I understand if this is not something you wanted to include because the data did not lead you to that conclusion, however a thorough assessment would have given it at least a brief mention.

-John

One major change that needs to happen is to equalize federal match guarantees. That will go a long way to encourage states to do more transit projects.

If a transpo bill ever does become controversial for reasons other than the cost or for individual district level projects aka “earmarks,” I think opponents of transportation reform, usually Republicans, will use “social engineering” attacks. Of course, that ignores how the government promotes car use by subsidizing highways to the nth degree and starving out mass transit of needed funds. I’m glad that’s changing though (if a bit too slow for my and probably everyone here’s tastes) because of both the new President and the changing conventional wisdom in Congress.

The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement passed with ease back in 2008. Hopefully, that same spirit will survive in upcoming transit reform bills.

but either way i’m sure transportation will get highly politicized into a red=cars blue=transit, bikes, peds. and cries that “the guvmint is gunna take away ma car and force me on a socialist bike.” theyll tie this into the new climate change laws and paint out anything other than highway travel as part of the global warming “agenda”. randall o toole and wendell cox will be paraded around by some politicans. all i’m saying is this politicized debate will be harmful to the dialogue and harden simplistic overly exaggerated views such as red=cars, trucks blue=transit, bikes, peds, anti-car. i just dont see how it wouldnt fall into this highly charged path after the health care reform issue. if theres anyone more powerful than the health insurance industry its the oil industry.

First, the 60 vote “majority” comes from the use of filibusters that Republicans do all the time. Cloture to end a filibuster requires 60 votes. Bills in the Senate require 51 votes to pass or 50 + the Vice President’s vote, but to end a filibuster before the final vote, 60 votes are required. If there is a filibuster, cloture is required.

Secondly, some transportation bills are budget bills and that only requires 51 votes to pass. Budget bills are the same thing as appropriations bills and if you look here,

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app10.html

the Transportation/HUD appropriations bill have not passed the Senate yet. When it is discussed, it only requires 51 votes to pass.

All other transpo bills not an appropriations bill will need 60 votes assuming Republicans filibuster.

keith olbermann just called him out tonight on this

I hate hypocrites like McCain. The senators from Arizona have NO room to talk.

the anti-any government spending (always with a big exception for the military) crowd is what concerns me. and mccains fetish for making an enormous deal out of the most minor earmark.