“Bicycling is primarily a municipal issue”
The demand elasticity of gasoline is so low that the economy is instantly threatened by the news of a potential supply disruption. There are so few alternatives (that would buffer price spikes were they to exist in sufficient quantity) that even conservatives are forced to abandon the user-pays system for highway funding or face the wrath of voters who would vote them out of office for raising vehicle user fees. State and federal funding formulas have skewed municipal transportation investment decisions that have created this situation. So while I agree that bicycling is generally a municipal issue, there is no doubt that the state and federal governments have a legitimate interest in investing in bicycling, walking, and transit in order to offset the negatives created by the current system. I also agree that “the left” is largely unable to articulate a position that does not hinge on their core belief system of defending the rights of the downtrodden. But that does not mean there isn’t a position from which to make the case – which I hope I illustrated above.
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