Saturday, March 16, 2019

Democracy and Transportation in America :: Politics Political Research Papers

majority rule and Transportation in AmericaIn 1952, Charles E. Wilson resigned as President of GM to become Secretary of Defense. At the confirmation he was asked if he could bring out a decision in the interest of the nation if it were adverse to GM. Yes sir, I could, Wilson said. I mountainnot conceive of one, because for years I thought what was good for our orbit was good for General Motors and vice versa. The difference does not exist.1 unless his GM is accused of undermining the American fare infrastructure and destroying a viable, superlative streetcar network in order to sell more cars. disregarding of the validity of this conspiracy theory, the fact remains that America destroyed grand mass transit networks to make way for private and macrocosm self-propelled transportation. The question of whether the transfer from iron to asphalt was advisable also asks what makes a good transportation network. Both transportation systems are valid, but unmatched features of Ame rican cities and culture made automobiles the better choice. Conspiracies of the powerful in the regular army pale compared to the tyranny of the majority. Regardless of economic or social considerations, public demand made the key decisions in building the American transportation network. A transportation network must(prenominal)(prenominal) be judged for its cost-effectiveness. The American joining of State Highway Officials (AASHO) in 1952 made its tenet, that a profit should be returned on an investment applies as well to highway projects as to frequent business ventures.2 Cost-effectiveness includes safety, ease of use, and flexibility in the eyes of some(prenominal) the local government and individual users. Unfortunately, little or no sustenance evidence3 exists and few studies compared the systems. Since no fiscal value can be placed on human life, comparisons of safety are so far fewer and less thorough. A simple account of accident records, however, is a good judg e of safety. Studies of system costs, ont the other hand, are purely monetary and more frequent. From the operators standpoint, costs break down to overhead and construction, maintenance of cars and lines, action costs, and profits. From the users standpoint the only cost is the fare. Some considerations are particular to the town. Users must determine, first of all, whether it is even possible to go from one point to another. This is specially important for those who are not able to walk long distances. Riders must also decide whether the restrictions of a certain mode - say, timetables for trains, or movement laws - are acceptable.

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