Talking Points Memo did more digging to find out why mass transit and Amtrak were getting so little of the proposed stimulus. It's bad enough that $30 billion will go for "roads and bridges," most of which will worsen global warming, increase our dependency on imported oil and increase the environmental and urban damage of sprawl. But apparently these critical transportation choices — a given in most advanced nations, and critical to face a future of expensive energy and global warming — were sold out for tax cuts. It's also galling that mass transit and rail go begging while we sink trillions into the hole of the "financial services industry" swindles.
Urbanites — and suburbanites who want alternatives to endless driving — put Obama over the top. It's time they reminded him of their issues. Next up for enterprising reporters: What sprawl industries are pushing this for their financial benefit?
They say an economic calamity is a terrible thing to waste but I fear that’s what Obama is doing. It’s almost as if he’s triangulating before the fact, going into a submission position before the battlelines have even been drawn.
It won’t help. Right-wingers savaged Clinton for eight years despite his best efforts to reward them and ignore liberals. What is it with this country? You’d almost think that the left is now the Evil Empire, a sinister collection of organic farmers, herbal tea drinkers and yoga instructors.
Maybe that’s our problem. We’re too few, too nice, and too far from the real centers of political and economic power. Obama knows who the primetime players are. We’re not even in the same room.