All politics are local

 I have a gripe.

OK, let's be completely frank, I have an endless supply of gripes. Hence, the longevity of this overrated blog. But today's is kind of timely, particularly with an election coming up.

Every four years or every two years or every two minutes (it seems) we are bombarded with a slew of political candidates who promise us the world only to deliver more emails requesting donations. The purpose of that money is to secure their newfound position so that they can reap the rewards for years to come.

When taxpayer money is finally used to address the issues of the day, it always seem to be directed in two directions and never in one.

Wealthy people get tax cuts, loopholes, subsidies and even PPP loans that are used to buy Italian shoes, imported supercars, private jets and even 2nd and 3rd yachts.

Poor people, though more deserving, also get a host of taxpayer bennies: EBT cards, social services, school lunches, assisted housing, etc. I'll bite my tongue here because I realize it's not fashionable to bemoan help to those less fortunate. And I'm not.

I'm simply asking, "why can't some taxpayer revenue be thrown the way of the middle class?"

More specifically, why can't the state or the county repave the Ballona Creek Bike Path (pictured above)?

On a recent weekend ride, I was asked how many miles I have logged on this once-scenic route, before every underpass began sprouting makeshift housing for the unhoused, the homeless or those suffering homelessness (that should cover all the necessary semantic gymnastics.)

And so I did a little math in my head. I've been riding this 5.3 mile stretch of path that takes me from the belly of Culver City to the wide open Pacific in Playa Del Rey for 30 years.

Some weeks I would cover it about 6 times a week (30 miles)

Some weeks I would do none (0 miles)

On a conservative guess, let's say it's about 10 miles a week.

10 Miles a week X 52 weeks a year (I'm quite OCD when it comes to exercise) = 520 miles/year

Let's round that off to 500 miles a year X 30 years = 15,000 miles.

Let's round that down even further to account for being busy at work, taking care of kids, the daily rigmarole of life, and the occasional bouts of inertia and laziness, to 10,000 miles.

I've logged 10,000 miles on this bike path and it has been repaved and smoothed out ZERO times.

And I'm here to testify, it is a fucking mess. Thanks to the tectonic shifting, asphalt erosion, wear and tear, the path has more minefields than the 38th Parallel. And I have the bent rims, flat tires and broken fingernails to prove it. 

Also, changing flat tires sucks!

What I'm trying to say -- now that I've worked myself up into a lather -- is Hey Mr. or Ms. Ambitious Politician, you want my vote? Spend a little of my hard-earned money on me. Tell me you'll fix the fucking bike path.

And then, and this is just a thought, Do It!