Actually constructive debate about why Augusta is "scarcely going to use it" has been derailed. A stretch of track, the history of why Amtrak came into being, was washed out, and a pile of political obstruction was dumped on the right of way.
It is surely in the public interest to develop a "rational approach" to create a commonsense passenger rail system. The Democratic co-sponsor of the laest bill provided sound reasons for doing so. The Republican co-sponsor wrote "Providing transportation infrastructure is a basic function of government ... not to make a profit, but to serve commerce."
Now is the time for someone to speak up for Augusta, and get this great city of the future back onto the map of America's railroad passenger system.
Ronald F. Dick, Wagener, S.C.
