Train Day 2011…

It’s National Train Day,  and what better way to celebrate than to review the  government-run disaster  that is Amtrak.  As Tom Schatz so succinctly puts it,  40 years, $40 billion.

Amtrak’s Biden station…

The Veep is a big supporter of Amtrak,  which just happened to name the station old Joe uses after him — not that the loser company was trying to curry favor after he got it a big chunk of stimulus money.  The CEO’s train died  on the way to the naming ceremony, and he was forced to use alternative means of transportation,  known to us unwashed masses as a car.

The Biden station  upgrade project got $20 million in stimulus funding,  but came in $5.7 million over the initial announced budget.  Gee,  who could have guessed?

Where stimulus has gone…

A GAO survey of 16 states and the District of Columbia show that 90% of the stimulus funds spent so far have gone toward bailouts for fiscally irresponsible state governments.

So much for new jobs and infrastructure…

Thus far,  the stimulus has just allowed  states to postpone reality and the hard choices which come with it.     It amounts to government-sponsored bribery and vote-buying  —  in other words,  politics as usual,  with an extra dose of Chicago.     Even CNN admits it!

For an example of the supreme  senselessness of the stimulus,  check out New Hampshire,  where $413.6 million has created 50 jobs,  34 of them full time.   Do the math — and curse!

Or see how stimulus dollars will be used to water a golf course,  obviously such an important part of infrastructure,  don’t you think?  If that doesn’t make your head explode,  see what the perennial black hole known as Amtrak is doing with its $1.3 billion in stimulus money,  except that an inspector general has charged Amtrak with obstructing oversight of its stimulus spending.