tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post4227385614627077807..comments2023-10-30T09:10:39.502-07:00Comments on (insert title here): my life as a republican, part 1Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799024060528185282noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-89675393046361299832012-03-04T17:36:15.846-08:002012-03-04T17:36:15.846-08:00Clearly, the devil's in the details.
The LR ...Clearly, the devil's in the details. <br /><br />The LR corridor through south Seattle (which includes some of the city's worst neighborhoods) is doing pretty well. Enough so that some are complaining about the rate of gentrification. I wouldn't presume to know what the difference is, but there are good and bad ways to go about it.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06799024060528185282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-19510559701186392542012-03-04T16:58:45.435-08:002012-03-04T16:58:45.435-08:00Yeah, but there's a lot of collateral damage, ...Yeah, but there's a lot of collateral damage, in much the same way that there was for building interstate highways. In St. Paul, when I-94 was built in the 1960s, they essentially destroyed the Rondo neighborhood, which was traditionally African-American, to build the highway. Just razed everything in its path and forced people to leave.<br /><br />As it happens, many of the folks who were displaced by that ended up moving north a half-mile or so to the University Avenue district. Now, we are building a light-rail line down University Avenue that parallels I-94 and the construction is wiping out the businesses and enterprises that the African-American community that was once in Rondo, along with similar enterprises in neighborhoods to the east that are largely populated with immigrants from Southeast Asia.<br /><br />And since the light rail line's primary purpose is not to deliver people to these neighborhoods, but rather to take people from downtown St. Paul to downtown Minneapolis, it's essentially a repeat of the same thing that happened 50 years ago. Only this time the victims are the grandchildren of those who were victimized the first time.<br /><br />And we're spending a billion dollars to do it, too.Mr. Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920907647566015611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-7315068546767976282012-03-04T08:44:07.407-08:002012-03-04T08:44:07.407-08:00I have no problem with ED to create public right o...I have no problem with ED to create public right of ways. That's what it's for. I just don't like seeing parcels being condemned for the sake of different private owners (a la Kelo). <br /><br />I don't see how light rail creates any more potential for that scenario than a new road would. In fact, since light rail tends to be built along existing roads (and therefore existing rights of way) it seems like it might be less.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06799024060528185282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-84893498516216399382012-03-04T06:39:54.810-08:002012-03-04T06:39:54.810-08:00Finally, there was a questionnaire regarding the p...<i>Finally, there was a questionnaire regarding the priorities of the Republican Party in Washington State and nationally. Our precinct reached a consensus in favor of marriage equality, school vouchers, light rail and universal health care, and against eminent domain abuse. We are very progressive Republicans in the 43rd.</i><br /><br /><br />Heh. I would caution that light rail certainly leads to eminent domain abuse. It has here in Minnesota. <br /><br />The county convention should be even more fun.Mr. Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920907647566015611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-13651323445591508352012-03-03T22:19:23.131-08:002012-03-03T22:19:23.131-08:00and you were elected unanimously. sounds like a go...and you were elected unanimously. sounds like a good start to your new political career.Ginohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09606046924332159076noreply@blogger.com