From: peirce@outpost.SF-Bay.org (Michael Peirce)
Newsgroups: ba.transportation
Subject: Re: Clinton, Gore, and the End of the Automobile Age
Date: 21 Jul 92 18:31:58 GMT
Reply-To: peirce@outpost.SF-Bay.org (Michael Peirce)
Organization: Peirce Software
X-Mailer: uAccess - Macintosh Release: 1.5v4


In article <1992Jul21.021230.655@s1.gov> (ba.transportation), lip@s1.gov (Loren I. Petrich) writes:
> 
> In article <92202.43773.J056600@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM>, J056600@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM writes:
> :mjvande@pbhye.PacBell.COM (Mike Vandeman) opines:
> 
> :>                                   July 19, 1992
> 
> :>Next President Bill Clinton
> :>Next Vice President Al Gore
> 
> :If that happens, I'm getting the hell out of this country.
> 
> 	For what reason?
> 
> :>Re: Environmental Policy: The Automobile (A Word to the Wise)
> 
> :Don't you mean "Re:  Towards creating a Socialist state?"
> 
> 	Like how?

Like from reading what the body of the text has to say.  It's sad to
see how a noble movement like environmentalism has been coopted by
the socialists.  I guess now that the socialism has fallen as an acceptable
ideology, they need some place to hang out.  Those people living under
socialism were annoyingly vocal about how bad it turned out to be
in practice.  But with big trees and furry animals, you don't have
to worry about *them* speaking out.  The perfect constituency!


> :>     George Bush stands for more auto dependence, more highways,
> :>less public transit, and less conservation.
> 
> 	It would be important to see what he proposes; has he
> explicitly proposed LOTS of new highways (Joseph Vranich in
> _Supertrains_ claims that his administration _has_, and that Bush
> mentioned new highways in his State of the Union address)?
> 
> 	I'm a bit surprised that the flag-wavers have not championed
> high-speed trains (say) as a way to stay ahead of Japan and Europe
> (their trains are faster than ours -- oh, no!). The current speed
> record for regular service is held by the French TGV, which can run at
> 200 mph.



> :>     It's time to put a halt to the construction of more roads,
> :>parking lots, and other forms of auto worship, and shift our
> :>resources to cleaner forms of transport and people-friendly,
> :>pedestrian-friendly land uses. This use of our funds will provide
> :>more jobs, more permanent jobs, and higher quality jobs than road
> :>construction. And much higher quality of life. I hope you agree.
> 
> :In other words, it's time to eliminate freedom of choice for people, and it's
> :time to radically restrict property rights.  We can subsidize *your* political
> :agenda and you think it will create more jobs. No doubt the jobs will be within
> :the bureaucracy (probably like IRS agents--jobs which will monitor how well
> :individuals comply with and submit to the will of Big Government).
> 
> 	Socialism-bashing.
> 
> 	It is surprising that someone who professes to cherish
> property rights is not very bothered by all the land that is taken up
> for roads, parking lots, etc. After all, it all was once someone's
> property. Mass transit is MUCH less of a land hog. Especially if it
> goes underground.

The current battle over property rights isn't about the right of the
government to condemn property by eminent domain, but rather about
just compensation.  If the new freeway or train tracks cross my property
the government will pay me for it.  If my use of my land is confiscated
by a law because part of it is damp every spring (it's a wetland!),
I'm not compensated - that's wrong.

--  Michael Peirce      --   peirce@outpost.SF-Bay.org
--  Peirce Software     --   Suite 301, 719 Hibiscus Place
--                      --   San Jose, California USA 95117
--  Makers of...        --   voice: (408) 244-6554 fax: (408) 244-6882
--            SMOOTHIE  --   AppleLink: peirce & America Online: AFC Peirce