Again, a sharp salute to the Congressman from Vermont is in order for engaging the virtual grassroots here at TPM---w/caffeine.

One thing I think we've failed to mention here is the growing divide between our once prominent urban centers and the suburban periphery that’s grown in political power and dominance here in the U.S.—not to mention the racial and economic separations this trend is creating.  I think this dynamic has played a significant impact on the daily lives of low- and middle-income citizens and rarely enters into the political debate outside of urban affairs journals and academic publications. 

Place matters, and around the country it's becoming increasingly difficult to simply afford an apartment, much less rise through the class structure, or maintain your current quality of life.  In a few regions across this nation how we deal, in a public policy sense, with the divide between our urbanized and suburban middle- and lower-income citizenry will have wide ranging implications on our collective well-being and sustainability as a working polity. 

While NAFTA and globalization more generally play an integral role in this, I’m waiting for someone to illustrate the ways in which we can engage our less fortunate urban and older suburban areas in creating innovative ways to reengage our middle and lower rung fellow citizens...

Thoughts?