Informed but opinionated commentary and analysis on urban transportation topics from the Secret Worldwide Transit Cabal. Names have been omitted to protect the guilty.

Our Mission: Monkeywrench the Anti-Transit Forces

 
WENDELL WIMPS OUT!

Home of More Transit Links Than You can Possibly Check(tm), Unless you have no life other than websurfing

"Truth passes through three phases: 1) It is ridiculed. 2) It is violently opposed. 3) It is accepted as self-evident." Albert Schopenhouer. In the United States, rail is currently passing through Phase Two.


From the Cabalmaster:

WENDELL WIMPS OUT!

[or:]

WENDELL COX IS WIMPY, WIMPY, WIMPY!

From the Cabalmaster:

Intrepid websurfers may remember our three-part refutation Wendell Cox's “Lexus Argument” – his critique of the Hiawatha Corridor LRT project and the proposed Northstar commuter rail line in Minneapolis www.publicpurpose.com/ut-msplexus.htm .

Your Favorite Transit Pundits challenged Wendell to respond, directly as well as on your favorite blog.

He didn’t.

Wendell insists that his Lexus argument is not serious. With reference to another permutation, he writes:

"The Jaguar Argument is used to demonstrate the absurdity of spending so much money to attract a new commuter to light rail" (see: The Jaguar: Symbolizing Public Policy Absurdity).

Wendell also states -- explicitly -- that he does not find it “necessary to respond in detail” to anyone who fails to provide “on-point refutation of any point raised by Wendell Cox or ‘The Public Purpose’” (see: www.publicpurpose.com/ut-weyrich2001.htm).

We provided "on-point" refutation, and Wendell did not find it necessary to respond.

We extended the Fearless Fudgemeister a second opportunity to explain why his demonstration of "absurdity" is not in itself absurd – in other words, like arguing against the existence of Santa Claus by denying the reality of the Easter Bunny.

The silence was deafening. (Gee, you’d think he didn’t like us or something . . .)

The reason for Wendell’s non-response is obvious. As the late boxer Oscar Bonavena would put it, "He’s chicken! Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!"

Quite in contrast to, say, Dr. Peter Gordon of the University of Southern California. We disagree sharply with Dr. Gordon, and, we admit, shamelessly lampoon him at times. But he wins our utmost respect (yes, R-E-S-P-E-C-T) for one thing. He has the courage of his convictions and is not afraid to “spar” with those who hold opposing views.

Wendell, on the other hand, hides behind an “old guard” of sycophants, who take to task anyone who dares to criticize the Sage of (suburban) St. Louis:

"I find it enlightening that people like [Your Favorite Transit Pundits] are free to make the Wendell Cox/Saddam association and chose [sic] to do so. Apparently there are some people that lack the ability to responsibly excercise [sic] freedom."

(The preceding was penned by one of our favorite Usenet critics, who we’ll call "The Nattering Nebish of Napalm" for his frequent "flamethrower" attacks against any and all who dare to disagree with him.

(Note that he doesn’t seem to have anything resembling a sense of humor, either . . .)

Non-response by the "man behind the curtain" provides clear and convincing evidence that Wendell’s "Lexus Argument" (. . . aka “Jaguar Argument,” or whatever he wishes to label it . . .) has as much to do with reality as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. We’re claiming victory by default . . .

"How we love it so!"

George C. Scott as George S. Patton in the 1970 war film classic Patton, musing about Patton's well known, medieval, archaic love of war.


posted by The Cabalmaster, Master of All Transit-dom 5/06/2003 11:59:00 AM