The electoral college, first-past-the-post voting, gerrymandering, and the senate are here to make that virtually meaningless as well!

Depends on the state, but sales and excise taxes are by far the the most regressive state/local tax. You’ve successfully pointed out that excise taxes are the worst of all, but sales taxes are still regressive, so I continue to find them untenable morally.

Ah yes, the new democracy, where we have to spend all day and night calling and commenting on shit that’s obviously bad. Why not just have direct democracy at this point? Nobody trusts elected officials, for good reason, and it’s way easier to screw stuff up ourselves instead of paying someone to do it for us.

I hate the Kochs and libertarianism is a cruel joke of the sexless male college student, but I also think sales taxes are regressive and really shitty ways to raise money for public goods. Color me confused!

I too think proxy wars between billionaires is better than democracy.

I root for the global south teams as a matter of personal political interests, so I root for Mexico when they’re not playing us. Mexicans are also under assault in our country, so I think showing solidarity with them in the World Cup is a good thing. But seriously, shilling for Welles fucking Fargo? Come on man.

This is obviously the right way to do things if certain conditions exist, a couple of which you pointed out. Long lines, sporting event, last call, etc. Honestly, your coworkers should be ashamed of themselves for waiting in a long line and then ordering one drink like doofuses.

How on Earth could you have arrived at that conclusion? I guess when you’re an angry little hammer, everything looks like a nail.

You seem mad and totally ignorant of my political preferences. Enjoy the weather!

Well A) I’d imagine the carbon cost of manufacturing and shipping a bike is insanely small and B) you’d have to prove that these are being trashed on a truly massive scale to get anywhere within the ballpark of how much death and destruction are created by cars.

Yes, since the waste is a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of air pollution and death created by cars.

Imagine thinking this is a serious issue in this country today. More people on bikes is good. The end.

California has eight of the 10 most polluted U.S. cities, so it seems like the regulations are doing a great job.

This is like irony inception. That was the point.

I live in Michigan and commute by bike year round. Yes, there are days where I simply cannot ride, but you’d be amazed what a bike with the right tires and a rider with the right clothing can bike through, particularly with good infrastructure. Bicyclists are sometimes jerks because it means being seen in a space…

Obviously if enough folks started scootering/biking there would be fewer Lyfts/Ubers on the road. That’s just basic supply and demand.

Indeed there is a feedback loop, which I think can only be interrupted by improving bicycle infrastructure. You have to make it possible and pleasant to ride a bike. Bike infrastructure gets more political backing the more people are out on their bikes and scooters interacting with traffic.

Spoken like someone for whom this hit a little too close to home.

This, exactly. Voters routinely reject mass transit improvements, much to my chagrin. But as a bike commuter, anything that takes cars off of roads is an improvement. It gives non-car infrastructure more political backing. It makes it safer for non-car travelers. It reduces pollution.

What would the appreciable differences be?