McCain Fights Mass Transit As Gas Prices, And Global Warming, Skyrocket

So we all (those of us who aren't complete idiots) know that global warming is real. It is measurable, it is observable, it is explainable, it has been proven beyond any doubt by scientists, which is why every credible scientist (i.e. every scientist not on the payroll of Exxon) agrees that our planet is warming, and humans are the cause.

We know we need to make A LOT of changes, and pretty significant changes, if we are to stop global warming, and hopefully reverse the trend, before it is too late. There is a point of no return, a point after which the feedback loop will be virtually irreversible, and even if we successfully decrease our CO2 emissions it will be too late to stop catastrophic climate change. We don't know exactly where this point is, we might have already passed this point, and if we haven't, it is likely that we are going to soon rocket past it, since no one seems to grasp how critical climate change really is.

There is a number, 350, which according to scientists represents the maximum amount of CO2 we can have in our atmosphere, in parts per million (ppm), an possibly avoid massive and irreversible damage to the Earth. Right now we are at 387, and we need to get that number down, fast, or we are screwed.

So we need to do whatever we can to stop producing so much CO2, that obviously means we need to invest in alternative energy, renewable energy, more fuel efficient modes of transportation, we need to make fundamental changes in how we live our lives, and in our domestic and foreign policy. Given that, let's look at transportation.

So cars pollute, a lot, and even with our staggeringly slow advances in fuel efficiency, they still pollute a lot. Airplanes pollute a lot as well. So mass transit would be the obvious answer. Passenger rail, like Amtrak, only uses 54% of the energy per passenger mile as planes, 57% of the energy as buses, and 58% of the energy as cars (we could make them even more eco-friendly simply by installing solar panels on top of the rail cars). That's an obvious choice, we need to use less energy, produce less CO2, we need to start using more passenger rail. Increasing the use of passenger rail would help financially as well for families hard hit by gas prices. It would also boost national security because it would cut reliance on foreign oil produced by dictators. Increasing investment in rail would also create jobs and stimulate the economy. It is a no-brainer, a win-win-win-win-win.

So do you want to guess John McCain's position on Amtrak?

If you answered "he hates Amtrak and wants to destroy it", you would be correct. A few years ago he even introduced legislation that would have sold off Amtrak to private corporations, which would have cut service to all but the most profitable lines, essentially leaving everyone outside the Northwest Corridor without access to intercity passenger rail. There would be a dramatic decrease in the use of passenger rail if McCain got what he wanted. In his last budget Bush requested the same fate for Amtrak. And even though we are facing record gas prices and a crashing economy and catastrophic climate change, they are still as anti-mass transit as ever.

In fact just last week Congress, realizing all of the above challenges, and the many benefits of passenger rail, passed the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act which nearly tripled investment in Amtrak for maintenance, improvements and service expansion. Bush vowed to veto it, with McCain's support, but unfortunately for Bush-McCain, Congress passed it by huge veto-proof majorities.

It is shocking, unbelievable, and appalling that despite all we know about the serious threat posed by climate change, and all the problems we have with record gas prices and our dependence on foreign oil, somehow McCain and Bush could STILL oppose such a common sense and incredibly popular solution like passenger rail. It isn't just appalling, it is irresponsible, reckless, and just horrible public policy. It is like these people have no concept of what good policy is. All they care about is what boosts oil company profits, end of story.

But there is a clear decision in this race, as in virtually every other policy, you have a choice between someone who embraces the same failed policies of Bush, and you have someone who wants sensible change, someone who believes in actually pursuing smart public policy that solve problems, not exacerbates them. Obama, actually co-sponsored the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act. He is a big supporter of Amtrak, passenger rail, and mass transit. Read more about his positions on transportation here (pdf).



If you are among the more than three out of four Americans who believe the disastrous effects of global warming are now apparent, there is only one choice to make in this election, do you want a president who wants to do nothing while we condemn ourselves and our children to a future of environmental and social crisis, or do we want a president who is serious about taking on climate change and putting the indomitable American spirit into fighting for a solution?

Once again, the choice is clear.