But I disagree that the blog is apolitical. It’s nonpartisan, but most urban policy blogs are. The perspective here is politically and economically liberal, in the European sense – I see your perspective as being entirely consistent with this of various pro-EU blogs like A Fistful of Euros. In North America, Thomas Friedman, Farred Zakaria, and even Richard Florida have the same perspective, but unlike in Europe, they don’t have their own party.

For example: the way you write about emphasizing black heritage as a growth promoter sounds like something a Friedman or Zakaria would say – i.e., you tell people that doing the right thing is good for growth. You present issues better and don’t have the airiness of Friedman, but you have the same perspective. This is not how a leftist, say, DMI’s John Petro writes about the issue; he argues for racial justice on racial justice grounds, not on economic growth grounds.

There’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone has a perspective on things. I don’t think you should apologize for talking in terms of growth any more than I should apologize for thinking the Heather Macdonalds of the world are scum of the earth. But it’s political nonetheless; it just doesn’t have a party in the American two-party system.

Well wishes from Milwaukee.

Not to echo the previous comments, but congrats on the great work you’ve been doing. I especially enjoyed your Detroit post as I found it particularly inspiring and applicable to other Midwestern cities. It seems that many innovative solutions initially thought up to combat Detroit’s problems can be applied to their Midwestern neighbors…

Keep up the good work and certainly continue to share your success stories!

N_O_R_T_O_N

The URBANOPHILE brand appears to consider these issues outside the national conversative v. liberal (progressive) battle lines. Opinion seems to take the best of both (or the worst if I disagree, haha.) It’s not always easy to find objective journalism and blogging on issues that touch on government, economics, and politics.

I hope these are a few features of the Blog’s success, and others will emmulate the thoughtfullness in their own writings.

Great blog.

I think there are big differences between the Republicans and Democrats on policy issues at the national level. But at the local level, from what I see most Dem/Rep splits are like a basketball game of shirts vs. skins. It’s a “Team A” vs. “Team B” situation where frankly it is often hard to tell them apart. You find people of all stripes on all sides of issues. In Louisville one Democrat, the current mayor, wants to build a 23 lane expressway on the riverfront. Another Democrat, a candidate for mayor in the next election, wants to tear the existing one down.

As far as jobs go, I don’t know any cities creating any number of jobs right now. Texas has generally been a place performing well, however. I would look at the New Geography “Best Cities for Job Growth 2009″ as one version of where to look:

http://www.newgeography.com/content/00742-2009-how-we-pick-best-cities-job-growth

Brookings has also done some studies on when cities will recover from the recession from a jobs standpoint. I don’t have the link handy however.

In your article “The New Industrial City” ,you discussed the fact that while big industry is gone and will probably never return, that there is a place for small specialty manufacuring.Or small family owned “mom and pop” workshops.

Do you know of anywhere where this is occouring.Or of how the government [either local or federal] could encourage these type of businesses.Or at least not interfere with them.

I would be interested in the details of this kind of economic development and the practicalities involved.Especially since i have always felt that it could help many urban neighborhoods[including my own].

If you could write more about this i would defintly appreciate it.Or if you could provide links to any other articles online that deal with this kind of economic development ,it would also be appreciated.

Thank you very much
PETE

That is what i like about this blog.You are interested in solutions.not political name calling.That’s why i was saddened by the response to your article “The White City”.I was out of town and came back just after it.I won’t rehash the conterversy.I do want to say that i think that many people took your article out of context and tried to portray you as a racist right wing nut.

Sadly this is what’s wrong with many political blogs on the internet.They are interested in name calling and contreversy.The right wing blogs are all full of posts blasting Micheal Moore or Ward Churchill for saying something stupid.And the leftwing blogs are full of posts blasting Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh for saying something stupid.Unlike this blog ,many political blogs are not interested in solutions to our nations problems.

I’m gratefull to you for talking about the real issues facing our country.Glenn Beck and Michael Moore are both jerks.But neither of them are the cause or the solution to our problems.

I live in Baltimore where a large number of people [including myself] are out of work.Our factories all closed 10 to 20 years ago.There is a large crime problem.A woman who called the police about local drug dealers had her house firebombed.She,her husband and their 5 children burned to death.And all our politicians can do is call each other names and fight “culture wars”.It really disgusts me.Our communities are hurting and we need to find solutions.

I hope that your blog can stimulate real debate about what needs to be done.
Thank you once again for runnng this blog
Sincerly PETE