Obama Gets A Boost From the Crucial Bicycle Swing Vote

from treehugger.com

Yes, we all know that politicians pander to special interest groups in the hopes of picking up key votes. Unfortunately, bicyclists aren't usually one of the interest groups targeted by politicians (although there have been some funny photo-ops of, for instance, John Edwards riding his bike with Lance Armstrong). This bit of news isn't going to change how politicians view cyclists, but it may change how cyclists view a certain politician. According to C.I.C.L.E. (it stands for Cyclists Inciting Change Thru Live Exchange), the Portland bicycle community has unearthed a quote from Barack Obama's energy platform in which he expresses his support for cycling and mass transit. And It turns out that Obama is "the only one of the Democratic presidential candidates who explicitly encourages bicycle transportation in his platform." On the Republican side, the only mention of bicycles comes from Mike Huckabee who, apparently, "rides his bike to the grocery store." (Huckabee is a big proponent of health and wellness, having himself lost over 100 pounds). Read the quote from Obama's platform after the fold:

As president, Barack Obama will re-evaluate the transportation funding process to ensure that smart growth considerations are taken into account. Obama will build upon his efforts in the Senate to ensure that more Metropolitan Planning Organizations create policies to incentivize greater bicycle and pedestrian usage of roads and sidewalks, and he will also re-commit federal resources to public mass transportation projects across the country. Building more livable and sustainable communities will not only reduce the amount of time individuals spent commuting, but will also have significant benefits to air quality, public health and reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

So, does this make you more inclined to vote Obama?

Via: ::C.I.C.L.E.