"...I find it hard to place my own convenience as a passenger above this right..."

Darn it, Rich, you just simply have not yet learned to be selfish enough!

FWIW, my limited recollection and understanding of the R.L.A. is that it dates back to when the rails where really the rails, and we were collectively so very interdependent on them. The purpose was to insure both our National security and the economic security of other unrelated businesses. Otherwise innocent folks completely unrelated to the matters at hand might be seriously, even irreparably injured! Thus, historically, ie before the emergance of our "new economy", one sought a confirmation of any increase and new high in the DJIA by an attendant new high also being reached in the transportation index - the rails! If companies were gonna' make so much money producing things, then by God the Railroads would be making more money movin' the stuff! Of course now the US doesn't produce or export all that much - except for movies!

I do remember, as a child, my dad would often save/bank all his vacation time for an upcoming strike threat so as to try to avoid irritating and alienating top management by not going in and also other workers by crossing any picket lines on the way on! Those were not our most fun vacations!


And also insofar as a low point in American democracy not equalled until this past December, I would also take the opportunity to remind folks of the incredibly unjust mass interrment of the Japanese during WWII. When I first learned of this, I literally could not believe that our "wonderful" government could actually, in their infinite wisdom, have done this to them!

As good as we generally have been, relative to many other governments, we have surely had our share of VERY dark moments!

On the plus side, even with Wubya in charge, the future looks bright!