Diversity's limited backyard (Thomas Sowell)

Washington Times ^ | March 9, 2003 | Thomas Sowell

[nickcarraway]

My favorite salesman in my favorite camera store in Palo Alto, Calif., happened to mention that he lives in the town of Tracy. That is about an hour and a half drive to work in rush hour traffic. Why was this man spending three hours a day on the highway? Because housing prices are so high in Palo Alto

[mhking]

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[gitmo]

Zoning Laws bump

[Libertarianize the GOP]

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[marsh2]

It would be interesting to look at age spreads. I know that northstate rural areas are being innundated by retirees from the Bay Area and southern CA. There are no jobs here (14.8% unemployment,) schools are declining in enrollment by at least 5% each year. At least 19% of the population is older than 65 years. Housing is at a premium.

It appears that new people are moving here and leaving in about 5 years when they get old and sick and find that living in the remote boonies away from health care and shopping centers is not as easy as when one is younger. Wonder where they are going next.

[balrog666]

Wonder where they are going next.

Welcome to South Florida, gomer!

[Katya]

Excellent piece, although it's not just minorities but working class people who are being displaced.
I've argued this with so-called smart growth advocates for a while. As cities have finite realestate available, the poor are slowly being displaced further from town. In come the anti-roads folks, who don't want new affordable housing built near their multi-acre mansions.
Perhaps the lefties are planning to build a new class of social welfare housing.

[WaterDragon]

When Sowell writes about these things he clearly shows his respect for people. He respects everyone except those who are contemptuous of us. Thanks for posting this column.

[demosthenes the elder]

Is there any way we can draft Mr. Sowell into high office?

[speekinout]

Is there any way we can draft Mr. Sowell into high office?

We can't even draft Mr. Sowell into many media appearances. He hates the idea of trying to communicate in sound bites. His books should be required reading for everyone, but he doesn't even do real promo tours.

[demosthenes the elder]

such a pity.
I'd like to see Mr. Sowell head the DOE

[norton]

It's a shame that
"So long as people listen to political rhetoric, instead of looking at economic and demographic facts, liberalism sounds great."
Is too long to fit on a bumper sticker.

[speekinout]

I'd like to see Mr. Sowell on all of the talking head shows every week. He has a remarkable ability to translate complicated concepts into terms everyone can understand. Have you read his book "Basic Economics"? That's one I wish could be required reading.

[wjcsux]

"I'd like to see Mr. Sowell head the DOE"
I would like to see Dr. Sowell head of any government agency.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Please add me to your ping list. Thanks!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Silicon Valley can also hardly find teachers for their children. They seem to want to pay teachers the same rate that other towns pay, but the starting salary for most public elementary school teachersis too low to afford housing in Palo Alto, San Jose, etc. Same for firemen, policemen, etc.

[Desdemona]

This is playing out everywhere, not just California.