One of the best of our urban journalists considers the upside-down world of public policy and the entrenchment of foolish ideas in closely reported stories from the streets of New York to the seats of intellectual power. "Insightful and articulate...entertaining and provocative."-Richard Lamm, Wall Street Journal. "Spirited, stimulating, eloquent essays...vivid and devastating....The Burden of Bad Ideas is social, cultural, and political criticism of the first order."-Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post.