Comments on: The tragedy of Milwaukee’s bus service

By: dWj

dWj — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 22:55:56 +0000

I’m curious as to how they make the decision to cut service rather than raise fares. If it affects people’s ability to get to work, they would pay higher fares; while I’m sure they would complain that they “can’t afford” them, they would find them quite affordable compared to this outcome.

By: CavelCap

CavelCap — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 21:18:39 +0000

Well said Felix. Overcompensated government workers are the source of all our problems.

By: Elektrobahn

Elektrobahn — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:05:38 +0000

Mr. Salmon’s article isn’t an argument for less government cutbacks. It’s an argument for privatizing Milwaukee’s transit services.

18 words to completely rebut both Mr. Salmon and a 3700 word article. This is easy work!

By: Curmudgeon

Curmudgeon — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:19:24 +0000

I finally realized what it was that bothers me about stories like this. Reporters are masters at drawing overarching conclusions from a single supporting example, without an accompanying chain of logic. The conclusion you imply may be true, but you don’t demonstrate it in any way.

Any cutback or elimination of a government service is likely to hurt someone. The question is whether the service is more valuable than other things government can do with its limited resources, and whether a service is properly provided by government or the private sector (perhaps with appropriate incentives). You might argue that governments can easily raise taxes for more resources for such services, but there is also a delicate balance there.

But to take one example of someone who can’t easily make it to work without a government service, and imply that cutting the service hurts economic growth and recovery is ludicrous on its face. Yet we encounter such tales daily in our media.

By: TFF

TFF — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 01:27:56 +0000

You can lease a new car for $100/month? Seriously? Without any lump-sum payments? I don’t see how the math works on that one.

A car typically costs $3k-$5k a year to own and operate. That is a major expense for somebody earning $13/hr. It is cheaper than two cab rides daily, but still very costly.

By: Nameless

Nameless — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:30:47 +0000

Excuse me if I can’t make myself feel bad for these people. You can lease a brand new car for $100/month. Not having a car is a pitiful, sorry excuse to stay unemployed.

By: hsvkitty

hsvkitty — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:18:06 +0000

How is it possible that with economists crunching the numbers, that repercussions and their costs are not part of those equations?

But wait, these are the same Governments who protect corporations and Banks using possible repercussions (which are a lot less likely to put anyone on the streets) from paying fair tax rates.

Perhaps they felt that the trickle down from the tax rebates would ensure they all had jobs so it was moot…

By: ErnieD

ErnieD — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:41:20 +0000

Not owning a car is un-American.

Ms. Schulz needs to realize that all of her problems are her own fault. If she, and the millions like her, went out and bought cars then the economy would do much better and she would be able to get to work. Buying a house would improve the economy even more.

We cannot afford to support public transportation in this country as that money is reserved for higher purposes, such as ensuring that financiers can continue to eat in the finest restaurants, supporting fine regimes in oil-producing countries where her gas money will go, and purchasing ethanol from large agribusiness so that it can be put in the gas tank of the car that she refuses to buy.

By: FuManchu

FuManchu — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 07:03:45 +0000

Yes, Milwaukee and Detroit and Newark are perfect examples of austerity not working. The governments have been cut by cruel politicians who simply don’t make enough effort to raise taxes, and instead opt for cutting crucial programs. Instead of just suffering through the recent recession, they have been drastically reducing tax revenues for the past 15 years.

By: LA_Crystal

LA_Crystal — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 07:01:21 +0000

I believe we will have a growing underground economy as people do what they must to survive. Maybe there will be a local car pool activity where one low wage-earner with a car earns a few bucks transporting other people to their jobs, if they have them. When things make no sense, we know there are emotions driving the decisions. Unfortunately, we seem to have far too many emotional adolescents in our electorate.