“Kimberley Strassel, an editorial writer for the Wall Street Journal, argued that Republicans would have to expand the electoral playing field by pioneering new initiatives in suburban policy.

“'Conservatives have had a tendency to dismiss any quality of life issues that could be characterized as ‘green,’ like sprawl,” Strassel said. “It does affect people’s daily lives, and if conservatives can come up with ideas for making transportation, movement, communication work better, I think that would be a good thing.'”

Two questions:

1. Is there any empirical evidence suggesting that voters place an emphasis on these issues that could translate into electoral gains if sound policy were enacted? In other words, is there a statistically identifiable group of people out there who would normally vote for another party or not vote at all but might be convinced to vote Republican in part or in whole because of such reforms?

2. Isn't bringing up sprawl when your party is being weighed down by support for an unpopular war and the alienation of Hispanic voters a bit like suggesting a gunshot victim drink some water? It might help, but there are more obvious solutions at hand.

“Kimberley Strassel, an editorial writer for the Wall Street Journal, argued that Republicans would have to expand the electoral playing field by pioneering new initiatives in suburban policy.

“'Conservatives have had a tendency to dismiss any quality of life issues that could be characterized as ‘green,’ like sprawl,” Strassel said. “It does affect people’s daily lives, and if conservatives can come up with ideas for making transportation, movement, communication work better, I think that would be a good thing.'”

Two questions:

1. Is there any empirical evidence suggesting that voters place an emphasis on these issues that could translate into electoral gains if sound policy were enacted? In other words, is there a statistically identifiable group of people out there who would normally vote for another party or not vote at all but might be convinced to vote Republican in part or in whole because of such reforms?

2. Isn't bringing up sprawl when your party is being weighed down by support for an unpopular war and the alienation of Hispanic voters a bit like suggesting a gunshot victim drink some water? It might help, but there are more obvious solutions at hand.