Category Archives: Policy
Biological Foundations of Politics
“Political institutions develop, often slowly and painfully, over time, as human societies strive to organize themselves to master their environments.  But political decay occurs when political systems fail to adjust to changing circumstances.” —Francis Fukuyama, The Origins of Political Order … Continue reading
Hugos, Sad Puppies and the Political Theory Problem
Do Gatekeepers keep the Barbarians beyond the walls?  Or do they keep the Sheep inside? Or put another way, what point a Gatekeeper without a Gate?  Cathy Young at Real Clear Politics notes: The latest pitched battle in science fiction … Continue reading
Archuleta County, Colorado
Dear Friends, I am moving upstream, as the new Planning Manager leading the Archuleta County Development Services—Planning Department in beautiful Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Archuleta County, population 12,244, is located at 7,000′ elevation in the Rocky Mountains of Southwestern Colorado, west of … Continue reading
Coworking in Southwest Colorado
There’s an awkward time in the life of a startup, when the idea outgrows the garage but maybe isn’t quite ready to commit to anything long-term.  It may be time to graduate, but not yet time to settle down—as an … Continue reading
The LivIndex at Work in Three Rural Communities
Last week, the AARP introduced a new data tool, the Livability Index, which provides a snapshot of community indicators, and allows us to compare communities. Let’s drill down a bit with a comparison on three Rocky Mountain cities of similar, … Continue reading
Livability Index: AARP Contributes a Tool Box of Community Indicators
If you create a city that’s good for an 8 year old and good for an 80 year old, you will create a successful city for everyone. — 8-80 Cities A well-designed place works for all of its residents, from … Continue reading
Development Professional Available
Friends, I am currently seeking a new opportunity in community and economic development, policy analysis or public administration, particularly in the Rocky Mountain or Great Plains states.  I do my best work with a small team of professionals dedicated to excellence … Continue reading
Fewer Births, More Deaths, Changing Migration Patterns
Where I tried to strike an upbeat note last week in finding some population growth in rural America, the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) lays out the grim statistics for nonmetropolitan areas in black and blue. From their website this week: … Continue reading
Diary of Orrin Brown—April 7, 1865
Diary of Orrin Brown, Goldsboro, North Carolina Friday–Apr. 7th The day has been cloudy with a few light sprinkles of rain. I received a letter from home today and answered it. There was a funeral procesion of some officer passed … Continue reading
Aztec Business Hub Makes the Paper (no fooling!)
The Farmington, New Mexico, Daily Times featured one of my work projects on the front page today. The City of Aztec and the San Juan College Enterprise Center have been exploring the feasibility of a small business incubator, similar to … Continue reading
STrib
The Economist