Amusing bit of political hypocrisy

[Ryche]

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Not meaning to be Democrat bashing by posting this, Republicans are just as capable of stupidity.

http://www.startribune.com/587/story/567654.html

Environment tops Erlandson campaign
The former DFL Party chair said he had an environmental epiphany while working as an aide to Rep. Martin Sabo, whom he now seeks to succeed.

Former DFL Party chair Mike Erlandson, now running for Congress, named the environment as his top campaign priority and said Friday that he would continue the work he has done for some 19 years as a top aide to retiring Rep. Martin Sabo, whom Erlandson is trying to succeed.

"If we don't address global warming and climate change, all the other issues aren't going to mean a lot 10 years from now," Erlandson said at a Minneapolis news conference.

Erlandson said he had an environmental epiphany early in his tenure with Sabo when he learned that the Department of Transportation didn't have a single staff member devoted to increasing bicycle use. He said he had Sabo insert a provision into a funding bill for one staff member to work on the issue. The department now has an entire bicycle division, he said.

Erlandson outlined an environmental policy that includes tax incentives for alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles and the elimination of tax subsidies for the oil industry. He also would place mandatory caps on greenhouse gas pollutants.

Erlandson is running in the Sept. 12 primary. Also running for the DFL are state Rep. Keith Ellison, former state Sen. Ember Reichgott Junge, Minneapolis City Council Member Paul Ostrow, Andrew Vincent Favorite, Gregg Iverson and Patrick J. Wiles. Republican Alan Fine, Tammy Lee of the Independence Party and Jay Pond of the Green Party also are running.

Erlandson said he intends to get rid of his Cadillac Escalade because of environmental concerns and the cost of filling the tank. He said he bought the vehicle because he and his wife don't drive much and have two children, so the vehicle could seat a crowd.

As Sabo's chief of staff, Erlandson said he pushed his boss on environmental issues.

ROCHELLE OLSON

[Glengoyne]

I think it is funnier he is touting that he got the state of Minnesota to fund a whole department within their Dept of Transportation devoted to Bicycling. What do those people do for the nine months of the year that don't lend themselves to cycling?

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

I think it is funnier he is touting that he got the state of Minnesota to fund a whole department within their Dept of Transportation devoted to Bicycling. What do those people do for the nine months of the year that don't lend themselves to cycling?

That's awesome.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I wondered if anybody else would catch that great example of governmental "efficiency" in the story. I thought that was funnier than the Escalade actually.

[Ryche]

Actually, he's talking about the United States Department of Transportation, not Minnesota's. His former boss is one of the higher ranking members of that committee.

Besides, we have at least 5 months a year you can ride a bike here