Not short-sighted busy work

David Hoppe’s column; “Wake Up, Gov! We Don’t Need Another Highway” (Nov. 29-Dec. 6) illustrates the conservative bureaucratic backwardness of our current neo-classical Hoosier economy. The governor’s plan to expand highway construction is not only supported by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce but it is also supported by the Indiana State Building & Construction Trades Council and conservative labor unions such as Teamsters Joint Council 69 as well as the Carpenters Union. Indeed, they have even put large ads in The Indianapolis Star urging support of the governor’s plans. It’s obvious that these organizations think that diesel and gasoline will be plentiful for generations to come.

A bold step forward would be for a massive educational program on how to live in a world without oil and to pass resolutions on “peak oil” such as what the Bloomington City Council adopted on July 19 of this year. We need long-term sustainable solutions rather than short-sighted busy work for construction workers and local contractors. Hoppe is correct in suggesting we build high-speed mass transit trains. Time is running out for Indiana to wake up from our Eisenhower-era love affair with highways.

To read the Bloomington City Council resolution go to http://bloomington.in.gov/egov/docs/1153747651_559687.pdf.