Whose Communist Plot Is This, Anyway?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

. . .But America wants suburbs," cry the imbeciles.

Bullshit. The development and real estate cabals, hungry to buy undeveloped land cheap and be able to sell it dear (once the county puts in sewers, roads, and schools), have connived to change zoning codes so that it is illegal in most of the US to build anything but suburban-style developments!

Yes, folks, the real Stalinists are these right-wing pseudo-libertarians who use government regulation to tell you how you must live, what you must buy, where you must work.

When, after battles, bruises, and variances, "Smart Growth" communities actually appear on the ground, they sell out instantly! When, after weathering the bitter rain of deprecation, vituperation, and accusation that drools from the cloudy minds of the Sprawlmasters, we actually get the transit we want put in, people flock to use it. Yes, in liberal Portland, in car-addicted Los Angeles, in rugged Denver, they flock to it and want more built--and vote themselves taxes to do so! . . .Sixty billion a year to highways, 500 million to Amtrak, and you call trains socialistic?


http://www.newcolonist.com/rr56.html

[wtbymark]

1. In Vermont

it's literally impossible to build a sub-division. Corperations and developers hate Act250- hahahahahahaha

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. I've never been to Vermont, but I hear it's lovely

welcome to DU!

[tom_paine]

3. Interesting.

:kick:

[IrateCitizen]

4. Good find, Lydia -- and the author is exactly right!

One of the biggest myths going right now is that our current growth models represent the "free market" at work. That's simply ludicrous.

Our current growth models are largely outdated ones from the 1950's that require significant public subsidy in order to function. As the author points out, significantly more public subsidy that do "smart growth" plans.

I am fortunate enough to live a 5-minute walk from my train station for the rail into NYC, and I absolutely LOVE taking the train. Sure, there's always the minor inconvenience of being dependent on the train schedule, but it is a fantastic way to travel. I can either read or sleep each way every day, without a care as to traffic or anything else associated with commuting by auto. When I'm in NYC, I love getting around by subway and walking. My only wish would be for streetcars as well, and less auto-friendly streets in many areas.

The calls for Amtrak being some grand socialist boondoggle have always confused and angered me. When I was in Europe, I found the trains there to be magnificent -- especially in Germany. They are the way they are because the governments actually pump money into them, not expecting them to run at a profit, but realizing fully the many benefits that go along with having a viable rail system. It's just too bad we're so blinded by memories of Horatio Alger that we can't see the same thing here.

[Blue_Tires]

5. describes Atlanta and Washington DC to a 'T'

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. I've met the author of the piece

He's managed to live without a car in Los Angeles for years, first as a cyclist, and now as a transit user. When I was in L.A., he gave me all kinds of tips on how to see the city by public transit, and ironically, the system worked more smoothly than that of Minneapolis-St. Paul.