_______Scott C. Addison_______
9858 Rivermont Dr. ~ St. Louis, MO 63137
314.xxx.xxxx ….. sca@design.org
17 March 2009
Lawrence Summers, Chair
National Economic Council
White House – Washington, DC
Attn: Bryan Jung, Special Assistant eM: bjung@who.eop.gov
Re: ‘Industrial Disease’ and other Clues
…an economic policy essay and White House initiative, déja vu
Mr. Summers, Mr. Jung:
Late last week I spoke with Dan Brundage of your office, outlining ideas and experience I hoped to bring to the economic cause. On his good discretion and advice, this overture and attached docs are directed to your review via eMail — with apologies for Adobe’s digital bulk.
The core conveyance: “INDUSTRIAL DISEASE ~ Soft Cures in the NeoEconomy”…
(37 pp., 332 kb)
…a research & policy essay composed in 1992-93 for the first ‘National Economic Council’, as the Clinton administration came in with an agenda of economic change, in the wake of another Repugnican recession. It surveyed innovative critiques in the realms of sustainability, regionalism, responsible investment, and urban design, forewarned of crisis if industrial loss and financial excesses persisted, and posited a new policy model upon these insights.
Unfortunately Clinton backpedaled on his campaign positions, and his team was unready to act on foresight — so this promising discourse never went forward. Now crisis has struck, creative action is urgent, and the Obama administration seems to grasp the big issues.
The time for these ideas has come, so they are presented again in good faith. The main body of scholarly and policy work is unaltered since ’93, all still true. However a new “Foreword, 2009” has been added to chronicle the origins of this essay, its political fate, and the effects intervening years. In supplement to the original closing, the “Epilogue, 2009” adds admonitions on the current crisis.
Also attached, to spur the inquiry:
~ “WorkHabs – Preservation and Reuse of Workplaces”
(Thesis Abstract: University of Washington, 1984)
~ Resumé… ‘Planning, Design, Land Policy & Law’
The ‘WorkHabs’ concept foresaw the need to retain productive uses and redevelop industrial sites for sustainable local economies, and laid out the grounds and methods for doing so.
25 years ago, it warned of the impacts of inaction in this realm — our economic base winding up overseas — all of which has come darkly true.
The Resumé shows how this work was carried out in related projects and consulting, and the complementarity of different phases of my unique career. Further documentation is available on this.
My ulterior motive: I was ready to contribute to a progressive economic agenda decades ago, but its advent had to await the crisis I forewarned — the plight of the true planner.
That auspicious moment has come… President Obama stands on unprecedented challenge and promise, and is building a team of top skills and great vision on urban and economic affairs.
I want to work with the best to achieve these transformations… in the right role, I am the best guy you could find to get things done right, with credentials in environmental AND industrial affairs.
My travel plans: This communiqué was not ready last weekend as anticipated, and my departure to Washington was set back, so I will not be available on Thursday 3/19 as hoped.
I would like to meet with you briefly while I am in DC, and suggest a convenient time on Monday 3/23.
I will call to confirm, and try to make this exploratory easy and interesting.
Thanks for your consideration, and all your efforts.
Respects,
scottie addison_
St. Louis, MO
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