I Don't Know If Joe Can Do It

[fskimospy]

conservatives seem to demand all of the glory of unrestrained capitalism, but none of the consequences--say, like when your dead, obsolete industry disappears, the individual shouldn't be responsible for learning how to compete in the new world, and should just get paid to do nothing.

I don't get it: dude demands that people live by their means, live off the barter system, but also cries and moans under the assumption that the evil government is doing nothing to help them.

It's quite perplexing how one can hold these diametrically opposed views. It must be frustrating, because the solution you demand is also the one that you claim to hate. Maybe this explains the anger?

I think tribalism answers this question pretty well. They aren't against the idea of federal aid to people, they are just against federal aid to the undeserving, the undeserving people being those not part of their political and cultural tribe.

I don't mind that the coastal urban areas subsidize the interior rural ones but I do admit it bothers me that the rural people apparently don't know it. They appear to genuinely believe that the cities are living off them and not the other way around, which is both baffling and enraging. They are taking our money while claiming they're doing us a favor.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I think tribalism answers this question pretty well. They aren't against the idea of federal aid to people, they are just against federal aid to the undeserving, the undeserving people being those not part of their political and cultural tribe.

I don't mind that the coastal urban areas subsidize the interior rural ones but I do admit it bothers me that the rural people apparently don't know it. They appear to genuinely believe that the cities are living off them and not the other way around, which is both baffling and enraging. They are taking our money while claiming they're doing us a favor.

I agree and I am guilty of it see here:

Page 7 - I Don't Know If Joe Can Do It

Page 7 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

forums.anandtech.com

 

[sao123]

PA funds 36% of its transportation budget from gas taxes and fees.

PA has 20 interstates within its borders.

fake numbers... try the real ones.

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/PubsForms/Publications/PUB%20409.pdf

Also its very easy to prove that rural areas fund the city.
People who ride buses fueled by propane, don't pay liquid fuels tax. They don't even help fund the roads they ride on. Only people who drive cars and buy gasoline or diesel do that.
PA Mass transit funding is so underfunded, they have to steal $450M from the turnpike tolls each year. Turnpikes don't go into the city.

City roads and bridges and buses ARE being funded by rural areas PERIOD.

According to this, almost 31% of PA's revenues come from the federal coffers, and it ranks #30 as recipient (2016 figures). OTOH my state, like most if not all blue states pays far more and receives far less (CT ranked #47 as recipient) :

Pennsylvania state budget and finances - Ballotpedia

Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics

ballotpedia.org

.

US steel production was offshored by Ronald Reagan, and except for specialty steels, no one with any real knowledge expects it to be coming back. Coal production destroyed large chunks of PA (we don't have perpetually burning cities here) and is an antiquated fuel. I personally don't want to be in a race with Red China to see who can pollute the most

Sure... we get 31% of the state coffers from the FED, it all goes to suburbia welfare programs for drug addicts, single pregnant moms, and slum lords in section 8 housing. You are confusing the poor with the rural.

When we go to war against red China, I dont want to be the one buying their own steel to use it against them. Once they shut off the tap, who is going to build navy ships and tanks?
We need our steel infrastructure as a matter of national security. If we had to import our steel during WWII, we would have lost.

 

[brycejones]

fake numbers... try the real ones.

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/PubsForms/Publications/PUB%20409.pdf

Also its very easy to prove that rural areas fund the city.
People who ride buses fueled by propane, don't pay liquid fuels tax. They don't even help fund the roads they ride on. Only people who drive cars and buy gasoline or diesel do that.
PA Mass transit funding is so underfunded, they have to steal $450M from the turnpike tolls each year. Turnpikes don't go into the city.

City roads and bridges and buses ARE being funded by rural areas PERIOD.

What point are you trying to make specifically? Also what specifically is "fake" about the numbers I provided.

Your original claim was that 100% of roads and bridges in PA was funded through gas taxes except for interstates but that didn't matter because PA had none of those and got no federal money.

From your link these are the sources of transportation funding at the state level in PA: (page 16 of the document you linked)

REVENUE SOURCES 2018-19 (IN THOUSANDS)
State Funding Motor License Fund: NonRestricted $3,075,777
Motor License Fund: Restricted $2,074,909
Motor License Fund: Restricted Aviation $9,688
Multimodal Fund $150,862
Act 44 Public Transportation Trust Fund $1,566,352
Act 26 Public Transportation Assistance Fund $244,343
Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank $60,000
Lottery Fund $165,429
General Fund $114,288
General Fund Bonds $175,000
Unconventional Gas Well Fund $1,000
Total State Funding $7,637,648

Federal & Other Funding Federal Funds: Highways $1,690,545
Federal Funds: Pass Through $200,749
Federal Funds: Public Transportation and Other $204,500
Federal & Other: Aviation $40,835 O
ther Funds: Highways $150,802
Federal & Other Funds – Rail Freight $0
Total Federal & Other $2,287,431

Total Funding $9,925,079

Holy shit that's like $1.9B from the Feds. I also high lighted $500M in state road funding that is clearly NOT from gas taxes. Can you speak to that?


There is also this gem in how the money is spent:

Payments to Local Government $969,958

I thought the rural areas paid for their roads solely from local money with no state support?

Also this:
Highway & Bridge Maintenance $1,783,173
Highway & Bridge Improvement $3,082,353

Are there no state highways in your county at all? Because those funds pay for the upkeep and improvement of those roads and bridges.

Also its very easy to prove that rural areas fund the city.
People who ride buses fueled by propane, don't pay liquid fuels tax. They don't even help fund the roads they ride on. Only people who drive cars and buy gasoline or diesel do that.
PA Mass transit funding is so underfunded, they have to steal $450M from the turnpike tolls each year. Turnpikes don't go into the city.

City roads and bridges and buses ARE being funded by rural areas PERIOD.

So no one in city uses a car or truck that uses gasoline or diesel? The only vehicles on the roads in cities in PA are propane fueled buses?



Those are some of the strangest looking buses ever...........

Serious question:

Do you ever leave your house? You seem to have very little understanding of what actually happens in the world.

 

[fskimospy]

fake numbers... try the real ones.

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/PubsForms/Publications/PUB%20409.pdf

Also its very easy to prove that rural areas fund the city.
People who ride buses fueled by propane, don't pay liquid fuels tax. They don't even help fund the roads they ride on. Only people who drive cars and buy gasoline or diesel do that.
PA Mass transit funding is so underfunded, they have to steal $450M from the turnpike tolls each year. Turnpikes don't go into the city.

City roads and bridges and buses ARE being funded by rural areas PERIOD.





Sure... we get 31% of the state coffers from the FED, it all goes to suburbia welfare programs for drug addicts, single pregnant moms, and slum lords in section 8 housing. You are confusing the poor with the rural.

When we go to war against red China, I dont want to be the one buying their own steel to use it against them. Once they shut off the tap, who is going to build navy ships and tanks?
We need our steel infrastructure as a matter of national security. If we had to import our steel during WWII, we would have lost.

Why do you ignore all contrary information?

 

[brycejones]

Why do you ignore all contrary information?

It would be progress if he could just admit there are interstates in PA and they get federal funds.

 

[fskimospy]

It would be progress if he could just admit there are interstates in PA and they get federal funds.

I do love how he tries to tell me about how I don’t understand the state I grew up in and the state my entire family still lives in

 

[K1052]

Coupled with the growing margin in head to heads Trump’s approval has dropped 10 points in at month at Gallup.

Maybe a bigger chunk of America is suddenly deciding he has no ability or interest in even trying to fix some of our problems. Like not even the thinnest appearance of giving a shit.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Coupled with the growing margin in head to heads Trump’s approval has dropped 10 points in at month at Gallup.

Maybe a bigger chunk of America is suddenly deciding he has no ability or interest in even trying to fix some of our problems. Like not even the thinnest appearance of giving a shit.

Maybe however we have a long way to go

 

[Thump553]

Coupled with the growing margin in head to heads Trump’s approval has dropped 10 points in at month at Gallup.

Maybe a bigger chunk of America is suddenly deciding he has no ability or interest in even trying to fix some of our problems. Like not even the thinnest appearance of giving a shit.

Historically the margin closes as we get closer to the election. It will be interesting if that happens here. If it does, that will not surprise or panic me. If it doesn't get closer, then I would point to the following factors:

1) Trump is an attention whore who has dominated the public forum since 2015. You would have to be living under a rock not to have formed a solid opinion about him by now. Biden is very well known also, opinions on him are unlikely to change.

2) The chances of Trump developing empathy or changing practices or policies at this point IMO are nill.

3) Trump's performance on COVID has greatly and permanently damaged how target groups like us seniors to turn against him for good. I know a fair number of Trump supporters, until this year they still supported him with excuses like his tweets don't matter to me, etc. I don't know anyone actively and vocally in favor of Trump as of this point.

 

[K1052]

Maybe however we have a long way to go

Were I the incumbent I probably would not want an approval figure that's almost identical to GHWB's at this point in an election year. Yes, there is a ways to go but these figures are real bad.

 

[K1052]

Historically the margin closes as we get closer to the election. It will be interesting if that happens here. If it does, that will not surprise or panic me. If it doesn't get closer, then I would point to the following factors:

1) Trump is an attention whore who has dominated the public forum since 2015. You would have to be living under a rock not to have formed a solid opinion about him by now. Biden is very well known also, opinions on him are unlikely to change.

2) The chances of Trump developing empathy or changing practices or policies at this point IMO are nill.

3) Trump's performance on COVID has greatly and permanently damaged how target groups like us seniors to turn against him for good. I know a fair number of Trump supporters, until this year they still supported him with excuses like his tweets don't matter to me, etc. I don't know anyone actively and vocally in favor of Trump as of this point.

Some partisans come home closer to the election, always do.

Trump is Trump. There is no new, better Trump. He can't change strategy because he is the strategy. He thinks he can run 2016 again in vastly different circumstances against a different opponent.

So many demos are reeling away from him now because of behavior and performance that making up all that ground before the election seems extremely improbable. Positive economic news obscured a sea of disapproval on almost every other issue that can now be seen and felt.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Were I the incumbent I probably would not want an approval figure that's almost identical to GHWB's at this point in an election year. Yes, there is a ways to go but these figures are real bad.

Agreed, I have no link but apparently some in the Presidents campaign have asked him to stop the tweets and have prepared pressers again. People are saying (really great people and smart people) this irritated the President.

 

[sao123]

Holy shit that's like $1.9B from the Feds.

Interstates do get federal funding, but interstates are BY DEFINITION not Rural roads. That money does not go to the townships.

I also high lighted $500M in state road funding that is clearly NOT from gas taxes. Can you speak to that?

Absolutely I can speak to that... not a single dime of that is directly tied to roads and bridges... did you forget Penndot is also the DMV, Rail Freight, Airports, and everything else?
BY STATE LAW ALL NON INTERSTATE Roads and Bridges are funded by Liquid Fuels Tax and ONLY Liquid Fuels Tax.






All you had to do was keep reading to the end of the next page... none of these revenue sources you highlighed give a single dollar to highways. They will not buy a single ounce of pavement, blacktop, gravel, stone, steel guiderail, etc.
They fund anything else from the non-bolded list below, but the money is separate by law, as I have already stated.

Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank $60,000
Lottery Fund $165,429
General Fund $114,288
General Fund Bonds $175,000
Unconventional Gas Well Fund $1,000

Revenue Sources:
Liquid Fuels Tax ‐ $4,047,582
Federal & Other Funding Federal Funds: Highways $1,690,545
Federal Funds: Pass Through $200,749

REVENUE USES 2018-19 (IN THOUSANDS)
Highway Related Highway & Bridge Maintenance $1,783,173
Highway & Bridge Improvement $3,082,353
Payments to Local Government $969,958

The rest of the budget including the ones you highlighted goes to all this stuff.

Driver & Vehicle Services $245,936
PennDOT Facilities $21,000
General Government Operations $62,460
Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank $30,000
Refunds & Other $2,979
Welcome Centers $3,815
Total Highway Related Uses $6,201,674
Multimodal Related Aviation $60,523
Rail Freight $41,200
Mass Transit $1,952,042
Rural & Intercity Transit $173,600
Free & Shared Ride Transit $165,429
Aviation Grants $6,238
Rail Freight Grants (EA) $10,396
Passenger Rail Grants (EA) $8,317
Ports & Waterways Grants (EA) $10,396
Bicycle & Ped. Facilities Grants Statewide (EA) $2,079
Statewide Program Grants (EA) $40,000
Multimodal Administration & Oversight (EA) $4,317
Transfer to Commonwealth Financial Auth. (EA) $59,752
PennPorts Regional Port Auth. Debt Service $4,606
Total Multimodal Uses $2,538,895
Debt Service & Other Agencies Pennsylvania State Police $770,254
General Fund Capital Debt $112,670
Pennsylvania Turnpike $171,761
Motor License Fund Capital Debt:
Hwy & Bridges $104,539
Other Agencies $129,857
Tort Payments $9,000
Total Debt Service & Other Agencies $1,298,081

 

[fskimospy]

Interstates do get federal funding, but interstates are BY DEFINITION not Rural roads. That money does not go to the townships.

Absolutely I can speak to that... not a single dime of that is directly tied to roads and bridges... did you forget Penndot is also the DMV, Rail Freight, Airports, and everything else?
BY STATE LAW ALL NON INTERSTATE Roads and Bridges are funded by Liquid Fuels Tax and ONLY Liquid Fuels Tax.






All you had to do was keep reading to the end of the next page... none of these revenue sources you highlighed give a single dollar to highways. They will not buy a single ounce of pavement, blacktop, gravel, stone, steel guiderail, etc.
They fund anything else from the non-bolded list below, but the money is separate by law, as I have already stated.




Revenue Sources:
Liquid Fuels Tax ‐ $4,047,582
Federal & Other Funding Federal Funds: Highways $1,690,545
Federal Funds: Pass Through $200,749

REVENUE USES 2018-19 (IN THOUSANDS)
Highway Related Highway & Bridge Maintenance $1,783,173
Highway & Bridge Improvement $3,082,353
Payments to Local Government $969,958

The rest of the budget including the ones you highlighted goes to all this stuff.

Driver & Vehicle Services $245,936
PennDOT Facilities $21,000
General Government Operations $62,460
Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank $30,000
Refunds & Other $2,979
Welcome Centers $3,815
Total Highway Related Uses $6,201,674
Multimodal Related Aviation $60,523
Rail Freight $41,200
Mass Transit $1,952,042
Rural & Intercity Transit $173,600
Free & Shared Ride Transit $165,429
Aviation Grants $6,238
Rail Freight Grants (EA) $10,396
Passenger Rail Grants (EA) $8,317
Ports & Waterways Grants (EA) $10,396
Bicycle & Ped. Facilities Grants Statewide (EA) $2,079
Statewide Program Grants (EA) $40,000
Multimodal Administration & Oversight (EA) $4,317
Transfer to Commonwealth Financial Auth. (EA) $59,752
PennPorts Regional Port Auth. Debt Service $4,606
Total Multimodal Uses $2,538,895
Debt Service & Other Agencies Pennsylvania State Police $770,254
General Fund Capital Debt $112,670
Pennsylvania Turnpike $171,761
Motor License Fund Capital Debt:
Hwy & Bridges $104,539
Other Agencies $129,857
Tort Payments $9,000
Total Debt Service & Other Agencies $1,298,081

So has the data shown to you make you reconsider your position that the rural areas support the urban ones? Pretty obvious from the data it’s the other way around.

Like I was saying before I don’t mind that my tax dollars go to help out rural areas, they are really poor and need the help! I would appreciate it if the recipients of the help wouldn’t try and claim it’s not happening though.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Interstates do get federal funding, but interstates are BY DEFINITION not Rural roads. That money does not go to the townships.




Absolutely I can speak to that... not a single dime of that is directly tied to roads and bridges... did you forget Penndot is also the DMV, Rail Freight, Airports, and everything else?
BY STATE LAW ALL NON INTERSTATE Roads and Bridges are funded by Liquid Fuels Tax and ONLY Liquid Fuels Tax.






All you had to do was keep reading to the end of the next page... none of these revenue sources you highlighed give a single dollar to highways. They will not buy a single ounce of pavement, blacktop, gravel, stone, steel guiderail, etc.
They fund anything else from the non-bolded list below, but the money is separate by law, as I have already stated.




Revenue Sources:
Liquid Fuels Tax ‐ $4,047,582
Federal & Other Funding Federal Funds: Highways $1,690,545
Federal Funds: Pass Through $200,749

REVENUE USES 2018-19 (IN THOUSANDS)
Highway Related Highway & Bridge Maintenance $1,783,173
Highway & Bridge Improvement $3,082,353
Payments to Local Government $969,958

The rest of the budget including the ones you highlighted goes to all this stuff.

Driver & Vehicle Services $245,936
PennDOT Facilities $21,000
General Government Operations $62,460
Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank $30,000
Refunds & Other $2,979
Welcome Centers $3,815
Total Highway Related Uses $6,201,674
Multimodal Related Aviation $60,523
Rail Freight $41,200
Mass Transit $1,952,042
Rural & Intercity Transit $173,600
Free & Shared Ride Transit $165,429
Aviation Grants $6,238
Rail Freight Grants (EA) $10,396
Passenger Rail Grants (EA) $8,317
Ports & Waterways Grants (EA) $10,396
Bicycle & Ped. Facilities Grants Statewide (EA) $2,079
Statewide Program Grants (EA) $40,000
Multimodal Administration & Oversight (EA) $4,317
Transfer to Commonwealth Financial Auth. (EA) $59,752
PennPorts Regional Port Auth. Debt Service $4,606
Total Multimodal Uses $2,538,895
Debt Service & Other Agencies Pennsylvania State Police $770,254
General Fund Capital Debt $112,670
Pennsylvania Turnpike $171,761
Motor License Fund Capital Debt:
Hwy & Bridges $104,539
Other Agencies $129,857
Tort Payments $9,000
Total Debt Service & Other Agencies $1,298,081

Summary:
Whaa I want more free handouts but fuck those Welfare Queens and fuck you liberals.

 

[K1052]

dahahaha

you can really smell the winning here

https://twitter.com/x/status/1270769310915612673

 

[brycejones]

Interstates do get federal funding, but interstates are BY DEFINITION not Rural roads. That money does not go to the townships.




Absolutely I can speak to that... not a single dime of that is directly tied to roads and bridges... did you forget Penndot is also the DMV, Rail Freight, Airports, and everything else?
BY STATE LAW ALL NON INTERSTATE Roads and Bridges are funded by Liquid Fuels Tax and ONLY Liquid Fuels Tax.






All you had to do was keep reading to the end of the next page... none of these revenue sources you highlighed give a single dollar to highways. They will not buy a single ounce of pavement, blacktop, gravel, stone, steel guiderail, etc.
They fund anything else from the non-bolded list below, but the money is separate by law, as I have already stated.




Revenue Sources:
Liquid Fuels Tax ‐ $4,047,582
Federal & Other Funding Federal Funds: Highways $1,690,545
Federal Funds: Pass Through $200,749

REVENUE USES 2018-19 (IN THOUSANDS)
Highway Related Highway & Bridge Maintenance $1,783,173
Highway & Bridge Improvement $3,082,353
Payments to Local Government $969,958

can you stop moving the goal posts? Back to your original claims.

Clearly PA gets federal money do you acknowledge this?

PA has interstates do they only exist in urban areas or are there interstates that span the state?

The state sent $970M to local governments do you acknowledge that?

You made a claim that people in cities don’t support roads because they use propane powered buses that don’t have to pay gas taxes. You ignored my response on that so let’s try again:
Do people in urban areas use vehicles other than propane powered busses for transportation? Do those people pay gas taxes for the cars and trucks they drive in those urban areas?

 

[brycejones]

Summary:
Whaa I want more free handouts but fuck those Welfare Queens and fuck you liberals.

The free handouts make him self sufficient.

Let that irony sink in for a bit.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

can you stop moving the goal posts? Back to your original claims.

Clearly PA gets federal money do you acknowledge this?

PA has interstates do they only exist in urban areas or are there interstates that span the state?

The state sent $970M to local governments do you acknowledge that?

You made a claim that people in cities don’t support roads because they use propane powered buses that don’t have to pay gas taxes. You ignored my response on that so let’s try again:
Do people in urban areas use vehicles other than propane powered busses for transportation? Do those people pay gas taxes for the cars and trucks they drive in those urban areas?

He is starting to sound like the rural guys who think every city is some type of Logan’s Run type domed shiny city in a far away land filled with fart sniffing liberals
Got news for him, no domes, no robotic servants, occasional electric cars and propane busses and yes there are some deplorable’s.

 

[sao123]

can you stop moving the goal posts? Back to your original claims.

Clearly PA gets federal money do you acknowledge this?

Yes.

PA has interstates do they only exist in urban areas or are there interstates that span the state?

You are comparing apples and oranges. Rural people do not benefit from city busses... do you agree that they are EXCLUSIVE?
Interstates exist across the state, and in the city. They DO NOT EXIST IN RURAL TOWNS. Any money that pays anything toward the INTERSTATE does not BY DEFINITION support rural people in rural communities.

The state sent $970M to local governments do you acknowledge that?

Yes. That money comes from rurals peoples fuel taxes. Congratulations, you finally realize that rurals peoples taxes support themselves.

You made a claim that people in cities don’t support roads because they use propane powered buses that don’t have to pay gas taxes. You ignored my response on that so let’s try again:
Do people in urban areas use vehicles other than propane powered busses for transportation? Do those people pay gas taxes for the cars and trucks they drive in those urban areas?

71% of philadelphia and surrounding suburbs commute to work in a method other than driving a car.
44% of Pittsburgh and surrounding suburbs commute to work in a manner other than driving a car.
So no, those fuel taxes from 39% and 56% of the population are INSUFFICIENT to pay for all the roads and bridges in the city and suburbs. Pittsburgh has the MOST bridges of all cities in the united states.
They don't take money off the city to pay for other things, when the city can't pay for itself...

 

[brycejones]

Yes.


You are comparing apples and oranges. Rural people do not benefit from city busses... do you agree that they are EXCLUSIVE?
Interstates exist across the state, and in the city. They DO NOT EXIST IN RURAL TOWNS. Any money that pays anything toward the INTERSTATE does not BY DEFINITION support rural people in rural communities.

Rural people don't use interstates? The goods that "rural" people create don't use interstates to get to market? Your assertion that interstates don't benefit rural people is illogical in the extreme.

Yes. That money comes from rurals peoples fuel taxes. Congratulations, you finally realize that rurals peoples taxes support themselves.

Please provide the revenue numbers Broken down by Urban, Suburban and Rural for gas taxes.

71% of philadelphia and surrounding suburbs commute to work in a method other than driving a car.

The State of Commuters in Philadelphia, 2019

In Philadelphia, nearly a quarter of all commutes to work involve public transportation, one of the highest percentages in the nation. Roughly 40 percent of working Philadelphians reverse commute, meaning they travel to the suburbs and beyond for their primary jobs; this percentage is about...

www.pewtrusts.org

This says 25% not 71% What is your source?

44% of Pittsburgh and surrounding suburbs commute to work in a manner other than driving a car.

Source?

So no, those fuel taxes from 39% and 56% of the population are INSUFFICIENT to pay for all the roads and bridges in the city and suburbs. Pittsburgh has the MOST bridges of all cities in the united states.
They don't take money off the city to pay for other things, when the city can't pay for itself...

You need to support this with actual revenue and expenditures pleases.

 

[ewdotson]

71% of philadelphia and surrounding suburbs commute to work in a method other than driving a car.
44% of Pittsburgh and surrounding suburbs commute to work in a manner other than driving a car.
So no, those fuel taxes from 39% and 56% of the population are INSUFFICIENT to pay for all the roads and bridges in the city and suburbs. Pittsburgh has the MOST bridges of all cities in the united states.
They don't take money off the city to pay for other things, when the city can't pay for itself...

I'd be fascinated for a citation on your statistics. I assume you have one, but the idea of 71% of the population of Philly and its surrounding suburbs commuting to work by method other than driving seems spectacularly unlikely to me. It certainly seems inconsistent with this:

https://www.livestories.com/statistics/pennsylvania/philadelphia-transportation-commute

To grab the first citation I found.

Any discussion along these lines also has to take into account that a much higher percentage of the population lives in urban and suburban regions.

 

[fskimospy]

I'd be fascinated for a citation on your statistics. I assume you have one, but the idea of 71% of the population of Philly and its surrounding suburbs commuting to work by method other than driving seems spectacularly unlikely to me. It certainly seems inconsistent with this:

https://www.livestories.com/statistics/pennsylvania/philadelphia-transportation-commute

To grab the first citation I found.

Any discussion along these lines also has to take into account that a much higher percentage of the population lives in urban and suburban regions.

As someone who lived in the suburbs of Philly that figure seems ludicrously wrong.

Did a quick check and SEPTA's daily average for trips is about 850,000 and that includes ALL rides, both ways. Philly metro area has a population of about 6.1 million, meaning even if you counted every single trip as an individual person, assumed every trip was to or from work, and included only the working age population (about 60% of total population) you would have about 20% of the metro area commuting to work on public transit.

Needless to say those are ridiculous assumptions in and of themselves but they are all biased in favor of his argument and even then the numbers aren't even close. He's just making shit up because he can't admit he's wrong.

 

[ewdotson]

As someone who lived in the suburbs of Philly that figure seems ludicrously wrong.

I mean, I might (might!) be able to buy something like it for the urban core, but including the suburbs? It just seems really unlikely.