Los Angeles once led America in public transit with its Red Car system, but today’s Metro is a shadow of that past glory. New York’s subway, built in 1904, runs 24/7 and connects every corner of the city—proof that efficient transit thrives when leaders prioritize practicality over politics. L.A.’s sprawling layout and refusal to learn from NYC’s success have left commuters stuck in traffic or waiting endlessly for delayed trains.
The heart of the problem? L.A. Metro forces all rail lines into downtown, ignoring how real people live and work. New York’s subway funnels riders through Manhattan because that’s where jobs and life converge naturally. In L.A., jobs and neighborhoods are spread across 500 square miles, yet bureaucrats keep pushing a one-size-fits-all approach that serves downtown elites, not everyday Angelenos.
Decades of mismanagement and woke urban planning turned L.A.’s transit into a money pit. Taxpayers fund endless rail expansions that nobody uses, while New York’s subway adapts to actual rider needs. The Metro’s own experts admit the system is broken, but instead of fixing core issues, they demand more funding for green-energy pet projects.
Building rail in modern L.A. costs 5-10 times more per mile than other cities, thanks to union graft and environmental red tape. New York’s subway expanded rapidly because leaders cut through bureaucracy, but California pols bow to special interests. Every new Metro station becomes a monument to wasted dollars, while drivers sit in gridlock.
The solution isn’t more trains—it’s realistic planning. NYC’s subway works because it connects dense neighborhoods people can afford. L.A. zoned itself into a disaster, with sky-high housing costs pushing families deeper into suburbs, far from transit hubs. Until liberals fix the affordability crisis, no rail line can undo their mistakes.
Conservatives know top-down government projects rarely deliver. L.A. Metro spends millions on “equity” studies and bike lanes while riders flee. New York focuses on basics: cleaning stations, preventing crime, and keeping trains on time. Common sense, not climate slogans, keeps the subway running.
The former Metro innovation chief wants AI-powered buses and smartphone apps, but tech gimmicks won’t save a system built on flawed ideas. Real change requires dismantling bloated agencies and letting private companies compete. When government monopolies fail, free markets step in—something NYC understood a century ago.
Hardworking Americans deserve transit that respects their time and tax dollars. L.A.’s leaders keep doubling down on failure, but the answer is clear: copy New York’s proven model, slash bureaucracy, and put riders first. Until then, the Metro will remain a cautionary tale of liberal hubris.
