By wcook

The theme du mois is REGIONALISM.

As the reader might expect, the Curmudgeon approaches the topic in his own unique fashion. Usually a discussion on regionalism contains a set of reasons why one has to be a dolt not to do it; offers some sort of virtually inevitable promise of almost certain revitalization; and then ends with a plaintive scream of frustration that evil forces are still blocking its success. The Curmudgeon has heard calls by someone or other to regionalize from day one of his professional career and as he sails ever closer to the sunset, he is still hearing cries to regionalize. Enough already! Why can’t we regionalize? Taking a long term perspective in his first article, the Curmudgeon tries to better understand the roots of our current regionalism and to offer some ideas as to why it has faced constant opposition or at least apathy. In his second article, the Curmudgeon reviews the latest effort on Regionalism by the Center for Competitiveness and calls attention to the relatively recent marriage of a young and charming concept called clusters to an older, somewhat weathered spouse called regionalism. He offers his ever cherished advice on the prospects of the union.