Transit Shouldn’t Make a Profit
Investing in public transit is a partisan issue, but it shouldn’t be.
Both Republicans and Democrats for nearly a century have shown they’re willing to spend government money on transportation projects, for better and worse.
Car transportation requires massive public funds every year to go into roads. Low gas prices are due to subsidies for the oil & gas industry.
The public pays the bills, while private companies (car manufacturers, oil companies) keep the profits.
Yet, when it comes time to invest in trains, which are cleaner, faster between regional cities, more comfortable, and promote more efficient land use, the same logic that transportation is good for society only holds up for one major political party.
Republicans are quick to call it a government handout, quick to demand that Amtrak make a profit without government support of any kind.
What would Ford sell without roads?
Republicans, I suspect, are aware of this. One reason for their reluctance to fund cleaner forms of transit is because their campaigns receive big donations from the oil & gas and automobile industries.
Moving forward, billions of government dollars at federal, state, and local levels will continue to be spent on transportation, and rightfully so.
The question is, will we vote spend it on a cleaner world? Or those who continue to double down on more traffic, dirtier air, and more deforestation?
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