Imagine the flip side: a city with functional public transit, where most poor people take subways and buses to get to work. Now someone proposes cutting down on public transit because you can always buy a car and that gives you more freedom.
Imagine how much burden it would be for a poor family to suddenly have to buy a car.
That's the cost America is passing on to poor families. It just doesn't look like much because it's been thoroughly normalized.
* That said, of course with change of policy some people will be hit and some poor people will be hit the hardest, so there should be mitigating measure.
> That said, of course with change of policy some people will be hit and some poor people will be hit the hardest, so there should be mitigating measure.
No it won't hit poor people at all if you fund it with progressive taxes and ticket sales. Car ownership on the other hand is not only expensive and unreliable (if you can't afford to buy decent cars), its ridiculously dangerous, increases stress and decreases well being. A well designed public transport assists the poor by making it much safer, cheaper and faster to come into the denser areas (typically with better/higher paying jobs) for work while living in lower COL suburbs.
I sincerely believe that impediments to more public transportation in the US is not chiefly financial; I believe its mostly due to what was before racism, and now is just NIMBYism. People don't want a bus stop or train station in their neighborhood, which will attract the homeless/poor/lower classes etc.
My life living in London would be hugely more expensive if I had to buy a car to get around - not to mention a lot worse since cycling is so much better for me and everyone else.
Imagine how much burden it would be for a poor family to suddenly have to buy a car.
That's the cost America is passing on to poor families. It just doesn't look like much because it's been thoroughly normalized.
* That said, of course with change of policy some people will be hit and some poor people will be hit the hardest, so there should be mitigating measure.