I am sick and tired of people excusing execrable decisions by claiming that the intentions behind the choices were good.
In many cases, the excuse is pure bunkum.
First, let’s get the obvious out of the way: sometimes people do make bad decisions that are excusable. In situations where the information is scarce or contradictory or there is no good way to predict the outcomes you just have to do your best, and sometimes it doesn’t work out.
But geez, man. How many policies are made these days where the results are utterly predictable, yet bad choices are made under the guise of “good intentions?” Sincerely believing that this time an obviously bad policy will finally work is no excuse for ignoring the obvious.
One such example is the decline of Portland, OR, about which I have written several times. I’m writing about it once again because I stumbled upon an outstanding example…
