Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Reflecting what?

From an article by Peter Baker in yesterday's Times (emphasis mine):

Ideas that used to be considered on the fringe are now much more centrist, including heavy government spending in the short term to lift the economy and addressing energy and climate change through green technology.


Sigh. Yes, "green technology" like walking, cycling, buses and trains. Somewhere between the progressive transportation campaigns and Baker, the message got fouled up. I'm not sure which of these it is:
  • Walking, cycling, buses and trains are still on the fringe, and liberals haven't embraced them yet.

  • Serious support for non-car transportation is going mainstream, but the mainstream still doesn't think of it as a reasonable way to address climate change.

  • Mainstream liberals get the non-car thing, but liberal policy wonks don't.

  • Liberal policy wonks get the non-car thing, but mainstream reporters like Baker doesn't.

In any case, I think all the links on that chain could use more work.

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