Post 9pBU6SFMF2hfACa1OC by intherain@mastodon.social
 (DIR) More posts by intherain@mastodon.social
 (DIR) Post #9pBQjQS0SADR4Qp7o0 by wilkie@mastodon.social
       2019-11-19T02:31:06Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       imagine if instead of designing and maintaining counterfeit-proof tickets, payment machines, card scanners, and police... they just let people ride the bus for free. imagine!!
       
 (DIR) Post #9pBQjQswpzlaPzQdnc by dick_turpin@mastodon.org.uk
       2019-11-21T10:10:59Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       @wilkie Who pays for the bus then? Who buys the fuel, pays for the tyres and maintenance, who pays the bus driver and cleaners? Who pays for the administration that manages the buses and the wages for all the staff? Who pays for all the bus stops to be maintained and cleaned?Free is a nice idea so long as someone else pays for it.
       
 (DIR) Post #9pBU6SFMF2hfACa1OC by intherain@mastodon.social
       2019-11-21T10:48:46Z
       
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       @dick_turpin @wilkie It's not a zero sum game.  Ease of mobility for the labor that cleans your offices, cooks your food, and teaches your children provides an economic benefit to businesses and people who live in cities.  If those who benefit should pay then it makes sense for it to be paid for via taxes.  Luxembourg is about to make transit free for everyone so we'll get to see what happens.
       
 (DIR) Post #9pBVLvRq3PXs1mMJAO by dick_turpin@mastodon.org.uk
       2019-11-21T11:02:47Z
       
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       @intherain @wilkie Ah, so the tax payer pays then. Thought so. Socialism is like when you go out with a group for a curry. There's always one arshole who pipes up "Shall we all chip in?" which means those who don't drink booze or eat much pay far more for their meal while Mr "Lets chip in" who drinks fourteen beers pays far less.
       
 (DIR) Post #9pC20LOmBdJmd2F96W by intherain@mastodon.social
       2019-11-21T17:08:38Z
       
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       @dick_turpin @wilkie Yeah I get it, I used to be a libertarian.  But national economies don't work like friends going out to dinner.  When you grow up with privilege it's easy to think that anyone who works hard can meet their needs and that income scales with the effort you make.  But I've worked in public health since then, and listening to people in difficult situations through no fault of their own, and to people working harder than I can imagine working yet still poor, opened my eyes.
       
 (DIR) Post #9pC31Rkg9PHQZoZsMi by dick_turpin@mastodon.org.uk
       2019-11-21T17:20:02Z
       
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       @intherain @wilkie my parents first house was condemned as "Unfit for human habitation" yet the council still rented it to us for two years. We then moved into a tower block for a further two years with only my father working and a young mother with two young children on the the 12th floor riding up and down in a lift that was used as a toilet, when it worked. We then moved to Maisonettes until my father had worked hard enough to buy a house. Not sure who this privileged individual is?
       
 (DIR) Post #9pCaPwo7dSpuKaTkau by intherain@mastodon.social
       2019-11-21T23:34:12Z
       
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       @dick_turpin @wilkie well I'm confused then.. do you feel your family deserved to live like that?