You heard his barbarous yawp sound across the bike paths of America as The Voice of Bicyclists.
Now, Rep. Jim Oberstar is back and he's acquired yet another transportation-related nickname. Hold off on those paternity tests, the results are in! Headlines from Portland, Oregon:
Father of 'Safe Routes', Congressman Jim Oberstar, visits a local school
Quite a pattern being established with these fanciful nicknames attesting to Oberstar's achievements. Although, in a lifetime of living in the state Oberstar has represented for over three decades (while not necessarily living here), I've never heard of any of these clunky, alleged nicknames. How do these independent reporters keep coming up with them? Either we're dealing with the Woodwards and Bernsteins of nickname investigative reporting or someone with an interest in turning these press reports into public relations pieces for the Chairman of the Transportation Committee is slipping them these sobriquets.
Speaking of which, in case you're wondering, here's how Father of Safe Routes earned this honorific:
Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN), the man whose vision back in 1998 led to the national Safe Routes to Schools program, paid a visit to Beach Elementary School yesterday. Oberstar is a 35-year member of Congress who represents Northeastern Minnesota. After seeding several pilot programs in 1998, he helped pass federal legislation for Safe Routes to School to the tune of over $600 million.
A $600 million program to convince kids to start walking to school. And they're reporting it as a triumph rather than an indictable offense.
In case anyone in MN CD-8 is interested in putting a stop to this use of the public treasury, running against the Father of Safe Routes is a terrific candidate, Chip Cravaack. His campaign message below indicates his election would end the days of $600 million walk to school programs.
Dear Patriots,
I am not a politician. My entrance into this race, if nothing else, was unexpected. After retiring from the Navy and as a commercial airline pilot, I planned to spend my time with my wife and two young sons. Running for Congress was the last thing on my mind.
Then I watched Congress ignore and abandon the Constitution. Unemployment continued to rise as Congress is adding billions of dollars to the national debt that will become the burden of future generations. I knew it was time for me to stand up, and now I ask you to do so with me.
The consequences of inaction are clear: if our country continues on its current path, we will not be giving our children and grandchildren the same freedoms, the same opportunities, or the same country that our parents and grandparents gave us. The choice before us is not what kind of America we will have in the next two, or even four, years, but what kind of America we will have in the next forty.
It is with great humility that I ask for the opportunity to earn your trust, confidence, and support. Now is time to call on all of our friends to join us. Whether we are Republican, Independent or Democrat we must take back Congress from entrenched Washington politicians, take back our country, and return to Constitutional principles so that our children and grandchildren can also grow up in the freest and most prosperous nation in history. Together, we will.
I have served our country in the United States Navy and now I am ready to serve you in the United States Congress.
Sincerely,
Captain Chip Cravaack
USNR - Retired
