Daniel Cody - “Left on the Lake”

In part because of record high gas prices, usage of mass transit is booming around the Country as more and more people take advantage of the options for mass transit their cities and counties provide:

Mass transit systems around the country are seeing standing-room-only crowds on bus lines where seats were once easy to come by. Parking lots at many bus and light rail stations are suddenly overflowing, with commuters in some towns risking a ticket or tow by parking on nearby grassy areas and in vacant lots.

“In almost every transit system I talk to, we’re seeing very high rates of growth the last few months,” said William Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association.

Some cities with long-established public transit systems, like New York and Boston, have seen increases in ridership of 5 percent or more so far this year - International Herald Tribune

Unfortunately due to the decisions of some Milwaukee and Wisconsin politicians to purposely halt any progress on mass transit and to even cut existing mass transit services, we here in Milwaukee are limited in our choices for getting from point A to B.

While the rest of America moves forward in providing its citizens with more choices for getting where they need to go, Milwaukee remains stagnant. Due to that stagnation, we’re missing out on a key revenue stream that will only continue to increase as the price of gasoline remains high - not to mention providing residents with the ability to cut their costs for commuting by a substantial amount.

To people like County Executive Scott Walker who is so out of touch that he suggested the solution to transit in Milwaukee was for everyone to “have a car” - we can all say thanks.

It’s thanks to your short sighted policy proposals that the metro Milwaukee area finds itself dead last in the race to provide affordable transit options to it’s citizens.

As we enter double digits on the Sen. John McCain flag lapel pin watch, it’s important to remember that it’s not actually about the pin anymore as some of my right wing radio squawkers have correctly pointed out.

It’s now about more than the pin itself. Because in their words, “by rejecting the pin, he’s rejecting what it stands for, loyalty and love of America”. Thank you Jay Weber for reminding all of us why this issue is so important.

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, walks with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to an event Friday, May 9, 2008, in Columbia, S.C

While that particular radio host was actually talking about Barack Obama not wearing a pin himself, who cares! We all know that those on right wing talk radio hold Republicans to exactly the same standards as Democrats. Not wearing a flag pin is not wearing a flag pin!

Right?

And Lindsey Graham, you’re now on notice…

If only Starbucks sold flag pins at the counter next to all those world music CD’s, Sen. McCain and his wife could have picked up a pair! And secondly, the American people demand to know if his choice of designer footwear is as elitist as his choice in coffee drinks!

And I thought he was a man of the people…

What’s missing from this picture?

US Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain (R-AZ) speaks during a visit in Charlotte, North Carolina, May 5, 2008

Why, Sen. McCain’s patriotism of course!

Isn’t it funny that just this morning local right-wing radio talk show hosts were still trying to drum up outrage about Barack Obama not wearing a flag pin while completely ignoring the fact that their own candidate hasn’t worn one either for the last several weeks?

The Selective Outrage Express rolls on.

On the same day you have a Professor at a Jesuit University claiming that people are either “Christian” or not based on their choice of comedians, another keeps up the ridciulous meme about Barack Obama not wearing a flag pin.

…despite the intensive(!) work of myself and others that proves Sen. John McCain refuses to wear a flag pin himself.

This is why they, and their tens of supporters, take themselves so seriously…

Another day, another chapter of silly right-wing Wisconsin bloggers.

With no public events scheduled today, Sen. McCain seems to be joining his flag lapel pin at home where it’s kept out of the public eye. As a result, neither myself or the plethora of media reporters breathlessly covering this story so they can have something to ask Sen. McCain in the next debate have been able to confirm or deny that he isn’t actually choosing to not wear a a flag pin on his lapel.

Even if Sen. McCain is keeping it “casual” this weekend and lacks a lapel on which to place a flag pin, I’d still like to point out the amount of real estate one can find on a polo shirt color or even a t-shirt. If you’re trying to be patriotic, is a little thing like a missing lapel going to stop you? Not me. And definently not a man hero like John McCain.

Isn’t it strange though that firefighters, police officers, and military personal all wear flags on their uniforms even when it’s the weekend?!?

Another day, another missing flag lapel pin from the Republican nominee for President. In fact, the only thing that changed today was the color of Sen. McCains shirt…

Talk radio hosts are now starting to take notice. Rush Limbaugh himself was recently heard wondering aloud “What’s so hard about saying, I love this country? I wouldn’t be running for president if I didn’t revere this country?”.

Regular Americans are also starting to ask tough questions about the absence of McCain’s flag pin. “How can I vote for a president who won’t wear a flag pin?” asked Nash McCabe, an unemployed typist. “I watch him on TV; I keep looking for that lapel pin.”

Indeed. So do I Nash, so do I…

US Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain (R-AZ) visits supporters in a round table style venue to talk about health care at the Mizel Family Cultural Arts Center in Denver, Colorado May 2, 2008.

Another day, another missing lapel pin from the Republican nominee for President. Some are beginning to ask how this is starting to affect his campaign and wondering how McCain expects to express his patriotism without a flag pin on his lapel as the campaign heats up.

Speculation also swirled recently when former Presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave a speech to the Concerned Lettuce Growers of Southeaster California with an American flag pin proudly displayed on his lapel. Some Republican insiders are starting to privately express their concern to party leaders that this series of missteps by Sen. McCain is leaving the door for the Republican nomination open to a more patriotic Mitt Romney.

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. gestures during a town hall meeting, Thursday, May 1, 2008, in Cleveland, Ohio.