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Progressives Should NEVER Use Uber Or Lyft


Anthony Kalamar
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Show some backbone and stand up for what you believe in already!

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I get it--there is so much bad news out there, about our cities, our government, and our future. Even a well-meaning person with progressive values might want to turn off the spigot and just be a thoughtless consumer for a while. But companies like Uber and Lyft are one of those classic cases where if you're not outraged, you haven't been paying attention. If you are a serious progressive you need to draw a line in the sand and never support these companies, in any way.

Here are just a few of the reasons to never use Uber or Lyft again, ever:

  • Uber and Lyft are Anti-Labor

  • Uber and Lyft are Bad for Cities

  • Uber and Lyft are Anti-Democratic

  • Uber and Lyft Exemplify the New Post-Truth Capitalism

  • And Fortunately -- You Don't Need Them!

Uber and Lyft are Anti-Labor

Don't buy the myth that Uber and Lyft drivers are just driving you around for fun. The vast majority of rides given on those platforms are provided by drivers who are trying to earn a living the job. Uber and Lyft entice drivers with sign-on bonuses, and promises that drivers can make "up to" thousands of dollars a month. Yet when drivers actually hit the streets, they find that this is nearly impossible, due to artificially low fares, which drivers have to supplement by jumping through all kinds of hoops in order to earn bonuses. And still, when Uber and Lyft drivers go to pay their taxes, they often find that they earned below minimum wage, or even lost money, driving for these companies. While Uber and Lyft cover their own losses with loans and venture capital, many of their drivers gain their "income" by sucking equity out of their own cars. To top it all off, by categorizing drivers as "independent contractors" instead of as employees, Uber and Lyft get away with paying no benefits, and leaving their drivers to fend for themselves by paying higher taxes, and paying for their own healthcare.

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Anthony Kalamar is an independent scholar and writer on environmental and technology issues.

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