Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:07 pm Post subject: Political Pressure for Mass Transit?
Hello All, I am interested in suggestions for effective ways of increasing the pressure on local Houston politicians to develop mass transit. All suggestions are welcome. Thanks.
Joined: Sep 03, 2007 Posts: 598 Location: Sunny Virginia, USA
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:39 pm Post subject: Re: Political Pressure for Mass Transit?
Or, on a less sarcastic note, you can do what the people who do not have millions of dollars do; organize. Start a petition drive, find people who agree with you, and talk to your city council representative. Public pressure is the only legal thing, besides campaign donations, that will sway politicians.
Start an activist organization dedicated to light rail in your city. If you are not sure how that works, join the local Planned Parenthood, MADD, or any other political activism organization and see how they do it. Or volunteer for a political campaign to learn more about the political process.
Another thought: is there a way to make mass transit profitable? I can not understand why it would not be a potential money making venture to figure out how to get people from one place to another AND be good for the environment. The airlines and greyhound made money for years and years. Now it's a matter of thinking things through and coming up with a new solution. _________________ When somebody makes a statement you don't understand, don't tell him he's crazy. Ask him what he means. -- Otto Harkaman, Space Viking
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:01 pm Post subject: Re: Political Pressure for Mass Transit?
Houston is already doing more than most cities, though not as much as one might expect for one of the nation's top five most populous. I'm sure you're aware of the city's streetcar projects, which are a good start. But everything the city has done since the end of World War II is anti-transit, anti-pedestrian and anti-urban. The city doesn't even have a zoning code.
In the meantime, I encourage you to check out: Houston and Texas
I live in Cleveland, Ohio and found them on Google.
Joined: Sep 02, 2005 Posts: 2876 Location: In a Nigerian compound surrounded by mighty dignataries
Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:30 pm Post subject: Re: Political Pressure for Mass Transit?
Polemic wrote:
Spend millions of dollars buying politicians like everyone else.
It works for the Houston's towtruck industry. They have every politician in their pocket. _________________ In other words, it's a huge sh*t sandwich, and we're all gonna have to take a bite.-from Full Metal Jacket
Joined: Nov 28, 2004 Posts: 12043 Location: Neither Here Nor There
Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:14 pm Post subject: Re: Political Pressure for Mass Transit?
PrairieMule wrote:
Polemic wrote:
Spend millions of dollars buying politicians like everyone else.
It works for the Houston's towtruck industry. They have every politician in their pocket.
towtruck industry, they're like Teamsters on steroids. That's where all the bruisers in high school went to if they didn't land in prison. Come to think of it, that's where they go when they get out of prison. I've got a story for you prairie. The meanest badass I ever laid eyes on was in 9th grade. He was the meanest, most vicious guy with a wicked grin and ready to break a bottle in your face at the slightest thing. Saw him close up while slurping a slurpee in front of a 7-11. Must have been in a good mood because he didn't break my face. He had an older brother who was also known as being extremely strong and tough but he had a kind streak. He was my girlfriend's girlfriend's boyfriend. She was a freshman as were we but this campus legend used to meet us at our lockers. I liked that guy. Flash forward about 35 years and I'm substituting an east county class where the name pops up. I ask the girl if she knows so and so. She says yes, he's my father. That would be the older one. So I asked her what ever happened to the younger one? She tells me "he's in prison." btw, prairie, it was kind of comical, that older one, John, was massive, his girlfriend was tiny. But she was delightfully perky and pretty with an agile and witty mind. I wouldn't be surprised if she was the mother of that girl I saw in class. _________________ Turn those Machines back On! - Don Ameche in Trading Places
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