heavy political opposition and skepticism from our leaders with regards to any form of mass-transit that promotes more sustainable communities. In reality, this petition could be filed under budget (sprawl is inherently more expensive for government), job creation/innovation (dense cities, which mass-transit caters to, have long been innovation hotbeds due to their melting pot nature), trade (less dependence on highways for commuters frees them up for other uses), defense/climate change (public transit generally reduces dependence on foreign oil, especially when electric) as well as many of the other categories listed.
We can no longer afford the many consequences of relying on outdated ideas about urban/regional planning from when that discussion was in it's infancy.