Comments on: Obama Calls For High-Speed Rail http://pursuingholiness.com/2009/04/obama-calls-for-high-speed-rail/ pursuing holiness, following politics Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:55:44 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Travis http://pursuingholiness.com/2009/04/obama-calls-for-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-67062 Travis Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:17:38 +0000 http://pursuingholiness.com/?p=5641#comment-67062 There used to be a high-speed rail network in this country, but the government strangled it with taxes and regulation (the were forced to operate unprofitable routes, could not combine service, etc). See the Wikipedia article on Amtrak. Hard to get the numbers for railroad taxation, but it looks like Union Pacific Railroad (one of 4 railroad companies) paid $1.3 billion in income taxes in 2008, $1.1 billion for 2007, and $0.92 billion in 2006*. Imagine if the federal government forbid taxation of railroads: if passenger service could be profitable, they would build it themselves with their own money. Zero cost to -- although zero revenue for -- governments. *See page 34: http://www.up.com/investors/attachments/secfiling/2009/upc10k_020609.pdf There used to be a high-speed rail network in this country, but the government strangled it with taxes and regulation (the were forced to operate unprofitable routes, could not combine service, etc). See the Wikipedia article on Amtrak. Hard to get the numbers for railroad taxation, but it looks like Union Pacific Railroad (one of 4 railroad companies) paid $1.3 billion in income taxes in 2008, $1.1 billion for 2007, and $0.92 billion in 2006*. Imagine if the federal government forbid taxation of railroads: if passenger service could be profitable, they would build it themselves with their own money. Zero cost to — although zero revenue for — governments.

*See page 34: http://www.up.com/investors/attachments/secfiling/2009/upc10k_020609.pdf

]]> By: Drew http://pursuingholiness.com/2009/04/obama-calls-for-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-66738 Drew Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:55:37 +0000 http://pursuingholiness.com/?p=5641#comment-66738 Wow...what an idiot Wow…what an idiot

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