Reply to Marion Barry Rant about Tom Sherwood

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[quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous]
You mention Barry's early civil rights work.  I'll concede the point, although many veterans of the struggle say Barry's role suffers from much self-aggradizement.  But please name any good that Barry did as mayor, other than unintentionally usher in the control board.[/quote]

Barry's first term, while not perfect, was pretty good. Here is what the Washington Post says about it:

"With City Administrator Elijah B. Rogers imposing stringent spending controls, the city's bloated payroll was trimmed by 10 percent, largely through attrition, and finances were cleaned up to the point where the city's books could be audited successfully for the first time in history.

Downtown construction boomed -- 70 new buildings were begun or completed during Barry's first term -- and the mayor prided himself on helping developers cut through red tape and secure permits."

Moreover, Barry didn't inherit a well-run, financially-sound government. Walter Washington left him a mess. It may sound hard to believe now, but the Washington Post actually endorsed Barry for his first three terms. Barry used the city government as a jobs program and today that is considered a huge negative in many quarters. But, it's impact on providing jobs for DC's black residents helped create a black middle class that previously didn't exist. A huge number of people were housed, educated, and employed thanks to his efforts. Today, those benefits are eclipsed by the other side of the coin: bloated, inefficient, government. But, the positive impact on people's lives was real.

Make no mistake, Barry's promise and early success was undermined by his addictions and personal failings. He went on to gain a well-earned reputation for incompetence and corruption. He is justifiably criticized for those shortcomings. But, we should recognize that there is more to him than that.
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