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What Is It About A Mileage Tax Obama Doesn't Understand?  By:
Matt Rosenberg March 5, 2009  Article as published in Crosscut
During his successful campaign for the presidency, Barack Obama
embraced the cause of surface transportation, arguing with gusto
for improvements to inter-city high speed rail, for research and
development to advance the mainstream adoption of alternative
fuels, and for other green transportation initiatives. In
contrast, his general election opponent John McCain trilled one
note on the evils of transportation funding earmarks. To those
who follow surface transportation policy, the difference between
the two was stark: Obama won big points as the more
knowledgeable, engaged, and passionate of the two. McCain
appeared to be either out of his depth, disinterested, or
constrained by poor political counsel.  Now flash forward to our
current and befuzzled times. While a disappointingly scant $50
billion of the $787 billion federal