The Hightower Report

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MISSING THE TRAIN

Take the A Train, ride that Wabash Cannonball, hear the clickity-clack of the Orange Blossom Special. Trains are more than a part of our history – they're a rich part of our culture. But are they a part of our future?

I'm not talking here about the enormous potential of long-distance trains – upgrading Amtrak and building a top-of-the-line high-speed train system between our population centers. Rather, I'm focused today on the promise of rail travel within our great metro areas. I've ridden these local systems in the Bay area, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere – they're simple, handy, efficient, fast, inexpensive, and a joyous way to get to where you're going. They also move hundreds of thousands of people a day without creating traffic jams or smog; and they create thousands of good jobs at good wages.

Here's what one observer says: "Mass transit is an excellent substitute for roads." Those are not the words of some anti-auto Earth Firster, but of Paul Weyrich, an icon of right-wing thinking. To him, urban train systems make all kinds of sense and are a legitimate focus for federal, state, and local spending.

Public demand for these systems is strong – ridership is up 21% in the last five years; new systems in Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake City, and elsewhere are exceeding expectations, and there's a backlog of 200 local transit projects seeking federal matching funds.

There's the problem. The Bushites – tagged by Weyrich as "The most anti-rail administration" in our country's history of mass transit – is trying to gut federal support. "In their zeal for fiscal conservatism," writes Weyrich, "they are prepared to scuttle one of the most successful government programs of all time."

"Missing the Train," a new report by the Sierra Club, highlights projects in Tampa Bay, Portland, Houston, Milwaukee, and elsewhere that are endangered by Bush's cuts. To get a copy, call 202/675-7915.

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POLITICIZING AMERICA'S NATIONAL PARKS

George W., bless his little heart, loves national parks. At least he tells us he does in various campaign ads and in carefully staged photo-ops that picture him in khaki and plaid walking around our parks.

In fact, we now learn that George so loves national parks that he can't stand to hear any bad things said about them. So the Bushites have issued new, upbeat talking points, instructing all park personnel not only to speak positively about park conditions, but also to praise George himself for being so good for our parks.

They find it necessary to try dictating what's said about the parks because ... well, the parks are deteriorating. Badly. This is especially embarrassing to George because he had campaigned in 2000 on a solemn pledge to eliminate the $4 billion backlog in needed repairs to fix unsafe trails, clogged toilets, closed facilities, etc. But he didn't keep his promise. In fact, he has cut park budgets. The repair backlog now stands at $5 billion ... and growing.

To try covering up the obvious, the Bushites issued an internal memo to park superintendents instructing them not to use the term "budget cuts" when telling visitors why things are such a mess, but instead to say "service level adjustments." Also, they were told to implement their budget cuts in "areas that won't cause public or political controversy." And if visitors ask about the bad conditions, superintendents were told to say: "This administration is very committed to preserving the resources of the national parks."

What happens if a career park official balks at the new BushSpeak? Ask Teresa Chambers. She's the first woman to head the U.S. Park Police in Washington, D.C. When she candidly told reporters that she did not have the funds to do an adequate job, she was forced to go on administrative leave and ordered not to talk to reporters.

To fight Bush's crude censorship and politicization of our parks, call the National Parks Conservation Association: 800/628-7275.