Did they cut your bus route? (Chicago: neighborhood, construction, subsidized)

[j33]

I'm a pretty liberal person but I'm beginning to understand why my uncle who lives in New England once joked that 'Daley made him a republican' (he worked for the city briefly during the reign of Daley the 1st). However, I still don't trust 'em, I have this fear that if they were in power public transportation would be destroyed that much quicker (and of course on a federal level they scare the hell out of me).

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by j33

I'm a pretty liberal person but I'm beginning to understand why my uncle who lives in New England once joked that 'Daley made him a republican' (he worked for the city briefly during the reign of Daley the 1st). However, I still don't trust 'em, I have this fear that if they were in power public transportation would be destroyed that much quicker (and of course on a federal level they scare the hell out of me).

i know. way to feel powerless, huh?

[PAKennedy]

Originally Posted by j33

However, I still don't trust 'em, I have this fear that if they were in power public transportation would be destroyed that much quicker (and of course on a federal level they scare the hell out of me).

Well Chicago is a socially liberal city and as a major American cosmopolitan city, it has to be. Chicago conservatives are not of the same breed as southern or less urban midwestern conservatives. Basically, what I've noticed is that fiscal policies are the defining differences between the parties in Chicago. As a political science and economic major, but also a moderate conservative hoping to get involved in Chicago politics, I feel that a socially tolerant, economically insightful conservative decision maker is what the current situation calls for. Regardless who the challenger to the incumbent of the Daley Empire is, correcting CTA situation will be the platform that will win it for them and should be the focus of the next generation of Chicago politics. Conservative fiscal policy leaves room for spending, but only through carefully thought out and weighed decisions. The CTA deficit is one that would be profitable to not only fix, but correct for the long term and I can't see any reason why either party wouldn't have addressed this by now. The democratic majority representation has really let a good part of the population down and probably equates to political suicide. Other than looking for a way out of getting their names on the reelection ballots, this defies all political reason and theory.

Also, I think that there are some misconceptions of conservatives on a federal level. George Bush's actions in the last 6 years are poor examples of those a modern conservative would make, and probably the result of overzealous implementation of the advise of a screwy cabinet.

Generally conservatives forego federal size for more power to the states, reduce spending and tend to practice somewhat of an isolationist foreign policy outside of situations (usually atrocities) that the populous calls for action on.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by PAKennedy

Generally conservatives forego federal size for more power to the states, reduce spending and tend to practice somewhat of an isolationist foreign policy outside of situations (usually atrocities) that the populous calls for action on.

Those were the conservative ideals I was raised on, but I must say I see none of that these days. The moment Christianity got wrapped up in everything about the Republican party, things changed fast. I guess it's pretty hard to give power to the states when you are dead set on telling women what they can do with their bodies or telling people who they can marry.

Not trying to start a debate on either of those issues- just suggesting that whether anyone likes it or not, if you take the conservatives that's what you get these days.

[mdz]

the topic is the bus route, please don't turn this into another liberal vs. conservative thread. thanks

[Chicago60614]

The last big cuts were in 1997, when the city was really just starting to boom after a pretty much 40 year fizzle.

It was just kinda "another thing to add to the list of Chicago stumbling".

Today though, the city is MUCH healthier than it's been in decades, crime is down and people are moving to the city along with massive new development. The city can't afford these cuts, which are just MASSIVE.

Also, the cuts in 1997 were to deal with the fact that service over the past few decades had decreased by 4%, which ridership was down over 30%. People didn't want the cuts, but it was gettting to the point that a lot of routes and busses were just pushing out a lot more service than was really needed.

Ridership has been up for years now, and there is no common sense reason to cut anything like there was to a point in 1997. The business leaders downtown would stand up on that first day and tell the city/state to get itself together and fix this IMMEDIATELY. I'm pretty sure the city would be in gridlock and a LOOOOT of people would be late for work, if they even get there at all.

Not to mention in January Metra would start losing some service (i think) and raising fares by quite a bit. Once those rich suburban people are feeling a pinch, wheels will start turning.

[scarletneon]

apparently the "new and improved" [/sarcasm] Doomsday will be January 20:
savechicagolandtransit.com | planned cta, metra, and pace service cuts and higher fares (broken link)

so instead of it happening in parts, it will happen ALL AT ONCE.
In January.
when it's nice and frigid.

I hope everyone realizes this will effect everyone, including drivers, especially when you throw Metra in the mix.

Oh, and just wait until baseball season, when the Cubs games will be REALLY fun to get to with the missing regular Addison bus. I used to ride home in a bus packed like sardines on game days. Who knows what they'll do.

[j33]

I know the 56 runs along the Blue Line, but just today I rode that bus and it was packed to the gills, as was the bus running directly behind it, we left several people standing angrily at bus stops, people were sneaking in the back doors, and there was a guy sitting on top the luggage area because there was no more space ... and this is how it is almost every morning that I take it during rush hour. I can't imagine what would happen if they cut that bus.

... and that is just one of the 82 bus routes slated to be axed.

[scarletneon]

yeah. it's a scary thing to think about.

i think come spring i will be buying a bike whether i think i can ride in traffic or not.

[j33]

I have a bike, I ride it a fair amount already, I also know that it only takes about an hour to walk 3 1/2 to work, so who knows ... I might just have that same hour long commute everyone else complains about soon.