Stephen L. Goldstein The Sun-Sentinel

February 12, 2010

Stephen L. Goldstein
The Sun-Sentinel
200 East Las Olas Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301

RE: Train & Planes & Buses & solar powered scooters – Some comments on the genetically predestined modern American Liberal reaction to the Goddess known as “Mass Transit” as propounded by you in today’s Sun-Sentinel.

My dear Professor,

Two points independent of your main theme,

#1 – I know it is a small thing but God is in the details, right? How can Governor Crist’s sophomoric attempts at either out-bowing President Obama or attempting an end run on the Tenth Amendment by trying to swap spit with him be called “erstwhile”? Either he did or he didn’t. If he did it can’t be undone. How does it become “erstwhile”?

#2 – You mention that Governor Bush “refused to follow the will of the people” when he – forgive me – derailed the High Speed rail amendment. If the “will of the people” is paramount why are you not on the barricades defending the votes of every state – with no exceptions – outlawing same sex marriage? No state has approved it. Judges have. There is a point lurking in there about sauce for the goose being sauce for the gander. I’ll let you make it. Back to high speed rail movement.

Interstate highways and high speed rail systems cause slums. I-95 caused Liberty City and Overton to become Soweto West. I-95 caused the South Bronx to become Soweto North. The human cost, in Economics it is called an unintended consequence, has never been fully examined. Since you are Chairperson of the Permanently Outraged and Corresponding Secretary of the Perpetual Victims Forever Marching Band and Chowder Society I nominate you to look into this. You should have some free time coming up just as soon as the President’s Stimulus program kicks in. I figure it will be no later than April 15th and we’ll all be farting through silk, right?

General MacArthur ordered Captain Eisenhower to find out how long it would take to move a fully equipped division from one ocean to another. Eisenhower told him 6 weeks if the weather cooperated.

Eisenhower remembered.

You define “naysayers” as people “as people afraid they’ll lose a buck” should the high speed rail plan proceed.

Notwithstanding the First Amendment Right that spells out “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances”, a thing that knots the knickers or the tighty whities of eclectically indignant modern American Liberals when something alien to their beliefs is being protested, why is there no condescending sneering when tenured teachers fight like the Spartan Hoplites at Platea to keep their privileged status? They are people acting in what they perceive to be their rational self interest. Alas, Rights are not divisible.

It is an inconvenient truth but facts are hard things. That’s why modern American Liberals are so uncomfortable with them. Deo gratias for tautologies. Liberals would be lost without them. Global Warming is caused by hot summers which are caused by Global Warming leading to hotter summers. It sure as Hell beats thinking.

You say that $1,250,000,000 will “create 24,000 desperately needed jobs”. How much is that per job? If “not so desperately needed jobs” are to be created would half the amount be sufficient? Would I be a cad if I were to ask how much of that $1,250,000,000 will be borrowed from China?

You exhort us to sign up for the Obama Express. You tell us we will be in “for the ride of our lives”.

Please tell him that the flashing red light means that the bridge is open.


Kevin Smith

PS – There is a rumor going around that April 15 is the magic date for everybody to be farting through silk. By then all the goodies promised by the President will arrive. Have you heard it or is it just a falsehood being spread by “naysayers”?