Cincinnatus on Connecticut: The Trashy Shutdown Edition

by Peter Brusoe

I have not written lately mainly because I have been at a loss for words about the recent scandals in DC politics. However, the threatened federal shutdown has helped me to find my muse.

Recently I was invited by an old college buddy, now a Democratic Party activist living in New York City, to drop my trash off at Speaker Boehner's house. Aside from the obvious fact that as an apartment renter I have private trash hauling provided by my landlord, I was wondering why I did not have an invite to drop off trash at Harry Reid's place at the Ritz. Perhaps we could finally see MPD issue a ticket for litter.

It stinks that we do not have budget autonomy. It's not right. It shouldn't be. Yet it's a reality we have to deal with. The larger issue here is the total failure of our local elected officials, or our officials-to-be, to represent our interests. Below are four areas of concern.

1) Vince Gray, as the functional equivalent of an "agency head" of the District of Columbia, could have easily declared every single city employee, or at least employees of DPW, "essential" and have exempted them from any shutdown. This would have triggered a court case but would have at least guaranteed the trash getting picked up and city services remaining untouched until such a time as the court could issue a ruling, and maybe that ruling would have help strengthen the case of the budget autonomy. At the same time, we have a mayor who is balancing the budget on the backs of our hardworking city employees. If he declares some of them essential, he could not furlough them to try to balance our budget. Rather than seriously deal with this issue, let's make political hay out of it.

Cincinnatus on Connecticut Avenue: A Day for Greatness

by Peter Brusoe

I generally write about politics, but today I want to reflect on the Greek root of that word, “πόλις” (polis), meaning citizenship or city. It differs from “δῆμος” (demos) in that citizenship generally indicated a higher moral duty to your neighbors and a higher civic obligation than merely living, but actively contributing to the welfare of the entire city. Monday was a great day to see citizenship on display in our Nation’s Capital.

My favorite quotation of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr is this one:

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve.”

This quotation goes to the core of what it means to be a citizen. Too often in a town that is filled with politics, we forget the Greek root of that word; Mayor Gray’s outstanding staff at ServeDC put together a wonderful event at the Martin Luther King Library. This event brought the DC Government together with Transitional Housing Corporation to prepare welcome packages for families in transition. This event involved everyday people, like you and me, putting together packets for families they may never meet but who were in need. This event brought together Washingtonians from all eight wards who volunteered their time and energy to put together welcome packages for families in transition.

Cincinnatus on Connecticut Avenue: Gray Sets Wrong Tone for the Next 4 Years

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by Peter Brusoe

Mayor Gray's inauguration speech was eponymous: The financial situation for the city is gray. The times ahead are gray. It's going to be hard to balance the budget. Include in there some typical toothless rhetoric about statehood, and the meaningless catch phrase "one city" and you have pretty much his entire speech. The one outstanding highlight was to hear him talk about his late mother and how she swept the street outside their apartment because we all have a stake in the city. This was truly a great piece of political rhetoric and a great idea. However, without action, they are mere words and the mayor missed several opportunities to take his mother's message of service and apply them.

I relished the opportunity to read about New York State's newest governor, the Honorable Andrew Cuomo, and how in recognition of his state's financial straits he opted not to have a fancy inauguration, and he eschewed the typical inauguration balls, saying “This is not a time for the grand and expensive celebrations of the recent past.” The inaugural entertainment featured local public school students performing and a small intimate affair recognizing the problems that New York faces. Other states toned down their own celebrations in light of the financial crises they face, including a people's inauguration ball where tickets were sold for $8. Or small meet-and-greets in various parts of Florida. These subdued festivities were a signal that those states were prepared to tackle the serious financial circumstances.

Yet, not for Washington, DC.

Cincinnatus on Connecticut Avenue: Eight Things to Do in 2011 to Make DC Great

by Peter Brusoe

With a new year, a new mayor, and a new city council session comes a new column for All Life Is Local: Cincinnatus on Connecticut Avenue. While the historic Cincinnatus was famous for his civic virtue and service to the Roman Republic, the Cincinnatus most famous in American politics was a pseudonym for Arthur Lee who wrote a series of public letters revolving around James Wilson’s famous October 6, 1787 Pennsylvania State Legislature speech and the great issues concerning government. This column will focus on issues facing our government.

2011 provides new opportunities for the city to become a better place. Here are eight ideas that the City Council should implement in the upcoming year to make Washington, DC a better place to live.

1) Take redistricting out of the control of the City Council. The 2010 census is complete and Washington, DC should be excited that we now have over 600,000 residents. The bigger question that looms is how do we fit these 600,000 people into wards, ANC districts, and even school boundaries? DC should take its cue from Arizona and California and have redistricting conducted by a commission. This takes a great deal of politics out of the redistricting process and leaves the city council time to focus on larger issues.

2) Bring back free parking on the weekends. Councilmember Carol Schwartz pushed for and had free parking offered on the weekends. I think it’s time that we bring it back. The revenue that we have seen from charging these fees has not kept pace with the revenue we’ve lost from sales tax. By bringing back free parking on the weekends we can encourage more downtown shopping and bring more business back into Washington, DC.

Cheh Versus Hedgepeth, Ward 3 Candidates Debate Oct. 20

Hear Ward 3 City Council incumbent Mary Cheh (a Democrat) debate her Republican challenger, David Hedgepeth in Woodley Park.

Ward III City Council Member Debate
October 20th, 2010
7:30PM
Bing Stanford/The Robert M. and Anne T. Bass Center
2661 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Metro: Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan

This event is moderated by Mark Segraves of WTOP Radio, and sponsored by the Woodley Park Community Association and the Cleveland Park Listserv in cooperation with the Cleveland Park Citizens Association.

Questions can be submitted ahead of time to Peter Brusoe at PWBrusoe at Gmail dot com (please substitute the @ sign and period in the email address).

Meet Mr. Mayor (To Be) Tonight, Thursday, or Pick Your Date

Photo by Keith Ivey

You can't accuse Vincent Gray of presuming too much when he schedules "Town Hall" meetings in each ward to give citizens an opportunity to connect with our city's next mayor.  We all know that the Democratic primary is the de facto mayoral election in this virtual one-party state. Ward 5 is hosting the first one, set for tonight, October 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Community Academy Public Charter School, 1400 1st Street, NW. 

Ward 3, where Gray had the worst showing on election day, goes next:  Thursday, October 7, from 6:00-8:00 pm at St. Columba's Church,, 4201 Albemarle Street, NW.  Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh and some other elected officials will be joining Vincent Gray at this event.

Honoring Former DC Councilmembers, Sept. 7

The former Ward 3 members of the DC Council will be installed as the first three members of the Ward 3 Community Hall of Fame on Tuesday, September 7.  The event is sponsored by the Ward Three Democratic Committee.  Former Councilmembers Polly Shackleton, Jim Nathanson, and Kathy Patterson will be installed that evening as part of a special celebration called: "Building Bridges For A Better Community."

Strange, Disturbing Political Call in Ward One

These two messages appeared on the Ward One listserv about an apparent push-poll to influence Ward One voters about the City Council race. Bryan Weaver and Jeff Smith are hoping to replace Jim Graham as Ward One's councilmember. Multiple people have reported getting this political phone call.

I just got a rather disturbing call from 202-461-xxxx.  It was from a phone dialing system that basically went on about killing babies and hating Jim Graham.  They do not identify themselves.

I am really bothered that anti-women people will be calling my house, especially when they are too chicken to identify themselves.

I really don't want to see what happened in California when a lot of interlopers tried to influence an election with political canvasing.  

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I just received the call as well. This is truly a disturbing phone call and bothersome turn of events in a campaign season that while at times has been contentious has at least not been sleazy. As a woman working for Bryan Weaver I want to state emphatically that the Weaver Ward One campaign had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with this phone call and whoever is distributing this call should be ashamed. 

Guest Column: Why I Support Vince Gray for Mayor

by John Chelen


I voted for Mayor Fenty in the last election.  After he was elected, I
liked his energy and decision to make education his number one priority.
But I gradually lost confidence in his ability to manage the
complexities the city faces. I didn't know Council Chairman Gray well
before the election, but since then I've watched him handle a range of
issues and listened to him speak. I'm now confident that he'll bring
much needed insight and judgment to our city during very difficult
economic times.