As an American I have faith in our country’s ability to survive its politics, whether they are the ones I like or the ones I don’t like. The system may be messy, it may be corrupt, it may smell bad, but it is in tact, and more importantly, it still represents us asa people because as a people, we are often messy, corrupt, and smell bad. From our own personal flaws, our occasional laziness, our slothfulness and gluttony, our dysfunctional families, our unwillingness to admit when we are wrong, our shady business men, big and small, our questionable advertising tactics, fibbing on taxes, keeping that incorrect change the clerk gave you, calling in sick when you aren’t really sick, infidelity, the list goes on and on and on, we Americans are not the pure wholesome fresh scrubbed bunch of folks we like to pretend we are, and everyone here knows it. So, if our politics seem a little shady, well there’s your representative gub’mint. And, Anniebanannie, do you reeeeeaally care that much about who amtrak markets to? I mean really is that all it takes for you to go into a pearl clutching, broach grabbing tizzy? Or do you just wanna be nasty to people for the sake of bein’ nasty to people?

To that I said: yes we do.

Where did I say all taxpayer had to agree on everything? I said that WE GET TO SAY WHAT WE THINK!

If every single taxpayer had to agree with programs, we’d have no government whatsoever. Unless you’re going to tell me all the programs that both Code Pink and the Westboro Baptist Church want to fund.

Here’s a clue for ya – every tax payer, in fact every citizen, has a right to say where the tax money is spent. Sorry to deflate your ego, but the citizenry of this country IS THE BOSS, not the elected officials spending the cash.

Actually, again I have to bring a little reality to your fantasyland. You see we all pay taxes and we all pay taxes on and for things that we don’t agree with. You don’t get to itemize where your money goes.

There’s a broader concept at work. We all pay, we all pay for things we don’t like or agree with, and in return, other people also pay for things they don’t like, but that we do agree with. This is based on faith on compromise. People who see things only in black and white or absolutes have a difficult time with this.

You are not the “boss” of where every dime of your tax dollars go. You never have been and you never will be. Its about faith and community.

I think what you really wanted was to use an obscure word in your post.

“Grow up. ” Stated after an immature rant about the faults of others.

For decades, Amtrak has not only advertised to but offered a *multitude of discounts to* traveling families, kids, working women, the disabled, the military, the hispanic community, the african american community, and sports fans. About the only marketing group they haven’t advertised too, and certainly haven’t offered discounts to, is the lgbt community. So now, after nearly 40 years of catering to everyone but, its suddenly a big deal? Please.

And Amtrak is actually mistaken if they think that gays either have more money or travel more than other americans. Its nothing but a common misconception and stereotype advanced by madison avenue marketing types who are insulated from reality outside of new york city.

So cut the martyr crap and quit acting like crybabies. if you are straight, married, and have kids, you live in a society that is and has been set up to cater to your every need for the past 300 years. If you, with all that help, still can’t make it, then its your fault not the fault of some group who makes up a small niche of the population.
you folks who blather on and on about personal responsibility never want to take any for yourselves. You poor poor put upon little babies. Grow up.

But then they will LOSE the business of people who do not want to deal with the sight of people like this all over each other…and that’s OUR call.

We’ll see how which one will have more of an effect.

The market will rule eventually.