Comments on: Obama’s National Transportation Plan Includes Bicycling & Walking

By: serial catowner

serial catowner — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:33:35 +0000

Large rural parts of the country lost their bus service when the buses were de-regulated. This is one reason people like Trent Lott have supported Amtrak- they have small towns in their district where Amtrak is the only public carrier.

By: Lola

Lola — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 04:38:54 +0000

At the candidates' transportation forum at NYU on Jan. 31, Obama was represented by a Chicago lawyer from Meyer, Brown whose recent accomplishments include overseeing the privatization of Chicago Midway airport and toll roads in Chicago and Denver. If selling off the commonwealth is Obama's idea of "incentivizing"--or if he's simply inclined to turn to this interest group for his expertise in transit planning--then I'm sticking with Hillary. (A link to the webcast here: http://wagner.nyu.edu/rudincenter/conferences/. Cue to 32:30--right after Kucinich's guy finishes eulogizing water and transportation as human rights)

By: Scott Mace

Scott Mace — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:54:11 +0000

Nothing yet from Obama on congestion pricing. The Clinton Foundation Web site touts it as a solution.

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:08:20 +0000

I'm glad Obama is in favor of cycling and walking. Because when he comes into office and realizes the U.S. is bankrupt, it will be all he is able to afford.

By: rex

rex — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:01:12 +0000

Obama's position will put him at odds with McCain. McCain has not only been against funding for Amtrak, over the past decades he has been pointedly dismissive towards Amtrak.

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:56:36 +0000

"Is Amtrak really "the only form of reliable transportation" in "many parts of the country?" What parts of the country would that be?" Many places in the rural west, there is no longer bus service and no airports. If you want to travel your options are driving or Amtrak. If you can't drive, your out of luck. If there is a blizzard, your option is Amtrak. In this case, "many places" isn't that many people, but it is a vast part of this nation's land area. To some extent, these Amtrak services also help take city dwellers and tourists to remote national parks.

By: Aaron Naparstek

Aaron Naparstek — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:56:19 +0000

Try now.

By: Dave H.

Dave H. — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:43:18 +0000

The NY Times/John Kerry-in-spandex link doesn't seem to work.

By: Fred Camino

Fred Camino — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:27:43 +0000

I'll vote for whoever plans on removing all subsidies from auto based infrastructure (including Middle Eastern wars for oil resources) and then using that money to pay back the once thriving private transit industry for 70 years of lost progress due unfair government competition. Then, let a balanced transportation system rebuild itself using market forces instead of government coercion. We'll see how many people choose to not share rides when they bear the true cost private automobile mobility. Dear U.S. government, I know you know best, but the people would rather choose their preferred mode of transportation. Thx bi.

By: fpteditors

fpteditors — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:43:16 +0000

Don't expect the candidates to point out the forest fire of subsidies to the carbon/auto industry such as free carbon-dumping into the air.

By: jmc

jmc — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:25:34 +0000

I hope you like coal power plants and biofuels, because this is what obama has actually supported since he's been in the senate.

By: Reum

Reum — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:07:09 +0000

It is a far cry from Ross Perot including the FHWA bicycling program as one of his 100 or whatever detailed examples of the federal government wasting your tax dollars.