Near the end of this article on the Trans Texas Corridor comes an observation about the 2006 elections.
I’ve whined a lot that the biggest cost of sprawl is the opportunity cost – the value of the things we didn’t, or now can’t, do with the land and the money trampled under the path of least resistance. The Trans Texas Corridor is just not a very good investment of resources we can better use doing something else.
This highlights a need for a real progressive strategy for dealing with roads – beyond saying they all suck. This does little to help the multitudes who are not fiscally or physically fortunate enough to afford central-city housing or get to work by human-powered transport. It also prompts the Other Side into taking the binary position, wrapping itself around the most ridiculous ideas like the Trans Texas Corridor, because after all, the only people who don’t like roads are those crazy hippies.
Obviously that’s not true in this case, but progressives are ill-served having to rely on, say, the Texas Farm Bureau to bail them out. A better, more sustainable alliance would be – duh! – with the other urbanites along I-35, such as Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, who have little use for either the corridor or Perry and Ric Williamson, and (in Miller’s case) have little political impetus not to say so. Miller’s been tapped as a potential statewide candidate in 2006, which hints at a salient point: Whoever carries the Dem banner against the winner of the Rick-and-Kay-and-Carole cage match needs to be running against the Trans Texas Corridor and the highway ho-ho-hos. Who’s got the last laugh now?
Laura Miller has some baggage to overcome as a statewide candidate, but the overall point is valid: the TTC does nothing to help cities, and the big urban counties are trending Democratic, so it makes sense for a politician with an urban base to get out in front of this.
The rural aspect of this shouldn’t be overlooked, however. The Corridor Watch page is loaded with quotes from rural citizens and officials that run the gamut from concern over the impact of the TTC on rural communities to outright panic. Convincing these folks that the TTC is a clear indication of Governor Perry’s lack of concern for their way of life would be a pretty good way to possibly peel some votes out of a Republican stronghold. We’re not going to win in 2006 on cities and South Texas alone. We need some people to switch sides, and I think this is an issue that could be persuasive.
The TTC encapsulates just about everything that’s wrong with the Perry administration: Whacked-out fiscal priorities, so-called solutions that don’t actually solve real problems, Tammany Hall tendencies, and power as an end unto itself. The more noise we make about it now, the better.
Another boondoggle project that many of our elected officials voted for but had no clue what they had voted for
Ric, unfortunately, a goodly sampling of our elected officials are aware of this boondoggle’s far-reaching implications. Some of the driving factors were the “results anticipated from NAFTA”, as taken from the I-69 Steering Committee’s website. http://www.nationali69.org/3_documents.jsp
While NAFTA’s octopus-like tentacles are still being sorted out, and the injurious results catalogued, our leaders are busily bustling about setting up newer and ever better “trade agreements”, to include CAFTA-Central American Free Trade Area and the FTAA-the Free Trade Area of the Americas. Both of these will continue the progression of America’s engineered decline. The CAFTA agreement gives the US trading partners that have very small effect on our total trade dollar, yet bind us to these same small markets in terms of agreements and reciprocal treaties which only serve to lessen our sovereignty and strength, while making us ever more dependant on these smaller markets.
Found this tonight on a google search of the Trans Texas corridor. You are right on in that I have voted straight Republican ticket but I promise you I will vote against Perry and for a Dem. based on this one issue and I know a lot of others who feel the same way! To have our family ranch ripped from us and given to a foreign company is just too much!!
Nice read. Keep it going. Spiderfriend333
rod spencer: Don’t just vote Democrat, thinking that that will solve the problem. Both parties are party to this, and are aware of both the short and long term consequences. They both make money, from both sides of the field. We need to begin looking outside the traditional parties for true representation. In Texas, you have a very good congressman in the form of Ron Paul. He, and others like him, can help. Look to Contitiution party candidates, too. Just don’t give up.
HOUSE JOURNAL
SEVENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, REGULAR SESSION
EIGHTY-FOURTH DAY — SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2003
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/hjrnl/78r/html/day84final.htm
HB 3588, A bill to be entitled An Act relating to the construction, acquisition, financing, maintenance, management, operation, ownership, and control of transportation facilities and the progress, improvement, policing, and safety of transportation in the state; imposing criminal penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
ARTICLE 1. TRANS-TEXAS CORRIDOR
On the part of the senate —
Steve Ogden Bryan Brazos
Gonzalo Barrientos Austin Travis
Robert F. Deuell Greenville Hunt
On the part of the house —
Mike Krusee Austin Williamson
Larry Phillips Sherman Grayson
Dianne White Delisi Temple Bell
Fred Hill Richardson Dallas
Timoteo Garza Eagle Pass Maverick
The motion prevailed by (Record 938): 146 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.
Yeas —
Ray Allen Grand Prairie Dallas
Roberto Alonzo Dallas Dallas
Kevin Bailey Houston Harris
Todd Baxter Austin Travis
Leo Berman Tyler Smith
Dwayne Bohac Houston Harris
Dennis Bonnen Angleton Brazoria
Dan Branch Dallas Dallas
Betty Brown Terrell Kaufman
Fred Brown College Station Brazos
Lon Burnam Fort Worth Tarrant
William “Bill” Callegari Katy Harris
Scott Campbell San Angelo Tom Green
Gabi Canales Alice Jim Wells
Jaime Capelo Corpus Christi Nueces
Carter Casteel New Braunfels Comal
Norma Chavez El Paso El Paso
Warren Chisum Pampa Gray
Wayne Christian Center Shelby
Garnet Coleman Houston Harris
Byron Cook Corsicana Navarro
Robert “Robby” Cook Eagle Lake Colorado
Frank Corte, Jr. San Antonio Bexar
Joe Crabb Atascocita Harris
Myra Crownover Denton Denton
John Davis Houston Harris
Yvonne Davis Dallas Dallas
Glenda Dawson Pearland Brazoria
Dianne White Delisi Temple Bell
Mary Denny Aubrey Denton
Joseph “Joe” Deshotel Beaumont Jefferson
Joe Driver Garland Dallas
Dawnna Dukes Pflugerville Travis
Jim Dunnam Waco McLennan
Al Edwards Houston Harris
Craig Eiland Galveston Galveston
Rob Eissler The Woodlands Montgomery
Gary Elkins Houston Harris
Dan Ellis Livingston Polk
Juan Escobar Kingsville Kleberg
David Farabee Wichita Falls Wichita
Jessica Farrar Houston Harris
Ismael “Kino” Flores Mission Hidalgo
Dan Flynn Van Van Zandt
Pete Gallego Alpine Brewster
Dan Gattis Georgetown Williamson
Charlie Geren Fort Worth Tarrant
Helen Giddings DeSoto Dallas
Toby Goodman Arlington Tarrant
Tony Goolsby Dallas Dallas
Bob Griggs North Richland Hills Tarrant
Kent Grusendorf Arlington Tarrant
Ryan Guillen Rio Grande City Starr
Roberto Gutierrez McAllen Hidalgo
Patrick “Pat” Haggerty El Paso El Paso
Mike “Tuffy” Hamilton Mauriceville Orange
Peggy Hamric Houston Harris
Richard “Rick” Hardcastle Vernon Wilbarger
Linda Harper-Brown Irving Dallas
Will Hartnett Dallas Dallas
Talmadge Heflin Houston Harris
Glenn Hegar, Jr. Katy Harris
Harvey Hilderbran Kerrville Kerr
Fred Hill Richardson Dallas
Scott Hochberg Houston Harris
Terri Hodge Dallas Dallas
Mark Homer Paris Lamar
Ruben Hope, Jr. Conroe Montgomery
Chuck Hopson Jacksonville Cherokee
Charlie Howard Sugar Land Fort Bend
Bryan Hughes Mineola Wood
Bob Hunter Abilene Taylor
Suzanna Gratia Hupp Lampasas Lampasas
Carl Isett Lubbock Lubbock
Delwin Jones Lubbock Lubbock
Elizabeth Ames Jones San Antonio Bexar
Jesse Jones Dallas Dallas
Terry Keel Austin Travis
Jim Keffer Eastland Eastland
Bill Keffer Dallas Dallas
Phil King Weatherford Parker
Lois Kolkhorst Brenham Washington
Mike Krusee Austin Williamson
Edmund Kuempel Seguin Guadalupe
James E. “Pete” Laney Hale Center Hale
Jodie Laubenberg Parker Collin
Glenn Lewis Fort Worth Tarrant
Vilma Luna Corpus Christi Nueces
John Mabry, Jr. Waco McLennan
Jerry Madden Richardson Collin
Kenny Marchant Coppell Dallas
Trey Martinez Fischer San Antonio Bexar
Brian McCall Plano Collin
Ruth Jones McClendon San Antonio Bexar
Jim McReynolds Lufkin Angelina
Jose Menendez San Antonio Bexar
Ken Mercer San Antonio Bexar
Tommy Merritt Longview Gregg
Sid Miller Stephenville Erath
Joe Moreno Houston Harris
Paul Moreno El Paso El Paso
Geanie Morrison Victoria Victoria
Anna Mowery Fort Worth Tarrant
Elliott Naishtat Austin Travis
Joe Nixon Houston Harris
Rick Noriega Houston Harris
Rene Oliveira Brownsville Cameron
Dora Olivo Richmond Fort Bend
Ken Paxton, Jr. McKinney Collin
Aaron Pena Edinburg Hidalgo
Larry Phillips Sherman Grayson
Joseph “Joe” Pickett El Paso El Paso
Jim Pitts Waxahachie Ellis
Robert Puente San Antonio Bexar
Chente Quintanilla Tornillo El Paso
Richard Raymond Laredo Webb
Elvira Reyna Mesquite Dallas
Debbie Riddle Tomball Harris
Allan Ritter Nederland Jefferson
Eddie Rodriguez Austin Travis
Patrick Rose Dripping Springs Hays
Gene Seaman Corpus Christi Nueces
Todd Smith Euless Tarrant
Wayne Smith Baytown Harris
John Smithee Amarillo Randall
Jim Solis San Benito Cameron
Burt Solomons Carrollton Denton
Jack Stick Austin Travis
David Swinford Dumas Moore
Robert Talton Pasadena Harris
Larry Taylor Friendswood Galveston
Barry Telford DeKalb Bowie
Senfronia Thompson Houston Harris
Vicki Truitt Keller Tarrant
Sylvester Turner Houston Harris
Carlos Uresti San Antonio Bexar
Corbin Van Arsdale Cypress Harris
Michael “Mike” Villarreal San Antonio Bexar
G. E. “Buddy” West Odessa Ector
Ron Wilson Houston Harris
Miguel “Mike” Wise Weslaco Hidalgo
Arlene Wohlgemuth Burleson Johnson
Steven Wolens Dallas Dallas
Martha Wong Houston Harris
Beverly Woolley Houston Harris
William “Bill” Zedler Burleson Tarrant
Present, not voting —
Tom Craddick, Speaker of the House Midland Midland(C).
Absent, Excused —
Timoteo Garza Eagle Pass Maverick*
Absent —
Joaquin Castro San Antonio Bexar**
Harold Dutton Houston Harris**
*[NOTE: Garza left during the reading but voted YEA on 3588 on May 10, 2003]
**STATEMENTS OF VOTE
When Record No. 938 was taken, I was in the house but away from my desk. I would have voted yes. —
Joaquin Castro San Antonio Bexar
When Record No. 938 was taken, my vote failed to register. I would have voted yes. —
Harold Dutton Houston Harris
SENATE JOURNAL
SEVENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE — REGULAR SESSION
EIGHTY-FOURTH DAY — SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2003
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/sjrnl/78r/html/sj06-01-f.htm
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 65
WHEREAS, The conference committee report for HB 3588 contains technical errors that should be corrected.
On motion of Senator Ogden, the Conference Committee Report was adopted by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0
Yeas —
Ken Armbrister Victoria Victoria
Kip Averitt McGregor McLennan
Gonzalo Barrientos Austin Travis
Teel Bivins Amarillo Potter
Kim Brimer Fort Worth Tarrant
John Carona Dallas Dallas
Robert F. Deuell Greenville Hunt
Robert Duncan Lubbock Lubbock
Rodney Ellis Houston Harris
Craig Estes Wichita Falls Wichita
Troy Fraser Horseshoe Bay Burnet
Mario Gallegos Houston Harris
Chris Harris Arlington Tarrant
Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa Mission Hidalgo
Mike Jackson La Porte Harris
Kyle Janek Houston Harris
Jon Lindsay Houston Harris
Eddie Lucio Brownsville Cameron
Frank Madla San Antonio Bexar
Jane Nelson Lewisville Denton
Steve Ogden Bryan Brazos
Bill Ratliff Mount Pleasant Titus
Florence Shapiro Plano Collin
Eliot Shapleigh El Paso El Paso
Todd Staples Palestine Anderson
Leticia Van de Putte San Antonio Bexar
Jeff Wentworth San Antonio Bexar
Royce West Dallas Dallas
John Whitmire Houston Harris
Tommy Williams The Woodlands Montgomery
Judith Zaffirini Laredo Webb
Add up the overwhelming UNANIMOUS support for the TTC in both the House and the Senate: 180-0!
Here is a two-sided flyer in Microsoft Works that you can download and print out to distribute in your area. Post the link all over the net! Get the word out!
http://www.upload2.net/page/download/G3jo6CxI2Li9KiJ/HouseSenateTTC.wps.html