Tell the President-Elect What You Think
November 13th, 2008 by Dan Lavoie
The Obama transition team is already being pretty aggressive in its outreach with the ground-breaking Change.gov web site. But outside groups are organizing to pass on their best ideas, too.
One of the cooler versions of this is www.ObamaUrbanPolicy.org, which enables users to suggest policies for the soon-to-be-open White House Office for Urban Policy. But even cooler than that, it allows folks to vote on which ideas they like the best — giving more prominence to and putting more strength behind the ideas with the most backing.
I first heard about this from David Goldberg, the always-ahead-of-the-curve communications director at Smart Growth America and the leading communications voice at Transportation for America. There’s already some great ideas churning around there. here are the top three, as of Thursday just after noon.
1. Invest in a world-class rail network
Build a world-class rail system between cities and within them to transport people and goods more efficiently.
2 comments | by frontseat | created about 21 hours ago2. Change zoning laws to promote walkable development
Change zoning and land-use regulations to promote mixed-use walkable developments.
5 comments | by frontseat | created about 21 hours ago3. End subsidies for car-dependent development
Walkable developments currently subsidize car-dependent developments. End the subsidies for car-dependent development by requiring developers to pay the true cost of utilities and transportation in sprawling developments.
1 comment | by frontseat | created about 21 hours ago
Like these? Vote for them. Don’t like them? Suggest your own.
But whatever you do, check out the site. Submit your ideas and support other people’s. Hopefully, they’ll make it all the way to the White House.
Tags: civic engagement, obama, smart growth, transition, urban policy
February 28th, 2010 at 11:51 pm
Hands down one of the better posts I’ve come across.