Does anyone realized who paid for the trains that run across our nation?
The taxpayer.
Lincoln was instrumental (having been a employee of the railroads for years) in getting legislation passed to have the land allocated for the railroads and for public funds to assist in their construction.
Loudly proclaiming such things as “manifest destiny”, the rails were laid from one end of the continent to the other and the native populations were decimated at public expense.
Once the rails were complete, do you think the taxpayers got any further benefits? [It is the same with toll roads today. Public funds build them and we continue to pay forever.]
There were many great wealthy families that came out of this era all boosted to the pinnacle of wealth on the back of the taxpayers.
There seems something inherently wrong with the system we have created in America where one group of people can exist by a separate set of rules on the lifeblood of the other classes.
Certainly, there is still mobility. There are still enterprising men and women who have moved from the lower or middle classes to the rarified atmosphere of the wealthy. But not everyone has that opportunity.
Nor do a lot of people really want that sort of lifestyle.
Really.
In fact, I would say most people do not want that sort of lifestyle. Most people simply want enough to keep them and theirs happy and healthy. Most people want to feel needed and that they can be productive.
And none of that requires millions or billions of dollars.
Left to their own devices, most people would continue their search in life for productivity and happiness.
Unfortunately, the squeeze by the extremely wealthy for more and more and more is making it extremely difficult for many.
Really, the insanity must cease.
the Wains 