[WEC-All] market forces - a reply to Larry Reed

[Mark Robinowitz]

On Nov 12, 2007, at 9:12 AM Nov 12, Larry Reed wrote:

> The things Mark brings up are all real issues and problems the  
> ‘world’ will solve. I don’t believe the WEC are part of our narrow  
> focus can solve them or make any meaningful impact on them. Never  
> the less, I continue to be much more optimistic than Mark, I  
> believe these problems will be solved. As in the past private  
> enterprise and market forces will lead the way. What is Mark’s  
> solution? Given Mark’s doom and gloom is it government and / or the  
> “environmental community” telling the rest of us (The great  
> uninformed) we can no longer aspire to owning a detached single  
> family home, we can not own or drive a personal conveyance vehicle,  
> to curb world over population we can have only one child/  
> grandchild. Limiting personal freedom is not the answer. It was  
> tried in USSR and China and all ways fails.
>


Yes, it will be market forces that will "solve" the problem of  
growth.  The rising price of road construction and the housing bubble  
are already slowing down suburbanization.

Boom and bust is a failed policy.

The solutions include efficiency, campaign finance reform,  
relocalization of production (which would create a lot of good jobs)  
and a psychological recognition that endless growth is not possible  
on a finite planet.

The main problem of West 11th is the stupid development patterns (and  
ugliness) of that stretch.  Planning a Bus Rapid Transit line is a  
distraction from the real issue (land use and intelligent urban design).



Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
-- Aldous Huxley


The economists all think that if you show up at the cashier's cage  
with enough currency, God will put more oil in ground.
-- Kenneth Defeyes, petroleum geologist and associate of M. King Hubbert