Letters: Secretary Buttigieg, Amtrak riders deserve consideration

We’re doing our part to deliver the best aviation system in the world, writes Secretary of Transportation and former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg (Tribune, June 4). Meanwhile, Amtrak riders face deteriorating and erratic service. On a recent trip to Portland, Oregon, my wife and I were forced to become airline passengers when our trip back to Chicago was canceled because of an ongoing equipment shortage.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law set aside more money to improve Amtrak service than ever before, including for the long-distance trains. But Amtrak management hasn’t gotten the message. During the pandemic, it cut long-distance service drastically, storing the unused equipment without maintaining it. Amtrak, either by design or incompetence, still hasn’t restored its long-distance fleet. The Chicago-Washington, D.C. Capitol Limited, once a premier train, often runs with one sleeper, a diner-lounge and a single coach. In Buttigieg’s former hometown, the station is unstaffed, so passengers can’t buy tickets or check bags.

As it stands, Amtrak management seems poised to kill its national network before the infrastructure law can improve it. Please, Mr. Secretary, give some consideration to Amtrak passengers.

Stephen Wylder

Elkhart

Focused on the future

Credit unions became common during the Great Depression when people needed an alternative to the failing banking industry. In 1931, a group of teachers came together to found Teachers Credit Union to help each other make ends meet.

Since then, credit unions have become community institutions. Nearly a century later, TCU is Indiana’s largest credit union and a source of strength for people and businesses from all walks of life.

Today, people take pride in their hometown, recognize that local businesses are the lifeblood of the economy, and go the extra mile to help their neighbors. To continue supporting our members, we are re-founding our brand — as Everwise Credit Union.

Everwise better reflects our mission to empower and serve all people, no matter their background.

The credit union system began with the idea that people can build a better life as a community. Today, our credit union has never been stronger. With more than 300,000 members and nearly $5 billion in assets, we will continue to create a future where everyone has the ability to grow into their dreams.

Jason M. Osterhag

President & CEO, Teachers Credit Union

Special deal

So Fortech of Seymour, Indiana, wants to create special editions of an assault-type rifle and sell them at half price to only Republican legislators in Indiana.

Let’s see: They give these cheap guns just to Republicans, many of whom are pro-gun, and those legislators will then supposedly be more inclined to vote in favor of looser gun laws, so Fortech can then sell more guns. Kind of transparent, it seems to me.

They can waltz around with fancy steps about how many times you need to pull the trigger to kill more kids and other red herrings, but the overall plan is very hard to hide.

Wayne La Pierre of the NRA claims more guns equals less shooting. Yeah, and more mosquitos equals less malaria. So how can he explain the indisputable fact that gun ownership has skyrocketed recently, and so have gun deaths? I’d love to hear their fancy talk get around that one.

For shame. I certainly hope those legislators who actually have spines will not fall for this outrage and refuse the offer. For those that do accept it I urge outing their spinelessness and greed, and seeming approval of shooting children.

Tuck Langland

Elkhart

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Amtrak riders need your help