Smooth Move

The London terrorist attacks have presented an opportunity for one of America's politicians. In the coming months, I think Biden has a chance to start to make his presence better known than it already is. Many already know that he is planning a presidential run in '08. Logically, people are going to watch his politics from now until Election Day in '08. Here's what's happening...

This is coming from an article from USA Today.

As a result of the attacks, Americans are expected to be concerned about the security of our railroads, buses, ferries, and other transportation systems. Currently, U.S. transit authorities are reporting that our nation's ground-transportation network requires an immediate $6 billion security upgrade. But our budget currently allows for only $100 million to go towards ground-transportation next year. Millions have gone to make our defenses better but it is obvious and well-known that we need to spend more on mass transit.

This is where Joe Biden comes in. Biden has an opportunity, "as Congress prepares to take up the federal government's fiscal 2006 budget next week", to get behind a Homeland Security Appropriations bill to increase money to rail and transit security . Biden is being smart and seizing this opportunity to get behind and put his name on a bill to increase the money going to rail and transit security to $1.2 million.

His logic is well-founded. Right now, most money for transportation is going to aviation security because the aviation industry was the industry hit by terrorist attacks. Yet statistically, mass transit carries "16 times more passengers than do the nation's airlines". More statistics that go in favor of Biden: The feds invest one penny on security per passenger on mass transit compared to $9.16 per passenger for those on airplanes. And when people here statements like this from the president of the American Public Transportation Association is saying something like this

When it comes to security, public transportation riders are treated as second-class citizens by the federal government

People listen in. And if the people start to feel cheated, they start to want more money to go towards the system they ride every day. And with Biden in full support, he stands to gain supporters or constituents.

Also, consider this.

Worldwide, terror attacks on passenger railroads and bus systems have been far more numerous and deadly than attacks at commercial airports and on airplanes, according to Rand security analyst Jack Riley. Recent examples: the 1995 sarin attack on Tokyo's subways that left 12 people dead and 5,000 people seriously ill; the Moscow subway bombing in February 2004 that killed 41 people; and the Madrid rail bombing in March 2004 that killed 191 people. Train-related plots also have been uncovered in Singapore and Milan.

National transportation security specialist Brian Jenkins, a researcher at San Jose State University's Mineta Transportation Institute, says trains, subways and buses are "ideal targets" for terrorists who seek to indiscriminately kill large numbers of people and then find ready escape.

Once again, if the people listen to the experts, they will realize the government needs to change its funding so that the mass transit systems can be better equipped. They need things like "closed-circuit TV surveillance systems, K-9 guard dogs, chemical detection systems, employee drills and training". These are common sense items that need to be given so that citizens in America can be safer. Biden knows what the public needs. The public will eventually realize that. When they do, Biden will benefit and gain supporters. This is a smooth move by a future Democratic presidential candidate.

Couldn't You Have Waited?

Headline: Bono gets his hat back

That's nice. Here's what Bono's problem was: an "iconic" Stetson cowboy hat was stolen by a former U2 stylist. He's reported to have said that he would not have given it up willingly. And I say again, couldn't you have waited??? It may be "iconic" but your image that you presented in front of millions at the Live 8 concerts, your personality that comes out when supporting DATA.org and Africa, and your desire to give back and help the people of Africa is more "iconic" than some damn hat.

What upsets me is this: I support you. I think you have some credibility. I try to defend you in front of right wing nutjobs. And then what? This story breaks. It's about something that any Republican who was skeptical about the possibility that we could "save Africa" would use as a reason to not support your vision. Your whining, while minute, is a good enough reason to turn people off.

I wish you could have waited until months later to get your "iconic" hat back. I hope your "iconic" public persona doesn't suffer.