Comments on: Obama Picks Republican Illinois Congressman to Lead USDOT http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/12/17/transpo-sec-rumor-mill-rep-ray-lahood-the-leading-candidate/ Covering Los Angeles's livable streets movement Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Damien Newton http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/12/17/transpo-sec-rumor-mill-rep-ray-lahood-the-leading-candidate/comment-page-1/#comment-3473 Damien Newton Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:58:07 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=1522#comment-3473 I'm not willing to give Obama a pass just because he's a recreational bike rider. After all, Bush rode a bike to pass the time too... The people that know LaHood from Illinois seem cautiously optimistic. I hope they know something we don't. I’m not willing to give Obama a pass just because he’s a recreational bike rider. After all, Bush rode a bike to pass the time too…

The people that know LaHood from Illinois seem cautiously optimistic. I hope they know something we don’t.

]]> By: Dana Gabbard http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/12/17/transpo-sec-rumor-mill-rep-ray-lahood-the-leading-candidate/comment-page-1/#comment-3469 Dana Gabbard Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:57:47 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=1522#comment-3469 "more funds for California!" Not necessarily. When you take a job with a wider scope often you face a lot of scrutiny over whether you are favoring the hometown team. A California Transportation Commissioner from Glendale named Larry Zarian once described at a Metro Citizens' Advisory Council meeting how in evaluating proposals he had to take into account the big picture and resist being parochial. I think we should keep in mind that Obama is very interested in transportation, both for economic purposes and quality of life. Come on --the guy rides a bike for recreation, so he gets it! Whereas the Bush Team had little interest in transportation or urban issues. A visionary would have been nice but I still expect good things from the new USDOT versus the extreme actions we have had to put up with these past few years. “more funds for California!”

Not necessarily. When you take a job with a wider scope often you face a lot of scrutiny over whether you are favoring the hometown team. A California Transportation Commissioner from Glendale named Larry Zarian once described at a Metro Citizens’ Advisory Council meeting how in evaluating proposals he had to take into account the big picture and resist being parochial.

I think we should keep in mind that Obama is very interested in transportation, both for economic purposes and quality of life. Come on –the guy rides a bike for recreation, so he gets it! Whereas the Bush Team had little interest in transportation or urban issues. A visionary would have been nice but I still expect good things from the new USDOT versus the extreme actions we have had to put up with these past few years.

]]> By: Stephen http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/12/17/transpo-sec-rumor-mill-rep-ray-lahood-the-leading-candidate/comment-page-1/#comment-3465 Stephen Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:18:09 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=1522#comment-3465 I was crossing my fingers for Heminger. Yeah, he's botched the Translink integration up in the Bay, but come on... more funds for California! I was crossing my fingers for Heminger. Yeah, he’s botched the Translink integration up in the Bay, but come on… more funds for California!

]]> By: David Pulsipher http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/12/17/transpo-sec-rumor-mill-rep-ray-lahood-the-leading-candidate/comment-page-1/#comment-3458 David Pulsipher Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:58:48 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=1522#comment-3458 don't know this guy... but i think obama blew it. this is a homer pick for sure. i was really crossing my fingers for an oberstar or blumenauer pick. boo. don’t know this guy… but i think obama blew it. this is a homer pick for sure. i was really crossing my fingers for an oberstar or blumenauer pick.

boo.

]]> By: Dana Gabbard http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/12/17/transpo-sec-rumor-mill-rep-ray-lahood-the-leading-candidate/comment-page-1/#comment-3454 Dana Gabbard Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:04:49 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=1522#comment-3454 Via Transportation uber activist Ken Ruben, a link that seems to confirm LaHood is taking the job: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/17/lahood_accepts_transportation.html?hpid=topnews Via Transportation uber activist Ken Ruben, a link that seems to confirm LaHood is taking the job:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/17/lahood_accepts_transportation.html?hpid=topnews

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