The video description says: Moore proves he is a complete 100% nut job! Wants humans to stop driving cars and take mass transit!
Do you agree? Personally, I dislike mass transit. If it was more convenient, more widespread, and frankly, cleaner, I'd consider it. If it was free (or dirt cheap), I'd consider it, too. But even under the best of circumstances, you spend more time waiting for your ride, and longer getting to where you're going, than you do in your own car. In places like southern California, the main means of "mass transit" are bus lines, and if you've ever attempted to make it somewhere in a timely manner by bus, you'll know the utter hassle involved in simply using the system.
Generally, you have to take more than a single bus, and it can sometimes take hours to get to a destination that might have taken you less than 30 minutes by hopping in your car (yes, hopping in your car might seem strange, but it helps pass the time while you're driving).
There's this new guy at work, and as we were leaving for the weekend on Friday, he had his backpack on and told me he had to walk to the bus stop. He had his iPod with him for the ride (or rides) and would be waiting at least 20 minutes for the bus once he made it down to the stop. Meanwhile, my car was right there in the parking lot, giving me total freedom to go wherever I wanted without waiting for anyone (except for all those other cars in my way on the highway, though being a holiday weekend, there wasn't much traffic).
As an anarchist and a socialist, I do believe we should have better transportation options for everyone, including the poor (which there would be fewer of, obviously, under anarchy), but I think that also means giving the poorer among us the freedom of the automobile, as well. Nothing can replace the personal automobile when it comes to freedom of movement for ordinary people. Smaller, less expensive, and more fuel efficient (including cheap diesel vehicles that US Federal regulations currently prevent being sold in the U.S.) must be produced.
Used cars have always been an option for the poor, but thanks to your compassionate Federal government, the Cash for Clunkers program of a couple years ago wiped many of them from the roads, meaning fewer older (and affordable) vehicles are now available for purchase, helping to drive used car prices up. Let's get rid of regulations, licensing fees and car taxes (including sales taxes on vehicle purchases) and eliminate all mandatory auto insurance laws (which just enriches private corporations like billionaire Warren Buffet's GEICO), which just drive up the costs of owning a vehicle. That would really show true compassion for the transportation needs of those without large incomes, not the phony statist "compassion" of a hypocrite millionaire like Moore and his "we're destroying the planet" baloney.
I didn't even want to watch the clip because it doesn't matter much to me what he said, but I did watch it and sure enough, "Michael Moore Wants Humans To Stop Driving Cars And Take Mass Transit" was a misleading title. I think the point of the clip was really to point out that Moore is a Socialist for wanting the government to leverage their economic position from the auto industry bail-out.
ReplyDeleteBut regarding the issue you presented, yes I think we can all agree America's public transportation and mass transit systems are the laughing stock of the civilized world, strangely enough, due to the opposite of what Moore is talking about (private interests used economic leverage to get government to shut down trolley and rail services for commuters in order to encourage cars while also building more roads).
I don't think your solution to making cars more affordable is feasible, however, especially since you're never, ever, ever going to convince people it's better to have uninsured drivers on the road. I feel like you're losing sight of the reality of things when you suggest rash ideas like in the last paragraph. You didn't mention it, but I wouldn't be surprised if you opposed gasoline taxes either... and then your roads are in disrepair and you have a confused look on your face, like "Who knew stuff that makes society work had to be paid for by someone?"
you're never, ever, ever going to convince people it's better to have uninsured drivers on the road
ReplyDeleteUh, news flash, there are already uninsured drivers on the road. That's why I have something as part of my auto insurance called "uninsured motorist" coverage.
But you miss the point, because it's no more your business (or the state's) if I drive without car insurance than it is if I choose to go without health insurance. If you want to create barriers that make car ownership more expensive and difficult for the poor (and have the poor harassed by your friends the pigs at traffic stops and even have their vehicles impounded if they aren't carrying insurance, thus possibly taking away their only means to get to a job and earn a few dollars to survive) then at least stop calling yourself a liberal.