House Celebrates Norman Mineta, Ignores His Ideas
Congratulations are in order for former DOT chief Norman Mineta. The House of Representatives just voted, 384 to 0, to honor his accomplishments.
Unfortunately, they still can't muster the votes to follow his urgent recommendations: that the country ramp up our investments in infrastructure, that we switch from a gas tax to a VMT fee, that we think of projects in terms of long-term economic benefit and not just short-term job creation.
We're impressed, too, by Mineta's history, from an incarcerated Japanese-American during World War Two to serving as the first Asian-American Cabinet secretary for a U.S. president (first as Commerce Secretary under Clinton, then Transportation Secretary under George W. Bush.) And now he's an advocate for big changes he says are necessary to keep this country competitive. Where's the unanimous House vote to support that?
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Tuesday’s Headlines Fix It First
How voters incentivize politicians to ignore infrastructure upkeep. Plus, are hydrogen trains the future of rail or a shiny distraction?
Why We Can’t End Violence on Transit With More Police
Are more cops the answer to violence against transit workers, or is it only driving societal tensions that make attacks more frequent?
Justice Dept., Citing Streetsblog Reporting, Threatens to Sue NYPD Over Cops’ Sidewalk Parking
The city is now facing a major civil rights suit from the Biden Administration if it doesn't eliminate illegal parking by cops and other city workers.
Five Car Culture Euphemisms We Need To Stop Using
How does everyday language hide the real impact of building a world that functionally requires everyone to drive?
