I’m probably more conservative than many of our dear readers. If you’re still reading, good! Because I’m not the only conservative who can see that we need a much better public transportation system.
The Infrastructurist recently interviewed Bill Lind, author of Moving Minds: Conservatives and Public Transportation. As you might have guessed, Mr. Lind is a conservative. But he also believes that a strong public transportation system will help Americans become more productive. As Mr. Lind puts it in his interview, “…conservatives do not enjoy being stuck in traffic any more than liberals.”
[Editor's note: We strive to make gas 2.0 a forum where ideas are evaluated regardless of ideology. And really, we can place all the labels we want on things, but in the end it's a varying shade of gray that separates individuals instead of the "with us" or "against us" mentality that has become so popular].
Mr. Lind’s point is simple. Traffic is a time waster, and wasted time is wasted money. He also says that the government has only two legitimate functions in a conservative train of thought; provide for the national defense, and provide an adequate infrastructure. While we’ve got the whole world’s best army part taken care of, our infrastructure is certainly lacking. But Lind argues that many conservatives still use the public transportation that exists today, despite having access to expensive cars. Why? Because they hate wasting time. They don’t ride public transportation because they have to (as opposed to those who can’t afford a car), but because they want to be productive on their way to or from work. Or at the very least, they want to be able to do something other than drive.
And that is the most interesting point in the interview. How many people, given the option, would prefer to take public transportation over driving themselves? I love cars, but if I could hop a train to Hartford, get my drink on, and then get back home without stepping foot in a car, I absolutely would. But as of right now, that option does not exist for me or my farm town.
As far as high-speed trains go, Mr. Lind is not a fan. He says that all the countries that have high-speed trains already had an existing, dense network of commuter trains. America doesn’t have that yet. Depending on where you are located, the nearest train station could be twenty miles away or even further. So until we get to the point that almost everyone has access to commuter trains, he thinks high-speed trains should be on the back burner because A) they cost too much and B) they serve fewer people than lots of “light rail” options, as he calls it. Mr. Lind wants streetcars to make a comeback, which would do double duty of providing jobs and infrastructure at a time when we need both.
Check out the Infrastructurist for yourself and decide if Mr. Lind makes a good case. And try not to hate me too much. I’m a Libertarian, I swear!
Source: The Infrastructurist | Image: Mjobling
PDF 
About Christopher DeMorro
“He also says that the government has only two legitimate functions in a conservative train of thought; provide for the national defense, and provide an adequate infrastructure.”
Actually he left out the most important one that even the most ardent small-government libertarion/conservative believes: enforcing property rights and contracts, but that’s beside the point.
My problem with mass transport of any type is the loss of freedom that using it entails. Where I live, for example, we have a free local bus system that will take us to work (or just around town) and back every day. However, I rarely ride it because it only runs once every half-hour, so if I miss the 5:00 bus home (an easy thing to happen on my schedule), I’m stuck here till 5:30. If I were single and/or had no kids it wouldn’t be a big deal and I’d probably take the bus every day, but as it is, my schedule doesn’t allow that much leeway.
The obvious solution to that is to run more buses, but that costs more money and you end up with lots of nearly empty buses.
“He also says that the government has only two legitimate functions in a conservative train of thought; provide for the national defense, and provide an adequate infrastructure.”
Actually he left out the most important one that even the most ardent small-government libertarion/conservative believes: enforcing property rights and contracts, but that’s beside the point.
My problem with mass transport of any type is the loss of freedom that using it entails. Where I live, for example, we have a free local bus system that will take us to work (or just around town) and back every day. However, I rarely ride it because it only runs once every half-hour, so if I miss the 5:00 bus home (an easy thing to happen on my schedule), I’m stuck here till 5:30. If I were single and/or had no kids it wouldn’t be a big deal and I’d probably take the bus every day, but as it is, my schedule doesn’t allow that much leeway.
The obvious solution to that is to run more buses, but that costs more money and you end up with lots of nearly empty buses.
Government roads are a failure in every urban area in this country.
I’m all for mass transit as long as the gov stays far away from it.
Government roads are a failure in every urban area in this country.
I’m all for mass transit as long as the gov stays far away from it.
Tim I share your views only because unfortunately our population is very differently located from thathose of Europe where I came from; dispersed in a manner that is difficult to connect with light rail or bus systems in a cost effective way.
I think our situation cannot be easily remedied. We have developed an automobile reliant culture/living style centered around the freedom of choice of the individual to chose to disangage from population centers where they felt incompatibility based on ethnicity or race.
Once we get over our inability to resolve our social biases, we would be willing and eager to move back into renovated, walkable communities that are already planned for efficient public transportation systems
that could replace the reliance on private automobile usage.
There are numerous ideas and plans for the modern, 21st century urban living under development and some great examples.
I agree with those who feel that light rail transportation, like a renassaince for streetcars is appropriate.
Tim I share your views only because unfortunately our population is very differently located from thathose of Europe where I came from; dispersed in a manner that is difficult to connect with light rail or bus systems in a cost effective way.
I think our situation cannot be easily remedied. We have developed an automobile reliant culture/living style centered around the freedom of choice of the individual to chose to disangage from population centers where they felt incompatibility based on ethnicity or race.
Once we get over our inability to resolve our social biases, we would be willing and eager to move back into renovated, walkable communities that are already planned for efficient public transportation systems
that could replace the reliance on private automobile usage.
There are numerous ideas and plans for the modern, 21st century urban living under development and some great examples.
I agree with those who feel that light rail transportation, like a renassaince for streetcars is appropriate.
Chris and Tim, Perhaps you should both read the Constitution of the United States. Pay particular attention to Article 1 Section 8, and the Tenth Amendment.
In addition to the defense of the country, this provides the full list of allowed powers of the U.S. Congress.
Perhaps you were educated after the Constitution was mandatory study.
Chris and Tim, Perhaps you should both read the Constitution of the United States. Pay particular attention to Article 1 Section 8, and the Tenth Amendment.
In addition to the defense of the country, this provides the full list of allowed powers of the U.S. Congress.
Perhaps you were educated after the Constitution was mandatory study.
I’d like to see more light rail and high speed trains. Can’t we jumpstart both?
I’d like to see more light rail and high speed trains. Can’t we jumpstart both?
Christopher,
I too would love to see a light rail line in Hartford, maybe going along the I-84/I-91 corridor. And as far as increased productivity- I really wish there had been a light rail line in place back when I was driving 40-60 mins. each day to high school, when instead I could’ve been studying, or god forbid, catching up on sleep.
Christopher,
I too would love to see a light rail line in Hartford, maybe going along the I-84/I-91 corridor. And as far as increased productivity- I really wish there had been a light rail line in place back when I was driving 40-60 mins. each day to high school, when instead I could’ve been studying, or god forbid, catching up on sleep.