WE NEED MASS TRANSIT

Price of gas now over $3 per gallon in the U.S. We've not seen anything yet. It's $6 a gallon in Europe. At least in Europe and Japan and other parts of the world they have a real public mass transit system. We need mass transit right now! We've got to start demanding it.

Begin to imagine if we converted the military production process all across the U.S. to build a high-tech rail system connecting every corner of America. Imagine the jobs created in the U.S. building rail cars, refurbishing rail lines, building rail stations....why can't we in the peace movement, environmental movement and labor movements make this a common theme of our work?

In yesterday's Portland, Maine newspaper there were two letters to the editor talking about the need for public mass transit system. People are ready for it, they know we need it. We just need to make the demand public and begin to offer the vision of conversion of the military industrial complex so that our tax dollars can be used for production of rail systems, solar power and wind energy.

But notice the corporate masters on TV. What is their solution to higher gas prices? Ethanol.....gasoline made from corn. They don't want to end the car dependent culture....we've got to respond to that with strong and persistent calls for mass transit.