Adding Tolls to Brooklyn Bridges?
Marty Markowitz was just on the Brian Lehrer show arguing against the Ravitch Commission’s proposal to add tolls to the three bridges in Brooklyn as well as the Queensboro Bridge as part of its solution to the MTA deficits. (Rosie Perez just called in agreeing with Marty too.) Are you in favor of adding the…
Marty Markowitz was just on the Brian Lehrer show arguing against the Ravitch Commission’s proposal to add tolls to the three bridges in Brooklyn as well as the Queensboro Bridge as part of its solution to the MTA deficits. (Rosie Perez just called in agreeing with Marty too.) Are you in favor of adding the tolls?
Taxing the 3 bridges is ridiculous and just like higher oil inspiring alternative fuel sources, punishes the poor. Someone posted if you want to take the bridges pay the toll. Where would the choice?? Suppose mass transit isn’t an option? That leaves the bridges and the tunnel.
MTA is notorious for mismanaging their funds. They shouldn’t be allowed to implement any new taxes, er, excuse me, tolls, until they can account for how they’re spending the money they already have.
nyt had a great piece several months ago re cars in Manhattan…surprising result was number of drivers from other 4 boroughs who were employed by city and had free parking…..i cab it over bklyn bridge probably 10-12 x a week….rarely see families…in fact it’s unusual to see a car with a second passenger….tolls on base of bklyn bridge would be a disaster–think of length of lines at Triborough…7-8 ez pass lanes, 2-3 operators….how many lanes can u get near Tillary, Cadman, etc ??? would be niightmare….just clip me at DMV once a yr or raise taxes a fraction(if that’s possibe.)
“i think we should take people at their word when they try to clarify what they stated. we all say things, especially on the internet, that may come across as more sweeping or inflammatory than we intend.”
z, well said. I think both fsrg and I have to a degree misinterpreted each other (except for the running out of oil part). We certainly seem to be on the same page with respect to the environment, which to me is the number one issue of the next generation (notwithstanding the recent and immediate need to deal with the economic crisis, but that will pass more quickly than environmental issues).
fsrg, I think our arguments did get muddled at some points. Many hate us, not just the extremists, and for good reason. I was just trying to point out that, in my view, most Americans (and I’m now talking generally and NOT about you) misinterpret why the extremists AND many non-extremists hate us. And this is based on the mind boggling notions put forth by politicians (like Bush and many before him), right wing talk show hosts, etc. that they are jealous of our way of life and that all Muslims are religious zealots. Perhaps I unfairly jumped on you assuming that was your view. You’re saying it’s not how you think and I accept that.
brg: This has nothing to do with knowing “Islam”…that’s like making statements about the Protestants after reading the Bible.
I’m not condemning Islam, but if you cannot see the connection between Islamic societies and intolerance and extremism, you’re willfully blind.
The violence, etc are *state-sanctioned*, which simply does not happen in (almost) any other country. State-sanctioned stonings, attitudes towards women, fatwas, etc. You cannot deny this.
z, right on.
Biff – but you are putting two seperate things together improperly.
Yes I did say that our foreign suppliers of oil hate us – which YOU agreed with and then YOU cited reasons (all of which put ALL of the blame on Western/US policies).
THEN without arguing against the reasons YOU cited, I offered an ADDITIONAL one – religious intolerance/fanaticism
well, i’ll let fsrq defend himself, except to say that i think we should take people at their word when they try to clarify what they stated. we all say things, especially on the internet, that may come across as more sweeping or inflammatory than we intend.
Of course all countries and religions have bad apples, z. But I believe this all started with fsrg’s statement, “what we are not far from is being totally dependent on foreign suppliers who hate us and thereby giving them way too much leverage over our economy, politics and way of life.”
This was a far cry from where we finally got to with your attempt to explain his message. Had he posted something along the lines of what you did, I don’t think we would have gone down this road. But to start with the blanket statement that “foreign suppliers” hate us deserved push back in my opinion. It’s a big leap to assume fsrg was initially referring to a handful of intolerant, vicious, religious zealots when he made that statement.
When he said “they also hate us because their (form of) religion teaches them to hate all non-believers”, he did not qualify that by saying he was talking about the “bad apples”, the implication he was referring to Muslims in oil producing countries in general. At least that’s how I took it.
Dave I assure you I am not hiding behind any white sheet or anything else – if I wanted to say all muslims are terrorists or terrorist supporters who condone killing innocent people – I would. But I do not believe that and specifically stated my believes in a clear coherent fashion.
The reason I used the term “form of” religion is because I think it IS important to distinguish the people who commit these atrocities from the billions of others who do not condone such action but whose “religion” while totally different, may share the same generalized name.
Sorry if that distinction is not important in your world. But in my world; words are important and have meaning.
i don’t understand why fsrq is being given such a hard time. he expressly said he’s only talking about a subset of muslims. i doubt most of you would have a problem with someone arguing that abortion-clinic bombers, gay-bashers, and other unsavory sorts in the U.S. are motivated, at least in part, by their christian faith (or what they perceive to be a christian faith). why is it so unreasonable to assert that islam has similar bad apples who use their religion to justify their actions?