Since September 11th, terror in the US has rated above fatalities from shark attacks and not much else. Since the economic meltdown of 2008, it has, in fact, been left in the shade by violent deaths that stem from reactions to job loss, foreclosure, inability to pay the rent, and so on.
This is seldom highlighted in a country perversely convulsed by, and that can’t seem to get enough of, fantasies about being besieged by terrorists. [Read the full post here]
I didn’t end up making it to DC for today’s historic inauguration, but watching with 250 fellow students here at Swarthmore ended up being pretty exhilirating (and much warmer). Former Vice President Cheney looked absolutely neutered in his wheelchair, and his injuries provoked some cheers from the crowd. Luckily, the shots of President Bush only provoked one thrown shoe.
The Santa Ana Freeway – Will LaHood work for mass transit alternatives or expansion and induced demand?
I was well aware that President-elect Obama wouldn’t be able to live up to the high expectations that many people, including myself, had of him. This week, however, has been a particularly rough one. Monday’s announcement of his “Green Team” was lacking a Transportation Secretary. As Streetsblog reports,
“Obama still hasn’t made the transportation – land use – climate connection,” Petra Todorovich, director of Regional Plan Association’s America 2050 program said. “It’s clear he’s thinking about these things in separate categories.”
When he did fill the spot, public transportation and livable streets advocates were not particularly pleased. Most sources report LaHood to be pretty cozy with the highway lobby. It’s disappointing to have such a valuable spot in the cabinet go to a politician who is not very progressive. Again, from the Streetsblog report:
“This sends the message that the transportation secretary is a throw-away political appointment who doesn’t matter,’ said a city transportation official who, like others, asked to remain anonymous to preserve their relationship with the U.S. DOT. “This is the slot for the token Republican. It’s the bottom of the barrel. A bone you can throw.”
And to top it all off, it comes out that Rick Warren will be given the honor of giving the inauguration’s invocation. I apologize on behalf of Orange County, but at least the conversations behind the decision have been made public.
I’m unhappy that my tax dollars are going to fund this vomit-inducing video. I’m even more unhappy that Barney Laura decided not to include my favorite ornament in the decorations. Apparently the sentiment that “America cannot regain its moral leadership in the world if America cannot hold its leaders accountable for their actions at home” is not patriotic enough for “A Red, White, and Blue Christmas.”
This is still North Carolina, after all, and race will still probably play a part in how the presidential election finishes here. “I don’t think the United States is ready for a black person to be president,” said Lucille Anderson, 73, from Lawsonville. “I think the blacks would be mean to us … they’d probably take us over.” [Salon News]
McCain has stayed competitive, in part, because a significant number of voters remain ready to choose him not for what he would actually do in Iraq, but for what he seems to symbolize in the hall of mirrors that is American politics.
Former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, Swarthmore Class of 1955, gave this year’s Constitution Day talk yesterday. He was an engaging speaker, and it was informative to hear his views on the election, the history of abusing the Constitution during times of “war,” and the Bill of Rights. He apologized for not beating President George Bush in 1988, arguing (only half-jokingly) that if he had, we wouldn’t be in the mess we are now. He also shared some entertaining stories about his experiences living in Wharton, venturing into the Ville, and scheming on breaks.
Decades ago, Los Angeles had one of the most extensive passenger rail networks in the country. Streetcar lines were the lifeblood of personal transportation. Now, passenger rail transport in the Southland (on Metrolink commuter rail or Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner) is unreliable, subject to lengthy delays, and unsafe compared to other commuter rail systems across the country.
Such poor service can generally be explained by one reason: passenger trains in California run along freight railroads. Unlike in Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, passenger trains in California must share tracks and yield to frieght trains. This makes service subject to significant unforeseen delays and safety concerns. Last week’s horrific Metrolink crash is an extreme example.
As rail traffic in California increases over the coming years, it is imperative that the state invest in grade-separated tracks dedicated to passenger service. California High Speed Rail would do just that. Passing the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act, on the ballot in November as Proposition 1A, is an important step in free ingpassenger rail from the constraints and dangers of sharing tracks with freight and creating environmentally friendly, rapid, and punctual service.
![[del.icio.us]](http://ansoncfit.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://ansoncfit.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://ansoncfit.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[LinkedIn]](http://ansoncfit.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/linkedin.png)
![[Email]](http://ansoncfit.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
