I beg to differ. My experience from public meetings etc. regarding any development issue is that most people are quite well experienced in voicing their opposition to almost any project without even considering its merits. The main reason, I dare to venture, is that most people cannot see any further than the end of their fat belly and do not give two craps about the so called "big picture" (social implications, long term consequences, etc.). They have a knee-jerk reaction against anything that affects their little petty status quo. Their drive to work and parking space in front of their house means infinitely more than any social or environmental concern, standards of living of other people, social cost, discomfort experienced by others and so on. Most USers will not give up their "god-given right" to move their fat asses in the biggest and most obnoxious vehicle than Detroit can produce and government can subsidize - period.
Of course, this mentality is a product of warped social conditions (or a "false consciousness" as it used to be called) and can be changed. However, such change needs some serious goading. The problem is thus how to do the goading without rejecting democratic principles.
Wojtek