[MD] Capitalism: A Question of Morality

[Dan Glover]

Hello everyone

>From: gav <gav_gc at yahoo.com.au>
>Reply-To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
>To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
>Subject: Re: [MD] Capitalism: A Question of Morality
>Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 21:13:06 +1100 (EST)
>
>hey dan,
>
>dan wrote:
> >
> > Well, funny you should mention it, but I just helped
> > structure a 1033
> > exchange for "Roy" involving the park district. The
> > exchange involved nearly
> > 200 acres of land in its natural pristine state
> > along a creek that runs
> > through his property. Being a flood plain it didn't
> > pay to farm the land so
> > it has always been left to its own. We used to hunt
> > there when I was a kid.
> > It's nice to know it will stay like it is.
>
>i think this kinda thing is great and can be extended
>to more general cases. that is once a piece of land is
>owned (and the owners are happy where they are of
>course) why not take it out of the market for ever.
>create a custodian/trustee arrangement to mainatin the
>land in a natural state in perpetuity.
>
>do you think this sort of thing practicable dan?

Hi Gav

I think so, yes. Building relationships is key to any successful endeavor, 
imo. Growth is without doubt going to occur where I live and work. 
Uncontrolled growth can be devastating to both the environment, the 
infrastructure, and to the residents of the communities undergoing such 
growth. Uncontrolled growth seems to often be closely associated with 
money-grubbing politicians seeking to covertly line their own pockets. At 
least in my neck of the woods.

Controlled growth means having people in place at the grassroot level with 
the foresight to see fifty to a hundred years down the road, not just to the 
next election - people that care more about the quality of life than about 
the almighty buck - people who are ornery enough to stand up to the 
persistent cacaphony that comes from the developers and speculators lined up 
at the door just waiting to push inside.

There's not much land left in its natural state in the area that I live and 
work and it's a good feeling to know that in my own small way I helped to 
preserve a small chunk of it that otherwise would have been paved and 
concreted over. That's what we all have to do. It's easy to throw our hands 
up and holler there's nothing I can do. Too easy I think.

We need to get out and talk to people. Go to community meetings and develop 
relationships with the movers and shakers in the area. Stay connected. Shake 
the bushes. Learn the system and use it to affect change. Change is coming 
whether we like it or not and at least this way we won't be blindsided by 
it.

Thanks for your comments,

Dan