John Baer: Will Obama rail plan get U.S. back on track?

0 Comments | Philadelphia Daily News, April, 2009

I'VE LONG believed that one of the biggest policy blunders in modern U.S. history was and is disproportionate investment since the 1950s in the interstate highway system.

Even after the '70s' "energy crisis," we continued to ignore the obvious alternative of greatly improved rail service to reduce growing reliance on foreign oil.

There's no doubt that auto and airline industry lobbyists helped Congress keep the blinders on; all one need do is look at the numbers.

Since 1990, for example, political contributions from the air-transport and automotive industries total $392 million, according to data maintained by the Center for Responsive Politics.

During the same period, railroad companies, makers of railroad equipment and companies that service railroads,...