Are you voting for Fenty or Gray?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And most of us don't give a rat's ass about dog parks in a city with as many problems as DC.

And here's the crux of the problem. We can address our problems as a city exactly to the extent that we can attract and keep middle-class and upper-class residents. Period. There was a time in the not too distant past, when the overriding philosophy at City Hall was that you bleed the taxpayers in the far NW dry, and create thousands and thousands of jobs for the chronically unemployable. Police officers used to have to buy their own damned tires back in the day. But the folks who got all those patronage jobs managed to create a middle-class life for themselves and their kids--mostly by moving to the suburbs. That model is unsustainable.

You can't just turn the city into one big homeless shelter until global poverty is eliminated. And that's the sentiment behind your not "giving a rat's ass" about *any* services that appeal to the middle-class until all the "real" problems are fixed.

[Anonymous]

I support Fenty. He is getting things done. I know he is pissing off people but that is good not bad. Lets take DC public schools. The individuals directly responsible for the sorry state of DC schools include the Ed Board, school administration, many teachers, teachers union, many parents. Those individuals are directly responsible for the sorry state, so why listen to them. Waste of time!! DC is filled with people who have their own views on every issue. The problem is most of those views are worthless. While no doubt some of those individuals have a few good ideas, one can spend tons of time and energy sorting through the views and the motives underlying them. That time and energy is then not being spent on doing what needs to get done.

[Anonymous]

Fenty is going to lose and it's almost a Greek tragedy.

Everything about him that made him a success is precisely what is his downfall. (Oh, and the arrogance - a phenomenon unto itself!) How perfect that he will exemplify pride going before the fall.

For the record, he could have had the support of the parents of 28,000 DC school children - had he only not considered himself above the law. Alas, the law says that charters have first right of refusal on public buildings. And Fenty thought public buildings were an excellent way to enrich his fraternity brother supporters at the expense of DC taxpayers with no-one being the wiser.

How arrogant to think we were all so stupid.

I can't even make myself feel sorry for you, Adrian. You deserve this, for convincing yourself that you're above the law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I support Fenty. He is getting things done. I know he is pissing off people but that is good not bad. Lets take DC public schools. The individuals directly responsible for the sorry state of DC schools include the Ed Board, school administration, many teachers, teachers union, many parents. Those individuals are directly responsible for the sorry state, so why listen to them. Waste of time!! DC is filled with people who have their own views on every issue. The problem is most of those views are worthless. While no doubt some of those individuals have a few good ideas, one can spend tons of time and energy sorting through the views and the motives underlying them. That time and energy is then not being spent on doing what needs to get done.

Can you pretend to care one iota about all the children in the District's public schools, instead of a select few. What about the children attending the charters. There is no concern for them right now as your child may be attending a thriving DCPS. What happens when that thriving DCPS becomes overcrowded because the students attending charters have to return to DCPS due to lack of building facilities. Afterall, the closed schools were given to developers for condos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I support Fenty. He is getting things done. I know he is pissing off people but that is good not bad. Lets take DC public schools. The individuals directly responsible for the sorry state of DC schools include the Ed Board, school administration, many teachers, teachers union, many parents. Those individuals are directly responsible for the sorry state, so why listen to them. Waste of time!! DC is filled with people who have their own views on every issue. The problem is most of those views are worthless. While no doubt some of those individuals have a few good ideas, one can spend tons of time and energy sorting through the views and the motives underlying them. That time and energy is then not being spent on doing what needs to get done.

Can you pretend to care one iota about all the children in the District's public schools, instead of a select few. What about the children attending the charters. There is no concern for them right now as your child may be attending a thriving DCPS. What happens when that thriving DCPS becomes overcrowded because the students attending charters have to return to DCPS due to lack of building facilities. Afterall, the closed schools were given to developers for condos.

I feel you, PP, but you don't have to worry. This election is already over. Gray IS the new mayor.

[Anonymous]

Marion Barry supports Gray. Enough said.

[Anonymous]

He supported Fenty in 2006. What is your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Marion Barry supports Gray. Enough said.

Yeah, and convicted felons are supporting Fenty, what's your point. Oh, you don't have one.

And, did you have those same concerns about Fenty when he solicited Barry's endorsement in 2006 and asked for it again in 2010. Fenty very much wanted Barry's support, so that he could use it in advertising in Wards 7 and 8. I am not mad at him, that's politics. But don't kid yourself that had offered, Fenty would not have accepted the 2010 endorsement like he accepted the 2006 endorsement. Fenty solicited Barry's support for this election. Sorta, like the way he is trying to solicit the president of the U.S. endorsement. Good luck with that. hahahahaha

[Anonymous]

People don't like it but the bottom line about Barry is that he delivers votes - like or not. And any DC politician that wants to win needs his support.

[Anonymous]

My favorite Barry/Fenty incident is from last year when Barry complained not about the general idea of Fenty's frat brother cronies overcharging the city for their bogus "pass-through" companies, but about the fact that Fenty had limited the circle of graft to such a small number of people. Had Fenty let Barry's inner circle in on the thievery, today's endorsement situation would be different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I support Fenty. He is getting things done. I know he is pissing off people but that is good not bad. Lets take DC public schools. The individuals directly responsible for the sorry state of DC schools include the Ed Board, school administration, many teachers, teachers union, many parents. Those individuals are directly responsible for the sorry state, so why listen to them. Waste of time!! DC is filled with people who have their own views on every issue. The problem is most of those views are worthless. While no doubt some of those individuals have a few good ideas, one can spend tons of time and energy sorting through the views and the motives underlying them. That time and energy is then not being spent on doing what needs to get done.

Can you pretend to care one iota about all the children in the District's public schools, instead of a select few. What about the children attending the charters. There is no concern for them right now as your child may be attending a thriving DCPS. What happens when that thriving DCPS becomes overcrowded because the students attending charters have to return to DCPS due to lack of building facilities. Afterall, the closed schools were given to developers for condos.

I feel you, PP, but you don't have to worry. This election is already over. Gray IS the new mayor.

I agree with the Fenty supporter here. Gray no doubt will win. to the detriment of DC. Yes. Charter school students need to be considered. BUT the immediate focus must be on continuing to fix the public schools. And, while Gray will spend his time listening to everybody and trying to make everybody happy, DC public school students will suffer. One could easily say that the currrent school admin has NOT fired enough people. The bottom line is do you spend your time ensuring that some fired teacher was given proper notice or ensuring that DC students get the best education possible as soon as possible. That is THE real choice!!! DC youth needs a school system that has a laser like focus on them, NOT us adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I support Fenty. He is getting things done. I know he is pissing off people but that is good not bad. Lets take DC public schools. The individuals directly responsible for the sorry state of DC schools include the Ed Board, school administration, many teachers, teachers union, many parents. Those individuals are directly responsible for the sorry state, so why listen to them. Waste of time!! DC is filled with people who have their own views on every issue. The problem is most of those views are worthless. While no doubt some of those individuals have a few good ideas, one can spend tons of time and energy sorting through the views and the motives underlying them. That time and energy is then not being spent on doing what needs to get done.

Can you pretend to care one iota about all the children in the District's public schools, instead of a select few. What about the children attending the charters. There is no concern for them right now as your child may be attending a thriving DCPS. What happens when that thriving DCPS becomes overcrowded because the students attending charters have to return to DCPS due to lack of building facilities. Afterall, the closed schools were given to developers for condos.

I feel you, PP, but you don't have to worry. This election is already over. Gray IS the new mayor.

I agree with the Fenty supporter here. Gray no doubt will win. to the detriment of DC. Yes. Charter school students need to be considered. BUT the immediate focus must be on continuing to fix the public schools. And, while Gray will spend his time listening to everybody and trying to make everybody happy, DC public school students will suffer. One could easily say that the currrent school admin has NOT fired enough people. The bottom line is do you spend your time ensuring that some fired teacher was given proper notice or ensuring that DC students get the best education possible as soon as possible. That is THE real choice!!! DC youth needs a school system that has a laser like focus on them, NOT us adults.

Um, no. That makes no sense.

There is absolutely ZERO reason why DCPS can't continue to improve AND the Mayor could follow the law and let charters have closed facilities. There is NO EXCUSE for why these cannot occur in tandem. It doesn't take one second of time from the brain trust at 825 North Capitol, for the OPM to address the bids made by charter schools.

That is out and out fraud, an attempt to enrich the Mayor's friends at the expense of DC school children AND taxpayers.

[Anonymous]

to 17:00 - If Rhee were to say that she would work for the children of the District irrespective of who the Mayor was, would that impact your thinking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:to 17:00 - If Rhee were to say that she would work for the children of the District irrespective of who the Mayor was, would that impact your thinking?

The issue is not simply Rhee. Fenty has given Rhee unconditional support, event though he knows that she is one reason he may lose this election. Gray is not capable of giving that level of support. He by nature wants to please everybody. One can't improve the schools while pleasing everybody. Not possible!!! Much of the current poltical/social/educational/etc leadership in DC is directly responsible for the system's current state of affairs. I agree fully with the previous comment about "laser like focus." You want either to improve the school system or to please the current establishment. Both is NOT possible.

[Anonymous]

This is a major problem for Fenty:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/debonis/2010/09/bill_slover_challenges_fentys.html

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2010/09/10/bill-slover-goes-after-fenty/comment-page-1/#comment-3008

How can Fenty supporters defend this?