Let's Get Political [Re-release]

***We're taking a quick summer break this week so we're releasing this recent Patreon bonus episode into the general feed. We hope you enjoy it as a taste of what you can get if you sign up to support The War on Cars. We'll be back soon with another regular episode.*** How can people who care about safe streets, transit, and other issues related to our movement take their advocacy to the next level to not just win hearts and minds, but influence elections and enact good policy? There are now a growing number of small political action committees and lobbying groups that have sprung up to explicitly influence and endorse candidates that they see as friendly to the cause. How did they get started? How have they wielded their influence to elect good people who will enact good policies? Does it take a lot of money to make a difference? If ordinary people want to start their own PAC or lobbying group, where do they begin? Doug talked with Eric McClure, the co-founder and executive director of StreetsPAC, which works to elect candidates in New York City and New York State; Kevin Bing, the co-founder of Streets PAC NJ, which focuses on New Jersey; Alex Nelson, a strategic advisor to Better Streets Chicago Action Fund; and Kyle Lucas, the co-founder and executive director of Better Streets Chicago. Order our book, Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile, out now from Thesis, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Save 20% on everything in our official merch store with code HOTBIKESUMMER. Get 20% off a Fend foldable bike helmet by using this link. Buy a certified, pre-owned e-bike from Upway or sell your own bike! Visit Upway.co to get rolling. Thanks also to Cleverhood. Listen to this episode for the latest discount code and get 15% off the best rain gear for walking and cycling. TheWarOnCars.org