Ward 4 Councilmember race Todd vs. newcomer Janeese Lewis George

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I’ve met them both. Todd strikes me as slimey and agree that I would not want to vote for Bowsers sidekick, especially after the past few months.

Janeese is earnest, but her extreme position on crime is dangerous and ignorant.

This is how I feel. I really don't like George's position on crime but I do like her endorsement by Racine.

I loathe Todd, though. He and his supporters brag about his constituent services but I found them extremely lacking. The one time I reached out I had a conversation with a staffer (Carnes) who said he'd look into my issue and call me back with a solution. He never did; after a week I called him back and left a message. Left 6 more unreturned messages. Then to put a cherry on top, Todd knocks on my door asking for my vote and when I tell him I had a bad experience with his office his response was "no you didn't, constituent services is my strength!" (I am absolutely not making this up, that's a quote.)

So I think I'll vote George and hope for the best, because she has the best chance of unseating him. Although if my mailbox is to be believed Todd has infinity dollars to spend on outreach so it might be tough.

Todd constituent here. We had a very similar experience. We asked him for help with something. He said he would help us, and then we would hear nothing. We would ask again, and he would say our request fell through the cracks or that the staffer responsible for our issue was sick, and that he would get on it. But then he never would. We would ask again and again and again. And there was always some excuse about how he meant to help us, but something came up but that he was on it and then...nothing.

I honestly find it very strange that any constituent of Todd's would vote for him. Literally anyone else would be an improvement.

+1

Todd is literally the worst representative I've ever had at any level of government. Seriously, it cannot possibly get any worse.

If he loses, it will get worse.

Trust me, as someone who has lived in Nadeau's ward for the entirety of her tenure: it can get worse.

I used to live in Ward 1 when Jim Graham was the CM. Nadeau is an improvement. Do you think paid family leave is a bad idea?

I think the massive spike in crime is a bad idea. But I guess paid family leave will solve that problem?

Well, parents being better able to take care of their newborns is pretty important. Part of the bigger picture, but yes, important.

Name one concrete thing she's done to address the rising crime in her ward.

You'd need to first understand that policing isn't the only avenue to address crime. Try reading up on the impact of lead in water on crime. Now expand that thought to everything else that impacts kids growing up (and adults). So, you probably don't care about work she's done on housing stability. Or oversight of Special Police Officers. I'm guessing you don't care about harassment of poor people of color. That's not the crime you're worried about. Other people get there connection, but not you. Not until you open your ears more.

Is there any point where you think, notwithstanding hardships growing up, someone has to take personal responsibility for committing violent crimes. Put another way, is there any point where you believe someone presents enough of a danger to the rest of society that he should be locked up, even if he had considerable hardships growing up.

Alternatively, we could extend the “Youth” Act to 40, expand the type of crimes that can be eligible, and expand the number of crimes that can be functionally washed away. That’s definitely one way to a more “just” society.

Why not address both a person's personal responsibility AND the structural issues that drive crime? And let's focus our $$ where it's most effective and drives equity/justice.

It costs us a lot less to help a person get on the right track than to jail them. And it's the right thing to do because they're our fellow people.

You are acting as if DC currently has a police/jail focused policy that doesn’t try to address underlying issues. That couldn’t be further from the truth. If you want to argue that we need even more resources on the rehabilitation side, I could possibly see that.

The problem is that George wants to move even further from the personal accountability front. That’s a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You are acting as if DC currently has a police/jail focused policy that doesn’t try to address underlying issues. That couldn’t be further from the truth. If you want to argue that we need even more resources on the rehabilitation side, I could possibly see that.

The problem is that George wants to move even further from the personal accountability front. That’s a problem.

DC does have some policies and this isn't the right forum to debate the details of them. Your view is that those programs are great and all we need is more police? Or the status quo is cool? I'm not sure where you get that Janeese is absolving people of personal responsibility. That's not a fact, it's your (misguided) opinion.

I think we should be refining and supplementing the programs that DC has already. They aren't enough - we should be doing more. But not just more police. We already have a very high ratio of police per population. Let's build up the programs so they work better at helping people.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you should take your extremely boring and extremely off topic debate over policing somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

Janeese is another Nadeau.

Making feel good policy that endangers minorities and encourages gentrification.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should take your extremely boring and extremely off topic debate over policing somewhere else.

Differences of opinion on crime/policing policy seems to be one of the main reasons people will decide between Todd and George. How is that discussion off topic?

[Anonymous]

I'm a Ward 4 voter/ resident for 17 years. The choice between Todd and George is a choice between 2 shitty candidates for different reasons. Same as most elections in this country. Lesser of 2 ineptitudes. Bowser was crap and now she's mayor. Anyone in Ward 4 could have told you that would be bad.
I suppose we have to play the hand we're dealt, but I'm at a loss who to vote for. The other candidates don't inspire much either. Todd is ineffective and status quo. George is onto something in theory but what is driving crime in our neighborhood is deeper and more complicated than just shitty policing. I am not optimistic her approach will be effective, and fear it will result in similar statistics showing up in Ward 1 under Nadeau. Arguing about the policing strategy doesn't solve much unless the city addresses poverty and mental health issues. And a councilperson cannot make those changes on their own, so everyones set up for failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should take your extremely boring and extremely off topic debate over policing somewhere else.

Differences of opinion on crime/policing policy seems to be one of the main reasons people will decide between Todd and George. How is that discussion off topic?

I've lived in Ward 4 for a long time, and I can't remember when crime was worse. If you want to blame someone, blame Brandon Todd. He's the one who's been in office while this has been happening. And he never does anything about it. One of the local ANC people ihas been at war with Todd over crime because Todd never wants to do anything about it. Personally, I'm skeptical that whoever is on city council is going to make any difference. If you want to blame someone, blame the police. Isn't preventing crime their job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should take your extremely boring and extremely off topic debate over policing somewhere else.

Differences of opinion on crime/policing policy seems to be one of the main reasons people will decide between Todd and George. How is that discussion off topic?

I've lived in Ward 4 for a long time, and I can't remember when crime was worse. If you want to blame someone, blame Brandon Todd. He's the one who's been in office while this has been happening. And he never does anything about it. One of the local ANC people ihas been at war with Todd over crime because Todd never wants to do anything about it. Personally, I'm skeptical that whoever is on city council is going to make any difference. If you want to blame someone, blame the police. Isn't preventing crime their job?

So, you agree the crime discussion is on topic?

Whether you think crime cuts towards Todd or George for a voting issue, it sure seems like it is relevant to the topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should take your extremely boring and extremely off topic debate over policing somewhere else.

Differences of opinion on crime/policing policy seems to be one of the main reasons people will decide between Todd and George. How is that discussion off topic?

I've lived in Ward 4 for a long time, and I can't remember when crime was worse. If you want to blame someone, blame Brandon Todd. He's the one who's been in office while this has been happening. And he never does anything about it. One of the local ANC people ihas been at war with Todd over crime because Todd never wants to do anything about it. Personally, I'm skeptical that whoever is on city council is going to make any difference. If you want to blame someone, blame the police. Isn't preventing crime their job?

So, you agree the crime discussion is on topic?

Whether you think crime cuts towards Todd or George for a voting issue, it sure seems like it is relevant to the topic.

DC has the largest police force in America -- by far (on a per capita basis). Its officers are well paid. If you're a sergeant, you probably make six figures. At some point it seems like the police have to take responsibility for rising crime. I'm not sure what debating the origins of crime has to do with the city council's race. If you want to blame a politician, blame Bowser, since she's the only one with the power to fire the police chief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should take your extremely boring and extremely off topic debate over policing somewhere else.

Differences of opinion on crime/policing policy seems to be one of the main reasons people will decide between Todd and George. How is that discussion off topic?

I've lived in Ward 4 for a long time, and I can't remember when crime was worse. If you want to blame someone, blame Brandon Todd. He's the one who's been in office while this has been happening. And he never does anything about it. One of the local ANC people ihas been at war with Todd over crime because Todd never wants to do anything about it. Personally, I'm skeptical that whoever is on city council is going to make any difference. If you want to blame someone, blame the police. Isn't preventing crime their job?

So, you agree the crime discussion is on topic?

Whether you think crime cuts towards Todd or George for a voting issue, it sure seems like it is relevant to the topic.

DC has the largest police force in America -- by far (on a per capita basis). Its officers are well paid. If you're a sergeant, you probably make six figures. At some point it seems like the police have to take responsibility for rising crime. I'm not sure what debating the origins of crime has to do with the city council's race. If you want to blame a politician, blame Bowser, since she's the only one with the power to fire the police chief.

It’s not just the number of police. It is also other laws and policies regarding the criminal justice system. For better or worse, and people clearly disagree, the district places a heavy emphasis on restorative justice with laws such as the Youth Act. There are many instances where someone is released (both pre and post conviction) in DC, where the person would face time or more time elsewhere. The council clearly has an influence on these policies.

Even just looking at it in terms of the police, it is not simply their number. It is what they are allowed to do and whether they can have vice squads, for example.

The mayor and police chief undoubtedly have influence in these areas. But to say the council doesn’t have an important view - both with respect to tangible policy and more abstract influence - is crazy.

Crime/justice/policing is a very important issue in city politics - for people on all sides of the issue who may disagree on substance - to say it isn’t relevant to a discussion on a council race is astounding.

[Anonymous]

Some of the talk on this forum reflects flyers that have been sent out by Democrats for Educational Reform, a pro DC establishment lobbying group that is using scare tactics to say Janeese Lewis George will be soft on crime. From what I see here, they are having some success! Lewis George served as Assistant Attorney General to Karl Racine for four years and prosecuted juveniles. Racine is endorsing her. That doesn't seem to indicate she's soft on crime. What she did do is work in Philadelphia with community groups that use other methods than policing to deal with violence. Violence in communities is not just solved through policing, something I think many people can agree with. She also has a vision for development in the city that isn't the carte blanche that Bowser and her ilk give to developers. I live in Ward 4 and Todd is the ghost council member. Todd and his staff NEVER answer the phone and never call back. Since I live on the west side of Rock Creek, which is mostly Ward 3, people call March Cheh if they have a problem. Todd is Bowser's yes man, and follows what she says religiously. Bowser lost me when she found and campaigned for a candidate to run against an incumbent city council member, Elissa Silverman, and that is unheard of. She just doesn't like progressive candidates and people who don't do what she wants. Lewis George had taken no money from developers, corporate donors, etc. She is her own woman, and very far from the scary person opponents try to make her out to be. DC Dept of Public works took down hundreds of Lewis George's signs before neighbors alerted her campaign, and there is still no explanation from DPW. Shameful but not shocking. If you want a machine politician, by all means vote for Todd, who is an inept yes man. If you want a city that is better for someone who might be less lucky than you and someone who has her own opinions and her own mind and is not indebted to corporate interests, vote for Janeese. Yes, I have volunteered for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should take your extremely boring and extremely off topic debate over policing somewhere else.

Differences of opinion on crime/policing policy seems to be one of the main reasons people will decide between Todd and George. How is that discussion off topic?

I've lived in Ward 4 for a long time, and I can't remember when crime was worse. If you want to blame someone, blame Brandon Todd. He's the one who's been in office while this has been happening. And he never does anything about it. One of the local ANC people ihas been at war with Todd over crime because Todd never wants to do anything about it. Personally, I'm skeptical that whoever is on city council is going to make any difference. If you want to blame someone, blame the police. Isn't preventing crime their job?

So, you agree the crime discussion is on topic?

Whether you think crime cuts towards Todd or George for a voting issue, it sure seems like it is relevant to the topic.

DC has the largest police force in America -- by far (on a per capita basis). Its officers are well paid. If you're a sergeant, you probably make six figures. At some point it seems like the police have to take responsibility for rising crime. I'm not sure what debating the origins of crime has to do with the city council's race. If you want to blame a politician, blame Bowser, since she's the only one with the power to fire the police chief.

It’s not just the number of police. It is also other laws and policies regarding the criminal justice system. For better or worse, and people clearly disagree, the district places a heavy emphasis on restorative justice with laws such as the Youth Act. There are many instances where someone is released (both pre and post conviction) in DC, where the person would face time or more time elsewhere. The council clearly has an influence on these policies.

Even just looking at it in terms of the police, it is not simply their number. It is what they are allowed to do and whether they can have vice squads, for example.

The mayor and police chief undoubtedly have influence in these areas. But to say the council doesn’t have an important view - both with respect to tangible policy and more abstract influence - is crazy.

Crime/justice/policing is a very important issue in city politics - for people on all sides of the issue who may disagree on substance - to say it isn’t relevant to a discussion on a council race is astounding.

Policy is extremely important, which is why Brandon Todd is pushing legislation to create new license plates that say "End Gun Violence."

Take that, criminals! He is raising awareness of gun violence!

Because some people in DC have never heard of....gun violence?

https://trackbill.com/bill/district-of-columbia-bill-699-end-gun-violence-motor-vehicle-identification-tags-amendment-act-of-2020/1912126/

[Anonymous]

Policy is extremely important, which is why Brandon Todd is pushing legislation to create new license plates that say "End Gun Violence."

Take that, criminals! He is raising awareness of gun violence!

Because some people in DC have never heard of....gun violence?

https://trackbill.com/bill/district-of-columbia-bill-699-end-gun-violence-motor-vehicle-identification-tags-amendment-act-of-2020/1912126/

Oy! Typical of Todd. Has anyone on this forum actually met Todd? Have you met Janeese? I've met them both and she is clearly SO much more intelligent and well informed than he is. Ward 4 needs a smarter Council Member and someone who actually wants to get something done other than change license plates. Face palm!

[Anonymous]

I live in Ward 4. People sell drugs out in the open. Everyone knows it. Everyone sees it. Here's where they are:

4th and Taylor St. NW

700 Varnum St. NW

9th and Quincy St. NW (and Raymond Rec Center property)

10th and Quebec Place NW

4th and Delafield St. NW

8th and Crittenden St. NW

Kansas and Shepherd St. NW

8/9th and Jefferson St. NW

Here's my policy idea: Go arrest them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Policy is extremely important, which is why Brandon Todd is pushing legislation to create new license plates that say "End Gun Violence."

Take that, criminals! He is raising awareness of gun violence!

Because some people in DC have never heard of....gun violence?

https://trackbill.com/bill/district-of-columbia-bill-699-end-gun-violence-motor-vehicle-identification-tags-amendment-act-of-2020/1912126/

Oy! Typical of Todd. Has anyone on this forum actually met Todd? Have you met Janeese? I've met them both and she is clearly SO much more intelligent and well informed than he is. Ward 4 needs a smarter Council Member and someone who actually wants to get something done other than change license plates. Face palm!

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

The post you took as earnest Todd support and an effort to show his good works was clearly satire, presumably by someone supporting George.

While the satirical post was somewhat clever, your ability to test the relative intelligence of the candidates (and offer your recommendation based on that assessment) is taking quite a hit by you thinking that was real.