High-speed rail can't have strings attached

President Obama, through his teleprompter, has proclaimed $8 billion will be spent on regional high speed rail transportation.

I support the idea of regional high speed rail. There is, however, a connection between the recent tea parties and spending for such things as high speed rail. Many of the so-called mainstream media portrayed the tea party protesters as not being very patriotic with their protestations.

In particular, a CNN reporter engaged in a debate instead of a report with a local Chicagoan at the Federal Plaza here. She pointed out to her interviewee that Illinois would be receiving money from the "stimulus" program and he would be receiving tax rebate money.

She was clueless. Even the much respected Chicago TV anchor, Ron Majors, told WLS radio he thought the CNN reporter to be out of line.

High speed rail can be financed by getting rid of Amtrak's obscenely subsidized long distance rail routes and systemwide union rules. Some 12 years ago, 11 Amtrak long distance routes were analyzed by a group called The Public Purpose. Most of these routes, as they do today, emanated from Chicago.

Each boarding passenger on average for these routes was subsidized to the tune of $321. On average the subsidy alone was 1.17 times greater in cost than if each passenger had rented a car for the trip and paid for gas for seven days.

I doubt any of these facts have changed in 12 years. If anything the numbers have gotten worse.

Additionally, when high speed rail comes, will we be subjected to the same absurd Amtrak union rules and policies we have today? Don't count on some of our local representatives such as: Melissa Bean, Jan Schakowsky, Dick Durbin and, of course, "honest" Roland Burris, to help us in this area.

The probable handling of the Obama high speed rail program is among a myriad reasons common folk who rarely if ever protest on streets anywhere came to the fore nationwide to attend tea parties.

Bob Schayer

Lake Zurich