No, not Oregon, anything but that! (Katherine M. Hill)
George Will doesn't like Ray LaHood. He definitely doesn't like high-speed rail, bike lanes, or regular rail. And he probably hated seeing happy cyclists on Bike to Work day. And he probably believes Metro riders are the scourge of society. He'd probably admit to hating buses, too, if they weren't on the same road as his car.
It’s clear that Will is anti-public transportation when he defines transportation as, “...all about concrete practicalities—planes, trains and automobiles, steel, asphalt and concrete.” Understand the likeliness that “trains” could translate to subways or Light Rail is zero, and note that “asphalt and concrete” means cars, not inflated rubber tires pedaled by cyclists.
And while Will thinks he’s being cute by blasting LaHood’s previous home of Peoria, Illinois, I find Will’s statement somewhat disturbing:
He knows what plays in Peoria, and not just figuratively: He is from there. Peoria is a meatloaf, macaroni-and-cheese, down-to-earth place, home of Caterpillar, the maker of earthmoving machines for building roads, runways, dams and things.
Allow me to translate: LaHood is from Middle America, and while the Republicans ran on a “Main Street, USA” foundation, his Midwestern background can not be trusted. Hicks eating mac and cheese! And things and stuff! (Seriously, what is that, "and things," anyway?!)
It’s a charming argument, considering Will was born in Champaign, Illinois, and resides in DC, where he is probably chauffeured around town by a car service. If he was taking Metro, or riding a bike, he surely wouldn’t have taken this asinine position in Newsweek, correct? It’s pretty clear the “former Republican thing,” may be what burns Will the most, so now that we’ve established the political bias, let’s move on to meatier, more pressing matters.
It seems Will is mad that LaHood has interests outside of funding automotive-only initiatives. (Interesting, considering my opposition to LaHood, and the stimulus packages, were the highway-focused initiatives.) That is—the scandal!—LaHood thinks Portland, Oregon is a positive example for cities. Will can barely utter the city’s name, calling the very green, very bike and transportation friendly city "the P word."
Will explains that LaHood’s on a bandwagon destined for the underworld, a bandwagon scheduled to arrive in the Pacific Wonderland, and while Portland designed its city for navigational ease, is known for it’s lean to the left (“progressive as all get-out”), it’s still in a Very Red State. No matter to Will, who is hoping to cut the breaks on the wagon:
LaHood is a Republican, for Pete's sake, the party (before it lost its bearings) of "No, we can't" and "Actually, we shouldn't" and "Not so fast" and "Let's think this through." Now he is in full "Yes we can!" mode. Et tu, Ray?
LaHood goes on to say he feel motorists are abandoned under LaHood’s references to Portland, high-speed rails, and bicycles. But Will is forgetting all of the money allotted to building new highways. He’s ignoring the massive spending to repairing roads, and the tax breaks and pats on the back for Americans to buy new cars.
Will worries that LaHood and the Obama administration want him to abandon his car for a bicycle. Will’s wrong. I want Will to consider the idea that taking public transportation or riding a bike will result in cleaner air, shorter commutes, and longer fuses. I want Will to recognize that many people who don’t drive can’t afford to drive a car. Because Will can afford to drive and repair a car doesn’t mean every American can, and ownership is financially taxing. A pro-car America is great, but it’s currently failing to recognize that it is deeply rooted in classicism, and this is an argument Will is too happy to get behind.
What’s so wrong about Portland? If DC followed Portland's example the city might have less cars. That would mean less congestion on the beltway, happier commuters, shorter commute times. If we responsibly funded public transportation, we’d have cleaner air, and the aforementioned benefits. And that’s bad because…?
In the interest of being realistic, I don't know that DC could follow Portland's example. Our city is more than politics, but if everyone outside Capitol Hill boarded the train, would the streets still clog with cars and taxis? It's also much harder to get everyone living and working in the area that is accessible by bus and rail.
Oh, that’s right! Because LaHood isn’t acting like Will’s Republican friends. LaHood is open-minded. He is not forcing Will to stop driving, though I gladly will, if only to watch him squirm. This panic Will is espousing is nauseating and laughable.
Anyone else want to stand outside Will’s office on the street and yell “Portland” over and over again, pausing only to giggle like immature school children? Hey Will! Portland Portland Portland Portland Portland Portland! Portland Portland Portland Portland Portland Portland! I’ll meet you at 9 a.m. tomorrow with large coffees for everyone.
For more information:
Why Ray LaHood Is Wrong, Newsweek
Will: Government Shouldn’t Interfere — Except to Benefit Big Highways, Streetsblog
Why Ray LaHood Is Wrong, Newsweek
Will: Government Shouldn’t Interfere — Except to Benefit Big Highways, Streetsblog
Comments
I won't bother to address the collection of Republican talking points Will is attempting to promulgate here. I can't get past the metaphors and folksy idioms. People still take this guy seriously? Oh, wait: I live in an East Coast city, ride public transit, and occasionally both bike and WEAR JEANS. I must be some sort of Communist whippersnapper.
I bet you like mustard too!
It's laughable that someone could perceive Portland, Oregon as a threat. I lived in Portland, and there are still plenty of cars there. I had one. They aren't outlawed. The roads are well maintained. The light rail system, though widely used, is still relatively limited in scope. I knew people there who lived without a car, but it wasn't as easy to do as it would be in New York or Boston.
Why having bike paths and a few light rail lines freaks Republicans out is a mystery to me. It's always
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