Lookout, Bush Station, The Rule Is Changing

"The rule is, jam tomorrow and jam yesterday -- but never jam today."
--The White Queen, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

Just like the White Queen, politicians have a way of insisting on one set of behaviors yesterday, and maybe tomorrow, but not necessarily today. Washington politicians are particularly adept at this.

For example, take the scripted GOP talking point all through 2009 and early 2010 that the Democrats were wrong to "waste time" on health care reform when the sick economy was what needed the country's full attention. So, what does the GOP do as their first priority when they take control of Congress? Well, waste time with a symbolic vote to repeal health care reform, of course. Jam yesterday and jam tomorrow, but not today. That even they realized how hypocritical it was is evidenced by them putting "job-killing" into the title of the bill, "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act."

After the jump, changing the menu in Richardson depending on what day it is.

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One of the hot topics in Richardson last year (and it's still not completely settled) is the rebuilding of the Lookout Drive Transfer Station. Even though the trash transfer station is run by the North Texas Municipal Water District, a joint creation of several neighboring cities working together for mutual benefit, critics demanded that Richardson city officials take a parochial stance on the issue and fight to keep more of Plano's trash from even temporarily crossing Richardson's border to be transferred at the Lookout Drive station. In this case, the rule was: Richardson's interests first.

The latest hot topic is the Bush Station transit-oriented development plan. "Transit-oriented" means taking advantage of the DART light rail station. Here, Richardson officials are lobbying hard to get the proposed Cotton Belt line routed to connect to the DART Red Line at Bush Station, which would increase the value of the surrounding property and proposed development in Richardson. The usual critics are opposed to this development, so in this case, Richardson city officials are being criticized for not taking Plano's side and not encouraging DART to route the Cotton Belt line so it bypasses Richardson to connect to the DART Red Line in Plano. Yesterday is gone. Today, the critics are saying the rule is: the region's (and Plano's) interests first.

Jam yesterday and jam tomorrow, but not today.