Public transit has been in a deep crisis since the Covid pandemic. Transit systems weren’t adequately funded to begin with. Then, as remote work increased, ridership declined. Now, emergency relief and infrastructure funds passed during the Biden administration have dried up. When transit systems make cuts, service quality declines. As public transit gets dirtier, more dangerous, and less reliable, the public responds by using it less. This “death spiral” is a dream scenario for privatizers, who employ the “four D’s”: Defund, Degrade, Demonize, and Dismantle.