Privitize Amtrak!

"Amtrak has consumed almost $40 billion in federal subsidies since 1971, but has never earned a profit, and most of its routes lose money running empty trains. In addition, federal reports reveal that Amtrak regularly loses tens of millions of dollars on food sales and improper payments." - Washington Times

Amtrak wastes millions of dollars in taxpayer dollars annually and judging by the number of people killed and injured this week I am guessing that it has safety issues.  Why should this be a surprise?  Amtrak is a government controlled entity. It has no competition. It operates in a politicized, subsidized, government bubble. Amtrak is ObamaCare on rails. No matter how much waste, corruption, and death Amtrak delivers no taxpayer will be left behind when it comes to pouring good money after bad into this poster child of government bureaucratic waste.

I say, privatize Amtrak. Eliminate all the government subsidies, handouts, oversight, price controls, intervention, and barriers to competition. Allow Amtrak to succeed or fail based on the value it can create for society rather than on the profit it currently creates for politicians and special interests. Take Amtrak away from self-serving bureaucrats and let it compete with other forms of transportation on a level playing field.  Private sector competition will force Amtrak to lead the way to safer, more efficient, and innovative transportation in the service of society or or else get out of the way for someone who will.

Mark Van Schuyver