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Archive for January, 2020

Wrote a quick LTE this morning – I am such a Municipalism fan right now –
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In a small ray of hope during this contentious time, our city government seems to be genuinely responsive to the neighborhoods. A group of Rio Vista neighbors asked for the city’s help to restore the natural desert and block off wildcat trails; as a result, parts and rec staff brought us brush that they’ve trimmed in other parks and coordinated with a volunteer group of neighbors and civilian conservation core folks to distribute the brush according to a plan that will help restore the ecology.

And when the traffic stops that were used last time to help protect trails wound up scaring some horses, the city adapted and gave us low key wooden sawhorses instead. Its this – government responsiveness to regular people – that gives me hope.
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(posting this with a delay to see if the LTE makes it in first)

wrote this in response to a NYT op-ed calling for a grand strategy in American foreign policy:

Our grand strategy should be driven by our core principles: liberty and justice for all – not only for those who happen to live in America. If we can achieve that, the world will indeed be much safer, and more prosperous. Madison understood tyrants – the bill of rights is needed everywhere. Freedom of speech provides a corrective mechanism against corruption. Our grand strategy should be to support these rights universally. Whether that means we should act as a policeman, is a matter of tactics.

It seems so obvious to me, I don’t know why the democratic candidates and others are not saying this. Elizabeth Warren comes the closest, I think.