Category Archives: All Politics is Local

All Politics is Local, Downtown, People, The Daily Feed, The District
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Goodbye Councilwoman Schwartz

DC Ballot Box
DC Ballot Box by cainsable

Last night’s primary results are in and they spell defeat for Republican At-large Councilwoman Carol Schwartz at the hands of Upstart Patrick Mara, backed by big-business interests in DC. Mara has won the right to represent the Republican party for the two at-large seats on the Council this fall. He’ll face Kwame Brown, Michael Brown, Dee Hunter and David Schwartzman, with the top two vote-getters picking up seats on the council.

Of course, last night’s election wasn’t entirely drama-free, as the DCBOEE published erroneous results on their site more than once last night. The culprit ended up being an optical scan ballot-reader in one precinct which was showing a large number of write-in votes that were being counted incorrectly.

All of the other councilpersons defended their challenges successfully, including Mayor-for-Life Barry (Ward 8). While their elections are just for the party slot on the November ballot, in largely Democratic DC, they’re virtually guaranteed re-election.

All Politics is Local, Media, The Daily Feed, The District, WTF?!
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That Time of Year Again Already?

So according to this WaPo video, Hizzoner the righteous Marion Barry, Lord and Master of Ward 8, had a “how to” instructional on approaching voters at the District’s primary polls tomorrow. As in, block and annoy the crap out of people who just want to vote.

I’m never in favor of candidate supporters clogging the entrance to polls. I want to vote in peace and quiet, not listen to last-minute pitches and bullcrapola. (Hence my recent run of absentee balloting.) Heck, I’m all for a half-mile “exclusion zone” centered around each polling place.

I’ll give Marion this; he’s persistent. Probably why he’s re-elected…

All Politics is Local, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed
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Things Are Pretty Okay

Cropped from The End is Not for a While, xkcd.com
Cropped from The End is Not for a While, xkcd.com

Randall Monroe of xkcd has given me a fantastic idea. Click through above to read the whole panel, and then come back and help me figure out what should go on my contentment protest signs. I’m going to keep them in the trunk of my car, because you never know when you’ll run into a random protest here in DC.

All Politics is Local, Essential DC, Life in the Capital
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Greek Columns and Arrogance

Jefferson Memorial Columns

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but some political candidate apparently gave some sort of speech last night. He gave it in front of a portico with Greek columns, which was roundly scoffed in some corners as “arrogant,” or “presumptuous,” as if said candidate were erecting a temple in his own honor.

Without expressing an opinion one way or the other on any candidate, I’d just like to point out that this is the kind of high-minded political discourse found in those email forwards your crank uncle sends you. Greek columns are only evocative of a temple? Really? Not, say… the White House? I’m pretty sure that when a presidential candidate tries to get voters to imagine him in the White House, it’s called “campaigning,” not “presumption.”

In the spirit of mocking the silliness of our political posturing over common architectural features, I present a small gallery of some of the best examples of Greek columns around DC.  Might make for a good walk around this weekend when the rain stops. And please share your favorite DC Greek column photos in the comments.

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All Politics is Local, Comedy in DC, Entertainment
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Comedy in DC: Politics is Funny. No, Really.

Greg Tindale of Washington Improv Theater, Photo by Katie Jett

Greg Tindale of Washington Improv Theater, Photo by Katie Jett

‘Tis the season, friends: it’s a presidential election year. While we here at We Love DC are fond of reminding everyone that DC is more than just the three-ring circus we call “politics,” there’s no escaping the fact that it remains our primary export. So it should come as no surprise that Washington Improv Theater is presenting two politically-themed shows this fall, each distinct and potentially holding up to multiple viewings.

iMusical: The Secret Lives of Presidents is just that- an improvised musical featuring a different president or first lady each week. I don’t know about you, but I’m already pretty impressed with the cojones of people who can promise not only to improvise an entire musical about Mary Todd Lincoln, but that it will also be funny. The show debuts Thursday, September 4th at 8PM at Source Theater.

POTUS Among Us sounds like it might be funny if only because it’s closer to how I wish elections were really run: Performers take suggestions from the audience to create their campaign platforms, and then improvise their way through speeches and debates all the way to the general election. Imagine the glory of unscripted musings from people seeking elected office, completely dependent on what their constituents- er, audience- demand they talk about. This show debuts Friday, September 5th, at 8PM at Source Theater.

All Politics is Local, Technology, The Daily Feed
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SMS Received – It’s Biden

It’s 3AM and I should be safe and asleep. But there’s a phone beside me and it’s beeping. Something’s happening in the world.

Obama Text Message Announcing Biden as his VP

Good morning, DC! The Obama campaign seems to have been waiting for DC bars to close before sending out the much awaited text message. Or maybe they originally planned to send the SMS later in the morning, but had to scramble to get it to supporters before they wake up to the leaked info on the news. Anyway, Delaware Senator Joe Biden is officially Barack Obama’s running mate for the vice-presidential nomination.

All Politics is Local, Downtown, Technology, The District
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EveryBlock comes to DC

everyblock.png

The geographically-based super-engine EveryBlock has finally come to DC. Think of EveryBlock like the best mashup of Flickr, Google Maps, The Public Records Office, MPD’s Crime Blotter, the Real Estate Section of the paper, and just about every news story out there in the District, whether it comes from Blogs, or from the Post or Examiner, or from the local TV affiliates, EveryBlock is there.

It’s all one big map, and they’re all over the geolocation of various events:

bwoodrealest.png

This map gives me a listing of real estate around the Brightwood neighborhood. Just a click away in the Crimes listing, or the Calls for City Services, or the Business Reviews.

It’s pretty impressive. Go play!

All Politics is Local, Crime & Punishment, The Daily Feed, The District
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Chief Cathy in Some Trouble?

dupont.png

The rule is, according to the Hatch Act, it’s against the law for someone in a government uniform to partake in political behavior. Essentially, that’s exactly what seems to have happened in an ad for Councilman Jack Evans, which features the councilman in a photo op with Chief Lanier. If the photo was staged by Evans with Lanier’s permission for use in his campaign, it’s likely a violation of the Hatch Act.

All Politics is Local, The Daily Feed, The District
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Hizzoner Takes All Comers

Today on the Kojo Nnamdi show, Marion Barry (Ward 8, Mayor for Life) will be defending his elected position against those who would seek to dethrone the king. The show description reads thus:

The presidential campaign may get all the attention, but Washington, D.C. is also preparing for a full slate of local primaries on September 9. And nowhere has that election generated as much candidate interest than in Ward 8, where a crowded field is challenging an influential incumbent. We’ll meet the candidates and talk with them about the most pressing issues facing their community.

Go get’em Marion! You can listen in live via Windows Media Player or Real Player or iTunes streaming through WAMU’s live streaming.

All Politics is Local, Crime & Punishment, The Daily Feed, The Hill, WTF?!
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Uncle Ted Pleads Not Guilty

Senator “Uncle” Ted Stevens has plead not guilty to charges of taking bribes. Of course, this has Alaska all nervous as he’s been great for funding Alaska’s economy, but perhaps bad for the Internet (it’s a series of Tubes. Not a truck.) and now he’s facing serious corruption charges.

I hate to see members of our government, and guests in our town, flaunt so badly the laws that govern the ethics of the body. Oh well, right?

All Politics is Local, The Daily Feed, The Hill
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The Hill Hotness?

Never forget that we’re a crowd that can turn on a dime, here in Washington. Today’s example? The Highlights of the Hill Hotties. We could talk a lot about policy in this town, we could talk at length about legislative achievements, but instead we’re going to talk about fortunate genetic results. I love how this town just goes straight back to junior high when it feels a need for a solid dose of “Oh God, Look at the SHINY!”

[Edit] One quick edit here: I’m complaining here about the lameness of the Hill, not of DCeiver’s commentary, which is hysterically awesome, and probably how we should react when serious journalists go all beauty contest on us.

All Politics is Local, Monumental, Penn Quarter, The District
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Monumental: GAR Stephenson Memorial

Monumental: Stephenson GAR Monument

While the Grand Army of the Republic might seem like something out of a bad pulp science fiction story, it’s also something that’s fairly real to American History. The monument to it, and its founder, stand just off Pennsylvania Avenue in Penn Quarter. The Grand Army was a fraternal organization established in 1866 for retired soldiers of the Union Army, and stood in existence until 1956, when its last member died. It was super-ceded by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, founded in 1881 to preserve the mission of the original organization.

The GAR was one of the more powerful political organizations in the late 19th century, helping to establish Old Soldiers’ Homes, which would later become the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. In addition, their organization was partly responsible for establishing the Memorial Day Holiday at the end of May, as part of their Decoration Day campaign.

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All Politics is Local, Crime & Punishment, The Daily Feed
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Is 19 Years Too Short To Forgive?

When the Child & Family Services Agency in DC dismissed its director on Friday, and appointed Roque Gerald as interm director, they knew about his record. In 1989, Gerald was sued by a former patient that he’d had sex with while she was under Gerald’s care. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum of money. Now, of course, city officials looks like they have egg on their face, despite the fact that AG-nominee Peter Nickles says that Gerald came to them with this information during the selection process, according to WAMU.

Here’s the question: Since this happened almost two decades ago, and since no criminal charges were brought against Gerald, does this make any difference about his administrative role at CFSA?

All Politics is Local, The Daily Feed, The District
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The Obama Effect in Northern Virginia?

Virginia saw a major uptick in voter registration in the 18-25 age bracket for this fall’s election, with a 10% increase over last year. Is this an Obama-related uptick? It seems that his message, and his marketing, and his appearance, may be having an effect on the younger crowd.

Voter registration is up 5% across the board in Virginia, but up 10% in the 18-25 bracket, year over year.

All Politics is Local, The Daily Feed
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Fancy Red Digs for La Raza

National Council of La Raza

Now check out the hot red front door for the National Council of La Raza. Swank, eh?

Now when you see a nonprofit with an expensive office like this, what do you think? Congrats for them to have the funding to buy or lease such high-dollar digs. That the Class A office space denotes legitimacy and respectability for what was once an upstart organization.

Or do you wonder if their membership dues and charitable donations could be spent on less flash and more forward motion? You could argue that the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization int he USA could have higher priorities than a bright red entry way.

All Politics is Local, Crime & Punishment, The District
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DC To Announce New Gun Rules

guns.jpg

New rules, same as the old rules. The Examiner is on top of the coverage for the new laws. However, it seems that Councilman Mendelssohn’s proposal flies directly in the face of the Heller verdict. Specifically, his bill would still require that after you purchase AR-15 magazines and spent time and effort to buy the perfect one for you, the firearms stored in the home be kept unloaded and disassembled or under trigger lock.

The standard set by Heller is that requiring trigger locks and disassembly are unconstitutional, and that any law with them does not pass the test setup by Heller thusly (on page 58):

We must also address the District’s requirement (as applied to respondent’s handgun) that firearms in the home be rendered and kept inoperable at all times. This makes it impossible for citizens to use them for the core lawful purpose of self-defense and is hence unconstitutional

It seems to me to be fairly ridiculous, and a waste of time, and a slap in the face of the highest court in the land, to pass a bill that will only be struck down by the first court to hear the case. While the opinion for Heller makes not that the law lacks a clear exemption for self-defense, just adding a blanket exemption for self-defense doesn’t address the storage of firearms as effective home-defense weapons.

But, I guess they think that an unarmed populace is what they’d rather have, so be it. So long as they enjoy getting taken to court and losing.

Case O’ Guns originally uploaded by wild-smith

All Politics is Local, Comedy in DC, Entertainment, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Ron Paul DC March

Ron Paul, the anarcho-capitalist cryptolibertarian neoconfederate survivalist Texas congressman and sometime presidential candidate who published a racist newsletter and opposed a medal for Rosa Parks, civil rights, MLK Day, Tibetan freedom, DC voting rights, and the 14th and 16th Amendments, and enjoyed endorsements from such greats as the John Birch Society, Stormfront White Nationalists, and the Ku Klux Klan, is having a march and rally today! Continue reading →