The Post reports what everyone else suspects: few members of the board that oversees Metro are regular riders. Furthermore, many of those same board members drive to the Metro board meetings at WMATA headquarters and don’t bother to pay for the privilege of parking there. This news comes as the board considers cutting service in the face of a constricted budget and rising operating costs.

Sadly, it should not come as much of a surprise that those in the position to shape transit policy themselves don’t even ride the very systems they advocate.  Members of Congress afford themselves massive surface parking lots on the Capitol grounds and even a car allowance financed by the taxpayer.  Even liberals such as former HHS-nominee Tom Daschle wouldn’t be caught dead bearing the indigities of one of America’s most extensive transit networks.

When those in power are disconnected from the consequences of their policies, there exists less of an incentive for careful consideration.  DC Councilman and WMATA board chair Jim Graham unwittingly proved this point very well:  “Few D.C. Council members have children in the city’s public schools, [Graham] said, ‘but we all vote on the budget. We’re all engaged.’”

And what a fine job they’ve done!