THE NEW C.T.A. SLOGAN.

The Chicago Transit Authority should create a new slogan: "Creating Small-Government Republicans One Passenger at a Time."

Yesterday it hit me: after a trip of more than an hour and a half to get from the Navy Pier to the Howard station of the Red Line, I stood on the platform waiting for the Purple Line train to Evanston. I looked around at all the other people standing with me.

The faces were, nearly to a person, glum. It's a common occurence on CTA property; people standing wondering when the next train is coming, if a bus if on the way, having been taught by experience not to hope for much.

The Economist said we Chicagoans suffer the worst mass-transit in the nation. It's hard to argue the contrary. I've traveled on all the major systems nationwide, and most of the systems worldwide. Chicago, while not quite Soviet, is pretty bad.

I know I don't mean what I said at the beginning. I believe in government. And I believe that a properly funded mass transit system would not leave customers standing on the platform wondering why the CTA can't do its job? I also figure that there are people who stand on the platform thinking that government sucks. and who could blame them?

We are getting to the point where a good city will be defined by its transit system more than just about anything. I mean, even sprawling shitholes like Atlanta are coming to the idea of urban density.

Chicago has a chance to be the greatest city in the U.S.A.: diverse, affordable, world-class culture and attractions, urban beauty everywhere. The only thing that we're missing is a world-class transit system.

At this point though C.T.A. still seems to mean, "Can't Transport Anything."



And we think we're gonna get the Olympics?