Are All Drivers Socialists?

[kpete]

It is undeniable that driving places enormous costs on our society, and this cost is highly subsidized by our government. ... In China a litre of gasoline ($0.946) is almost 3 times the cost of a one-way ticket on local public transport ($0.32). In the United States a one-way ticket on public transit ($1.94) is almost double the cost of a litre of gasoline ($1.00).
http://www.theurbancountry.com/2011/08/motorists-prime-beneficiaries-of.html

If the government owned all the grocery stores and apartment buildings, and and then sold or rented it with a massive subsidy to everyone, it would be called socialism. But Republicans have no problem with government owning the roads and giving them away almost for free, (the gas tax only covers a portion of the costs), and complaining about a few nickels being directed to those who do not drive. Who are the real socialists?
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/08/who-benefits-from-socialism-in-america.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2011/09/are-all-drivers-socialists-.html

[dennis4868]

1. yes!

also a business/store owner is a socialist because they get the benefits from the security services the government provides at day and night?

WE ARE ALL SOCIALIST! :-)

[antigop]

2. I think you'll find Republicans who think all roads should be toll roads.

You pay for usage. The roads are funded (and corporate profits) from the tolls that are paid.

[Blue_Tires]

3. Pretty much anyone who likes breathing clean air is a socialist...

[Fumesucker]

4. No...

Only the ones that drive on public roads.

[dkf]

5. It's funny that so much of the roads are funded under the guise of "national defense"

Since we build the interstate roads to ensure the military can move from one area to another. Now we call it socialist. Lol.

From Wikipedia:

Initial federal planning for a nationwide highway system began in 1921 when the Bureau of Public Roads asked the Army to provide a list of roads it considered necessary for national defense. This resulted in the Pershing Map.<3[br />
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System

[Odin2005]

6. That's actually very common historically. Ancient Rome's famous road system had the same origin...

...as our interstates, to help army transport.

The Romans were very insistent on having PAVED roads so legions and their baggage train did not get stuck in the mud when it rained.

[dkf]

7. Yeah those Roman's were such great socialists when they were off building their empire.

[begin_within]

8. Damn right. Drivers should get of their lazy socialist butts and build their own damned roads.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

9. So does this make people who drive off-road 4x4 vehcles capitalists?