Tom: Seriously, do you get into the airport with 5 minutes to spare? Think about all the time you waste in the airport. It turns a 1 hour flight into 3 hours if you include sitting around at the airport.

Sorry Lou, but last year the Fed dropped $8 Billion of our Federal Income Tax dollars into the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) to keep it from going bankrupt, that’s a subsidy since even those who don’t own cars saw their money go into the HTF. The HTF, which is funded via the Federal fuel tax, pays for the bulk of our Interstate Highway System’s (IHS) repairs and expansions.

It was estimated early last year, before the high gas prices last summer drove the fuel tax revenues down even futher, that the HTF will need a $9 Billion subsidy this year and next. Comes 2011 & 2012, that number jumps to $12 Billion, unless Congress raises the fuel taxes and soon.

Even worse is the fact that the current 5 year plan authorized by Congress that we’re operating under, was $79 Billion less than the DOT estimated it actually needed to maintain a state of good repair to the IHS. And that was before a bridge on I-35 in Minneapolis-St Paul fell into a river over a year ago, which set of a flurry of bridge inspections that found Billions more work that is needed.

Then we come to the Stimulus package which also has funding for highways, in addition to high speed rail, yet another subsidy. And many also consider the bailout to the Detroit automakers yet another subsidy.

Lou wrote: “The airports are subsidized by the Government and the Airlines pay for the use of the airport.”

If the airlines paid for the full value of their use of the airports, then the airports would not need a government subsidy. Of course if the airlines did that, they’d be bankrupt too. By the way, We The People also watched as just shy of $1 Billion of our Federal income tax dollars was dumped into the FAA to support airline operations. Heck, we even pay companies to fly almost empty airplanes into small airports around the country. The program is called EAS, Essential Air Service.

Lou wrote: “When we get on the highway, freeway, beltway, whatever, it is free or there may be a small toll charge. When you use Amtrak it is NOT free. That is the difference. Why not make it free? like the highway system?”

The highways aren’t free, you’re paying via the fuel tax, even though you, I, and the rest of America aren’t paying enough via the fuel tax.

Lou wrote: “Amtrak’s board of directors is appointed by the President, and the DOT holds the majority of STOCK. I personally find that interesting. That is why they need to make money…because it is a business.”

What other company sees it’s board appointed by only one person? What other company can basically ignore State laws? What other company pays no property taxes, state income taxes, state sales taxes?

Amtrak is a company in name only, and the only reason for that is to allow our politicians to be able to point at it’s company status to avoid blame for any problems or failures.