Vote for Bryan Weaver, DC Council, At-Large

[jsteele]

I created a consolidated thread for April 26 Special Election posts, but recent posters have started new threads, so I will follow their lead. Apologies to those who are sick of this topic, but it will be over in a week. Please be patient.

I don't think that it is overly dramatic to say that the District is standing at a crossroads. Two consecutive administrations led the District generally in a direction that most DC residents supported. But, Vincent Gray and Kwame Brown assumed their positions as Mayor and Council Chairman respectively and quickly found themselves in the midst of a perfect storm. An economic recession was forcing difficult budgetary decisions and an unfriendly Republican-led Congress was ready to impose itself upon the District. Gray and Brown embroiled themselves in multiple controversies including the hiring of friends and family, paying unreasonably high salaries, procuring multiple "fully loaded" luxury Navigators, and the Sulaimon Brown affair. This added to the scandal of Harry Thomas' "Team Thomas", Yvette Alexander's questionable constituent services fund spending, the Marion Barry saga, and Michael Brown's tax and debt issues. On April 26, DC voters can react to this situation.

Those voters who support Vincent Gray and Kwame "Fully Loaded" Brown and appreciate Council members who are welcome members of the club should vote for Sekou Biddle. Biddle is a fine man. He has been endorsed by most Council Members ranging from David Catania, to Harry Thomas, to Marion Barry, and of course, Kwame Brown. He is the choice of those who support the status quo.

Vincent Orange, the former PEPCO lobbyist and repeated (losing) candidate for multiple offices, is heavily funded by out of state contributors. He would not be as welcome on the Council as Biddle, but he would still do little to change the atmosphere of the Wilson Building. One wonders why Orange is even seeking this seat given only a few months ago he said that a Council seat was of no interest to him. One also wonders what he has promised his non-District funders in return for their generous contributions to his campaign.

For those who are nether interested in the status quo nor the candidacy of a former PEPCO lobbyist funded by non-DC residents, Bryan Weaver presents the perfect alternative. Here is what the Current Newspapers had to say about him:

During our meeting with Mr. Weaver, we were amazed at his grasp of the issues facing the District. He is the most knowledgeable challenger we have interviewed over the past 16 years.

We were particularly impressed by his suggestion that the District could save millions by combining clearly related offices, such as the Office of the State Superintendent of Education and that of the deputy mayor for education. He also showed he can juggle opposing points of view -- a skill that helped him bring together opponents when he chaired the Adams Morgan commission.

Additionally, his stand on using tax breaks to attract business to the city is unique among the Democratic candidates. He favors such deals only when they are key to attracting the business, with the understanding that the breaks will be eliminated if the business fails in its side of the bargain -- say, by not hiring the required number of District residents.

And, here is what the Washington City Paper had to say in its endorsement of him:

But Weaver would bring a perspective the council seems to be missing now: someone who understands both the flood of young, mostly white, professional types the last census counted, and someone who also thinks about how the fallout from the trends that brought them here can leave longtime residents struggling. That’s the intersection where the District government—and all of us who live here—will find most conflicts come from over the next few years. That’s where the city needs a reasonable voice that can translate one side’s hopes and fears to the other.

Weaver will work toward transparency and accountability in DC politics. He will stand up to the business as usual culture. He will challenge the current Council Members to remember those whom they serve, rather than on the accoutrements of power. On April 26, vote for Bryan Weaver.

[Anonymous]

Just saw Adam Eidinger (of the DC Statehood Silly, er, I mean "Green" Party) made a strong endorsement of Weaver on Twitter. So I'm back to leaning towards Biddle, now.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info, Jeff. A friend of mine was thinking of voting for Alan Page of the Green Party so I was going to vote for him but Weaver has been getting a lot more attention lately. Good to know he is a credible candidate. I'm really tired of the mediocrity we're seeing among candidates for council.

And hey, pp, thanks for posting Adam Eidinger's endorsement. Definitely makes me want to vote for Weaver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the info, Jeff. A friend of mine was thinking of voting for Alan Page of the Green Party so I was going to vote for him but Weaver has been getting a lot more attention lately. Good to know he is a credible candidate. I'm really tired of the mediocrity we're seeing among candidates for council.

And hey, pp, thanks for posting Adam Eidinger's endorsement. Definitely makes me want to vote for Weaver.

You do realize that probably 90% of the electorate in wards 5-8 never heard of Bryan or Adam and don't give a bleep about green party. Demographics haven't changed that much yet.

Bryan is great, but he's a bit of a nudge and likely to alienate some folks on the council. Not that there's anything wrong with that per se, but I wish he had some other citywide job than ANC before jumping into hornet's nest.

Catania's endorsement for Sekou means more to me than anything polar bear hemp master Adam does.

[Anonymous]

Weaver has repeatedly said that he wants to send the best performing teachers to the lowest performing schools. That revolving door has been spun, and it failed. He is an unbending liberal. As for being White-centric: It's true. His base is comprised of liberal, white intellectuals. His newest campaign video has one Black person in it, I believe.

I am voting for Biddle. Did he get the interim seat due to the backing of Brown & Gray. Yes. But that kind of political deal-making is common, and before Brown & Gray got caught doing some stupid shit, no one here blinked. The question then become whether Brown's & Gray's shit should stick to Biddle. I say no. The inference is also that Biddle is now on their pockets. I disagree. Colin Powell got his job at the grace of political insiders. He didn't exactly spend 4 years kissing their ass.

Biddle is the only candidate with a strong background in the field of education. He supported Fenty. He's doing a good job & he doesn't want to raise my taxes. He's a good choice for me & my family.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Weaver has repeatedly said that he wants to send the best performing teachers to the lowest performing schools. That revolving door has been spun, and it failed. He is an unbending liberal. As for being White-centric: It's true. His base is comprised of liberal, white intellectuals. His newest campaign video has one Black person in it, I believe.

I am voting for Biddle. Did he get the interim seat due to the backing of Brown & Gray. Yes. But that kind of political deal-making is common, and before Brown & Gray got caught doing some stupid shit, no one here blinked. The question then become whether Brown's & Gray's shit should stick to Biddle. I say no. The inference is also that Biddle is now on their pockets. I disagree. Colin Powell got his job at the grace of political insiders. He didn't exactly spend 4 years kissing their ass.

Biddle is the only candidate with a strong background in the field of education. He supported Fenty. He's doing a good job & he doesn't want to raise my taxes. He's a good choice for me & my family.

Weaver is proud to be called an unbending liberal. I would be too. Why don't you vote for Patrick Mara if you think "liberal" is a dirty word?

Colin Powell went before the UN Security Council and provided laughable disinformation. Remember the white powder and mobile chemical weapons labs? He sacrificed his honor for his position. But, he had already done the same previously in regard to My Lai in Vietnam. It appears that Biddle's supporters are determined to drag Sekou to similar levels.

Weaver has proposed incentives to attract the same quality of teachers to the underperforming schools as are attracted to the good schools. He wants to see a rising tide raise all boats. What does Biddle propose for underperforming schools? Whatever Kwame tells him?

[Anonymous]

What has been said in two respected newspapers that endorse Weaver are two slightly different things: 1. Weavwe wants to send the highest performing teachers to the lowest performing schools, and 2. Weaver wants to provide incentices for the highest perfoeking teachers to teach at the lowest performing schools. Both of these sound like a revolving door to me, and I'm not sure I like your interpretation of his position much more. The bad teachers need to be fired and replaced with good teachers. Period. That was the Fenty plan, and Biddle supported Fenty in the primary. This indicates what his views on education reform might be.

And yup. Colin Powell did such a good job at doing Bush's bidding that Bush fired him after 4 years. And let's not forget the way he ingratiated himself to his party with his endorsement for President in the 2008 election.

Lots of white intellectuals are proud of being unbendingly liberal, even when their views do not suit their immediate interests. I admit that I want to vote for someone who looks most likely to represent my interests and the interests of my children. And my children would like their teachers at their high performing school to stay put, thank you very much.

I will cast my vote for Biddle with pride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just saw Adam Eidinger (of the DC Statehood Silly, er, I mean "Green" Party) made a strong endorsement of Weaver on Twitter. So I'm back to leaning towards Biddle, now.

I've learned to just ignore Adam Eidinger when he opens his trap regarding neighborhood issues. I wouldn't say he and Weaver are two peas in a pod even if Eidinger presumes to land his space pod on Weaver's campaign.