SC Politics

A Stronger Rail Network Is a Win for South Carolina’s Economy

“The combined rail system would offer the reliability our business community has been asking for…”

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by NATHAN BALLENTINE *** For as long as I’ve served in the South Carolina House, I’ve beli
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7 comments

? December 13, 2025 at 8:25 am

How much money has Nathan accepted from Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, or RR trade groups?

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John D December 13, 2025 at 8:55 am

If Nathan is for it, the large corporations and rich people (and their lobbyist) have signed of on it.
On behalf of the 1%, I thank Nathan Ballentine. And children and our children’s children do too!

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Anonymous December 13, 2025 at 12:48 pm

More on growing govt from the RINO caucus

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PGT Beauregard III Top fan December 15, 2025 at 1:16 pm

In other words, bend over, the mega-merger creating essentially a near monopoly on rail traffic will hold South Carolinians hostage on freight rates and simultaneously force taxpayers to pay for improvements to the property Union Pacific will use to ship good into and out of South Carolina.

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Bill Sandifer's Panamanian Hooker Top fan December 15, 2025 at 8:25 pm

No jurisdiction over this situation, or experience in the industry whatsoever, but I think it’s a great thing! Here’s not bad written by someone else and signed by my secretary

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Mike Behnke Top fan December 16, 2025 at 9:25 am

The statement that the merger will create better efficiency may be theoretically true, look at history for the true long term effects for the citizens.

John D. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil that grew into a near monopoly that controlled the retail price of gas and oil. Antitrust laws forced Standard Oil be broken up in 1911 resulting in competition and lowering prices for consumers.

As far as increasing the size of the company, has a large government bureaucracy increased efficiency for the citizens? Increased size doesn’t necessarily result in increased efficiency. The larger an organization becomes, the more invisible and apathetic, an employee can become, resulting in decreased efficiency.

Just because a train could travel coast to coast on one rail line also does not necessarily increase efficiency. A train still has to stop for crew changes as they reach maximum operating hours. There are refueling and maintenance stops. Then there are stops along the way to add or drop off cars for the various final destination of every individual car on a specific train.

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Informatika December 24, 2025 at 4:04 am

What are the main reasons the author gives for why a stronger, unified rail network is important to South Carolina’s economic competitiveness?

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