Advice for Obama

Kaid Benfield has some advice for the Obama administration’s second term:

So, realistically, what to do in the public arena, particularly in the federal government? I have a few principles that I believe the administration should follow in its second term when it comes to its approach to cities, communities, and a clean and healthy environment. They aren’t exactly rocket science, and in fact they are modest by intention.

There are some good ideas in this list but I’d start it with one overriding principle: do no harm. How many of our places have been severely degraded as a result of some large federal infrastructure project? How many times have we thrown billions at projects that perpetuate a system that is fundamentally broken and insolvent with no care for how we will maintain these projects in the future. Kaid has some great thoughts on doing the right things but the first step to doing things right is to stop doing them wrong.