Paul Ryan Went On Fox News To Defend Amtrak Safety Funding. It Didn’t Go Well.

[Rarely-Wrong Liggins]

fair enough, but given that the government generates 0 dollars a year and someone has to get shyt done in this fukkin country, i imagine that's where the leeway comes from

Breh, the government gets almost everything done. The private sector only operates in the manner it does BECAUSE of the government, not in spite of it. Half of the private sector would be belly up without constant government intervention of some form and the other half would be working you to death like a feudal slave. Left to their own devices the private sector would implode due to greed and corruption (as we saw in 2008). The Government may be slow and a bit inefficient but it's definitely not useless.

Also, the Government does generate income, just not (an overall) profit.

 

[the cac mamba]

Breh, the government gets almost everything done. The private sector only operates in the manner it does BECAUSE of the government, not in spite of it. Half of the private sector would be belly up without constant government intervention of some form and the other half would be working you to death like a feudal slave. Left to their own devices the private sector would implode due to greed and corruption (as we saw in 2008). The Government may be slow and a bit inefficient but it's definitely not useless.

Also, the Government does generate income, just not (an overall) profit.

yeah, and the government wouldn't

look, you're not talking to one of the koch brothers im just tired of this bullshyt where you can't criticize anything with a public union attached to it

 

[Rarely-Wrong Liggins]

yeah, and the government wouldn't

look, you're not talking to one of the koch brothers im just tired of this bullshyt where you can't criticize anything with a public union attached to it

Breh, what are you talking about? Most Americans hate both the Federal Government and public unions (except the Police Union but especially the Teacher's Union). They are overly criticized if anything. People will spend hours grousing about union overtime but tax havens, poor work conditions, stagnant wages, anti consumer policies - all the result of big business - you get, "well, that's just capitalism for you. ." All I ask is people keep the same energy, one way or another.

 

[DEAD7]

Yes it is. They provide services that the private sector can not or will not and they pay their employees and relatively well with a modicum of job protections. The beloved private sector wouldn't be so obscenely profitable without numerous government handouts such as favorable tax laws, toothless regulations, lack of regulation in certain areas, lack of enforcement of regulation and law, and outright subsidies in some cases. The private sector hasn't paid their way in a loooooooooooooooong time.

Ima need some evidence that the private sector will not provide transportation absent the govt.

Breh, the government gets almost everything done.

What a low bar...

 

[Rarely-Wrong Liggins]

Ima need some evidence that the private sector will not provide transportation absent the govt.


What a low bar...

You moron Amtrak exists now because railroads got rid of passenger service because it was not profitable but still necessary.

 

[Black Panther]

Ima need some evidence that the private sector will not provide transportation absent the govt.

Name one company in the transportation sector that doesn't rely on government subsidies or contracts.

 

[Mook]

The Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970, which established Amtrak, specifically states that, "The Corporation will not be an agency or establishment of the United States Government.







Amtrak needs to be completely defunded and done away with if it cant survive on its own.

Business should pay a living wage or they can't stand on their own.

 

[DEAD7]

You moron Amtrak exists now because railroads got rid of passenger service because it was not profitable but still necessary.

Name calling and more assertions without evidence...

 

[DEAD7]

Business should pay a living wage or they can't stand on their own.

I don't believe govt should be subsidizing any business in any way regardless... they all should be forced to stand on their on or fall by the wayside.
That said, eliminate min wage altogether, institute a negative income tax and

 

[DEAD7]

Name one company in the transportation sector that doesn't rely on government subsidies or contracts.

Govt. mandates its intervention into the transportation market... what you are asking for has been made impossible by the state.
I guess you win, no transportation company exist without the states involvement hurrdurr...


the state offers to subsidize a market service, the market accepts and you think that proves the state is needed? wow...








Now, evidence that the private sector will not provide public transportation absent the govt.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Ima need some evidence that the private sector will not provide transportation absent the govt.


What a low bar...

Los Angeles had a trolley system back in the 1930s or something, GM bought it up only to dismantle it so they could sell more cars and buses.

Cars were in the country for over fifty years (and wheeled cross-country transport for a hundred years before that) before a Republican government made a massive public expenditure into the International Highway System, with no private org ever having filled the gap in that time.

Los Angeles has a crappy-as-hell public transport system and a ton of latent demand, but no private company ever fills the gaps.

Amtrak has very limited services and yet private train transport has never been used to fill in the gaps.

And how about the obvious fact that government supports virtually all major transport, everywhere, across the world.


Which should make your job easier.

There are like 180 nations in the world, right? And vehicle transport has been going on for 100+ years?

So out of 180 nations over 100+ years, give me your one best example of a transport system that worked effectively outside of significant government support.

What a low bar.

 

[DEAD7]

There are like 180 nations in the world, right? And vehicle transport has been going on for 100+ years?

So out of 180 nations over 100+ years, give me your one best example of a transport system that worked effectively outside of significant government support.

Uber






As you know...train companies are not allowed to operate absent the state. Why ask for an example of service absent the state that the state has declared illegal without its involvement? Is this a gotcha?

And again evidence today's market will not provide

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Uber

False - Uber is only able to operate because it uses public roads paid for by the state. Try again.

Not to mention that only the wealthiest can use Uber as a regular means of transport, even with government subsidizing the roads any working-class person in most of the world would be an idiot to waste their paycheck taking Uber back and forth to work.

As you know...train companies are not allowed to operate absent the state. Why ask for an example of service absent the state that the state has declared illegal without its involvement? Is this a gotcha?

Every country in the world has declared it illegal for train companies to operate outside the state in all 200 years that trains have been used as a mode of transport?

I call bullshyt.

Somalia hasn't had a government for 25 years and has no reliable land transport networks. Not even the stable region of Somaliland. Where are the private companies lining up to fill the gap? Why are people still using freaking camels to get goods from place to place in many areas?

And again evidence today's market will not provide

What would constitute proof of a negative to you? I already gave you numerous lines of evidence that demonstrate the case, you know it's impossible to absolutely prove a negative, so with this demand you're either being ignorant or intellectually dishonest.

The burden of evidence is on you. You claim it can happen. I say it can't. My evidence is that with 180+ different nations across the world experimenting with numerous different forms of government over 100+ years, not ONE of them has successfully demonstrated a private transport system outside of government assistance.

 

[DEAD7]

False - Uber is only able to operate because it uses public roads paid for by the state. Try again.

Not to mention that only the wealthiest can use Uber as a regular means of transport, even with government subsidizing the roads any working-class person in most of the world would be an idiot to waste their paycheck taking Uber back and forth to work.

If it uses the roads government has a monopolized by force, it’s disqualified....
I guess you win.
Government is needed...

Carry on.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

If it uses the roads government has a monopolized by force, it’s disqualified....
I guess you win.
Government is needed...

Carry on.

There is an enormous amount of private land in America where private entities could build their own roads, more land than exists in many entire countries. In fact, there are many private roads. And they're crap and access is crap. I don't know of anywhere where a private route has become preferred to a public route, even where the private route is shorter, because either the road sucks so much that it's not worth it or the private entity doesn't allow access. Usually both.