According to Aaron M. Renn, left-leaning urbanists chafe against a regulatory culture their ideology supports. Favoring "regulation for thee but not for me," they want to bend the rules, but only for enterprises they like.
In an article for City Journal, Aaron M. Renn argues that, increasingly, "People identifying as urban progressives increasingly find their own goals stymied by laws and regulations, and they're demanding that these restrictions be overturned or limited."
He cites cases where progressives have sought deregulation for marijuana, urban agriculture, food trucks, and other leftist causes. Then he points to places—such as the environment—where progressives pursue stringent controls. From the article: "What these part-time freedom lovers don't understand is that, absent a wider culture of liberty, calls for selective liberty will probably go unheeded."
For Renn, urban progressives sense the benefits a "culture of liberty" could bring to cities. He challenges them to pick a side. "What the urban Left doesn't recognize is that the regulatory mind-set is nearly impossible to turn on or off, depending on what you like or don't like."
FULL STORY: Libertarians of Convenience
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service