Cinderella
Dear Non-Voting Majority:
I've demoted my posting to the body of themail because it's long, but I
can't resist adding more. Congratulations, Ward 4 Democratic candidate Fenty. Adrian
Fenty's victory shows that entrenched Councilmembers can be uprooted, even with low voter
turnout, but that the opposition has to be united behind just one alternative candidate
who is at least plausible. Look how badly Kevin Chavous did against several minor
candidates; if he had had a single plausible opponent, he would be joining Charlene Drew
Jarvis in retirement.
A few years ago, testifying before Charlene about one of the many
sweetheart giveaways of city assets that she promoted, I said that the deal would never be
considered if her committee's purpose were really to spur economic development, rather
than just to distribute the spoils. In my experience, “pro-business” in DC
politics is just a polite way of saying, “special favors for special friends”;
it has nothing to do with bringing jobs or money to the city's residents.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Sell the Surplus School Sites Now!
Sharon Cochran, secochran@aol.com
I disagree with Mary Filardo's suggestion that we save surplus school
buildings and land in a “bank.” She neglects to tell us that we currently have
over 150 public schools open in this city. This number does not include the closed surplus
school properties that were closed for a reason. We have too many school buildings in this
city, and the surplused schools are ugly unsafe dinosaurs. I invite readers to check out
the surplused Lovejoy and Kingsman schools in the North east Lincoln Park area. These
properties are ugly eyesores that should be sold and recycled for other uses. There are
open public schools less than three blocks from each of these schools.
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Response to Don’t Sell School Sites
Ellen Czaplewski, Educational Facilities Program Consultant, Ellencz@aol.com
I agree with Mary Filardo that the District should not be forced to sell
surplus school sites to charter schools. In fact, as a general rule, it is a bad idea to
sell District land. When District-owned land is not needed for current programs or
facilities, the land can be leased, at market rates for a long term (50 to 99 years), to
private entities or developers. Instead of a lump sum payment of cash, the District gets
steady revenues over a long period of time. As market values rise, often as the result of
public investments, the District can share in that increase if the land rent is tied to
market values. Ultimately, at the end of the lease, the control over the land reverts to
the District, helping ensure that the District can meet future public needs or guide
private development according to a public assessment of neighborhood or citywide needs.
###############
Big Business Candidates
John Whiteside, Logan Circle, jmwhites@bellatlantic.net
A frequent comment this election season: Jack Evans is supported by
business interests. I would welcome a cogent explanation of why that's a bad thing.
Obviously, a politician more beholden to business than his or her constituents is
problematic at best; but the interests of business and the citizens are not always
opposed. The flight of business to the suburbs is one of DC's biggest problems, and one
that may be particularly intractable. So many of us — including myself — find
ourselves leaving DC every morning to get to work because it's so hard to find a job in
the city.
People need jobs, people need a strong economy, and that doesn't happen
without business. Criticize a candidate for decisions that are not good for the public,
but a simple declaration that someone is “supported by business” only tells me
that he or she is a politician that lives in the real world.
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John Whiteside asks above what is wrong with a politician being supported
by or being a supporter of business. Let me answer by retelling the story of Cinderella.
Think of Washington as a dysfunctional family, led by a cruel stepmother (played at
various times by the Greater Washington Board of Trade, the Federal City Council, and all
the Mayors and most Councilmembers up to and including the current ones). This family puts
up a good front but sorely lacks money, and the cruel stepmother's plan to bring money
into the family has always been to promote the marital chances of the ugly stepsisters.
The first ugly stepsister is downtown development, achieved by wholesale destruction of
historic houses and office buildings and their replacement by undistinguished,
cookie-cutter office blocks, to the virtual exclusion of housing. The second ugly
stepsister is monumental excess — using taxpayer funds to buy big toys for the big
boys, suburban millionaires, to play with. Monumental excess includes arenas and stadiums,
convention centers, and so on — money-draining “jewels” that the cruel
stepmother insists upon buying because they flatter her vanity rather than because they
help the family financially.
Meanwhile, the neglected beautiful sister, residential neighborhoods and
their commercial corridors, has always sat by the hearth, getting only minimal attention,
and that attention has been negative. In fact, the family's only plan for Cinderella has
been a variant of the monumental excess strategy — moving government office buildings
into neighborhoods. This doesn't spur economic development, as our experience with the
Reeves Building has shown (the Reeves Building brought almost no development to 14th and U
Streets for fifteen or more years, and the later resurgence of that neighborhood was
unrelated to the government office building).
There can be a partnership of businesses, neighborhoods, and the
residents, but the economic development strategy that has been used for the past thirty or
more years has been one of business against neighborhoods and residents. If Adrian Fenty's
defeat of Jarvis yesterday in Ward 4 (and his defeat of the Williams political machine,
which provided most of Jarvis's “volunteers” as well as a $110 million Georgia
Avenue plan as a campaign contribution) is a sign that residents are finally getting tired
of this and beginning to fight back, all the better. It's time the people who live here
get invited to the ball.
###############
An Open Letter to Colbert King on “Something
Negative in the Mail”
Madelyn Lane, madelynlane@hotmail.com
Dear Mr. King: You have certainly blown your credibility as a result of
your attack on Beth Solomon in your September 9 column. One has to wonder why you
over-reacted to the fact that taxpaying citizens of DC formed a PAC called Leadership 2000
to emphasize our “special interests,” i.e., how our city is governed!
Apparently, the Washington Post cannot stand competition when it comes to
controlling the message. Why do you believe that DC citizens are not entitled to the same
privileges that the downtown interests enjoy? You are certainly aware of the extensive
campaign coffers of Mrs. Jarvis and other pro-business candidates like Jack Evans, and you
are not so naive as to have us believe that the cryptic hastily formed partnerships
reported to the Campaign Finance Office are practicing full disclosure. The vast majority
of multiple corporate contributions hide their true identities, as you well know,
precluding full disclosure of their sources, and most either do not reside in the affected
ward or do not live in DC. Surely taxpaying citizens have a right to influence an election
that directly affects their interests, especially since Mrs. Jarvis's interests are seldom
in Ward 4 but are most often in Ward 2 — Beth Solomon's ward. What is the crime? What
is wrong with trying to level the playing field? The fact is that those of us residing in
Ward 2 have every right to influence the outcome of this election, since Mrs. Jarvis most
often votes against our interests on the Council.
It is not surprising that the Washington Post, leader of the
“other” city council — the UNELECTED Federal City Council — whom Mrs.
Jarvis spends most of her time and energies representing — would find it necessary to
imply that her detractors were involved in illegitimate campaign activities, especially
since it appears that she may well lose this election to a more worthy candidate. After
all, the Post and its downtown business friends have a lot to lose if Mrs. Jarvis should
be thrown out! I really thought you had more integrity. I guess you too have sold your
soul to the company store, as have many of the Councilmembers who were elected to do the
public's business, but rarely represent DC citizens on issues of concern to their
neighborhoods! The Washington Post has done more to corrupt the political scene
in this town than any other entity. Their selective spin on events and under-reporting on
issues of concern to the taxpayer effectively manipulate the electorate by keeping them in
the dark — not exactly the role one would expect from a world class newspaper! You
are on thin ice when it comes to pointing the finger at others whom you claim are hiding
behind rules that delay disclosure. Are we to believe that Mrs. Jarvis and Mr. Evans’
big ticket supporters who are hiding behind limited partnerships and other obscure names
as the source of their contributions have adequately disclosed their business interests?
You have had ample opportunity to scrutinize the spreadsheets prepared by Pete Ross, so
you are well aware of the multiple contributions from same sources disguised as legitimate
contributions to the Evans campaign. Were YOU giving us the full poop on Jack Evans’
campaign contributors when you claimed that Beth Solomon was “hiding behind rules
that delay disclosure”? PLEASE! Spare us! There is not one activist in this City who
is unaware of the distorted reporting on DC politicians who are favored and controlled by
the Washington Post and its Federal City Council.
###############
Adrian Fenty's upset of Charlene Drew Jarvis hopefully will send a message
to the other city council members in this city to get moving or they'll be moved. It was
interesting to see Jack “money bags” Evans' quote in today's Washington
Post. He said, “She (Jarvis) was irreplaceable for what she was about to do for
this ward.” About to do? Too little, too late. Good riddance, Mrs. Jarvis. See ya!
###############
It’s All Over — Don’t Even Bother
Shouting
Anne Anderson, psysrusa@cs.com
According to NPR's political reporters and analysts this AM, the day after
the primaries, Adrian Fenty is now our new Ward 4 Councilmember, and all other incumbents
will be continuing in their positions. There was never any mention that there was any
other party primary that took place in the District of Columbia, and the brief mention of
the November election, after several times through the story, mentioned that the
incumbents would be facing independent candidates — still no mention of any other
party. I wish I could say that I am surprised and amazed, but this is just more of the
same.
As far as they are concerned, this is a one-party town, and as far as I
can see, they are happy to have it that way. Otherwise they would be more careful to cover
the efforts of other parties, and certainly more careful to avoid undermining democratic
processes, like neglecting to note that we have an election to run before we can declare
people winners and that there are the D.C. Statehood Green Party, the Republican Party and
the Umoja Party who will all have candidates on the ballot in November. With the kind of
coverage they just gave this morning, why would anyone bother to vote in November? But,
then they would get to self-righteously bemoan the lack of active participation of D.C.
voters. Is that what they want to do, or would they really like to foster and report on a
serious discussion of the issues our D.C. community faces? Come on guys! Clean up your
act!
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Another Fabulous Chance to Exercise My Franchise
Steph “None of the above” Faul, steph@faul.com
Well, I voted last night, mostly just to give those poor bored election
workers something to do: I cast my ballot in solitary splendor at around 7:15 p.m. The
ballot receipt informed me I was the 73rd voter of the day, and the day was almost over.
Councilmember Patterson came in to cast HER vote as I left, so there may have been as many
as 80 ballots by the time the polls closed. But I doubt it. Now we know the answer to the
question, “What if they held an election and no one came?” Perhaps the problem
could be solved by providing some actual candidates next time.
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Posters Are a City-Wide Problem
Enrique Gomez, eegomez@erols.com
Pete Ross's E-mail about campaign posters clearly illustrates that some of
our politicians believe they are above the law. Apparently they can get away with this
because none of the enforcement agencies want to cross them. The problem is not limited to
Ward 2, but city-wide, including my Capitol Hill neighborhood. But Mr. Ross is wrong in
blaming the Clean City Coordinator, Vincent Spaulding, who doesn't have any enforcement
powers but has been working hard to put teeth into DC's poster laws and other anti-litter
laws. On his web page, http://www.cleancity.washingtondc.gov, “What's been
done,” is a strong reminder to candidates about campaign posters, a copy of a letter
he sent to each one of them. The “or else” part needs to be taken seriously by
enforcement agencies who generally seem very good at looking the other way on the issue.
Take a look at the “What's been done” page to see other steps Spaulding is
taking to discourage posters.
###############
Pete Ross's message “Exempt from the Law” hits home. The
disregard for poster laws by our elected and wannabe elected officials is indicative of an
attitude that they are above the law. Like many of our laws, the 3-per-block campaign
poster law remains unenforced because no agency wants to take the responsibility for
enforcing them. Could it be that our enforcement agencies are intimidated by elected
officials? Vince Spaulding, the Clean City Coordinator, is certainly not to blame for the
lack of enforcement. Anyone who has contacted him about litter issues knows how
passionately he feels about the cleanliness of the city and how strongly he opposes
posters in public space. Unfortunately Mr. Spaulding has no powers of enforcement, and is
probably even more frustrated than the rest of us about the proliferation of posters of
all kinds in public space. His effort to address the poster problem is shown on his web
site: http://www.cleancity.washingtondc.gov.
In my neighborhood, there has been an increase in advertisement posters in
public space during this campaign season. My guess is that advertisers see it as open
season, thinking, “If the politicians can disregard the law, then so can I.” If
Jack Evans is not complying with poster laws, he is not alone. If Mr. Ross would visit my
neighborhood, he would see that all the candidates who have enough campaign money for
posters are violating the law — that would be Kevin Chavous, Harold Brazil, and
Robert Hunter. What will it take for DC residents to get fed up with posters and the
litter they cause? Why not disallow all posters from public space as other jurisdictions
do? This would leave no legal gray area for the advertisers who come in from the suburbs
to nail their placards into our city trees and utility poles. In the meantime, candidates
who voluntarily limit their posters to yard signs send the message that they truly care
about the appearance of our city, a message that will earn them some points toward getting
my vote.
###############
Web Trivia
Mark Richards, Dupont East, mark@bisconti.com
One can locate members of The U.S. House of Representatives at http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.htm
by entering one's zip code and state. In the search function, D.C. and the Territories are
mixed in with states. On the full list below the search function, D.C. has been placed in
the “State” listing, not in the “Delegate” listing that includes
American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. On the Mayor's web site, under
City Government, http://www.washingtondc.gov/gov/index.htm,
one can click to learn about D.C.'s elected officials — there are handy links.
Included on this list (for now) is the Control Board. I didn't see other appointed bodies
listed at all.
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Non-Receipt of Annual License Stickers
Janice Gray, JLGray@comdt.uscg.mil
On July 13, 2000 as I was leaving DC for ten days in California and a week
or so in Colorado, I mailed off for my vehicle renewal stickers, invalid effective 1
August 2000. My credit union cashed my check per my July bank statement. I have E-mailed
and called the the Mayor's office twice before this without response — the only thing
I have heard is from a police officer that I cannot use my vehicle until I take time off
from my work and get down to C Street personally to take care of this matter. I cannot
understand why an upstanding tax paying citizen has to take these kinds of measures for
such ordinary routine actions in this country — and I seriously resent the fact that
I must take this kind of time repeatedly (this is not the first time in my residency in
the District of Columbia that this kind of incompetence has required my presence to
straighten this kind of matter) from my very busy government job due to the incompetence
of the District Government.
###############
Friendly Reminders
Gregory Diaz, Zaidmot@aol.com
Andrew Auerbach writes tongue in cheek about the “friendly
reminder” in the form of a ticket he got on September 1. Some years ago I spent three
years in the DC police reserve. Among other amazing and wonderful things I learned was
that, at least then, there was indeed an informal quota system under which cops had to
write so many tickets to get decent performance reviews. The quota was monthly, so there
were basically two kinds of ticket writers: those who waited until the end of the month
and those who got it out of the way at the beginning of the month. Either way, the cusp of
the month was bad news for the parking citizenry. And, by the way, the cops know the sweet
spots to hit: like those corners where you figure you can get away with just leaving it
right against the stop sign overnight. I saw cops get out and write their quota without
leaving a block! I report this without judgment on the police. “God bless them all,
the long, the short and the tall.”
###############
More on Infills — One Ingredient in the Good
Witch’s Brew
Len Sullivan, lsnarpac@bellatlantic.net
John Neisen raised an interesting question (9/03) about whether infill is
a good or bad witch: I think it is an essential ingredient in the larger brew needed to
cure the District's ailments. To remain economically solvent, competitive, and give tax
relief to its relatively few taxpayers, DC must attract more upscale homeowners and
taxpaying businesses onto its limited landspace. Neighborhood initiatives must include a
mix of options for increasing public revenues, not just increasing public spending. The
easiest and quickest of these options is infill, and residents need to find ways to accept
it — within realistic limits to avoid “overfill.” But the best
“witch's brew” will require other strong ingredients as well.
The problem, of course, is that every acre is somebody's adopted backyard,
and every neighborhood wants to stay the way it is (or once was). But several approaches
now require positive neighborhood consideration: besides a) adopting realistic zoning
limits for infill, these include: b) actively pressing the city to eliminate the vast
number of junk properties marring the city's landscape and to make those spaces available
for "refill" by replacement or upgrading; c) encouraging rather than fighting
off high-density, high-productivity business and residential “upfill”
developments around metro stations (and expanding those stations as needed); and d)
encouraging government agencies, non-profits and embassies to increase indirect revenue
generation by inviting public access and use of their properties and installations (viz.,
the tax-exempt Smithsonian and FBI help bring millions of visitors to DC). Finally, e)
constituents must urge elected officials to demand more poverty-sharing (viz., affordable
housing) from DC's wealthy suburbs. One way or another, DC must continue to
“defill” the areas overwhelmed by poverty and all that comes with it — and
runs from it.
###############
Gas Prices and Urban Assault Vehicles
Paul Dionne, PDionne@Kreative.net
Over half the cars sold in the US last year were SUVs. Did we really
expect that we could buy so many gas-guzzlers and pay only 99 cents a gallon forever?
Maybe instead of asking OPEC or our government to fix things we should do it ourselves as
consumers by using those behemoths less or getting rid of them all together. Sadly, people
continue to buy them despite recent studies that show they are a danger. SUV drivers are
three times more likely to kill anyone they get into an accident with. Meanwhile, SUV
drivers are equally as likely to die behind the wheel as are drivers of smaller cars.
While SUVs are high up and provide better sight for the driver, they reduce visibility for
drivers around them and are more likely to roll in an accident. And, of course, with all
large cars, because of their weight they
have long breaking distances. So if there is something ahead of you that you don't want to
hit chances are your brakes won't stop you in time.
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InRecognitionOfTheIncreasingAbsenceOfSpaceInOnline
E-MailAddresses,URLs,AndTheRealWorldItself, WeArePleasedToAnnounceTheMergerOfThe
“NoSpaceSociety”(FoundedByCarlSagan)WithThe
“OneWorldSociety”(StartedByWendellWillkie)ToFormThe “OneWordSociety.”
OurMotto: “UniversalInternationalismThroughCapitalization”
(PerhapsYouAlreadyKnewThat“www”StandsFor“WeWantWillkie.”)
###############
Assistant US Attorney Thomas DiBiase laments the difficulty in deciding if
the “new white” folk in D.C. would be pro-government or pro-defense as jurors.
At the risk of being shocked! Shocked to find gambling going on, and with the admission of
my own lingering idealism, may I still question what happened to the idea of choosing
jurors who are simply fair and impartial? Of course it doesn't really happen and perhaps
it is better to admit it, but it still a bit dismaying for a US Attorney to declare his
intentions so blatantly. Not to mention the possible ramifications of such a statement in
an appeals court.
###############
Nacotchtanke Indians
Mark Richards, Dupont East, mark@bisconti.com
I was recently asked for sources about the Nacotchtanke tribes that lived
in many villages in this area prior to the European "immigration." In case
others are interested, here are the ones I am aware of — I'm sure there are more:
“A Brief History of Anacostia, Its Name, Origin and Progress,” by Charles R.
Burr, published in the Records of the Columbia Historic Society of Wash., D.C., Vol.
23, p. 167-179 (1920). “Aboriginal Occupancy of the District of Columbia,” by
S.V. Proudfit, published in the Records of the Columbia Historic Society of Wash., D.C.,
Vol. 25, p.182-193 (1923). “The Anacostia Story: 1609-1930,” by Louise Daniel
Hutchinson, published for the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum of the Smithsonian Institution
by the Smithsonian Institution Press (1977) (a new edition will be published soon, I
believe). “Urban Odyssey: A Multicultural History of Washington, D.C.,” edited
by Francine Curro Cary, published by Smithsonian Institution Press (1996). A chapter
entitled “Native Americans: Early Encounters,” by William M. Gardner, is
included. in D.C.'s school textbook on D.C. History: City of Magnificent Intentions: A
History of Washington, District of Columbia, by Keith Melder with Melinda Young
Stuart, published by Intac, Inc. (1997). Includes a segment on Native Americans in the
District, with a map of Nacotchtanke village and hamlets, quarry and archaeological sites.
###############
I had a chance to attend the fundraising party for The Last Colony, the
great new film on DC's lack of voting status (http://www.thelastcolony.org).
The film, by Rebecca Kingsley, is on its way to completion and will be distributed as an
educational tool to high schools across America. As a 20-something person very involved in
the issue through my work on the Daley case, I've noticed that these pro-DC vote events
usually attract the same hard core group of people. Mostly long time DC residents in their
40's, 50's, and 60's. If there really are lots of new young people moving to DC, how can
we make this issue “hip”? I guess it just doesn't seem as cool as marching on
the World Bank, but why not?
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS AND CLASSES
Educational Theatre Company
Stan Kang, Skang7@aol.com
ETC is offering after-school drama classes for young people aged 8 to 18
in the Tenley Circle area. ETC is a non-profit dedicated towards promoting arts education
and bring theater professionals to local neighborhoods. Upcoming classes are Shakespeare
& Film Making in DC, Bilingual Classics & Improv in Arlington. Classes start in
early October. Call for a brochure today, 703-271-0222.
###############
Democratic Campaign 2000
Linda Finkel Talvadkar, Talvadkar@aol.com
The Ward Three Democratic Committee will host representatives from the
Democratic National Committee and the D.C. Democratic State Committee to provide
information to the public on becoming involved in the Presidential campaign and key
Democratic Congressional races. Local and national strategies will be highlighted. The
meeting will be held Tuesday, September 19, at 7:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall (lower
level) of St. Luke's Methodist Church at Calvert Street and Wisconsin Avenue, NW. Free
parking is available. For more information contact Thorn Pozen, Chair, at 942-6196.
###############
Rally for Statehood with Ralph Nader
Mike Livingston, mlivingston@greens.org
Ralph Nader will be the featured speaker at a rally for D.C. statehood on
Saturday, September 16, 7-9 p.m. at UDC Auditorium (off Connecticut Avenue, NW, at Windom
Place, one block from Van Ness Metro station). D.C. Statehood Green Party candidates for
Council and School Board will also speak. You're invited even if you don't plan to vote
for him — it isn't every day that we get to hear a presidential candidate at UDC
speaking in favor of D.C. statehood.
###############
Free Legal Seminar on Immigration, Wills and Trusts
Jon Katz, jon@marksksatz.com
On September 23, 10:00 a.m., the Philippine American Bar Association
presents a free Legal Seminar on immigration law, wills and trusts. This event is free and
open to the public. Mrs. Philippine Home for Senior Citizens, 6482 Bock Rd. Oxon Hill, MD
20745. For more information, contact President Rod Garcia, 301-292-6808, Rgarcialaw@aol.com, http://www.markskatz.com/PABA.htm..
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
Beautiful old Mercedes Benz: 1965 190 C 4-door; gray-white, wood paneling,
fully restored, with very good engine. A classic. Must see. $5,000 or best offer.
244-9479, or E-mail at Worldright@aol.com.
###############
Furniture and air purifier for sale: black leather couch, $300; air
purifier, $65; Japanese screen, $100. Call 332-9249, viewing/sale on Sunday, September 17,
2 pm until 4 pm. 1601 18th St. N.W., apt 512.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — HELP WANTED
Busy Cleveland Park-based consultant seeks administrative assistant 4-8
hours a week to handle correspondence, filing, double checking numbers, reviewing written
materials and other office tasks. Perfect position for a graduate student or person
looking for flexible but steady position.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — HOUSING
Apartment for Rent on Capitol Hill
Ann Bond, ortacb@gwia.gwumc.edu
Efficiency on main floor of row house at 7th and A Streets, SE, Eastern
Market Metro. Available 10/1. $750 plus utilities. Call 544-7272.
###############
Looking for a Room
Benjamin Nathan-Serio, BJNS16@aol.com
I'm looking for a room in the D.C. Area, preferably in the NW area around
Foggy Bottom, or the Capitol Hill area. My range tops out at about $575. I'm a
non-smoking, laid back, neat, flexible male. I work full-time on the Hill for Congress.
E-Mail me: BJNS16@aol.com.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
Handyman and Construction
Erica Nash, enash@cais.com
Two great people are: 1. He can build, fix anything. Very tidy, honest,
punctual, meticulous. Claudio Condori, home 301-942-2632, cell 240-687-4298. 2. More of a
great simple handy man, more of a painter but can do the rest also (he did some carpentry
for me), Teddy McCarthy, 301-445-1069.
###############
Plumber/Electrician/Carpenter/Handyperson Available
Jon Katz, jon@markskatz.com
I know a man who's available on both a temporary full-time (for at least
two weeks) and weekend and evening basis (thereafter) for the above types of work. He will
adhere to all licensing laws. If you're interested, I will pass your message onto him (he
does not have E-mail). He lives in Hyattsville, MD, and is a delight to deal with.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — CITY PAPER PREVIEW
Dave Nuttycombe, webmeister@washcp.com
From washingtoncitypaper.com's LOOSE LIPS column, appearing this Friday:
NICE GUY FINISHES FIRST: For decades to come, incumbent councilmembers in the District
will look to Tuesday's Ward 4 Democratic primary contest for guidance on how to hold on to
their $90,000 per year part-time jobs. Some may conclude that the key is to provide
top-rate constituent services. Others may decide that voters want candidates who promise
to treat the council as full-time employment.
The smart ones, though, will extract a lesson from the Ward 4 race that transcends
electoral strategizing: Never treat a sincere, hardworking opponent with contempt.
Five-term incumbent Charlene Drew Jarvis could have called upstart challenger Adrian Fenty
an “esteemed opponent” or a “worthy office-seeker” or perhaps even a
“nice man” — honorific labels that you might expect from a 20-year
political vet secure in her council outpost. This 20-year political vet, however, chose to
address Fenty in other terms. She fairly scowled as she called him “this young
man” in radio interviews, TV sound bites, and encounters with voters on the hustings.
“It sounded like contempt to me,” said Fenty on Tuesday night. “I think it
took away from her relying on strategies.”
No, not quite: Dissing Fenty was her strategy.
Read the entire Loose Lips column here: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/lips/lips.html
From washingtoncitypaper.com's CITY LIGHTS page, here are a few early
warnings for upcoming events:
FRIDAY: Marshall Crenshaw, with Bruce Henderson, at 7:30 p.m. at the Birchmere, 3701 Mount
Vernon Ave., Alexandria. $17.50.
TUESDAY: Jesse Ventura signs copies of his new book, Do I Stand Alone? Going to the Mat
Against Political Pawns and Media Jackals, at noon at Olsson's Books & Records, 418
7th St. NW. Free.
More details and more critics' picks are available online at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/pix/pix.html
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All postings must be signed in order to be printed, and messages should be reasonably
short — one or two brief paragraphs would be ideal — so that as many messages as
possible can be put into each mailing.
