If you thought the D’s were bad

Wait until you get a load of their opposition.

Mayor Giuliani’s website doesn’t even mention transportation, much less anything related to reform. Its amazing to think that someone could be mayor of the transit capital of America and not see America’s automobile dependcy as a worthwhile campaign issue. Yet its not a part of his much bally-hooed 12 commitments nor his campaign in general.

Governor Mitt Romney has nothing resembling a transportation or greenhouse gas reduction plan. Now granted, I didn’t spend too much time on his website since it repeatedly froze my computer, but all I was able to find was some language about reducing our dependency on foreign oil and ANWAR.

Senator John McCain is the leader in the Republican field simply for recognizing that global warming exists. He doesn’t have any specific plan, but at least he’s not talking about ways to increase our oil supply. He does mention alternative energy and better technology, but that’s where he ends.

So, so far no major candidate of either party has really put much thought into how to improve our transportation system and the link between transportation and greenhouse gasses. Of all of them, only Clinton and Obama offer any specific changes in policy. Of those two, only Obama’s plans seem as though they could make a major difference. Hopefully, as time goes on, the candidates will broaden their positions and give us something with more substance to analyze.

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Transportation for America Launches Campaign Platform

|
Yesterday was a big day for livable streets and progressive transportation advocates — and not just because of what happened in New York City. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) speaking at the launch of Transportation for America’s campaign platform. Photo by Steve Davis/Transportation for America. Down in DC, Transportation for America went to the U.S. Capitol […]

Transportation for America Launches Legislative Campaign

|
Today marks the start of Transportation for America‘s "Build for America" campaign, which will work to influence the transportation funding legislation that goes before the next Congress in 2009. (You’ll be hearing a lot more about it here in the coming months; we have received a grant from the T4America campaign to kick-start the development […]

AARP Joins Campaign to Reform National Transpo Policy

|
Photo: AARP AARP announced today that it will join the Transportation for America campaign to advocate for a "broad restructuring" of national transportation policy. In a letter sent to Congressional leaders last week [PDF], AARP said that it is "working to enable older adults to live independently in their homes and communities throughout their lifespan, […]
STREETSBLOG USA

Friday Jobs Market

|
Looking to hire a smart, qualified person for a position in transportation planning, engineering, IT, or advocacy? Post a listing on the Streetsblog Jobs Board and reach our national audience of dedicated readers. Looking for a job? Here are the current listings: Chief Operating Officer, Transportation Alternatives, New York, NY The COO partners with the […]

New Transportation Group Coming to L.A. Help Us Pick a Name and Win Membership for Life

|
As a lot of you know, back east I worked for a group called the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a transportation reform organization that fought highway and other car traffic inducing projects and promoted Smart Growth and alternative transportation. The Campaign didn’t advocate for a favored mode of transportation, embrace a certain environmental ideology or confine […]