Find the Democratic Message: Pt I

OK folks, time to play - find the Democratic message. Here is an excerpt from a WaPo story about the increasing use of high occupancy and private toll roads to address urban/suburban congestion problems and slow commuting times.

For all the complaints, though, ridership on the Express Lanes has surged -- from 10 million trips in 2003 to 11.2 million last year. Poole surmises that commuters view the tolls as "congestion insurance" -- costly, but essential to keep their lives from being lost in traffic.

"I don't see any way around it," said Crystal Lee, a Riverside accountant and mother of two. Her ride home on the Express Lanes saves her 10 to 30 minutes, she estimates, and guarantees she'll be home in time to get her daughter to dance class.

"I need the time," she said, "more than the money."

We'll talk about the answer in an upcoming post.