system that has environmental impact.
The reality about transportation is that it's future-oriented. If we're planning for what we have, we're behind the curve.
Beyond highways and roads, we need more money for mass transit, intercity passenger rail and freight rail. We have a long way to go to bridge the funding gaps.
Highway spending, which I think most everybody says is badly needed in this country, creates American jobs, and also makes America more competitive.