Congress CAN Fund Bike Infrastructure

Over on Commute by Bike, in the comments section for an article there, I've been discussing bike funding with a fellow named Jeff Gardner. You can follow it here: 'Social Engineer' Your Kids With Chariot Child Carriers. My most recent comment didn't go through to the site, probably for some technical issues related to the renegade little Linux laptop I'm using. So here it is.


Okay, Jeff, I took a look at a random selection of your carpet-bombing collection of cases, and I have come to a conclusion ...

Dude, you have a serious, unhealthy fixation with the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution! While every case I looked at did indeed utilize the Commerce Clause as the authority in the case, and most of them were, indeed about interstate commerce, not a single one that I looked at had ANYTHING to do with Congressional authority over the wheels, or wings, or rails which move products and people around this nation.

I can see, now, that I have been much too gentle, maybe too subtle, with my attempts to help you understand how Congress has the authority to spend tax money promoting healthy, two-wheeled, human-powered transport. Time for some tough love, Bud! Time for an INTERVENTION!

Take a quick look at a document by those Nemeses of Bikes - Senators McCain and Coburn: Out of Gas. (You'll note that I consider your time and effort, and happily give you a hyperlink to the document; something which you didn't do and which is indicative of your struggles with your current mental state over the issue.) Look at the laundry list of items, which Congress has approved and spent transportation money on, that these two Senatorial Crybabies are complaining about: everything from programs to abate roadkill, to money for transportation museums, to funds for the beautification of highways, to (horrors!) actually BILLIONS in CASH for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure!

In any intervention, Jeff, the most critical moment is when the patient is forced to confront the TRUTH about their addiction ... and here we are my friend:
McCain's and Coburn's list is mere grousing and whining, there has NEVER been a successful challenge to the CONSTITUTIONALITY of ANY of the programs on that list!

I'm not even aware of any ATTEMPT to challenge those programs on ANY Constitutional grounds. And even if there were, I'm pretty sure the challengers would be about as successful as the wingnuts who challenged Social Security.

And it certainly wouldn't be healthy for YOU to participate in such activity, since I'm also fairly certain it would only serve to cause you to sink deeper into your OCD relationship with the Commerce Clause.

Bike Funding Threatened

I'm only gonna say this once (today) and I WON'T say it again (today)!


Get over to the League of American Bicyclists and follow the links to tell your representative to put the funding for bicycling and pedestrian infrastructure back in the Transportation bill!


NOW!