Reply #9: Checkmate, Bush Dynasty.... [View All]

[Wells]

The Creative Class War was reprinted recently in an urban planners website I frequent. In my experience, the creative achievements of this sector of the economy are almost wholly misinterpreted by the activist/dissident, mainstream environmental organizations, and in general, a broad sector of people from all walks of life.

I'm not here to be a cheerleader by saying to doubtful, skeptical, disheartened doomsayers that the work in which Richard Florida participates has achieved Breakthrough.

A recognizable division between the practices of the Old and an emerging New ERA is now in prominent discussion within this field. The disagreement, controversy, even animosity toward planning fields is a smokescreen. I ask that those who are disillusioned with the new urbanism, (various downtown construction projects), carefully consider the resource use, energy efficiencies, environmental restorations, tax expenditures benefiting a broad public realm, societal 'blending' (however incomplete), that occured within the housing and transportation industries, over the decade of the 1990's.

A course of planning entitled Regionalism, (or MAR, Metropolitan Area Regionalism), stands to become the next venture advancement in history. Its tenets derived from the new urbanism stand to multiply that fields achievements unpredictably more than tenfold, while reducing the new urbanisms shot-in-the-arm needle stings: gentrification, displacement, rising costs of living. Regionalism boldy strengthens our local and regional economies which are the only replacement for the globalization economy, and its irrefutably unsustainable dependence upon long-distance transport; just as can the internet, if allowed. The internet makes a far better tool for communication and education than for commerce and 'race to the bottom' trade.

A few parting words: Regionalism does not encourage impossibly futuristic technofixes in transportation such as General Motor's ultra-bogus computer-controlled drive systems and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, Maglev, etc. But, it will allow expected growth to maintain moderate levels of existing, practical technologies, improved far beyond today's experience. There is no replacement for petroleum, though the Bush administration will repeat another century of Oil Wars if not checked. The solution is less travel and transport.