Toll-road warriors camped out at the Texas Transportation Forum through today spent due time fretting over why toll proposals ignite public uproars, and brainstormed on ways to soothe tempers.

The elusive balm is education, not to be confused with advocacy, they insisted. If people only knew how little funding there is to build and maintain roads for growing traffic, they'd jump on board to help find answers.

"Frankly, we neglected the public education aspect of it from the beginning," said U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, a forum speaker who's served on the House transportation committee since 1993.

Her colleague on the committee, and also a speaker at the forum, Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., had a different take. He said elected leaders need some lessons in transportation realities, and that will include the next president.

"Members of Congress do not know anything," he said. "Let's start with that."

Mica said the current crop in Washington is too myopic, but nevertheless he's beaming with hope, in part because this year's elections will plant some new seeds.

"I've got a whole new cast of characters," he said after his Monday night talk. "Bush will be back here in Crawford chopping wood."

"Members of Congress do not know anything"

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