Firedoglake on The Streetcar Conspiracy

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/41383

. . .this empire was created for one reason – to absorb as much of the streetcar industry as possible, and then to shut it down. Since this conspiracy of corporations was methodically destroying a very efficient and beneficial industry, there was antitrust action taken – but all that came of the proceedings were fines of $5000 for each company involved and $1 for the treasurer of GM who oversaw much of National City Lines’ operations.

It will surprise people on the Left to realize that leftards have wacko conspiracy theories as well. In this case, GM destroyed public transit in order to hook us on automobiles and make us dependent on fossil fuels.

In leftard conspiracy theories, the world is controlled by capitalists and corporations, and they are always the bad guy. Consumers are beguiled and hypnotized by marketing. Governments are co-opted by corporate money. And centrally controlled solutions run by "enlightened" minds are the answer. ALWAYS. Unfortunately, the facts do not support the theory.

This is what I pulled from Wikipedia on this conspiracy theory:

Randal O’Toole of the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, argues that streetcars faded away at the invention of the internal combustion engine and rise of the private automobile and then the bus. At one time, nearly every city in the U.S. with population over 10,000 had at least one streetcar company. 95% of all streetcar systems were at one time privately owned.

Robert C. Post wrote that “nationwide, the ultimate reach of the alleged conspirators extended to only about 10 percent of all transit systems—sixty-odd out of some six hundred—and yet virtually all the other 90 percent also got rid of trolleys (as happened with all the tramcar systems in the British Isles and France).”

Cliff Slater conducted research on U.S. transit history, and concluded, “GM or not, under a less onerous regulatory environment, buses would have replaced streetcars even earlier than they actually did.”

I know where I live we have subsidized public transportation which no one takes. We also have Amtrak which no one takes either because it sucks and costs more than air travel. The reality is that people love cars and not just here in the USA but worldwide in Europe and in China now. Cars bring freedom, and freedom is as addicting as crack. This is the problem leftards have with cars. You get to go your own path and do your own thing. You don't have to conform to their routes and their schedules. Certainly, some people enjoy the "free" aspect of trolley cars. You are free to not have to own a car or maintain a space for it. But for most people, this blows. Even leftards prefer driving to riding the bus.

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