What’s Ahead for Passenger Rail?
It’s going to be weeks before we have any kind of handle as to where the Trump Administration is headed with respect to passenger rail in general and Amtrak in particular.
He has spoken about coming up with a one trillion dollar infrastructure bill within the first 100 days, but we have no idea how much of that, if any, would benefit passenger rail. Sean Jeans-Gail, NARP’s government affairs guy, has counseled patience saying it shall be revealed unto us in due course. An assessment of the actual election is still being made by Sean, with a lot of evaluating to be done with respect to who won and who lost. Then there’s a third category: who among the Republican losers are going to get a cushy job in the Trump Administration?
Amtrak’s long-time nemesis, Congressman John Mica, (R-Florida) was beaten quite handily by newcomer Stephanie Murphy. But hold the phone: one of our politically astute members has raised a chilling thought: What if Trump should “take care” of Mica by appointing him to head the Surface Transportation Board or the Federal Railroad Administration?
There is some very good news, however. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has appointed NARP’s president and CEO, Jim Mathews, to the National Advisory Committee on Travel and Tourism Infrastructure. It’s a two-year term, which means that Jim will be in a significant position of influence through the first twenty-one months of the Trump Administration.
One thing is very clear: it’s going to be a long, slow, steady uphill slog. Which, of course, is the very reason we are here!
Jim, you talked about NARP needing to attract NEW people in the past and I am one of those people. Just because I lean right doesnt make me John Mica (or any of us). The partisan politics of the past need to stop. I am HERE to support Amtrak and NARP AND I AM A REPUBLICAN! The jury is still out on what Trump will bring as POTUS so I suggest we all hope for the best….because we dont have a clue as of now. Im staying positive and hope America is great again!
I couldn’t agree more. Thanks for the comment.
Good post, Jim. Just because half the country repudiated Obama’s left-leaning ways is no reason to assume that would be a negative for passenger rail.
And if we can thwart a few tax-and-spend liberals along the way who seem not to care about our national debt and its effects on our kids and grand kids, all the better for our economic health.
As one of the 50 million ‘deplorables’ who was just plain weary of being considered politically incorrect by the sophisticated
elites of the east and west coasts, I feel very encouraged by these events. (By the way, in my home county in Kansas, we voted for Trump over 4 to 1, and I don’t think it’s just because we cling to our guns and religion. We simply felt ignored by the liberals and the folks in the New York Times and Washington Post bubble.)
As you know, there are few stronger advocates for long distance passenger rail in my neck of the woods than I. I will continue to do my best to promote that and to promote responsible fiscal government. I see no conflict in those two goals.