Why Tea Party Criticism Should Matter to Planners

Responding to a piece that ran in The New York Times over the weekend, Whittemore points out planners should be aware that, "these events speak to deep-seeded conservative concerns about property rights, the planning process, and the paradigms guiding planning today." He also claims that, "a critique of sustainability from within the field is overdue."

Whittemore suggests that the mere denial of a conspiracy, as he contends the APA has advised, is counter-productive, and suggests ideas for engaging Agenda 21 in a more productive dialogue.

"Of course blight and unsustainable practices are problems, but planners can avoid conflict by being explicit about the most direct harms coming to residents and businesses, giving attention to local solutions, and certainly dropping the jargon."