Having tried to execute environmentally friendly projects in West Coast cities, I can tell you it’s impossible. You can’t even get permitted for projects Democrats want! I don’t think anyone objects to an environmental review, the objection is the environmental review for simple permits takes
years and tens of thousands of dollars in applications fees, expedition fees, lobbying fees, not to mention opportunity and carrying costs.
"It’s a 'simple idea,' as Klein and Thompson put it: 'to have the future we want, we need to build and invent more of what we need.' Who could disagree? It brings to mind my favorite George W. Bush–ism ..."
But some people on the left really do disagree with something along these lines, right? Ezra and Derek talk in the book about the de-growth portions of the environmental left who would say more ~isn't~ the way to the future they want. And you have other people who aren't de-growth exactly but who are very wary about too much building.
Anyhow, I doubt Ezra and Derek think the idea that abundance would be good is non-obvious for most people. That would be dumb, and they obviously aren't. The thrust of their book seems to be more that we say we want to build but we also do other things that undermine our ability to actually build what we say we want and to serve the people we say we want to serve. In other words, the non-obvious thing isn't that we should build more but rather that there are undermining tensions internal to the left that we haven't done a great job fixing or even acknowledging (at least until very recently). So claiming Bush-ism level obviousness here seems to me to miss the point.
Caveat that I don't have access to your full column, so I'm only responding here to what's in this post. So it's possible I'm missing some relevant nuance in your perspective.
“Abundance leftists”? I can’t imagine how any leftist thinks teaming up with the Koch brothers and the effective altruists is an affective strategy at this point haha
Having tried to execute environmentally friendly projects in West Coast cities, I can tell you it’s impossible. You can’t even get permitted for projects Democrats want! I don’t think anyone objects to an environmental review, the objection is the environmental review for simple permits takes
years and tens of thousands of dollars in applications fees, expedition fees, lobbying fees, not to mention opportunity and carrying costs.
Holler if you need a drummer who can sing BGVs.
Based on your podcasts play-out music, I'm assuming (hoping) you don't mean an Eagles cover band.
Some things are unforgivable, Sam.
"It’s a 'simple idea,' as Klein and Thompson put it: 'to have the future we want, we need to build and invent more of what we need.' Who could disagree? It brings to mind my favorite George W. Bush–ism ..."
But some people on the left really do disagree with something along these lines, right? Ezra and Derek talk in the book about the de-growth portions of the environmental left who would say more ~isn't~ the way to the future they want. And you have other people who aren't de-growth exactly but who are very wary about too much building.
Anyhow, I doubt Ezra and Derek think the idea that abundance would be good is non-obvious for most people. That would be dumb, and they obviously aren't. The thrust of their book seems to be more that we say we want to build but we also do other things that undermine our ability to actually build what we say we want and to serve the people we say we want to serve. In other words, the non-obvious thing isn't that we should build more but rather that there are undermining tensions internal to the left that we haven't done a great job fixing or even acknowledging (at least until very recently). So claiming Bush-ism level obviousness here seems to me to miss the point.
Caveat that I don't have access to your full column, so I'm only responding here to what's in this post. So it's possible I'm missing some relevant nuance in your perspective.
“Abundance leftists”? I can’t imagine how any leftist thinks teaming up with the Koch brothers and the effective altruists is an affective strategy at this point haha