Freshman Republican Representative Mo Brooks not only takes the Metro to work, he also took the extra-progressive step of not buying a car to live in DC. Hopefully, he can talk his fellow Republicans into fully-funding the transit backbone of the entire metropolitan region instead of starving it. More after the jump…
The United States of America already faces a two-trillion dollar infrastructure gap, but the House Republican majority is looking to take another cut out of the transportation budget. This will mean further decline, not recovery. But it’s exactly what Congressional Republicans have been doing for years:
“Let me be clear on this point. Safety will come first. We will use whatever funds we have available to ensure the system is safe. Everything else will be on the table. Our customers, your constituents, will bear the burden of the cuts,” said Sarles.
Sarles said tracks would not be replaced, trains would operate at slower speeds, service would be perpetually disrupted and the escalator problems would only get worse.
That’s Metro General Manager Richard Sarles on Capitol Hill a couple of weeks ago. Safety may come first, but it’s only a matter of time before no one can even get on the trains. They won’t be safe, or run on time, which means they’ll be less useful to everyone, Democrat or Republican. Maybe Mo Brooks, the economist, can explain it to the Republican chair of the House transportation subcommittee, South Carolina’s Trey Gowdy. Aloud in a room of people, he actually
wondered whether Congress could provide help in a form other than money.
“Is there anything else we can do to help you do your jobs better? I understand the budget part and the finance part, is there anything else we can do?” asked Gowdy.
“Everything kind of centers around finance,” responded D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier.
People don’t work without pay. Signals and switches don’t repair themselves. You would think House Republicans could understand that, and vote accordingly, but as a caucus they rarely do. In part, this is because of the perception among conservatives that public transit is a subsidy for the poor and minorities. In fact, public transit is about setting all Americans free from the costs of driving and parking a car. In the urban environment, “socialism” is called free parking.
Adding: I’m auctioning my author’s copy of FIX America!, which is selling for more used than new right now on Amazon. Bid me up…
