[hedgetrimmer]

I don't know why allowing some cities to once again be walkable is so threatening.

This isn't threatening in itself. The threat comes from the goverment force and corruption that is going on to corruptly use eminent domain to rob people of their properties, the public private partnerships which are unconstitutional, where the AIA and new urbanists are paid by the government to create designs that stifle individuality and force people to accept community rights over individual property rights, and the fact that the taxpayer and the private individuals are forced to fund it through taxes and cost shifting. Thats the problem. If you find a little apartment by the railroad tracks go rent it. If someone wants to open a shop next to you, don't use phony stakeholder rights to stop him or force him to open a bookstore istead of a machine shop. If someone wants drive their car out of the city, or have a place to park one in the city, don't stop them either. But most of all, don't make the government do it for you.

[djreece]

Well, actually fellow FReeper Carry Okie has a book detailing ways the free market can handle all those situations that would be fair and just to the property rights of all. Innovative, market-based solutions like his are what we need in the conservative movement. If we just go around telling people that suburban sprawl is the free market at work, I believe we will end up with Smart Growth because many people would desperately like a change.

Thank you for the lengthy discussion. We both agree that Smart Growth is evil and disastrous. I just think it is time for new ideas from the conservative movement on addressing the very real issues our cities and communities face today.