From: jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond)
Newsgroups: sci.environment,sci.physics,sci.energy
Subject: Re: Is car pooling for real?
Date: 22 Jul 92 08:21:20 GMT
Organization: Dixie Communications Public Access.  The Mouth of the South.

blagdon@engin.umich.edu (Kenneth James Clark ) writes:

>Yet most Americans are quite happy with the National Highway system, even
>complaining when this largest of all American planned systems isn't in
>good shape.  Since most American's are hypocrites, they call anything
>different 'social engineering', yet they are quite happy to pay for the
>interstate system out of taxes.  Apparently the 'social engineers' at
>the Big Three's marketing divisions have done their jobs well.

The Interstate system is actually a fine example of chaotic development.
What we have now was only vaguely imagined when the planning was done.
You ought to go back and read some of the publicity and the public record
from the time.  My parents are antique collectors from that era
and have quite a bit of the stuff.  I happened to be looking at
a Penn Turnpike publicity book printed in the late 40s last weekend.
This soon to be built, modern, sleek example of mass transportation
was to be... a two lane highway.

One could even go so far as to say that the major deficiencies such as
exit design, merge lanes and so on were the result of too MUCH central
planning.  What plays in peoria does not necessarily work in Atlanta.


>You know I actually believed until recently that freedom of movement (ie.
>travel how, when, and where you please) was a constitutionally protected
>right (it's not there folks).  Amazing how you get programmed living in
>our society that cars are a necessity.  Teach me to live outside of
>Detroit most of my life.  I suppose we can conclude that this falls under
>your last section, on "impose(ing) *their* view of optimum on the majority".
>Unfortunately, in this case, the public underwrote the construction, and
>the Big Three benefitted.

Is our educational system really so bad that you've been taught that
the only rights we have are those enumerated in the Constitution?
Go snag a copy and read it from beginning to end.  Note particularly
the 9th and 10th amendments.  Then read the Federalist papers
and any other Constitutional era writing you can find.  Learn that 
the Constitution is written to EXPLICITLY list the powers and rights
afforded the government.  ALL OTHER RIGHTS including the right to 
privacy, the right of mobility, the right to be left alone, the 
right to do just about anything not harmful to another citizen is 
EXPRESSLY reserved for US, the people.  This ignorance of the 
Constitution is why the government gets away with the abridgement 
of our rights it does every single day.  This level of constitutional
ignorance makes me want to cry.  This level of  constitutional 
ignorance lets a government happen that could put the likes of 
Warren Burger on the Supreme Court.  Burger is the one who said
"The 9th and 10th amendments are toast and have been for 20 
years."  It's real hard to get back the rights we let this kind
of slime steal from us.

John
-- 
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