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Abstract
Transit Manipulation by the Koch Brothers: Analyzing the Relationship between the Division of Power in the United States Government, Societal Benefits, Voter and Rider Composition, Referendum Language and Cost of Improvement Under the Lens of the 2018 Nashville Transit Improvement Program Referendum
Samantha Lee, Depts. of Biology and Chemistry, with Prof. Mary Boyes, VCU Honors College
In Nashville, Tennessee, Charles and David Koch, known as the Koch Brothers, manipulated these areas--the division of power in the United States government, change in leadership, societal benefits, voter and rider composition, referendum language and cost of the improvement--in order to turn what was initially positive voter feedback into a roadblock for the 2018 Nashville Transit Improvement Program Referendum, even though many voters would have benefitted from such a system. The federal government focuses on the united country whereas the state governments account solely for their respective interests, causing projects in states that received the majority of the funding for the 2010 national high-speed rail to fail since they misrepresented the expectations of the people, alluding to the systemic bias in funding against public transportation in comparison to automobiles. The voter and rider composition of Nashville, specifically the $49,391 median household income contributed to failure of the 2018 Nashville Transit Improvement Program Referendum as the project was neither affordable nor relevant for voting residents, exemplified by the election results. Pro-public transportation voting Americans support public transit because of social benefits: reduction of congestion, cleaner environment, aid for the poor and socially excluded, revitalization of cities, and job creation, resulting in limited in-support votes and ridership, reflecting the greater influence of self-interest on voters, especially when taxes are involved. The referendum language and estimated $5.4 billion project cost prompted the Nashville voters to become dissuaded because of their socioeconomic status, supported by their unwillingness to pay. Understanding the failure of the 2018 Nashville Transit Improvement Program Referendum was a result of the Nashville’s societal and economic conditions that were exploited by conservative political groups, such as Americans for Prosperity, one can apply such knowledge to future transportation referendums and mirror or counteract the Koch Brothers’ actions to prompt successful passage.
Publication Date
2020
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Prof. Mary Boyes
Sponsorship
Virginia Commonwealth University. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
Is Part Of
VCU Undergraduate Research Posters
Rights
© The Author(s)