🚀 go-pugleaf

"Paul E. Schoen" wrote:
> 
> "Michael A. Terrell" <mike.terrell@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:ieidnSvlPKQURrDVnZ2dnUVZ_qjinZ2d@earthlink.com...
> >
> > Reality.  There isn't enough generating capacity to convert to electric
> > cars.
> 
> It may not exist at the moment, but the switch to electric (as well as
> other more efficient vehicles) must be accompanied by an overall reduction
> in our total per-capita energy consumption. Even if new electric power
> plants would be built, using the same fossil fuels that now power
> automobiles, they would be much more efficient and cleaner than millions of
> individual cars and trucks being driven in stop-and-go traffic. But the
> ultimate resolution to this problem will involve people changing their
> lifestyles, using more public transportation, living closer to jobs (or
> telecommuting), and generally becoming a more cooperative society living
> and working closely with other people, rather than isolationism, needless
> competition, and broken families.
> 
> Paul

You will live where we (the central planning bureau) want you to. You
will shop where we tell you to. 

Our region (the Seattle area) is going through a fiasco called light
rail that seems to be designed to feed customers and employees into one
area (downtown Seattle). Any attempts to relocate the route, even a few
blocks, to serve another major shopping mall (Southcenter) were shot
down by the downtown gang. We certainly can't have shoppers go to the
wrong mall.

The route was carefully designed to pass through neighborhoods (poor,
low income neighborhoods) where friends of the planners had made shrewd
real estate investments. A competing plan intended to serve existing
residential areas was shot down. We can't boost the property values in
areas where the good ol' boys haven't managed to corner the market.

The earliest incarnation of the project was supposed to run from
Everett, through downtown Seattle (and be funded by Everett residents as
well). Trouble was, the downtown Seattle planners refused to extend the
line into downtown Everett. Instead, there would be a park-and-ride a
mile or so south, where people could catch the train to Seattle. God
forbid that someone might actually take it in "the wrong direction" to
work, thereby propping up the economy of the Everett business district.

Don't get me wrong. I think mas transit is a decent idea. But only if
the central planners don't try to use it as a tool to divert my money
into the pockets of their favored business partners. Rail seems to be
favored by these folks because, after sinking billions into a fixed
system, they can argue for further tax funds to rescue the investment.
If they went with buses, they could just change the routes to match
demand.  

-- 
Paul Hovnanian     mailto:Paul@Hovnanian.com
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"Yee-Ha!" is not an adequate foreign policy.