Supporting good transportation policy is not about ideology, but education. In an interview with Blueprint America, ranking Republican John Mica of Florida has this to say:
“If you’re on the Transportation Committee long enough, even if you’re a fiscal conservative, which I consider myself to be, you quickly see the benefits of transportation investment. Simply, I became a mass transit fan because it’s so much more cost effective than building a highway. Also, it’s good for energy, it’s good for the environment – and that’s why I like it.”
In response, David Alpert of Greater, Greater Washington suggests we cycle more fiscal conservatives through the Committee so that they learn the myriad benefits to be derived from investing in public transportation.
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So why is this a problem, with the Dems firmly in control of the white house, and both houses of congress? Maybe because politicians in general all have their own pet projects, which don’t seem to include rapid transit funding….you’d think it would be a natural, right up there with carbon free nuclear power…..There’s actually no shortage of fiscally conservative voters or politicians who support transit and nuclear power from an economic development perspective, they just don’t outnumber the anti-development-of-any-kind-type crowd….
The challenge is one that is psychological not necessarily practical. The majority of Americans still see public transportation as a communist provision for poor people who would really rather be driving a personal automobile but can’t afford to. And, it’s so funny, many of them — when they visit the bigger cities elsewhere in the states and/or Europe, they utilize public transit to get around because it’s just practical to do so, but they wouldn’t want that same access to public transit back home where they live.
I must say, though, that I am happy that Republican politicians are beginning to make a move in the right direction. That’s definitely something to be happy about.