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By Undustrial (registered) - website | Posted June 09, 2010 at 00:36:06
I've spent enough time on municipal political campaigns to know that the working class north of this city is virtually ignored by politicians, even progressive ones. Suburbanites vote more often, so that's where they focus their efforts. And since progressive topics don't often go over quite as well in the suburbs (though strangely, it's hard to find blue signs in most of the lower city's more educated wealthy areas), they often lose. And thus, the north end keeps getting neglected, and people there continue to not vote, since nobody's giving them much of a reason to.
Here's an idea, find a way to dig up all the local residents who are concerned about the nuts-and-bolts issues of urban governance and design (eg street planning, truck routes, speed limits etc). Invite them all in to contribute their concerns, thoughts and ideas, then piss all over them in public ("NIMBYs"!!!) and base all of those decisions on input of elite groups like the Chamber of Commerce. That Spectator forum piece was an insult to everyone who cared enough to contribute input. In this way, you can demonstrate first hand to everyone who cares that their input is not wanted, needed, or particularly cared about in any way.
Wanna know why people like this stop caring to vote, or participate in community "input" sessions? This is why.
At the end of the day, I very much doubt that the economists, geographers and technocrats have factored into the equations simple facts that everyone who lives on the street knows, like the fact that every sunday afternoon kids from the neighbourhood set out nets and play hockey. And no real economist or geographer worth his paycheck would neglect to ask them about it.
"Today, the notion of progress in a single line without goal or limit seems perhaps the most parochial notion of a very parochial century." — Lewis Mumford
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