Readers write about transportation, energy and the WTO

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Transportation

Good old-fashioned shoe leather may be making a comeback

Editor, The Times:

While I am a staunch advocate of rail, both heavy and light, rail is not the answer to Seattle's traffic near-gridlock. But, on the other hand, neither are HOV lanes, added buses, free busing, free carpools and monorail systems the answer. The answer is in a "blended" system using all of these elements.

Had voters approved light rail in 1973, that part of the answer would be in place and at a much smaller dollar investment. Metro has done a credible job providing an accessible bus system. The state started on HOV projects and metered ramps. Rail in all three forms is the remaining "frontier."

Unless citizens push harder than the interest groups that do not want this or that program, we will pay more, far more, for the same "improvements" 30 years from now to achieve the needed blend of transportation features.

Failing this blend, we will be forced to resort to old-fashioned walking everywhere.

Roger Ferris, Seattle

Dissent of the few

You report that Rep. Hal Rogers, chairman of the transportation committee in Washington, D.C., is "keenly aware of dissent at the community level" ("Congressman wants to delay light-rail money," Times, Jan. 18). Yet, it is my belief that the "dissent" in the local community is that of an outspoken few, not of the majority.

We need light rail, and we need it now. Yes, the project has some inadequacies and some pitfalls, but these can be addressed. The current phase of Sound Transit is just one of several over the next 30 years. Eventually, we will have an exemplary transit system, if we take steps to move forward now.

If we give up on light rail and Sound Transit, what guarantee is there we won't end up with no transit system at all?

Kevin Moore, Seattle

An eloquent appeal

Bite the bullet, folks; let's move on light rail. We're on our second football stadium in less than 20 years but we can't get a mass-transit system launched? Close the process and learn from it going forward. With the cuts in transportation spending thanks to I-695, we already know there will be problems with major transportation changes.

I can't believe The Times finally jumped in with a hold-everything approach ("The rail alternative," editorials, Jan. 11). You have the responsibility to cover this before it happens and raise the red flags before it's too late. Now you choose to follow several vocal opinion makers and call for a halt to the existing light-rail plan.

The roads aren't getting any better. An additional three years to build the existing plan? As if we think going back to the drawing board - or better yet, trying to get this voted on again - is going to improve that timeline? Arrrggghh!

Cherylynne Crowther, Seattle

Energy Leadership

Fingers pointing everywhere

I just read another end run from one of our great leaders. How do we make press out of adversity, how do I look like a leader without actually doing anything? I will stand up at a dam and tell my constituents to conserve energy.

Where has the governor been the past several years? What has he done to make sure we were not in this fix in the first place? Oh, he introduced (sponsored, urged, fought for) this or that but the Republicans wouldn't let me do it and, of course the Democrats wouldn't let the Republicans do anything either.

When hard decisions have to be made, the politicians have a very limited planning horizon and it is almost always the next election. In fact, that is what public office is becoming. Most politicians use the taxpayers' money for running for a more lucrative public trough or re-election to the one they have.

The governor should not be singled out. It's true of all of them, from Clinton to Schell, Republicans and Democrats, and don't look now, but we are just as guilty for letting them get away with it.

We can no longer afford this kind of representation. Hard decisions have to be made about our energy, environment, transportation, land use, schools, medical care and a myriad of other looming crises.

One of the most apparent wake-up calls was 30 years ago during the oil embargo, and what did the politicians do about it? I think you know the answer. If you look around you can find a lot more current and potentially more devastating signs of what life will be like in the not-too-distant future.

Let's wake up and elect leaders, not career politicians.

John McCarthy, Bellevue

Liberals sponsored it

The I-5 corridor states are not called the Left Coast for nothing. They are home to the dot-coms, environmentalists, trial lawyers, nerds, eggheads and other "beautiful people" who voted in three whining, socialistic, liberal governors without an ounce of common sense. They deserve each other and the electric power crisis they have created.

These mental midgets have succumbed to the extreme environmentalists' quasi-religious demands for near purity, and have found themselves in a serious power supply box, because they chose to ignore a free-enterprise system that could have created adequate power facilities in the absence of strangling regulations.

The next tier of states east of the I-5 corridor - namely, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada and Arizona - are governed by sensible conservative folks, and they are not in the same plight. Connect the dots. What does this tell you about the liberals' long-term recognition of problems and solutions? If you want more of the same, possibly getting worse, keep voting for the socialistic, liberal, Democratic people who have brought you this energy crisis.

Joe Rumble, Monitor

WTO Redux

A fitting criticism

I am in disbelief at the response to Ben Livingston's initiative by The Seattle Times editorial board ("Tank City Initiative 54," Jan. 18). In case you didn't know, the WTO is not over, it is still functioning as a corrupt undemocratic system that is effectively creating wealth disparities across the world.

The protests here were monumental in informing world opinion, though shamefully slandered by the misinformation provided by most mainstream media outlets in America. Why can a newspaper devote endless time to O.J. or Monica Lewinsky, but virtually ignore massive world issues? Some might wonder where your bread is buttered.

This, I believe, is at the bottom of Livingston's grievance: The people responsible for bringing the WTO have not faced any repercussions, while our constitutional rights as citizens were criminally ignored to the point of innocents being beaten and gassed. This we are to forget?

I remember being frustrated to the point of tears upon coming home from a police riot to watch corporate media completely obscure the real story. This initiative reacts to the feeling that our city leaders have failed us and only a people's vote can demonstrate our frustration at democracy derailed. Load the dunking chamber with Mayor McCheese.

Grant Badger, Seattle

Presidential Reality

Dry your tears

Just a word in response to letters still complaining about the election:

I'm sorry, honey, but it's over - weeks ago. And I think you need to stop saying mean things. OK? Because when somebody else wins sometimes, that doesn't make him a bad boogey-man.

So try to calm down, sweetie. I know you're disappointed, maybe a little scared, but civilization isn't crumbling, all right? It's only a big, fat gust of liberal propaganda, rattling the windows - that's all. So you need to be very, very grown-up now, and stop crying.

OK?

Max A. Albert, Lynnwood