LaHood defends mass transit push

The Boston Globe ^ | May 21, 2009 | Alan Wirzbicki

[Lorianne]

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood defended the pro-mass transit policies of the Obama administration today, and fired back at conservative writer George Will, who devoted an entire column to attacking LaHood earlier this week.

"We have to create opportunities for people who want to ride a bike or walk or take a streetcar," he said. "The only person that I've heard of who objects to this is George Will."

Will wrote a column in Newsweek magazine criticizing the secretary, whom he dubbed "Secretary of Behavior Modification," for supporting measures to wean commuters off automobiles.

LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, made his remarks during a speech at the National Press Club about Obama's economic stimulus plan, which directed billions to transit and high-speed rail, and the upcoming transportation bill.

One of only two Republicans in the Obama cabinet, LaHood was named to the post in part to serve as the president's ambassador to Congressional Republicans. He acknowledged that efforts to win GOP support for the stimulus had failed, but said he believed more Republicans would support the Obama administration on healthcare and climate change legislation that is also expected this year.

In a question-and-answer session following his remarks, Lahood expressed exasperation with the suggestion from some of his fellow Republicans that redirecting federal transportation money from highways to other modes of transportation amounted to government meddling in individual decisions.

"About everything we do around here is government intrusion into people's lives," he said.

"It is a way to coerce people out of their cars. Yeah."

[Bookie1066]

He thinks I'm going to stand at a bus stop in Las Vegas in the middle of the summer when it's 115 degrees at 1 in the afternoon to go to work.

Yeah right. Right after he stops being driven to work on the tax payers dime

[BenLurkin]

“The only person that I’ve heard of who objects to this is George Will.”

[a fool in paradise]

LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, made his remarks during a speech at the National Press Club about Obama's economic stimulus plan, which directed billions to transit and high-speed rail, and the upcoming transportation bill.

Chicago is the hub for this high-speed rail swindle. It's a way to funnel billions to connected cronies.

[Lou L]

Lorianne-

I think it most certainly is about "getting us out of cars" altogether. They want us huddled together, living on top of one another in the cities, where we're dependent on government-provided mass transit to go anywhere.

It would be great if there were nice bike paths going here and there--it's great exercise in my opinion, but not when it's mandated. Not when a city one the eastern seaboard has to trade bikepaths for roads. Not when you have to buy your groceries by the bagful, because you can't carry more than two bags on a bike.

Most of all, providing all these new transportation options should come as cities and counties have the budgets for them. Local governments should decide, not the feds.

[a fool in paradise]

America’s car culture is known around the world. Drive-ins, classic cars, mobility, freedom of movement.

The socialists despise our “glory days”. Always have. Always will.

It isn’t that we are ruining it for everyone else. We are just enjoying ourselves “too much”.

[a fool in paradise]

“The only person that I’ve heard of who objects to this is George Will.”

"la la la la, I can't hear you, la la la la la!!!"

[a fool in paradise]

Wait until they insist that Las Vegas turn up the theromostat or do away with AC altogether...

[a fool in paradise]

here in Houston, the city rulers oppose putting advertising on and inside of our public buses and rail system. We pay for that decision as a legitimate revenue system is rejected for selfish reasons.

I do not find my roadways to be any more “beautiful” because the investments of billboard operators are protected. Note too that my city restricts the development and even repair of billboards, so it isn’t like they are that loved by the politicians.

Meanwhile my gasoline tax was never intended to subsidize failed public transit schemes.

[bfree]

This administration is operating as if they are following George Orwell, unfortunately they never read the books to see the results of their orders.

[Lorianne]

Most of all, providing all these new transportation options should come as cities and counties have the budgets for them. Local governments should decide, not the feds.

I certainly agree with that. Local taxes should provide the funds to do what local people want.

However, local governments accept Federal money all the time. This, IMO, lets the pony out of the barn for all sorts of proposals that the Feds (ie all taxpayers) should fund local things.

I don't see why I should help fund a park or an piece of art or a women's shelter in some far off city ... but we do this all the time (it's called pork barrel politics). The precedent has been set.

An argument to reverse that precedent has more integrity than just saying "I don't want the Feds to fund bike paths, trains, etc. ... only roads."

[radiohead]

As a carless grad student, I took 2-3 buses to get to campus. It took 45 minutes to an hour because of traffic and God help you if you missed a connection.

Sometimes I’d get a ride from campus. TEN ‘effing minutes!!

I support public transportation and never owned a car until I hit middle age, but damn, a car is nice and all those times I waited in the rain, cold, and snow for a bus, I sure wasn’t thinking how great it was to ride public transit!