Am I Missing Something?

This mornings' Denver Post has an article entitled Bike agenda spins cities toward U.N. control, Maes warns. You can read the full article here, but I am going to highlight a few sections of the article because I'm trying to figure out what sort of drug Mr. Maes is on, and beyond that, what exactly is wrong with riding bicycles.


The article begins:
"Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes is warning voters that Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper's policies, particularly his efforts to boost bike riding, are 'converting Denver into a United Nations community.'

'This is all very well-disguised, but it will be exposed,' Maes told about 50 supporters who showed up at a campaign rally last week in Centennial."

Oh no! The evil plot of Mayor Hickenlooper to have people get more exercise in an overly obese society is coming to pass!! Let's alert the media.

"Maes said in a later interview that he once thought the mayor's efforts to promote cycling and other environmental initiatives were harmless and well-meaning. Now he realizes 'that's exactly the attitude they want you to have.

This is bigger than it looks like on the surface, and it could threaten our personal freedoms,' Maes said."

OH MY GAWD! Seriously? You really think that this is some evil plot to take over the world? Let's hear more from Maes...

"Last week, Hickenlooper upset some auto dealers on the eve of a fundraiser when he lauded the city's B-Cycle bike- sharing program at an event and asked: 'How do we wean ourselves off automobiles?'

Maes, at the rally July 26, took aim at Denver's bike-sharing program, which he said was promoted by a group that puts the environment above citizens' rights.

The B-Cycle program places a network of about 400 red bikes for rent at stations around the city. It is funded by private donors and grants."

So, basically, the mayor is asking how we, as a society, can learn to do more things by bicycle, saving our health and the environment, and Maes believes that Hickenlooper is trying to take away citizens rights? 

The article goes on to say that the mayor is involved in a program that is trying to get employers to install showers within the workplace so that more people will feel comfortable bicycle commuting to work and to work toward creating spaces for more fuel efficient vehicles. Maes goes on to say that he fears for our future because, "Mayor Hickenlooper is one of the greatest fans of this program." 

In election years, I suppose the gloves come off and any tactic to win the race seems to make its way into the news. I for one applaud the mayor's efforts, and I see no issue with encouraging people to ride their bikes, use more fuel efficient vehicles, and even see no problem with American cities joining the U.N. treaty as described in the article.