When I was young, Judy, our wire haired fox terrier would jump on my bed and curl up and sleep at the foot of my bed.  In the morning I would be curled up on my pillow, while Judy was sprawled across my bed.  It never failed, when I wasn’t looking, Judy took over and hogged all the space and would not give it up without a bit if a struggle.  The forces that are reshaping our neighborhoods and communities, are not as cuddly and loving as Judy but they too, are taking all the space and forcing us into ever smaller boxes. If you have ever wondered why our homes are shrinking, and why our communities are more crowded and why our children have no place to play, you will have to tune in.

Tom DeWeese joins us On The Commons this week.  Tom is the indefatigable President of The American Policy Center, based here in Virginia.   He has long been warning us about the inherent dangers of Agenda 21 and the global policies that are shaping and revamping our lives. He describes, step by step, the methods used to influence city leaders and planners, and yes, even the citizens, to embrace the new planning schemes being implemented around the country.  With soothing words like “smart growth”, “traffic calming devices” and “walkable communities” citizens are being lulled into accepting these redesigns.  Do pretty words really paint a realistic picture these newly gentrified suburbs represent?  Do we really want to live in little boxes that are “stacked and packed” with no room to stretch?