Comments on: FDR National Airport http://citiwire.net/post/1655/ Our mission... to reflect a new narrative for 21st century cities and regions. Leaving behind the 20th century pattern of cheap energy, endless automobility, burgeoning suburbs, threatened inner cities. To a challenge-packed 21st century: energy prices headed north, perilous carbon emissions, deepening have-have not divisions, excruciating social problems and deep challenges in education. But a time of exciting promise, too. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 03:18:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Elizabeth Kellar http://citiwire.net/post/1655/comment-page-1/#comment-1156 Elizabeth Kellar Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:57:09 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1655#comment-1156 Those of us who live in the Metropolitan Washington, DC, region thought that having just one President's name on the airport was sufficient -- the full name of the airport is George Washington Ronald Reagan National Airport. We'd be happy with either National Airport or to return to Washington National Airport. Those of us who live in the Metropolitan Washington, DC, region thought that having just one President’s name on the airport was sufficient — the full name of the airport is George Washington Ronald Reagan National Airport. We’d be happy with either National Airport or to return to Washington National Airport.

]]> By: Mortimer Downey http://citiwire.net/post/1655/comment-page-1/#comment-1116 Mortimer Downey Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:55:23 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1655#comment-1116 No comment on changing the name, but to point out a non well publicized fact, the old terminal building at National has a conference room at tarmac level, now nicely restored. It was the facility that FDR used as a boarding lounge when he would fly out of the airport. Visiting it gives you the feeling that FDR had just been there. No comment on changing the name, but to point out a non well publicized fact, the old terminal building at National has a conference room at tarmac level, now nicely restored. It was the facility that FDR used as a boarding lounge when he would fly out of the airport. Visiting it gives you the feeling that FDR had just been there.

]]> By: Matthew Holden, Jr. http://citiwire.net/post/1655/comment-page-1/#comment-1106 Matthew Holden, Jr. Tue, 26 Jan 2010 02:41:47 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1655#comment-1106 This is a dumb, useless idea. I am an unrepentant FDR admirer, old enough to remember when he was President. .But he is already remembered in many ways. But right now, such an idea has nothing to do with the moods, knowledge, needs (and ignorance!) of a population wityh a median age in the '30s. Why waste time and effort on a fight to displace Reagan with Roosevelt? Think of some idea that can be used to validate active government policy to overcome this recession, and that will be a sufficient tribute to FDR. Help President Obama grasp how FDR dealt with unrepentant enemies (listen to the 1936 Democratic National Convention speech). That will be a tribute. This is a dumb, useless idea. I am an unrepentant FDR admirer, old enough to remember when he was President. .But he is already remembered in many ways. But right now, such an idea has nothing to do with the moods, knowledge, needs (and ignorance!) of a population wityh a median age in the ’30s. Why waste time and effort on a fight to displace Reagan with Roosevelt? Think of some idea that can be used to validate active government policy to overcome this recession, and that will be a sufficient tribute to FDR. Help President Obama grasp how FDR dealt with unrepentant enemies (listen to the 1936 Democratic National Convention speech). That will be a tribute.

]]> By: Woody Wheeler http://citiwire.net/post/1655/comment-page-1/#comment-1105 Woody Wheeler Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:30:52 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1655#comment-1105 Good idea. FDR deserves more recognition. Good idea. FDR deserves more recognition.

]]> By: john norquist http://citiwire.net/post/1655/comment-page-1/#comment-1104 john norquist Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:56:53 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1655#comment-1104 It might be emotionally gratifying, but fighting to scrape Reagan's name off National sounds like really hard work. How about let's rename DC's Union Station for FDR. He rode many a train in and out of there in every direction. Besides the train station has a more sustainable future than the short runway on the Potomac. Once Dulles is hooked to DC by Metro more flights will transfer there. Meet you for a cold beer at FDR station. It might be emotionally gratifying, but fighting to scrape Reagan’s name off National sounds like really hard work. How about let’s rename DC’s Union Station for FDR. He rode many a train in and out of there in every direction. Besides the train station has a more sustainable future than the short runway on the Potomac. Once Dulles is hooked to DC by Metro more flights will transfer there. Meet you for a cold beer at FDR station.

]]> By: Richard Wakeford http://citiwire.net/post/1655/comment-page-1/#comment-1103 Richard Wakeford Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:52:22 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1655#comment-1103 In the UK we tend to name our airports after the places you find them - Birmingham, Manchester etc - and three of London's are named after the small villages each has come to dominate. In my time travelling up and down I95 between Princeton and NYC, I often pondered whether Grover Cleveland would look kindly on the motorway service area that bears his name In the UK we tend to name our airports after the places you find them – Birmingham, Manchester etc – and three of London’s are named after the small villages each has come to dominate. In my time travelling up and down I95 between Princeton and NYC, I often pondered whether Grover Cleveland would look kindly on the motorway service area that bears his name

]]> By: Alex Marshall http://citiwire.net/post/1655/comment-page-1/#comment-1101 Alex Marshall Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:20:31 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1655#comment-1101 Well argued. I bet this will have some legs. No chance in hell of it happening, but Lang make such a good case that I think people will talk about it. It's doubly appropriate, because Reagan almost certainly would have opposed construction of the airport back in the 1930s, if he had been a political actor then. It was exactly the kind of big-government infrastructure spending he didn't like. Roosevelt was right of course. Building infrastructure was good for the people, and good for business. Well argued. I bet this will have some legs. No chance in hell of it happening, but Lang make such a good case that I think people will talk about it. It’s doubly appropriate, because Reagan almost certainly would have opposed construction of the airport back in the 1930s, if he had been a political actor then. It was exactly the kind of big-government infrastructure spending he didn’t like. Roosevelt was right of course. Building infrastructure was good for the people, and good for business.

]]> By: John Boling http://citiwire.net/post/1655/comment-page-1/#comment-1100 John Boling Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:53:23 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1655#comment-1100 Interesting post considering what Congress needs now is to lessen the partisanship pervading the institution, not increase it - as the author wisely acknowledges. When Metro opposed the Reagan name change 9 years ago they cited a cost of $400,000 to change the signs, maps and station names, a cost which has most likely grown since then. Metro faces severe financial hardship this year and is considering rate hikes along with service reductions to bring its budget in line, makes me think the cost of another name change, while welcome by few, would be paid for by the riders who would get nothing in return. Interesting post considering what Congress needs now is to lessen the partisanship pervading the institution, not increase it – as the author wisely acknowledges.

When Metro opposed the Reagan name change 9 years ago they cited a cost of $400,000 to change the signs, maps and station names, a cost which has most likely grown since then. Metro faces severe financial hardship this year and is considering rate hikes along with service reductions to bring its budget in line, makes me think the cost of another name change, while welcome by few, would be paid for by the riders who would get nothing in return.

]]> By: Steve Davis http://citiwire.net/post/1655/comment-page-1/#comment-1099 Steve Davis Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:14:38 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1655#comment-1099 This is the second best idea I've heard for National Airport, the first being to strip it of any person's name, and allow it to once more be the National Airport — devoid of political wrangling or partisan divides. I love Roosevelt as much as the next guy, and clearly see the importance of his presidency on infrastructure in general — and especially the airport — but I've always thought that no honoree would be the best way to go. This is a close second, due to the fact that Roosevelt has a tangible connection to the actual facility, unlike Reagan. The best moment was when the GOP-controlled Congress threatened to withhold WMATA funding until they changed the station stop to reflect the new name (with no extra money included for doing so.) Which cost WMATA money to change the maps, signage, etc. A tad ironic, perhaps? This is the second best idea I’ve heard for National Airport, the first being to strip it of any person’s name, and allow it to once more be the National Airport — devoid of political wrangling or partisan divides. I love Roosevelt as much as the next guy, and clearly see the importance of his presidency on infrastructure in general — and especially the airport — but I’ve always thought that no honoree would be the best way to go. This is a close second, due to the fact that Roosevelt has a tangible connection to the actual facility, unlike Reagan.

The best moment was when the GOP-controlled Congress threatened to withhold WMATA funding until they changed the station stop to reflect the new name (with no extra money included for doing so.) Which cost WMATA money to change the maps, signage, etc. A tad ironic, perhaps?

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