Bike Forums - View Single Post - Is it time for a railroad revival?

02-16-10 | 04:23 PM

#64

Robert Foster

Banned.

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 3,498

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From: Southern california

Bikes: Lapierre CF Sensium 400. Jamis Ventura Sport. Trek 800. Giant Cypress.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerv

What exactly does this mean? I have heard many US citizens state this but have never understood what it means. Don't you think that Canadians or French or Dutch people have a sense of personal freedom?

I am not attempting to make a judgment call as to what national characteristics are better or worse only some differences that cause people in the US to resists solutions that require them to either tax themselves or give up their freedom of movement. Look at how we view driving in this country. It is viewed almost as a right and requires a minimum effort at getting a license while some of the countries you mentioned make it much more difficult.
Are we different? Take a look at the willingness of some of the countries we trade with that still tolerate any form of monarchy. How in the world could a freedom loving people consider for a moment an inherited line of succession as if some people are born more worthy than others. As if some people are born to a higher class than others? Did you know that the Monarch of the Netherlands nominates the Supreme Court and once appointed that person nominated by someone that is allowed to do so simply because of an accident of birth? Would we tolerate the French Legal system based on Civil Law rather than criminal law?
Once again I am not saying what is better or worse but what some of the differences are. It is those differences that make solutions by other countries harder to implement in the US. Just because our government wants to put in a high speed train doesn’t mean they can without the approval of the people they govern. A problem some governments don’t seem to have.

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