Rebuilding cities: Three Card Monte

Over at the American Prospect, Jim Sleeper lauds a decidedly modern conservative approach towards rebuilding New York City, devasted a decade or more ago by incompetent local politics. Faith-based efforts, local initiatives, private homeownership are all highlighted by Sleeper. But despite (or because, as Sleeper perversely argues) this happened during an era of Republican control, Sleeper insists that it was da liberals that get all the credit, or at the very least, he denies any the credit to the Republican administration of Rudy G.

Is this what is called in NYC the Three Card Monte?