Comments on: Portland Congressman to George Will: Let’s Debate http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/20/portland-congressman-to-george-will-lets-debate/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:12:44 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Will Handsfield http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/20/portland-congressman-to-george-will-lets-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-68429 Will Handsfield Wed, 20 May 2009 20:06:58 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6204#comment-68429 I have enjoyed Will's position on international affairs over the years, but on domestic transportation policy, he's dead wrong. It's Blumenauer and his peers that are promoting freedom and liberty, and Will and his ilk who are trying to stifle it. Car mono-culture shackles citizens to a system that requires ownership and upkeep of expensive equipment, demands an ever increasing percentage of time to use, and burdens society with myriad unaccounted-for externalities. Consider this, 33% of Americans cannot, or choose not to use this system as their primary means of transit, yet less than 18% of spending currently goes to support non-car options. I can't wait for this debate, and I hope Streetsblog covers it. I have enjoyed Will's position on international affairs over the years, but on domestic transportation policy, he's dead wrong. It's Blumenauer and his peers that are promoting freedom and liberty, and Will and his ilk who are trying to stifle it. Car mono-culture shackles citizens to a system that requires ownership and upkeep of expensive equipment, demands an ever increasing percentage of time to use, and burdens society with myriad unaccounted-for externalities.

Consider this, 33% of Americans cannot, or choose not to use this system as their primary means of transit, yet less than 18% of spending currently goes to support non-car options.

I can't wait for this debate, and I hope Streetsblog covers it.

]]> By: Daniel Nairn http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/20/portland-congressman-to-george-will-lets-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-68424 Daniel Nairn Wed, 20 May 2009 19:32:08 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6204#comment-68424 Do it for the pinot at least, Will! I'd love to hear a pro-auto "Conservative" <i>reasonably</i> debate his position in a public setting. Unlike some other people, I personally think George Will might be kinda smart (some obvious climatological errors aside). I bet if he took a more careful look at the O'Toole soundbites he has obviously been digesting, he'll see that encouraging automobile-centric sprawl is not consistent with his own principles. I'm rooting for a conversion here. Do it for the pinot at least, Will! I'd love to hear a pro-auto "Conservative" reasonably debate his position in a public setting. Unlike some other people, I personally think George Will might be kinda smart (some obvious climatological errors aside). I bet if he took a more careful look at the O'Toole soundbites he has obviously been digesting, he'll see that encouraging automobile-centric sprawl is not consistent with his own principles. I'm rooting for a conversion here.

]]> By: Glen http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/20/portland-congressman-to-george-will-lets-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-68421 Glen Wed, 20 May 2009 19:23:56 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6204#comment-68421 I'd love to join the two for a ride around Portland and perhaps wine country. I'd love to join the two for a ride around Portland and perhaps wine country.

]]>