Nov 11 2008
Bicycles and Politics
In recent days I have been reading about speculation on who President-elect Obama might pick to be his Secretary of Transportation. Two names keep coming up in the speculation, Senator Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN). In 2005 both are the only politicians named in League of American Bicyclists list of 25 of the most important people in American biking.
Senator Blumenauer has been an advocate for bike friendly communities, alternative modes of transportation, and is a bicyclist himself. When he came to Congress in 1996, he moved to D.C. without a car and later formed a bicycle caucus, which in 2006 had 164 members, 45 of whom are Republicans. The caucus provides an opportunity for members of Congress, their staff and families to get together a few times a year for bicycling events.
Congressman Jim Oberstar was elected to Congress 1974, has been the senior Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and in 2006 became the chair for the committee. In 2005 he was the chief sponsor of the federal Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program, which hopes to get children riding bikes and walking to school. He too would be a great choice.
All in all, I think both of these guys would be great for bicycling and I look forward to seeing who President-elect Obama selects for the Secretary of Transportation position.
Earl Blumenauer almost always speaks at our Bike to Work day events here in D.C.
I would be happy with either one of them…perhaps they could share the duties? I have met Oberstar and was impressed.
Aaron