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Stanley Kurtz was the investigative reporter who went to
Chicago during the 2008 election cycle to uncover the records from the
now-defunct Annenberg Challenge, a foundation that funneled funds to far left
educational programs and institutions. It was noteworthy because future President
Barack Obama and the terrorist Bill Ayers both sat on the board.
Last night, Mark Levin interviewed Stanley Kurtz on his
hour-long Life, Liberty, and Levin. Mr. Kurtz has turned his attention to the Affirmatively
Furthering Fair Housing legislation, and this innocuous-sounding piece of
legislation is, in fact, one of the biggest threats to our way of
life. Candidate Joe Biden is all for
it. The link for Mr. Levin’s broadcast web
page is here (video page here), and if you have difficulty with access, here are a few paragraphs
from Mr. Kurtz’s essay "Biden and Dems Are Set to Abolish the Suburbs" on line (at the Ethics and Public Policy Center):
. . . Biden has actually promised
to go much further than AFFH [Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing]. Biden has
embraced Cory Booker’s strategy for ending single-family zoning in the suburbs
and creating what you might call “little downtowns” in the suburbs. Combine the
Obama-Biden administration’s radical AFFH regulation with Booker’s new
strategy, and I don’t see how the suburbs can retain their ability to govern
themselves. It will mean the end of local control, the end of a style of living
that many people prefer to the city, and therefore the end of meaningful choice
in how Americans can live. Shouldn’t voters know that this is what’s at stake
in the election?
It is no exaggeration to say that
progressive urbanists have long dreamed of abolishing
the suburbs. (In fact, I’ve explained it all in a book.)
Initially, these anti-suburban radicals wanted large cities to simply annex
their surrounding suburbs, like cities did in the 19th century. That way a big
city could fatten up its tax base. Once progressives discovered it had since
become illegal for a city to annex its surrounding suburbs without voter
consent, they cooked up a strategy that would amount to the same thing.
This de facto annexation strategy had
three parts: (1) use a kind of quota system to force “economic integration” on
the suburbs, pushing urban residents outside of the city; (2) close down
suburban growth by regulating development, restricting automobile use, and
limiting highway growth and repair, thus forcing would-be suburbanites back to
the city; (3) use state and federal laws to force suburbs to redistribute tax
revenue to poorer cities in their greater metropolitan region. If you force
urbanites into suburbs, force suburbanites back into cities, and redistribute
suburban tax revenue, then presto! You have effectively abolished the suburbs.
Read the rest here.
Related: Mr. Kurtz’s
article “Suburbs Hold Key to 2020 Presidential Choice” is here.
This is a subject of concern to every friend, associate, or
family member who lives in the suburbs. This is an excellent topic to share
with them.
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