Category: Uncategorized

I was frustrated with politics in my hometown. Then I went to Bosnia.

Best known among Americans for the genocidal wars of the 1990s, the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina today is a safe, fascinating place to visit with rich culture, great scenery and excellent food. Yet the divisions left over from the war are just below the surface and recovery has been painfully slow.

What I saw reinforced the importance of government. We live in an era when the public sector is maligned for so many problems, yet it alone can set the table for private enterprise and the productivity of individuals.

As a former candidate for public office, I think it's important for competent people to run and we all benefit if strong professionals want to work in government. Sometimes it's tempting to think that voters get what they deserve. But if enough good people try, then the odds of good policy improve.

In Bosnia, as other places, politicians cave to and facilitate ignorance. It's easy to see how a war started along the historic divisions between Orthodox Serbs, Muslims Bosniaks and Catholic Croats. 

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Imagine a
growing mid-sized city just south of the 49th parallel that has a booming
technology sector, a diverse, international population and innovative
approaches to transportation and land use.

My family
and I recently visited this place: Montreal.

Seattle and
Montreal are roughly comparable in metro population and economic size (Montreal: 3.8 million people vs Seattle: 3.5 million; Montreal GDP: $148B, Seattle: $235B). But one seems to be making strides when it comes to
livability.

Last time I
visited, in the early 90s, the economy was slumping as Quebec bled business,
the city’s population was declining and infrastructure was uneven.

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