Today's Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial praises the groundbreaking of Sound Transit's light rail line in the Rainier Valley. The editorial doesn't praise light rail as an effective and efficient way to move commuters because, of course, it isn't. The P-I loves light rail, but the only good thing that the editorial can find to say about it is that it is a wonderful pork barrel project:
if the proposed end result will do what Mayor Greg Nickels predicts -- "bring jobs, renewal and opportunity for all" -- it should prove worth it.Worth it to all of the lucky vendors and employees working for the boondoggle, perhaps, and to the politicians like Greg Nickels whose campaign coffers the boondogglists fill. Not worth it to the rest of us poor shnooks who have to pay for the waste while the real transportation problems remain unaddressed. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at June 11, 2004 10:52 AM
Hey, if creating jobs is the main goal, why not build pyramids? They would create more unskilled jobs, thus benefitting the unskilled Rainier Valley locals, and the maintenance would be much less expensive.
Posted by: John Cunningham on June 14, 2004 08:57 AMA pyramid creates too much of an environmental impact. If we can't build a 3rd runway for SEATAC, how could you lay the foundation for a Pyramid. But if you market the pyramid as a training facility for Boeing's new 7E7 dreamliner. Then the state would exempt it from environmental review, build it on the taxpayer's tab, and give it to Boeing. Except most of the jobs would likely be outsourced to Egypt.
Posted by: Tim Ford on June 14, 2004 12:05 PM