I have a simple solution to TWO Big problems

[serryjw]

The Federal government needs to write an order to Ford & GM for 200,000 buses. We save both companies from bankrupcy and make it mandatory that all major cities grid their cities for buses in 2-3years. We get millions out of their cars.

[Selatius]

1. Why not bump it up to 500,000?

We could connect surrounding communities to major urban areas as well and form a larger mass transit web, since many people who work in the city often live outside of them.

[serryjw]

4. Ohhhhhh, I guessed at the 200,000

number. In Denver, we have park and ride lots. Everyone in rural area can drive to a major hub,leave their car there or get dropped off and then pick up a bus to major hubs of work.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. Makes too much sense. It will never fly.

[cantstandbush]

24. Why do you hate America?

Great suggestion but I would pump it to include building a mega mass transportation system linking rails with metro systems across the nation's major cities. But starting with the buses is a GREAT idea. What Congress persons have you sent this suggestion to? Any candidate that can come up with ideas like this that really mean something to people could win hands down carrying the mantle of real issues and not those 'gay marriage' 'anti-abortion' fake divisive issues of the Rethugs.

DUers, can we get behind some of these great issues that give candidates some real solutions to problems facing our middle class?

[kittykitty]

3. Cleveland is putting a new busline instead of a train to connect

the old downtown to the cultural center of the city. They are separated by about 100 blocks. It will have a central island down the middle of the street. Busses will have the entrances at the same level as the island so entry and exit will have no steps. They will be extra large busses with an accordian pleated thing in the middle (don't know what that is called). I just read this in a magazine, METROPOLIS, today. I don't know that this will do much for GM though. It didn't say what brand of busses.

[serryjw]

5. IF they don't know yet........

they better re-tool or they will be out of business except for high end in the next decade.HOW tough could this be? They are just larger cars! We have those thingy buses with the middle accordian on major routes.
I'm proud of Denver. We have a great Mayor that got elected by riding his bike in his commercials!He is 100% behind alternative energy

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4672135,00.html

[Tesha]

11. "Articulated busses" They're used in Boston on many runs.

> They will be extra large busses with an accordian pleated
> thing in the middle (don't know what that is called).

"Articulated busses". They're used in Boston on many runs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulated_bus



Tesha

[PuraVidaDreamin]

6. Ha! I thought you were going to say

two bullets

[donheld]

7. serryjw, as usuall you have another good Idea

They could even write some kind of fuel efficency standards for these buses. Maybe even have them run on some kind of Biodiesel.

[Tesha]

13. In the cities, use CNG; less soot.

Please don't use any oil diesel engines in the city.
CNG busses produce far less soot.

Use the proper fuels in the proper places.

Tesha

[serryjw]

14. You like this I have another one for you!

We have thousands of 'extented stay' hotels in the country. In the last 15 years business travel has been cut because of cost/technology and terrorist fears. We will have to do something with these hotels. VOILA! Convert them over to senior living places. The country is getting older. People will not want to live alone. They will want companionship of people their age. Take out a few hotel rooms out and add a nurses station on a few floors. Who is better to run a place like this than hotel owners. They can have centralized dining. I lived in one of these when I moved to Denver 7 years ago. They are great. What does a single person need than 400 sq feet!

-----------------

Denver is the leader of alternative energy for city/county and mass transportation.Denver won 2003/04 transit of the year.
http://www.drcog.org/index.cfm?page=RideArrangers
http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=331&Itemid=1201
http://www.mlui.org/transportation/fullarticle.asp?fileid=16880

[leftofthedial]

8. how FDR-esque

what are you, a commie?

[serryjw]

9. I beginning to believe so!

It's better than being a Freeper

[leftofthedial]

10. I'm a commie

[serryjw]

15. Goes to show that good ideas

are all over if you have the political courage to fight for change. We don't send them to DC to work for same old/outdated ideas.

[leftofthedial]

16. no. we send them to DC to take bribes from lobbyists

get rich

and give us the finger

[serryjw]

17. It's all our fault

62.3% of registeredvoters, voted in 2004. How many are not even registered?. That's the national election. How many vote in midterm? How many don't EVEN know the name of their Rep/ Senator?You get the government you deserve.THEY have more money than we do......BUT there are more of us, if people would just get involved.I hear all day long "I send my representative to DC to do that". When was the last time they held their representative accountable? They vote (reps)the way they want because they know NO one is paying attention. The answer for most is not to vote any more they are so frustrated or pissed. That's exactly what DC wants. What will happen to this democracy when 10% are voting?

[Skelington]

18. You're not the "naked Man" in Albuquerque are you??

[leftofthedial]

19. not me, at least not since the 70's

[Skelington]

20. Is there a DU group that meets in Alb?

[leftofthedial]

21. I don't know

:shrug:

I'm a NM native and miss it. I live in Colorado at the moment. (If you can call it "living.")

I haven't read of any NM gatherings.

[Skelington]

22. huh, I'm Arizonian, my wife is from Colorado......

we are preparing to "pull the cord" and bail out of NM. We live in the nob hill area (carlisle/copper if you know the area) and like it a lot, but between the constant fires, closed forrests, drained lakes, oppressive wind, and head up thier ass government, I'm thinking back to Arizona.

[leftofthedial]

23. back to the land of the desert neocons, eh?

I used to play ball in Phoenix every summer

I hate that town.

[Skelington]

26. Arizona's not that bad, I like it. I would like Albuquerque more if,

people gave a shit about it, hike 5 miles into any forrest, and on ANY trip ANYWHERE I can fill up both mine and my wife's garbage bag with beer cans and other trash. The people here don't think twice about throwing trash all over the place, letting thier house look like a pile of shit, pollute, and graffitti everything, then bitch about it when "non-natives" point it out. Albuquerque is turning into a shit box, while the developers make a scramble to suck up every bit of mesa to the West and drop houses worth 90,000 but sell for 200,000. This place is going to implode, and it seems like the whole town is content to watch it happen.

Arizona's not perfect, but they do care about thier state, NMicans don't.
There is more to life than politics, living around people who care about the state is what I miss.

[leftofthedial]

27. Sounds like you'd be happier in AZ.

Where? Phoenix? Tucson? Flagstaff?

[Skelington]

28. Lived in Scottsdale before, we have friends in Prescott

and thought about Showlow, maybe a bit too small of a town. I have not forgotten the traffic nightmares of the "Valley of the Sun" though. Even though AZ is divided up politically, the vast majority of everybody in AZ cares about AZ, I feel sometimes like people here in Alb would take a giant shit in thier own front yard just to prove they have the right.

I sound to bitter, I don't mean to hack this much on NM, I certainly can be as much of an asshole as anybody.

[ck4829]

12. Your solution is both socialistic and good for the environment

It'll never fly with the RW'ers, but I like it.

[cantstandbush]

25. Why not go big with building a mega mass transit system linking railroads

with metor transit systems throughout the nation's major cities? Our railroads could be the answer to a lot of environmental and oil prices and mega transit systems among and within major cities could substantially improve our standard of living with good paying jobs, cleaner air, and some corporate accountability while swiping the corporate oil pigs.

[serryjw]

29. Amtrak

It has been on life support for a long time. * & Co would never support this until they absolutely have to. I love the idea. I would love to have a modern high end system like Europe has to see the entire country on. I hate flying before 9-11
http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/14679752.htm