Is smart growth a political secret weapon?

Grist ^ | 23 Jan 2006 | David Roberts

[Lorianne]

Bossman Chip forwarded me an interesting piece from the Michigan Land Use Institute: "Could Smart Growth Tip the Next Presidential Election?"

Having read through it, the headline seems rather, uh, optimistic. But there's some interesting stuff about the role smart-growth proposals played in the victory of Tim Kaine (D) in the Virginia governor's race, and the general lay of the political land in fast-growing exurbs:

The basic electoral math is simple. The last two presidential elections were decided in the fastest growing counties of a select group of states, including Virginia, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina, and Ohio. In 2004, half of President Bush's 3.5 million vote electoral margin came from the 100 fastest-growing counties, 97 of which voted heavily Republican.

Yet growth is one of the top three voter priorities in all of these fast-developing counties, making them crucibles for new local programs to establish growth boundaries, conserve farmland and open space, build rapid transit lines, and promote new downtown neighborhoods that are in closer proximity to jobs, recreation, shopping, and schools. Food for thought, and a real possibility for issues close to greens' hearts to find some traction in heretofore right-leaning (and incredibly electorally significant) areas.

Keith Schneider, the author of the piece, is a member of the Elm Street Writers Group, a gaggle of scribes working to put smart growth on the national agenda. Lots of good stuff in the archives -- check it out.

[Lorianne]

Article contains hyperlinks of interest.

[hedgetrimmer]

Smart growth can help entrench liberal socialists in our government? Yes, its been demonstrated in a number of US counties.

[hedgetrimmer]

FYI

[Fiddlstix]

Thanks for the Ping

[Onelifetogive]

This sounds similar to the East German plans for controlling the growth of population in West Germany...

[JohnCliftn]

I am confused. I thought "Smart Growth" was a euphemism for national socialism applied on a local level. So how can it be a political plus?

"Smart Growth" usually means

• taking every third or fourth parking place for planters that will soon grow noxious weeds no matter what plants were originally planted,
• a bunch of little shops with stuff few people want to buy,
• replacing concrete sidewalks with brick,
• planting tiny elm trees in planters so small even a boxwood would die,
• outdoor cafes, and
• such things as local musicians playing at curbside

-- all done in an area no sane person would visit even without the musicians.

"Smart Growth" never means

• good parking,
• clean restrooms,
• stores that sell things people want at prices people will pay,
• manufacturing things people will buy somewhere,
• restaurants with clean kitchens

[hedgetrimmer]

So how can it be a political plus?

The dense housing puts a lot of easily bought off voters in one easy location. It is sometime called 'workforce' housing too. This means that multinational corporations can pay next to nothing to their workers, and the government picks up the tab at taxpayer expense for their housing.

So you see, the politically adept can manipulate 'smart growth' into a tool to keep them entrenched.

[HateBill]

This is just another wet dream from a left-wing fantasist. They look at the victory of Tim Kaine -- who ran as a relatively conservative Democrat whose strong faith is very important to him -- and see this as a sign that suburban/exurban Republican voters will elect Democrats who propose making their lives replicate the lives they left in cities.

Virginians habitually elect Democrats as governors. Kaine replaced a Democratic governor. Doug Wilder was governor of Virginia in recent history.

Well, as long as Democrats continue to live in a fantasy world of what appeals to voters, I'm happy!

[Sam Cree]

*

[Wonder Warthog]

"I thought "Smart Growth" was a euphemism for national socialism applied on a local level. So how can it be a political plus?"

They're trying to claim that it is a plus--FOR SOCIALISTS.

But the problem is that the folks moving OUT of the megacities for the suburbs (and small towns, and rural areas) don't WANT this kind of "smart growth". They want big lots, big houses, and ROOM TO LIVE---not being cramped into a postage stamp sized house on a postage stamp sized lot.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I thought "Smart Growth" was a euphemism for national socialism applied on a local level. So how can it be a political plus?"

They're trying to claim that it is a plus--FOR SOCIALISTS.

But the problem is that the folks moving OUT of the megacities for the suburbs (and small towns, and rural areas) don't WANT this kind of "smart growth". They want big lots, big houses, and ROOM TO LIVE---not being cramped into a postage stamp sized house on a postage stamp sized lot.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Smart growth can help entrench liberal socialists in our government? Yes, its been demonstrated in a number of US counties.

The new feudalism... Feudalism is the root of Marxism...

[razorback-bert]

new downtown neighborhoods that are in closer proximity to jobs

I have to wonder at this statement whenever I see it, because everywhere I travel, I see the bulk of new jobs openings outside of the downtown.

I have lived in a high rise, relied on mass transit, and worked in the downtown, but quickly escaped that rat trap.

The world has changed, cities are not absolutely necessary for commerce anymore, the marketplace is on the net.

[Kay Ludlow]

I am confused. I thought "Smart Growth" was ...

LOL! I don't think you're confused at all - you've got it right!