r/BeAmazed • u/zzill6 • Sep 02 '25

Technology Reporter left speechless after witnessing Japan's new $70 million Maglev train in action at 310 mph

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u/BatPsychological9999 Sep 02 '25

Why can’t we have nice things

2.3k

u/vblink_ Sep 02 '25

Because we would rather give tax cuts for the rich and don't see investing in infrastructure as anything but a cost instead of a service.

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u/Borgweare Sep 02 '25

Also, we allow NIMBYs to veto the development of anything if they don’t like it regardless of how much public good it would do

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u/[deleted] Sep 03 '25

[deleted]

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u/stilljustacatinacage Sep 03 '25

I don't really like the concept of eminent domain for a number of reasons. Mostly because it never seems to target affluent neighborhoods. But I also have some compassion for the hassle of having your life uprooted and just being expected to "go on, git".

It also depends a lot on the project being proposed. Sports stadium? Private developer apartment highrise? Adding another lane to the highway? Go fuck yourself. But something like a passenger rail line or an environmental protection measure, my compassion ends very abruptly at "you've been offered market value and-then-some, plus hotel and moving expenses". After that, sorry, but you're being moved one way or the other.

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u/TianShan16 Sep 05 '25

Not actually market value and then some, certainly not with hotel and other expenses. Just whatever value the government decides it is worth, based on “trust me, bro”. My grandparents got eminent domained and got fuck all for their large property and the house they literally built themselves.

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u/stilljustacatinacage Sep 05 '25

Right, that's not fair. I'm saying there are other instances where people are offered fair market values, but still refuse. That's when my patience dries up.

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u/TianShan16 Sep 05 '25

I suppose ultimately it comes down to whether you respect private property or not. If you do, then voting to take someone’s property away is always wrong. If you don’t, then you can do so all you like, but your property will also be subject to theft.

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u/stilljustacatinacage Sep 05 '25

It's the same principle as general liberties. Your liberty ends at the tip of someone else's nose. You're free to do what you like, until it begins to harm other people. "Private property" or not, refusing to acquiesce to reasonable requests for projects that will better society at large, harms society. Individuals cannot be allowed to stand in the way of improving life for thousands or millions.

Calling it "theft" is emotionally manipulative. I've already made it clear that the state has an obligation to provide fair recompense. Once fair compensation is refused, it's not theft, it's a hostage situation - the betterment of society held hostage at the whims of some few unreasonable people.

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u/belpatr Sep 03 '25

NIMBY's are a cancer, but so is eminent domain. It's all bad. Eminent domain only targets the poor, it's the rich and powerful using the power of the state to trample over the poor. What we need is a Land Value Tax.