Please sit down when reading this. Did you know all your local elected officials tacitly support the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government's plan to force-feed two million more people into Northern Virginia by 2050?

Now you should probably lie down. Regional planning agencies, called Council of Governments (COGs), primarily base their population forecasts on prior population growth trends. This means, theoretically, that population growth begets additional growth at the same general rates, and in the same locations.

Close your eyes. The U.S. population more than doubled since 1950, from 150 to 326 million people!

Now, put a cool washcloth on your forehead. The COGs and your local government officials are ensuring that the forecasted population growth becomes a reality. They closely coordinate zoning for housing and taxpayer-funded new roads to accommodate forecasted future population increases.

Of course, you are nauseous and upset about this COG-mandated pro-development and pro-population growth decree. This skewed process eviscerates our ability to modify population growth and future development through elections, education, immigration changes, downzoning, land conservation, and other measures.

When you can stand up again, please email your local and state representatives. Tell them to revoke their support for Washington Metro "Region Forward Plan." Below are some other comments you might include.

1. Population growth and real estate development are not prerequisites for economic development. Population growth does not improve job quality. Over 52% of American jobs pay less than $30,000; 60% less than $40,000; and 72% less than $50,000. Jobs spawned by the Federal government create higher paying jobs in this region, not population growth.

2. Replace Smart Growth with a new planning paradigm. "Smart Growth" was supposed to allow density in lieu of suburban sprawl, elsewhere. It is now being abused by most jurisdictions to allow unlimited and dense infill development absent concurrent levels of land conservation. Sprawl and dense housing projects are both happening. In contrast, in order to keep taxes low, preserve farmland, and sustain its quality of life, Calvert County, Maryland has been incrementally reducing its total planned number of residential units.

3. Demand Campaign Finance Reform. As long as developer money infiltrates local and state elections, there will be little successful local planning, scant focus on good job creation, and significant additional environmental degradation.

One last point. People who make money from population growth and development in areas other than where they live are called "Growth Elites." Some inhabitants of this region's low-density zoned areas became wealthy from national and worldwide population growth and development over the last several decades.

Go for a walk and consider how it would be a class act of historic proportions if, with just a fraction of the money they've amassed, Growth Elites bought and turned into parkland all remaining undeveloped Northern Virginia land.