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: DC Opportunity Scholarships a Win for Our Children.

by Peter Brusoe

I count myself lucky to have had a wonderful educational experience. I went to the best elementary school in the country, William H. Barkley on De Stafno street in Amsterdam, NY. The school was amazing because it focused on excellent teaching, nurturing students, and strong communitarian values that stressed service, compassion and character. Not a day goes by that I don't think of something amazing I learned from one of my teachers like Mrs. Yurkawecz, Mrs. Hoyer, Mrs. MacDougal, Mr. and Mrs. Blance -- the list could go on. I count myself truly blessed to have been able to attend such a great public school. If every child in the country had a Barkley experience, we would be beating China, Europe and every other nation in the world in academic performance.

When it came time to go to middle school, my family and I opted out of the public schools and into my parish's school, St. Mary's Institute of Amsterdam. I loved my St. Mary's Institute experience. I made lifelong friends and had exceptional teachers who continued the education I began in the public schools, and then the switch to St. Mary's reinforced the values that I learned at Barkley.

I remember a lunchtime conversation at St. Mary's in which a classmate asked me, "Which did you like better, public or private?" Perhaps in a sign of my future study of politics, I answered, "both." Fifteen years later I still think the answer is "both." The choices I made with my parents were focused on what was right for me at the time. Barkley was great for me. St. Mary's was great for me. My parents are the hardest working people I know, and they sacrificed so I could attend St. Mary's Institute; I should thank them every day for having done that.

However, not every child in the country can attend a school as amazing as Barkley and not every child has the chance to make a choice between public and private schools. Tuition at schools near my apartment building costs more than my bachelor's degree ($30,000, $32,600 and $34,000), while the lowest cost private school in DC is in the $10,000 range. In comparison, in zip code 20020 the median household income is $24,905.

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.