Should a progressive support lower airfares for the average person?

I think a progressive should! However, today Eddie Bernice Johnson, my district's U.S. Representative (D), announced her support of the Wright Amendment and intent to close Love Field Airport if it is lifted .  I think this is a very bad thing and am disappointed that she has taken this position.  

One purpose of this diary is to encourage others (preferably in her district) to contact Rep. Johnson regarding our displeasure in an effort to change her mind.  Another is to encourage folks from other towns who are similarly affected by the Wright Amendment to contact their own representatives.

If you are not familiar with the Wright Amendment, it is also known as the "Help American Airlines Limit Competition and Charge People Who Personally Pay for Flights More Money" statute.  And many people are working very hard right now to have this law repealed.

More below the flip . . .

Simply put, the Wright Amendment prevents Southwest Airlines from conducting direct flights from its in-town Dallas airport to any state that does not actually touch Texas.  This means that a Dallas resident wishing to fly to any non-contiguous states must either:

(a) give up the chance to fly non-stop and literally change plans (just stopping isn't enough) in another state en route to his/her destination; or

(b) suffer the inconvenience and soul-breaking experience that is driving many additional miles to DFW in order to search in vain for non-existent parking spaces, lug one's bags up or down several flights of stairs (there are no elevators in the parking garage), walk miles to the gate and then pay twice as much for the flight as SWA would have charged.

Southwest Airlines has been working hard to obtain a repeal of the Wright Amendment so that there will be actual competition for non-stop flights from Dallas, a benefit to anyone who may ever need a flight not paid for by a rich corporation, right?  Wrong, according to Democrat Eddie Bernice Johnson.  Rep. Johnson has decided she would rather act in favor of American Airlines and oppose the repeal of the Wright Amendment.  She doesn't stop there.  She also threatens to close Love Field if SWA is successful in obtaining a repeal of the Wright Amendment.

You can read more about the reasons for repealing the Wright Amendment here.  Additionally, you don't have to be in Dallas to be affected by this . . . several other cities have announced their support for the repeal of Wright, because they will benefit financially from competitive flights into their own airports.  Here is an article about the expected fare decrease.  Of course, American Airlines has bullied these cities by threatening to limit flights to their towns if they help SWA with its attempts to have Wright repealed.  Ms. Johnson claims the reasoning for her position is race-based: she fears the effect on minorities who work at DFW if Wright is repealed.  But wouldn't those same minorities benefit from lower ticket prices and increased demand for flights due to more reasonable pricing and a more convenient airport (one assumes they would be just as happy working at Love Field as at DFW)?

Here's what I wrote to Ms. Johnson today:

Ms. Johnson,

I was very disappointed to read of your support for the Wright Amendment and your threat to close Love Field if that law is lifted.  I am a resident of your district and a busy person.  I rely on Love Field and Southwest to permit me to fly at a reasonable price from a convenient airport.  I sometimes am forced to fly American Airlines from DFW as a result of the Wright Amendment's restrictions, and it always costs me money and time.

If you maintain this stance, I will do everything I can to ensure your defeat in any upcoming election.  You should know as well that I am a registered Democrat, so this isn't about party politics.  It is about having a representative who truly represents her constituency.  It does not appear to me that you even sought the input of your constituency with respect to this very important matter.

I hope you will reconsider your position and opt to support free competition and the best interests of those in your district.

Best regards,
[ME]

Feel free to use it as a template for your own correspondence or talking points!

Here's how you can contact Ms. Johnson:

Washington, D.C
1511 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
District Offices
Dallas Office:
3102 Maple Avenue
Suite 600
Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: [phone]

Satellite Office:
8344 East R.L. Thornton Freeway, Suite 222
Dallas, TX 75228
Phone: [phone]

You can also write her via her web site.

If you are not in Dallas, contact your own Senator or Representative about your feelings concerning the Wright Amendment.  Take action today!
*Update [2005-8-10 22:23:12 by Lawyer to Capitalists]:* Mystery solved! As [reported in the D Magazine's online Frontburner http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/], Eddie Bernice Johnson: recieved (sic) almost $20,000 in political contributions from AA during her congressional career (her fourth-largest corporate contributor and 12th-largest non-individual contributor). Contributions to EBJ from SWA? $0. But I'm sure that's entirely coincidental.