Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

SIGNS OF THE TIMES: WEEKEND READING

—

by

James A. Bacon
in

Notes for a rainy Monday:

In Saturday’s WaPo the Real Estate section was 6 pages long. The story that occupied most of the first page? “Getting home on two wheels,” a feature on the importance of bicycles in marketing residential real estate in the Core of the fourth largest, and one of the most prosperous, New Urban Regions in North America.

On Friday, Steven Pearlstein looked at the prospects for ‘commercial’ side of real estate in “‘Wait and pray’ won’t work for commercial real estate.”

Fundamental Transformation of human settlement pattern anyone?

In WaPo‘s Sunday Business section the big story was about infrastructure. “Materials are cheap. Labor is plentiful. It’s the perfect time to invest in INFRASTRUCTURE.” The settlement patterns is dysfunctional. Before ANY resources are spent on ANY infrastructure it must be redesigned to support sustainable settlement patterns. Understanding the need for Fundamental Transformation of human settlement patterns is the first step.

In Sunday’s Metro section: “Va. Faces complex redistricting? Fundamental Transformation of governance structure anyone?

Where is AntiPartisanism in the debate? How about redistricting that starts with a blank slate and Alpha Community centered districts? Why is no one pointing out that the current administrations government efficiency effort is less than rearranging the deck chairs?

In Sunday’s Business section Michelle Singletary provides a sound bite from Robert Reich’s new book After Shock. Fundamental Transformation of the economic system?

Cutting spending AND raising taxes is not even a start because it does not address the Core problems of the Wealth Gap, Peak Resources and citizen obliviousness – The Anger of Ignorance.

Does anyone else see the irony of the ‘T’ ‘E’ ‘A’ in Tea Party standing for ‘taxed enough already’ when Agencies, Enterprises, Institutions and Citizens / Households are ALL paying far less than the commutative costs of their actions?

EMR

Share this article

ADVERTISEMENT

(comments below)

ADVERTISEMENT

(comments below)

Comments

9 responses to “SIGNS OF THE TIMES: WEEKEND READING”

  1. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    Ed, I suspect that the Tea Partiers might be willing to pay more in taxes if they thought that the money would not be squandered through projects of dubious value or used to feather the nests of the politically well connected.

    If Fundamental Change were enacted, if the system was transparent, and if the money could be seen to be actually do some good, I suspect you would see a dramatic change in the public's attitude towards taxes. The problem is that the Tea Partiers have totally lost faith in the political establishment. Their view, very much like yours, is that the system is rigged in favor of the guys who can afford to pay the lobbyists and dole out the PAC funds.

    In my experience, many Tea Partiers are like sponges, trying to soak up knowledge and understanding. They do not have a sophisticated framework for understanding of the world around them. But they know that what we have now is not working. Instead of dismissing them as an "ignorant" rabble, you should regard them as potential converts to your way of thinking.

  2. E M Risse Avatar
    E M Risse

    Jim said:

    "In my experience, many Tea Partiers are like sponges, trying to soak up knowledge and understanding."

    If so they are sure wasting a lot of time running around protesting.

    Most would also question those to whom they are paying the most attention.

    Wiley (NON SEQUITUR) stated the view of many today when he said:

    "Government FOR the people who hate government, BY to people who hate to govern!"

    "They do not have a sophisticated framework for understanding of the world around them."

    This may be true for the Tea Party followers, how about the 'leaders' who they are following?

    "But they know that what we have now is not working."

    Almost EVERYONE agrees with that, especially those who are trying to buy the mid-term elections.

    "Instead of dismissing them as an "ignorant" rabble, you should regard them as potential converts to your way of thinking."

    Hold on. Where did you read or hear EMR say anything like that.

    When I get the first Email form a Tea Party leader who says, I read what you say and NOW I understand why Antipartidanship is so important, I will let you know.

    :>)

    EMR

  3. Hydra Avatar
    Hydra

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/us/05rail.html?src=me

    High speed rail is in peril at the state level due to opposition by Republican candidates.

  4. Hydra Avatar
    Hydra

    Signs of the times: Huffington post reports the story of the Kentucky fire department that stood by while a mans home burned because he had not paid the $75 users fee.

  5. Hydra Avatar
    Hydra

    Montgomery county is trying to put in an $800 user fee for calling an ambulance.

  6. Hydra Avatar
    Hydra

    More signs of the times:

    The dow is still "closing in on" 10,000 for the fifth or sixth time this year, only now it is closing in from 10,987.

    A man in Fairfax was shot and killed by a neighbor who intruded into his home over an altercation concerning installation of spped bumps in the neighborhood.

    And the Commuter column headline in the Post over the weekend read "Avoid the Blue and Orange Lines"

  7. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Congressional candidate regrets sucking reindeer dildo.

    Wonkette.com

  8. Hydra Avatar
    Hydra

    The US ranks 17th in the world in %home ownership.

    American manufacturing sets new records in $ volume manufactured. And also in productivity. We are building more than ever — with fewer workers than ever. This is part if the reason for the wealth gap.

  9. Hydra Avatar
    Hydra

    More than 20 states report increased sales tax revenue over Sept a year ago.

Leave a Reply

Read More