Cong. John Mica lost House, considered for transportation secretary

[WoodyinNYC]

I know that this is not a political site. And not much need to discuss this topic.

But I expect that members will be interested in the news that Amtrak won't have John Mica to kick it around any more.

 

[The Chief]

Good luck catchin' a train going home to Florida, Mr. ex-Chairman.

House Transportation Committee.

https://t.co/o1Ci7TEgi7

https://t.co/4y8GZeNdyZ

https://t.co/9QKIbyEJFw

 

[TinCan782]

"Ding dong, the witch is dead"

 

[Ziv]

I am pretty conservative, and I have to admit I was happy to see that Mica will probably lose. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

So we've got one bit of good news out of Florida tonight...

 

[MikefromCrete]

Roll out those new diners! Seriously, I'm not sure how Amtrak will fare under a new administration, but it has lost its biggest critic in Congress.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

With Mica out and President-Elect Trump in, it will be an amazing time for Amtrak as he has made infrastructure rebuilding a key task.

 

[neroden]

I think Mica was the only one who was obsessed about food pricing, so maybe we can go back to rational commercial operations when it comes to Amtrak food?

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

With Mica out and President-Elect Trump in, it will be an amazing time for Amtrak as he has made infrastructure rebuilding a key task.

I hope you're right, but I am a little concerned with the complete Republican government. Maybe with Trump's support, he can sway some in Congress to support increased funding.

 

[Palmetto]

With Mica out and President-Elect Trump in, it will be an amazing time for Amtrak as he has made infrastructure rebuilding a key task.

That is wonderful as long as "infrastructure" does not equal "roads and bridges only".

 

[pennyk]

Please keep comments in this thread on the topic of John Mica's Congressional race. Thank you.

 

[OBS]

A free dining car meal for everyone!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Bill Shuster won reelection handily so I'm not sure why we're so excited about John Mica being replaced. Not to mention the humongous elephant in the room that we're not allowed to discuss. Looks as though Amtrak Unlimited is every bit as irrationally exuberant today as it has ever been.

 

[tommylicious]

WIth this sweep of government, Amtrak could likely be no more.

 

[the_traveler]

AU is not stifling your right to discuss the election results at all.

Since this forum is Amtrak related, and Mica was a strong opponent of Amtrak, this is Amtrak related. But you are free to discuss any election results or other issues.

If it is not directly Amtrak related, please feel free to discuss it in the "Random Discussion" forum. Thank you.

 

[dlagrua]

I fail to see why the subject of Amtrak is sometimes judged as a partisan issue. Amtrak is there to serve the American people. Serving the American people should be in the interest of both parties. I just never understood where John Mica's interests were and I am glad that he is gone. The populist president elect must now be held to his promise to rebuild our passenger rail infrastructure.

 

[seat38a]

With Mica out and President-Elect Trump in, it will be an amazing time for Amtrak as he has made infrastructure rebuilding a key task.

Or he could privatize the NEC, and the rest of the system out. I'm just not sure which direction the national system might go. At least it is good to know that the CA corridor trains are shielded from anything that goes on nationally.

 

[A Voice]

Bill Shuster won reelection handily so I'm not sure why we're so excited about John Mica being replaced. Not to mention the humongous elephant in the room that we're not allowed to discuss. Looks as though Amtrak Unlimited is every bit as irrationally exuberant today as it has ever been.

Who is Bill Shuster? Never heard of him; Has he been as much an outspoken and unreasonable critic of Amtrak as John Mica?

Roll out those new diners! Seriously, I'm not sure how Amtrak will fare under a new administration, but it has lost its biggest critic in Congress.

Indeed. Now we'll see how much influence Mr. Mica really had. He technically had no more power (committee assignment aside, perhaps) than the most junior member, but again he did have influence that came with his position. Conspiracy theories abound about his having 'direct contact' with Amtrak executives; If that holds even a shred of truth, he had greatly overstepped his bounds.

WIth this sweep of government, Amtrak could likely be no more.

No. Amtrak's support has always been in Congress, even with the same party holding the Presidency and both houses.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

WIth this sweep of government, Amtrak could likely be no more.

+1

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

I fail to see why the subject of Amtrak is sometimes judged as a partisan issue. Amtrak is there to serve the American people. Serving the American people should be in the interest of both parties. I just never understood where John Mica's interests were and I am glad that he is gone. The populist president elect must now be held to his promise to rebuild our passenger rail infrastructure.

Or the "angry American" people who helped elect Trump, view Amtrak as a special-interest folly, and it will be killed off quickly (faster than Obama-care).

 

[A Voice]

I fail to see why the subject of Amtrak is sometimes judged as a partisan issue. Amtrak is there to serve the American people. Serving the American people should be in the interest of both parties. I just never understood where John Mica's interests were and I am glad that he is gone. The populist president elect must now be held to his promise to rebuild our passenger rail infrastructure.

Or the "angry American" people who helped elect Trump, view Amtrak as a special-interest folly, and it will be killed off quickly (faster than Obama-care).

Again, no.

I understand that some people here may be upset their candidate lost, but can we please stop with the nonsense?

 

[CoachSlumber]

Good that Mica is gone but Amtrak could be toast. He was not alone in his antipathy for it. Trump is likely to go along with the fairly tale that Amtrak could be "sold" and run privately. But there is still the factor of all the Republican districts and states that Amtrak routes run through.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

I fail to see why the subject of Amtrak is sometimes judged as a partisan issue. Amtrak is there to serve the American people. Serving the American people should be in the interest of both parties. I just never understood where John Mica's interests were and I am glad that he is gone. The populist president elect must now be held to his promise to rebuild our passenger rail infrastructure.

Or the "angry American" people who helped elect Trump, view Amtrak as a special-interest folly, and it will be killed off quickly (faster than Obama-care).

Again, no.

I understand that some people here may be upset their candidate lost, but can we please stop with the nonsense?

Why no?

I don't see even a slightest hint that anyone who's now headed to Washington, has any interest at all in Amtrak. The talk about transit and infrastructure has never mentioned Amtrak by name (not like there are too many different LD train companies in America to remember all their names).

Its total fantasy to think that Amtrak has gotten any kind of clear-track-ahead signal by anyone.

 

[west point]

Since Trump appears to not have gotten as many popular votes as opponent he may know that he has to work for all Americans ?

 

[CCC1007]

I fail to see why the subject of Amtrak is sometimes judged as a partisan issue. Amtrak is there to serve the American people. Serving the American people should be in the interest of both parties. I just never understood where John Mica's interests were and I am glad that he is gone. The populist president elect must now be held to his promise to rebuild our passenger rail infrastructure.

Or the "angry American" people who helped elect Trump, view Amtrak as a special-interest folly, and it will be killed off quickly (faster than Obama-care).

Again, no.

I understand that some people here may be upset their candidate lost, but can we please stop with the nonsense?

Why no?
I don't see even a slightest hint that anyone who's now headed to Washington, has any interest at all in Amtrak. The talk about transit and infrastructure has never mentioned Amtrak by name (not like there are too many different LD train companies in America to remember all their names).

Its total fantasy to think that Amtrak has gotten any kind of clear-track-ahead signal by anyone.

It is also by the very nature of your argument that Amtrak might be left alone since they don't quite know what it is and does.