Thomas Jefferson said that “the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Likewise, you could say that the spirit of America should be refreshed from time to time with the sweat and optimism of immigrants.

In this, the summer of five-dollar gasoline, mass transit has a splendid opportunity to win converts from the legions of frustrated motorists. And are there ever converts to win. Just 3 percent of San Diego County workers commute by mass transit, the Census Bureau found three years ago, while 78 percent are in single-occupant cars.