Quote:
Originally Posted by kindlekitten
the government didn't give us the air travel system, just the guidelines. also the government is not involved with the current rail system (except forthrowing a bunch of money at AMTRAK awhile back), I don't know why you put the onus on them. both freight and passenger are privatized
|
Because both are regulated by government agencies who set the guidelines, and have a hand in guiding transit systems, incentivizing and/or subsidizing commercial efforts, or creating them themselves if private organizations don't follow through.
The government could have stepped in and taken over AMTRAK longer-term, developing it into a world-class system nationwide. It might not have been the most short-term economical thing to do at the time, but it was the most long-term economical thing to do, and the most logical.
But with airlines already flying, and the public willing to fly 'em, they didn't see the need, didn't want to spend the money, and let it go.
One of government's jobs is to do the things the people need, but won't do for themselves. I'm not saying the government is solely, directly responsible for the U.S. having no good train system. But they should have put forth much more effort to make sure we'd have one.