Common Sense, Volume VI: Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Pete Buttigieg was sworn in on February 3, 2021 as the 19th Secretary of Transportation. As Secretary, he has worked to build a world-leading transportation system, with a focus on safety, jobs, equity, climate, innovation, and organizational excellence.Jan 9, 2023.
This is what you read when you google Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation. You would believe he is a hero…a good choice for Secretary. However, facts matter and it is hard to look in any direction without witnessing his failures.
The purpose of a “Transportation Secretary” should be to oversee the safety, efficiency, and logistics of all forms of our transportation including goods and services.
Planes: According to the Los Angeles Times, “Thousands of flights across the U.S. were cancelled or delayed after a system that offers safety information to pilots failed, and the government launched an investigation into the breakdown, which grounded the planes for hours. The Federal Aviation Administration said preliminary indications traced the outage to a damaged database file. The agency said it would take steps to avoid another similar disruption.” At the same time there have been more aircraft near misses on the ground than in any other time in recent history. Additionally, the Federal Government gave the Airlines over 50 Billion dollars during the COVID crisis according to Market Watch. You think they would have been required an update to their systems with some of those resources? Where was Mr. Buttigieg?
Trains: Can anyone explain why Pete Buttigieg didn’t show up in Ohio for nearly three weeks to assure the residents that the Federal Government would support them in their time of need. Buttigieg gave 23 interviews since the derailing and never mentioned the catastrophe once…shameful! Maybe he has no answers, he seems to blame everyone one else for his failures.
Automobiles: Mr. Buttigieg also believes that $4.60 for diesel fuel is acceptable as well as $3.50 for regular gas. Most working Americans drive to work or use vehicles for their jobs. And, as we all know, nearly every product is shipped using diesel fuel including trains and semi-trucks. Ironically, we could be energy independent, we were energy independent just 2.3 years ago. It is hardly in our national interest to purchase fuel from any country let alone some of our most confirmed enemies. And since they are drilling and refining, why aren’t we using our own resources? Are batteries really the answer? Tune in for the next “Common Sense” for that discussion.
And last but not least, consider the Port of Entry disasters; just 16 months ago. At one time there were more than 100 freighters sitting off the coast of Los Angeles and Long Beach for months, while this administration was forcing longshoremen and truck drivers to get vaccinated, mask up or stay home. This logistic nightmare took nearly a year to correct. I don’t remember hearing much from Buttigieg about this calamity.
Realizing that some of these situations are tough to manage, Mr. Buttigieg seems to be “missing in action” since the date he was appointed. This is the result of appointing someone who has no experience in transportation which makes him unqualified. Again, your voice is important, please let your elected representatives know that you are not satisfied with this incompentancy. At the very least we should be appointing individuals that have qualifications in the fields they are appointed to manage.
Richard Geisinger
PS. Since this article was written, Mr. Buttigieg is being audited for the misuse FAA jets for official business nationally and internationally. A spokesperson for Buttigieg told the New York Post Monday that the former South Bend Ind. mayor only used the private FAA planes when it was determined to be “more cost effective” than flying commercial.
This is commentary from our members, it is not the offiical position of the Martin County Republican Executive Committee.