Matt Caffrey

Columbus, remember when we had a bike share system? And then the city decided it should get rid of it and give a random scooter rental company a monopoly instead?

Sigh.

Joy, Sadism and the Missing Link The once-exuberant White House has gone dark again. Let's defy this regime with song, celebration, love and wit.

“Let’s respond to the joylessness of this regime by making and playing music, throwing parties, writing beautiful stories, telling jokes, hanging out with friends, acting with kindness and defying the lawless Trump thugs who revel in cruelty.”

www.americaamerica.news/p/joy-sadism...

YouTube video by Oh The Urbanity! The Problem With Left-Wing NIMBYism

The Problem With Left-Wing NIMBYism

So true. No argument here. It’s especially painful for the millions of us who volunteered, donated, and talked to everyone we knew to try to stop him.

Here’s hoping my fellow Democrats and I can give people things to vote for not just against moving forward.

My wife and I were discussing the news today while in the car just now, and from the back seat, my son chanted “stand up, fight back.”

So proud! Here he is at our local protest earlier this week.

Americans Wanted a Cost of Living Warrior. Trump Is the Opposite Americans are increasingly concerned with cost of living issues. They voted for Donald Trump to help, but he's done the opposite.

Trump promised to fight for working families but he’s making life MORE EXPENSIVE at every turn.

Tariffs, student loans, credit cards, rent, groceries—it’s all up.

Americans wanted a cost-of-living warrior. Instead, Trump’s waging a war on wallets.

I feel obligated to say that only about a third of Americans have ever voted for him. More Americans have voted against him at some point including our largest voter turnout ever to defeat him in 2020. About a third of Americans have neither voted for or against him. If only folks had voted in Nov.

Heartbreaking.

YouTube video by Heartland Urbanist Why the Midwest's Rail Revolution is Unstoppable

New video on the plans to expand passenger rail in the Midwest, and especially Ohio. Yeah, I’ve heard the skepticism and I understand it - but the momentum behind expanding train service is unstoppable. youtu.be/x8mXTkiUgzM?...

Reckless Vogel has disrespected Democratic leaders. He hasn't earned council spot | Opinion Columbus City Council candidate Jesse Vogel criticizes Democrats in office rather than boosting them.

I respect Sarah Cherry, but this op ed basically boils down to “Jesse Vogel hasn’t waited his turn and isn’t part of the county party clique.” Jesse was by far the preferred candidate of Democrats here in district 7 and would bring a much needed prospective. www.dispatch.com/story/opinio...

Want to live in a more livable city? Try walking, biking, or taking transit. You might be surprised how much is possible now and your action sends a signal to policy makers that encourages further improvements. Plus it’s just more fun than driving.
(But also please vote for pro-urbanism candidates)

I’ve doubled my contribution to my local @npr.org and @pbs.org station, WOSU. I hope you’ll consider joining me. From Daniel Tiger to All Things Considered, we need public media more than ever.

When you strip away humanity

The oil industry buys off Congress. No action on climate.

The NRA buys off Congress. No action on guns.

Insurance companies buy off Congress. No action on health care.

The list goes on and on.

Money in politics is the root of our dysfunction.

YouTube video by Heartland Urbanist Milwaukee: America's Most Underrated Urbanist City?

New video!

Milwaukee may be America's most underrated urbanist city. The video covers MKE’s "Sewer Socialist" history, its modern transit innovations (and struggles), and affordablity.
Watch here: youtu.be/4x1gs_8lZQY
#Milwaukee #MKE #Urbanism #PublicTransit #Cities #Midwest

Just a random reminder that trickle-down economics was invented by conservatives in the 1980s to justify massive tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. It’s been nothing short of a disaster.

Army veteran and US citizen arrested in California immigration raid warns it could happen to anyone A U.S. Army veteran arrested during an immigration raid at a California marijuana farm says he was sprayed with tear gas and pepper spray before being dragged from his vehicle on his way to work.

ICE detained a veteran and U.S. citizen for three days.

They didn’t let him contact his family or a lawyer. They didn’t let him change or shower. They didn’t give him a reason for his detention.

Under this regime, no one is safe. apnews.com/article/us-a...

Not really an overstatement to say that the test of a free society is whether or not comedians can make fun of the country's leader on TV without repurcussions.

“When the Executive publicly announces its intent to break the law, and then executes on that promise, it is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it.”

-Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Oh my gosh, this would be a game changer!

YouTube video by Heartland Urbanist Living car-free or car-lite with kids

Look, it's not about forcing everyone to be car-free, it's about building cities where families have real choices. Thanks to @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social for starting the conversation. We're adding our perspective with three kids and from the Midwest: youtu.be/Lkce9JXsaCU
6/6

But there are joys too. We love riding our bikes to the baseball game or museum, using our bike trailer as a stroller, walking to the neighborhood ice cream with our baby in a wearable, etc. 5/6

We've lived it, moving from DC to Columbus when we wanted to have a second kid and couldn't find a three bedroom apartment we could afford. 4/6

That isn't to say there aren't challenges. The biggest are:
- the "biking black hole" during a baby's first year
- streets that are hostile to pedestrians (especially toddlers), and
- the lack of family-oriented housing.
3/6

There is a frustrating cultural expectation that families will move out to the suburbs when they have kids. But kids love to bike, take transit, etc. Cities are better for kids, giving them more independence and exposure. 2/6

YouTube video by Heartland Urbanist Living car-free or car-lite with kids

What's missing from most urbanist content? Kids and families. In our new video, we dive into the blind spots: youtu.be/Lkce9JXsaCU

Here's a preview🧵on #FamilyUrbanism. 1/6

YouTube video by Heartland Urbanist The Reality of an Urbanist Family (With 3 Kids)

New video!

We love @ohtheurbanity’s car-free baby video. But what happens when you have three kids in a city that isn't Montreal? We break down the reality of urbanist family life—the gear, the challenges, etc. WATCH: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkce...

#Urbanism #FamilyUrbanism #CarFree #BikeLife

Never before in the history of this nation has such a large redistribution of income been directed upward, for no reason at all

The Big Ugly Bill is a disgrace. But what they’ve done with a simple majority, we can undo with one.

We stay resolute.

We take back Congress in 2026.

Then the White House in 2028. Project 2029 begins now.

A statement graphic from DNC Chair Ken Martin reading, “Today, Donald Trump and the Republican party sent a message to America: if you are not a billionaire, we don’t give a damn about you. Health care. Basic food benefits. Dignity in old age. These are the values that Republicans have abandoned to give their billionaire friends another tax handout. This massive scheme to steal from working families, children, and seniors will devastate communities in blue and red states alike. We know the numbers: 17 million Americans will lose health care, over 5 million will lose food assistance, and millions will lose their jobs. But we must also know the stories: Had this bill passed when I was growing up, I would not be here today. Republicans may see Americans’ livelihoods as ‘immaterial’ — joking ‘we are all going to die’ and telling petrified Americans to ‘get over it’ — but that doesn’t change the hell they are unleashing on America’s families. While the GOP continues to cash their billionaire donors’ checks, their constituents will starve, lose critical medical care, lose their jobs — and yes, some will die as a result of this bill. Democrats are mobilizing and will fight back to make sure everybody knows exactly who is responsible for one of the worst bills in our nation’s history.”

Today, Donald Trump and the Republican party sent a message to America:

If you are not a billionaire, we don’t give a damn about you.