While debate over using state tax money for light-rail projects continues, a news story is pointing out more clearly than ever that light-rail is already a thing of the past.
Last year, the legislature put a $500,000 spending cap on state funding for light-rail projects. This year, however, a bill was put forward to lift the cap. We pointed out the problems with this maneuver, especially regarding a proposed Chapel Hill-Durham light-rail project.
See our articles here and here.
Among the points we made was that light-rail would soon be outmoded. And it turns out “soon” is “already.”
The Charlotte Observer reports on what is happening right now at that city’s light-rail line, Lynx:
Chris Walker … is one of thousands of people drawn to living within a stone’s throw of the Lynx Blue Line.
Walker likes being close to the light-rail line, but he doesn’t actually use it all that much.
“I have lived here a year and a half, and I have taken the train twice,” said Walker, whose apartment is less than a quarter-mile from the New Bern light-rail station at the southern-most part of South End. “We Uber instead. For $5, you can get uptown. It’s easy.”
For much of the past year, ridership on Charlotte Area Transit System buses and the Lynx Blue Line has declined. …
Conservative lack vision.
What an in depth article (sarcasm)! I especially like the idea of defending an argument with your own arguments!
Here is Lonnie and George’s vision.Don’t Ask Bernie About Socialism’s Failure in Venezuela
“I’m focused on my campaign.”
Bernie On Venezulela
The socialist paradise of Venezuela is falling apart as panicked citizens suffer through shortages of food, toilet paper, electricity and other necessities.
Bernie Sanders was recently interviewed on Univision and the host asked Bernie for his thoughts on the situation. Once again, leave it to someone in foreign media to ask a question no one in American journalism has thought to ask.
Sanders clearly didn’t like where the interview was going. NewsBusters reported:
Bernie Hits Bump on Univision: Speechless on Socialism’s Failures
The Democrats’ socialist candidate for President of the United States, Bernie Sanders, was seriously tripped up this week in an interview with Univision’s León Krauze.
When asked to explain the failure of socialist governments in Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil, Sanders completely clammed up, saying he has an opinion on the subject, but was unwilling to share it, as he is “focused on my campaign.”
LEÓN KRAUZE, UNIVISION: I am sure that you know about this topic: various leftist governments, especially the populists, are in serious trouble in Latin America. The socialist model in Venezuela has the country near collapse. Argentina, also Brazil, how do you explain that failure?
BERNIE SANDERS, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: You are asking me questions…
LEÓN KRAUZE, UNIVISION: I am sure you’re interested in that.
BERNIE SANDERS, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: I am very interested, but right now I’m running for President of the United States.
LEÓN KRAUZE, UNIVISION: So you don’t have an opinion about the crisis in Venezuela?
BERNIE SANDERS, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: Of course I have an opinion, but as I said, I’m focused on my campaign.
When you look at what’s happening in Venezuela, it’s really no wonder why Bernie would rather not discuss the matter. The World Tribune reports:
Socialist nightmare: On brink of collapse, Venezuela sells off gold reserves
As Venezuela sinks further into the economic abyss, the South American country has begun selling off its remaining gold reserves.
The country’s gold reserves have dropped almost a third over the past year. Venezuela sold over 44 tons in February and March, according to the IMF. Gold now makes up almost 70 percent of Venezuela’s total reserves, which fell to a low of $12.1 billion last week.
The IMF forecasts Venezuela’s economy will shrink by 8 percent this year, and 4.5 percent in 2017, after a 5.7 percent contraction in 2015. Inflation is forecast to exceed 1,642 percent next year, fueled by printing money to fund a fiscal deficit estimated at about 17 percent of gross domestic product.
Just three years after the death of socialist leader Hugo Chavez, Venezuela — once a leading oil producer — is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Venezuela’s total oil reserves, at an estimated 296.5 billion barrels, is higher than Saudi Arabia’s. But the country is struggling to get investments and technical expertise to convert its oil reserves into revenue.
Instead of taking any kind of action to improve conditions, President Nicolas Maduro has focused blame on the U.S. for what has become an economic nightmare on his watch and that of his socialist mentor Chavez.
Bernie Sanders has been calling for a political revolution in the United States.
The people of Venezuela might beat him to it if things don’t change.
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Light rail was already a “traffic jam on wheels” back in 2005:
http://reason.com/archives/2005/03/01/my-very-own-monorail
Leftard “visions”: they’ve got a great future behind them!