getting stupider out, by the day

4/9/08

To: letters@latimes.com

After a day listening to our Lead General in Iraq and his
sidekick, our ambassador to Iraq tell us there's no good
way out - that our meager gains there skate on thin-ice...
back of me soggy brain repeats and repeats the phrase,

"Protecting National Security Interests"

(code for Oil) brings me back to this county's tolling infliction -
our own TCA, aka toll-road conundrum.

No comparison really, except for this gnawing reality:
A Lie, glossily candy-coated by true-believers, spinning
fact-into-fiction until The-Lie becomes 'Virtuous Endeavor'
orchestrated by pomp and fanfare doth always mask
a darker purpose.

In Iraq, Truth is Oil.
The-Lie was WMD's.

In OC, Truth is Housing.
The-Lie: TCA's Catch-22 specious toll road promise:

"Toll Roads Always Empty - Come Play!"

Boots-on-Ground-Reality: OCFreeway's are packed-to-the-gills
and we can't fix, if TCA Toll-revenues are in anyway threatened
(Catch-22). Which can't happen. Because TCA keeps toll fares
purposely sky-high insuring toll-venues remain mostly empty
as local population swells, suckered by TCA promise, and gas
prices soar out of sight.

Result: OC Freeways helplessly clog to a stop.

Fact: All Bubbles Burst

In Iraq, The-Lie (not the war) is over.
By now everyone knows the ugly, miserable, horrible, oily Truth.
Just not how to leave...and still keep their oil flowing (here).

Back here at the ol'rancho, Our-Lie hasn't yet reached Truefullness.
But our bubble has indeed burst - KAAAWAMMO!!!
What Housing?
1994 - OC over invests scarily - bankrupts self.
2008 - OC's subprime brainchild submarines entire nation and
parts of World in exceedingly wild housing greedfest as OC Toll
roads remain blissfully priced out of mass-traffic's reach, but:
TCA suddenly in dire financial straits?, as goes OC Housing -
goes TCA (re: Development Fees).

Not to worry: according to OC's Highway Generals we have a way OUT!
TCA's new post-bubble-busting-sub-prime Splurge-Traffic-Strategy:

a. Widen Toll Roads! (what freeways, what mass-transit?)
b. Then artificially lower Tolls (genius).
c. Make up so-called lost Toll-revenues via 'Shadow Tolls' aka our
tax-dollars sucked (subsidized, subtracted, scammed, schamozzled)
outta Measure M money voted-in by us (you-me) specifically to fix
freeway-clog-spots and mass-transit, etc., but never toll roads.

TCA Rationale: "Protect TCA Investors 1st." - before commuters.
Plan: Finagle with OCTA and Caltrans to implement - Bada Bing!

Don't look for major freeway / mass transit fixes until 2030 - 2046.
About the time we have Iraq figured out.

Recommendation for Joe & Jane OC-Commuters: dust off bicycles,
because OC's transportation General's are sitting somewhere on
an empty OC toll road, divvying up our freeway/ transit Measure M
fix-it-money to bolster TCA's 'Loser' private investors.

And maybe a smidgen for themselves?

Ya'think?
In OC?
Well, if no one's looking...