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 Michael Medved
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Billions for Burgers

October 29, 2012 @ 1:05 pm

Most Americans know that the budget deficit stems from reckless spending, but they remain unaware of the wasteful nature of the so called "investments." For instance, the feds spent $85 million last year and—and $834 million over 10 years—just to subsidize snacks on the government rail system, Amtrak.

In Amtrak snack cars, hamburgers go for $9.75 but cost taxpayers $16 thanks to lavish labor contracts. Does it really make sense to borrow nearly a billion dollars more from China to subsidize burgers and fries for Joe Biden and other Amtrak passengers?

Meanwhile, we'll waste another $16 billion in the next 10 years to finance useless new rail projects like the unpopular commuter line in Honolulu. With spending up 71 percent more than inflation since 1992, the federal money express has become a runaway train.

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Comments (12)


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  • cigarfan wrote...
    U.S. Taxpayer Billions to Israel for Wars ?
    October 29, 2012 4:15 pm
    Let's cut the US taxpayer aid to Israel so we can help Amtrak riding Americans. Good idea Michael!
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  • SeattleD wrote...
    I have no problem ending subsidies.
    October 29, 2012 6:22 pm
    Let's start with subsidies to oil companies. Oh, and make Dumney promise not to subsidize coal burning power plants just because they can't compete in the capitalistic market place with cheaper, cleaner natural gas power plants. (but he loves coal soooo much...)
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  • SeattleNative wrote...
    And yet, SeattleD....
    October 29, 2012 8:42 pm
    ...Obama wasted billions on his "green energy" initiative. Such as the $20 million he blew in Seattle on a program that promised to create 2,000 "living wage" jobs, but in the end only created 14.

    But what else would you expect from an amateur who has absolutely zero investment experience.

    CHOOM GANG!

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  • Cigarillo wrote...
    Opportunity Rears It's Pretty Head
    October 29, 2012 8:59 pm
    $9.75 and it's probably a pretty mediocre burger. I wonder how long I could get away with a black market barbeque ring on Amtrak.
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    Medved and the Pentagon
    October 30, 2012 12:48 am
    Medved complains about the common traveler having to pay $9 for a burger, yet would gladly pay trillions for WMD. I'll take a burger any day over the real corruption of what Eisenhower warned about -with the Military indu$trial complex.
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  • Cigarillo wrote...
    @Friend of Stoagies
    October 30, 2012 8:02 am
    Granted, watching for waste and fraud is important, I get the feeling that you don't believe that the primary duty of the Federal Government is the common defense.
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    @Cigarillo
    October 30, 2012 1:05 pm
    Defense is one thing, Imperialism is another. The trick is to grasp what Eisenhower was cautioning Americans about. War becomes the means to an economy when citizens provide tacit approval -by voting for aggression.
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  • Cigarillo wrote...
    @Cigsy
    October 30, 2012 10:18 pm
    You and that goofball Chomsky with the "imperialism" thing. If only we'd do imperialism right and bring home more spoils, we'd be responding to one another on much cooler computers. Instead we do "police actions" that get us nothing but hated and too select a few fatter.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Scratch that idea, Cigi -
    October 30, 2012 7:10 am
    It's a union shop -

    And they've got goons.

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