Catania Throws Down Gauntlet

[Anonymous]

Here is one of the problems, the DME's mandate is limited in the sense that she can address proposals of who can go where, but she cannot change what happens in the school. She cannot touch that policy mandate. So many of us want a policy mandate that addresses what happens inside. I wish the mayoral candidates would figure out their policy on both, because even if I hate the DME ideas, it does not mean boundaries don't need to be addressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is one of the problems, the DME's mandate is limited in the sense that she can address proposals of who can go where, but she cannot change what happens in the school. She cannot touch that policy mandate. So many of us want a policy mandate that addresses what happens inside. I wish the mayoral candidates would figure out their policy on both, because even if I hate the DME ideas, it does not mean boundaries don't need to be addressed.

But then what's all this talk about creating IB/specialty schools all around the city? That's part of her plan.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever noticed that the DCUM endorsement via support by Jeff, a lot of people saying who they would vote for or a blog post are the kiss of death. Can you name one person that has won?

I voted Fenty and Settles, but I have to say talking with my neighbors in Ward 5 there is a very strong feeling that well off WOTP has pulled up the drawbridge and just does not give a damn about the rest of the city. One can dismiss all the claims but there is some truth the fact that most people have no need to go and therefore never see anything outside of well off west side. Cantania will lose if he is viewed as your advocate. The presumption will be that they will lose. Unless we can figure out how the pie expands, I lose if you win.

I supported Grosso very early and not only did he win, he is our best Council Member other than Catania and Catania only wins due to length of service. I also supported and financially contributed to Brianne Nadeau. Regardless I pick who I think is the best candidate. I could easily have picked more winners, but most of those winners are losers.

Catania has been very clear that he wants to expand the pie. Bowser wants to change how the pie is divided. If Ward 5 wants a choice set made up of its current poor choices, please vote for Bowser. If you want a mayor who will work to improve today's options, vote for Catania. If you are going to vote based on your opinion of people in Ward 3, I don't know what to tell you other than that is not a wise strategy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But the Democratic Party has significant GOTV resources, which since Bowser is the D nominee, will be used to help her out. The Powers That Be didn't care so much about helping folks in 7 & 8 get to the polls for the primary. When the consequence is a non-D mayor, lots of folks will care--a lot.

Remember Anita Bonds' at-large campaign last year? She was a weak candidate, but won basically by reminding folks at every turn that she is a Democrat, and her opponents weren't.

Anita Bonds basically ran on being a female Marion Barry. She had nothing to offer in her campaign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does Catania have any chance? How is he polling? If NYC could elect a republican, it could happen here.

There really hasn't been a poll yet. The Post did a preliminary one a month or so ago, and not unexpectedly, it had Bowser beating Catania by 30 some odd points with 30% undecided. But she was in a hotly contested primary and he had not yet announced.

Give him a month or two to increase his visibility. I'm going to guess he cuts the lead in half just as a matter of course, and then the real question will be whether he can get into single digits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever noticed that the DCUM endorsement via support by Jeff, a lot of people saying who they would vote for or a blog post are the kiss of death. Can you name one person that has won?

I voted Fenty and Settles, but I have to say talking with my neighbors in Ward 5 there is a very strong feeling that well off WOTP has pulled up the drawbridge and just does not give a damn about the rest of the city. One can dismiss all the claims but there is some truth the fact that most people have no need to go and therefore never see anything outside of well off west side. Cantania will lose if he is viewed as your advocate. The presumption will be that they will lose. Unless we can figure out how the pie expands, I lose if you win.

I also agree with your conclusion, but I think that it is that he is a poor strategist, not that he is the kiss of death. Jeff always goes with who he supports even if that leaves us in a worse position. But he has supported good people, and some have happened to win. I do wish he would be less idealistic, as it ends up backfiring quite frequently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about matter of right for neighborhood MS and HS?

Exactly. Also the petition on his website only mentioned ES (no reference to MS and HS). Any clues?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever noticed that the DCUM endorsement via support by Jeff, a lot of people saying who they would vote for or a blog post are the kiss of death. Can you name one person that has won?

I voted Fenty and Settles, but I have to say talking with my neighbors in Ward 5 there is a very strong feeling that well off WOTP has pulled up the drawbridge and just does not give a damn about the rest of the city. One can dismiss all the claims but there is some truth the fact that most people have no need to go and therefore never see anything outside of well off west side. Cantania will lose if he is viewed as your advocate. The presumption will be that they will lose. Unless we can figure out how the pie expands, I lose if you win.

I also agree with your conclusion, but I think that it is that he is a poor strategist, not that he is the kiss of death. Jeff always goes with who he supports even if that leaves us in a worse position. But he has supported good people, and some have happened to win. I do wish he would be less idealistic, as it ends up backfiring quite frequently.

I don't think it's anything to do with DCUM having any effect on outcomes. It's just a progressive white blogger thing to not really get the politics and be too idealistic. Greater greater Washington is the same way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:David Catania has been very active on Twitter today:

https://twitter.com/davidcataniadc/status/455365279150014464
I do not share CM Bowser's interest in "choice sets." Period. You can't support them AND want "predictability."

https://twitter.com/davidcataniadc/status/455367165399822336
Subjecting families to a lottery for their DCPS elem. school, by definition, removes "predictability."

https://twitter.com/davidcataniadc/status/455367768276496384
I support strengthening matter-of-right neighborhood schools. Adding additional resources for "at-risk" students is a start!

A savvy political approach: offer solutions that meet all constituent interests (keep neighborhood schools; devote more resources to at-risk students). He's got to get votes from all Wards in order to defeat Bowser, so he needs to add promises to Ward 7 and 8, concerning how to strengthen school offerings, but it looks like a start. Good stuff.

+1

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever noticed that the DCUM endorsement via support by Jeff, a lot of people saying who they would vote for or a blog post are the kiss of death. Can you name one person that has won?

I voted Fenty and Settles, but I have to say talking with my neighbors in Ward 5 there is a very strong feeling that well off WOTP has pulled up the drawbridge and just does not give a damn about the rest of the city. One can dismiss all the claims but there is some truth the fact that most people have no need to go and therefore never see anything outside of well off west side. Cantania will lose if he is viewed as your advocate. The presumption will be that they will lose. Unless we can figure out how the pie expands, I lose if you win.

I also agree with your conclusion, but I think that it is that he is a poor strategist, not that he is the kiss of death. Jeff always goes with who he supports even if that leaves us in a worse position. But he has supported good people, and some have happened to win. I do wish he would be less idealistic, as it ends up backfiring quite frequently.

I don't think it's anything to do with DCUM having any effect on outcomes. It's just a progressive white blogger thing to not really get the politics and be too idealistic. Greater greater Washington is the same way.

I can't speak for GGW, but my choices have had nothing to do with not "getting" DC politics. I simply refuse to capitulate to cynicism and give up on the idea that things can be better. Being too idealistic is not a criticism that particularly troubles me. I have backed several candidates that I knew full well faced very long odds. There has only been one recent election in which I was actually shocked. That was last year's At Large election when Silverman did better and Frumin did worse than I expected. Otherwise, elections have basically met my expectations, if not my hopes.

[Anonymous]

Has Catania given any specifics on what he means by "adding additional resources for 'at-risk' students"?

[Anonymous]

Is anyone thinking about the black voters in this city. So what if he has all the answers and solutions, the majority will not vote for a white man. He needs to get out in the community and align himself with the political machines in DC. It pisses me off she will win just b/c she looks like the majority.

--signed black woman from ward 8

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever noticed that the DCUM endorsement via support by Jeff, a lot of people saying who they would vote for or a blog post are the kiss of death. Can you name one person that has won?

I voted Fenty and Settles, but I have to say talking with my neighbors in Ward 5 there is a very strong feeling that well off WOTP has pulled up the drawbridge and just does not give a damn about the rest of the city. One can dismiss all the claims but there is some truth the fact that most people have no need to go and therefore never see anything outside of well off west side. Cantania will lose if he is viewed as your advocate. The presumption will be that they will lose. Unless we can figure out how the pie expands, I lose if you win.

I also agree with your conclusion, but I think that it is that he is a poor strategist, not that he is the kiss of death. Jeff always goes with who he supports even if that leaves us in a worse position. But he has supported good people, and some have happened to win. I do wish he would be less idealistic, as it ends up backfiring quite frequently.

I don't think it's anything to do with DCUM having any effect on outcomes. It's just a progressive white blogger thing to not really get the politics and be too idealistic. Greater greater Washington is the same way.

To the original opinion, I thought the same thing for weeks. This board does nothing for politicians. The heart of DC is not represented on this board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has Catania given any specifics on what he means by "adding additional resources for 'at-risk' students"?

He has pending legislation that would increase funding to schools that have a number of at risk characteristics. This would be an addition to the current allocations.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever noticed that the DCUM endorsement via support by Jeff, a lot of people saying who they would vote for or a blog post are the kiss of death. Can you name one person that has won?

I voted Fenty and Settles, but I have to say talking with my neighbors in Ward 5 there is a very strong feeling that well off WOTP has pulled up the drawbridge and just does not give a damn about the rest of the city. One can dismiss all the claims but there is some truth the fact that most people have no need to go and therefore never see anything outside of well off west side. Cantania will lose if he is viewed as your advocate. The presumption will be that they will lose. Unless we can figure out how the pie expands, I lose if you win.

I also agree with your conclusion, but I think that it is that he is a poor strategist, not that he is the kiss of death. Jeff always goes with who he supports even if that leaves us in a worse position. But he has supported good people, and some have happened to win. I do wish he would be less idealistic, as it ends up backfiring quite frequently.

I don't think it's anything to do with DCUM having any effect on outcomes. It's just a progressive white blogger thing to not really get the politics and be too idealistic. Greater greater Washington is the same way.

I can't speak for GGW, but my choices have had nothing to do with not "getting" DC politics. I simply refuse to capitulate to cynicism and give up on the idea that things can be better. Being too idealistic is not a criticism that particularly troubles me. I have backed several candidates that I knew full well faced very long odds. There has only been one recent election in which I was actually shocked. That was last year's At Large election when Silverman did better and Frumin did worse than I expected. Otherwise, elections have basically met my expectations, if not my hopes.

Fair enough.