Public Transportation Costs Money.

By now, you've probably heard about Monday's calamitous Metrorail accident that claimed the lives of at least 9 people.  Evidence is increasingly pointing towards a colossal mechanical failure of the relays that electronically control the trains.  It also appears the cars involved in the accident should have been taken out of service years ago, and were 2 months behind on their scheduled maintenance.  

Many are pointing out the need for a dedicated funding source for Metro in the wake of this disaster.  And rightly so.  All but the most right-minded libertarians need to understand a fact pointed out in this article:

"Many politicians (and their constituents) firmly believe that transit services (and Amtrak) should pay for themselves through fares. It won't happen. It doesn't happen anywhere. The French and Japanese bullet trains that we all admire are heavily subsidized. So are Europe's transit systems, which serve its cities uncommonly well."

If there is anything that government should spend money on and tax people to maintain, it's cheap, efficient public transportation.  Public transit helps business and commerce to thrive.  Every transit industry in America is subsidized to a degree, whether through infrastructure spending or other initiatives.  All over the world, the same situation exists. 

Yet the United States, allegedly the world's wealthiest nation, somehow cannot manage to provide reliable, safe and modern public transportation to the vast majority of its residents, even in cities.  Metro's situation isn't proof that private industry and self-sufficiency will somehow be able to accomplish something it has never done anywhere else in the world.  It is a national disgrace.  Politicians and advocacy groups need to start shooting straight with voters and residents.  People need to realize that transit costs tax money, period.

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