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I have not been aware of anyone forced to own an automobile.
Of course not, because people have the option (sometimes) to take the public transit. But you're morally opposed to public transit so you obviously want everyone to be forced to own automobiles. Or (more likely) you haven't thought your conservative ideology through.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roadking2003
No, we don't know anything of the sort.
Private rail companies were run out of business by government regulations, absurd union rules and automobiles. 100 years ago the government controlled rail ticket prices then the automobile became a reality. Then union rules kept productivity very very low and governments beat them to death with high taxes.
If we had a free market today, private rail systems could be very successful.
So private rail will work now because... automobiles have become less popular than fifty years ago?
Of course not, because people have the option (sometimes) to take the public transit. But you're morally opposed to public transit so you obviously want everyone to be forced to own automobiles. Or (more likely) you haven't thought your conservative ideology through.
I do not "obviously want everyone to be forced to own automobiles." I wouldn't even say that I am "morally opposed to public transit." Show me the quote where I said either.
The only thing not thought through here is your mistaken belief that you have the ability to read minds over the internet.
I do not "obviously want everyone to be forced to own automobiles." I wouldn't even say that I am "morally opposed to public transit." Show me the quote where I said either.
The only thing not thought through here is your mistaken belief that you have the ability to read minds over the internet.
You wouldn't want to force everyone to own automodiles, but you are not concerned if that is the only option for commuting if privatized public transit is unprofitable and has to shut down. Granted one could still walk provided they live within walking distance and have a safe, realistic walking path....which would also cost the public money.
You wouldn't want to force everyone to own automodiles, but you are not concerned if that is the only option for commuting if privatized public transit is unprofitable and has to shut down. Granted one could still walk provided they live within walking distance and have a safe, realistic walking path....which would also cost the public money.
I would be a huge proponent of the realistic walking path. I would vote for it. Where I live, everything is within walking/running distance, and I like it that way.
I am also fully on record as being against forcing anyone to buy a car. I leave that kind of individual mandate (ObamaCar?) to Democrats.
Nice try. But you can't develop both sides of a debate. The way it works is you develop your side and I develop mine.
Well then you guys develop your side beyond TRAINS BAD BUS BAD LIBERALS BAD and figure out how people should actually get to work in your libertopia, and I wouldn't have to.
Well then you guys develop your side beyond TRAINS BAD BUS BAD LIBERALS BAD and figure out how people should actually get to work in your libertopia, and I wouldn't have to.
No form of transportation is bad. Whatever the market demands is good. Just get government out of the picture. Let railroads pay their employees market based wages, etc. For example, stop requiring railroads to provide six years severance.
The market is quite capable of determining the best transportation solutions. Central planning never works.
No form of transportation is bad. Whatever the market demands is good. Just get government out of the picture. Let railroads pay their employees market based wages, etc. For example, stop requiring railroads to provide six years severance.
The market is quite capable of determining the best transportation solutions. Central planning never works.
Counterpoint: central planning frequently works and the market often fails. See: every depression/recession, every bankruptcy, the previous time we had private transit which is what we were talking about, health insurance, the environment, food safety. Claiming that railroad/other businesses would work if only we allowed them to keep their workers in virtual slavery is A) not true, and B) a terrible idea even if it were.
I would be a huge proponent of the realistic walking path. I would vote for it. Where I live, everything is within walking/running distance, and I like it that way.
I am also fully on record as being against forcing anyone to buy a car. I leave that kind of individual mandate (ObamaCar?) to Democrats.
Well that is good, we should be making everywhere more walkable so that people always have that option. No more sprawling suburbs with no sidewalks and dangerous intersections to cross.
Of course not, because people have the option (sometimes) to take the public transit. But you're morally opposed to public transit so you obviously want everyone to be forced to own automobiles. Or (more likely) you haven't thought your conservative ideology through.
So private rail will work now because... automobiles have become less popular than fifty years ago?
Depends on location really. In the northeast, AMTRACK is profitable, and only loses money on the whole because it is forced to subsidize underutilized and money-losing routes in other parts of the country. Similarly, the NYC subway runs roughly at break-even -- if the MTA wasn't so overpaid relative to similar private-sector workers it would be hugely profitable (or you could lower fares). Go out into the 'burbs and private bus lines aggressively compete with the public ones.
Privatized public transit works if there is sufficient density to support it.
There's a good argument in support of publicly funded public transport because of the positive externalities it produces, but the value of those and then some can also be lost if it is administered too inefficiently. The private sector will invest too little, the public sector will do a really bad job of administration and resource allocation, there's a balance to be struck in supporting public investment where the opportunity for positive externalities are the greatest and privatizing public routes where administrative malfunction has gotten the worst and is intractable under the local government.
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