I think having the cult of celebrity…AND the soapbox where you can freely “tubthump” (Google it)…and have blind, devoted followers (dittoheads), gives one license to yell and scream and bitch about the current administration and criticize carte blanche about things that don’t really matter to them in the long run.

If you step back and look at (television) media journalism, it’s alarmingly a lot like the movie “Network” (1976 – Directed by Sidney Lumet. With Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch. A TV network cynically exploits a deranged ex-TV anchor’s ravings and revelations …). When you tune in, the first thing you hear is the theme jingle (da da da da daaa da da daaaa…). This means the circus is about to start. Then, you have tonight’s top stories (and yes, bad news means ratings). Then, it’s “live team coverage” (heaven help us if we didn’t get video).

Then, too many self-proclaimed ‘pundits’ that know all and see all.

Heaven help George F. Will if he actually rode WAMATA.

I want my government to follow our Constitution (not “interpret it”) and govern us in a manner that keeps us safe. I want them involved in my life to the least extent possible. When it comes to public transit, there is a need for some government assistance FOR PROJECTS THAT MAKE SENSE. There are far too many special interest groups in mass transit that are taking federal funds for projects that are not fulfilling a real public need (but are completing political promises). These actions by a few(but very visible) groups are giving public transit a bad name. The process of funding public transit and submitting bids for transit equipment and services is in desparate need of change, but as long as the political ‘hacks’ are involved in the funding bureaucracy, there is little chance of that happening. Example – what in the world are we doing talking about BILLIONS of dollars for a high speed rail line thru the middle of an active earthquake zone in the a BANKRUPT STATE(California)?? This is INSANE!!!!!!

So it is what it is – a political mess that no one seems to be ready to tackle and one in which only politicans and lawyers seem to prosper.

That’s my line and I’m sticking to it.

A few weeks later, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reported in Nov. ’08 their findings of greater than feared oilfield depletion rates, and warned of inability to reach production levels seen in summer ’08. Subsequent IEA reports have accumulated, with further data showing cancelled oil extraction and production projects, owing to economic/oil price collapse and loss of investor confidence. The stage is set for a lower quantity of oil supply that shall manifest itself as the economy attempts to recover.

No matter what the commentators of fame claim, our twentieth century automania is passe’ for the near & mid-term. It remains to be seen how long a decreasing percentage of the well employed can maintain the motoring status quo. This has not to do with liberal vs. conservative ideologies; a decreasing number of cars and printing press $$ cannot support the present road infrastructure. Moreover, trucking is at risk as well. It shall come down to determining which certain uses for trucks shall remain, with larger & larger chunks going back to rail haul. Victuals and perishables must keep moving to prevent famine, rail must take up the slack!

The books “ELECTRIC WATER” and “THE LONG EMERGENCY” are useful to US Transport Policymakers. They are recommended to such Obama luminaries as Austan Goolsbee, Ray LaHood, Rahm Emmanuel and Jared Bernstein. George Will and Rush Limbaugh are welcome to read too, but shall not find the information to their liking. It shall be most interesting to see how they adjust “principles” to deal with the Oil Interregnum.

The American Short Line Railroad Association needs to distribute copies of the “US Rail Map Atlas Volumes” from spv.co.uk to all the member companies; it shall fall to these yeomen rail lines to lead the effort to reconnect small town America with parallel bar therapy.

George Will is correct when he says that Government is encroaching upon our lives and gaining more control of it every single day. What you failed to see, through short-sighted views or by clinging to your own beliefs, is that the ultimate agenda is to force everyone into SMALLER CARS by legislating out our freedom of choice. And when everyone is in smaller cars, then cars will be outlawed entirely, or made so expensive that only the top 20% of the wealthiest people in America can afford to own and operate them. This, by default, will force everyone else into public transit as the only means remaining to get to work or school. IF NONE OF THAT RINGS A BELL, THEN YOU NEED TO REEXAMINE PRESIDENT OBAMA’S STATEMENTS ON THE AUTO INDUSTRY FROM JUST THE PAST 3 WEEKS! (Since May 1st)

Is the intention for this to happen overnight? Absolutely not. The only way it will slip by the normal everyday person is if you chip away at it ONE PIECE AT A TIME until the end result reaches your ultimate goal. Time line? Probably in the neighborhood of 20 to 40 years. But it will come. And it will happen by playing upon public fears. Don’t believe me? Let’s examine the home based fireworks display that has passed by the side of the road these days….

Used to be that along with 4th of July cookouts, shooting fireworks at home was part of the Holiday Celebration. We had bottle rockets and extra loud firecrackers and all of the stuff to have a good party with. But because a few idiotic souls out there would NOT use good common sense and supervise their kids if the kids were lighting fireworks…or they themselves would not take care about how close they were to a neighbor’s house and catch the roof on fire….the Government decided in all of its infinite wisdom that the responsible citizens had to suffer for the mistakes of the idiots. Compared to the fireworks we had in the 1960s when I was growing up, all we have today are firecrackers with about 1/2 the bang. Bottle rockets are totally gone. But when you examine REAL NUMBERS by comparing the number of people using fireworks to the number who had accidents or injuries, it was less than 1%. But using the old tear-jerk line of “this injury did not have to happen”, the government stepped in and took control away from the private citizen. (You should read that as another Liberty L O S T!!)

And the list goes on….compare what freedoms we had in 1900 to the year 2000 and see just how much of our lives and freedom of choice has been legislated away and you will be as mad and angry as I am. Our founding fathers did not intend for our country to be this way. I am certain that they are rolling over in their graves!

I am tired of the government taking away my freedom of choice. I am tired of the government telling me that I have to live my life in a certain way. I am tired of losing all of our Liberty. The United States is becoming a mirror image of Europe with every day that passes and I am sick of it.

Bottom line? If I am not endangering another person by my actions, then Government needs to step back and shut its mouth. And if I have endangered another person or taken their Liberty from them without just cause? That is what laws and jails were made for. It is just that simple.

This was one of your better editorials.