Tag Archives: regulation

Trumping Climate Science with Spin Endangers Democracy

Posted on September 9, 2011 by admin

Big Government is a blog that tends to be critical of government.  Echoing concerns of the Tea Party, it starts from the assumption that government is a problem, not a solution.   Social, environmental, or economic challenges (such as climate change) … Continue reading →

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Is the Agenda Set?

Posted on August 30, 2011 by admin

An increasingly common complaint voiced at local planning meetings and repeated on Tea Party blogs is that sustainable development planning efforts have pre-determined outcomes: all the big decisions have been made before citizen engagement begins. Planners and their plans, according … Continue reading →

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We Need More Democracy, Not Less Government

Posted on August 9, 2011 by admin

The Tea Party is partly right.  Democracy is faltering.  But at this difficult juncture in America’s history we need more democracy, not less government.   Tea Party laser-like focus on the size of government and the taking of private property … Continue reading →

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Values and Assumptions Embedded in Sustainable Development

Posted on August 8, 2011 by admin

In the last few blogs I’ve focused attention on the assumptions and values hiding behind the Tea Party critique of sustainable development.  Here I focus attention on the assumptions and values hiding behind sustainable development.   I do this because I … Continue reading →

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Liberty through Sustainable Development

Posted on August 6, 2011 by admin

For the sake of argument, let’s assume we agree that members of our community, whether or not they own property, deserve the liberties of free speech, religious choice, voting in elections, privacy in their homes, freedom from fear of bodily … Continue reading →

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Property Rights and Liberty

Posted on August 5, 2011 by admin

Liberty is a cherished American ideal, guaranteed and protected by the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and Bill of Rights, and the focus of countless legal and political debates.  Recently, Tea Party activists are making troubling claims that sustainable … Continue reading →

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Dear Board of Supervisors

Posted on July 30, 2011 by admin

Dear Supervisors, I am writing this letter to express my support for sustainable development planning initiatives in our region. Sustainable development, for me, boils down to wise investment in our community’s infrastructure: the systems that provide us food, water, energy, … Continue reading →

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The Upside of Sustainable Development and the Downside of Tea Party Idealism

Posted on July 28, 2011 by admin

Imagine a house with unconnected water pipes and drains, wires transmitting electricity and information to only a few rooms, and no steps connecting the front door to the street.  Ridiculous, you say?  The builder might save money up front by … Continue reading →

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Tea Party: Deeper Issues Simmering Below the Surface

Posted on July 27, 2011 by admin

The critiques of sustainable development by Tea Party activists are many and I review the specifics elsewhere. Here I summarize and critique five deeper issues that seem to simmer just below the surface and motivate many of the concerns: 1)   … Continue reading →

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SUMMARY: Tea Party Critiques of Sustainable Development

Posted on July 25, 2011 by admin

Tea Party activists are raising serious concerns about community-based planning efforts promoting sustainable development, smart growth, green infrastructure, comprehensive planning, sustainable agriculture, local foods, and related outcomes.  The issues being debated are significant, and bear upon not just how our … Continue reading →

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