Letter: The inevitability of a mass transit era

Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 | 7 a.m.

The Las Vegas Sun's Nov. 2 editorial on Amtrak, "Boost mass transportation," hit the mark . There is no doubt the personal automobile is on its way out as a transportation option for most Americans as fuel prices continue to climb , a result of dwindling world supplies of petroleum and accelerated failure of the government in the world's largest consumer nation, the United States, to address conservation policies on a scale large enough to make a difference.

As a result, even as the government drags its feet on finding new means of transportation (alternative fuel use, electric autos, etc. , will be for years too expensive for mass use), we will through necessity have to go back to the pre automobile days of relying on mass transit - mainly the railroad, powered by coal and other plentiful and cheap fuels . (I doubt it would increase pollution over what millions of gas guzzlers are producing, and probably would decrease it . )

Therefore, it is important to keep Amtrak as a place to start this mass transit era. People older than 40 today probably won't live to see this , but it will happen , simply because it is the only logical and affordable answer.

Meanwhile, the Lawrence Downes commentary, "Immigration debate stymied by a word: 'Illegal,' " also hit the mark. I believe all this to-do about illegal immigration wouldn't exist if all illegal immigrants were white (and rich).

Daniel Olivier, Bullhead City, Ariz.