Reply to Cheh's Ward 3 ANC Gerrymandering

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What's happened to the Cleveland Park - what do we call them? NIMBYs? Ruling class? They were a force to be reckoned with back in the day. Now they are losing everything they would have won a decade ago. I guess either the times they are a changin, or maybe it's that they never had any organized pushback like they have now. This whole thread - the lashing out and attacks - they've become a bit of a spectacle.  And not just here. There was that nutty lady at the council redistricting hearing talking about dark money. And the signs that reminded everyone of "stop the steal." It's all just very sad.

It seems like the same 15 or 20 people that have been around forever. Where's the next generation of CP anti-change people?[/quote]

So ironic that you reference “stop the steal” when the task force member who pushed the neighborhood split (and is part of the Smart Growth lobby) is so connected to Trumpworld, the national GOP and even Russian meddling in Ukrainian politics.  And it’s worth noting that CP Smart Growth has been exposed as a non-transparent, [b]astroturf group[/b] formed by a political consultant.  It’s basically [b]the same handful of people retweeting each other’s posts in an echo chamber and meeting over beer and wings at Nanny O'Briens[/b].  They have had some political success, to be sure.  When one works with Manafort and the guy who did the Willie Horton ad, you learn to play an aggressive game.[/quote]

The wings at Nanny's are good, so I'll give them credit for that. But if it is such a small echo chamber, why are they winning? If most people don't agree with them, it would seem no amount of retweeting each others tweets would be very effective. "Astroturf" implies there is no grassroots support, which I think has been disproven in a pretty compelling way given the engagement we've seen for things like the Macklin, the last ANC election, Connecticut Ave lane study, support for more CT Av density. There are actually a lot of residents that agree with them.  And I think this continued succession of defeats is contributing to this truly bizarre level of person attacks that have nothing to do with redistricting or any of these other issues. What I don't see is the next generation of residents that will wage the battles to preserve the status quo, so maybe we are nearing the end of an error.[/quote]

Why are "they" winning?  Smart Growth signed up an experienced operative who forms advocacy group, poll tests and crafts messaging for private interests.  This is what his firm does for a living.  He's very effective at what he does, and engages resources to create and push content across social media channels.  Ward and his opaque group organize and provide material support to candidates, something that nonprofit community-based orgs are prohibited from doing.  He's essentially the campaign manager and spokesperson for Beau Finley right now and has recruited and backed ANC candidates and commissioners who will push the Smart Growth agenda.  He got himself and two associates appointed to the redistricting task force where they pushed for a "radical" redistricting (Chairman Mendelson's conclusion) of the local ANC, departing from Council guidelines and norms.  This is not unlike the aggressive moves that other GOP operatives are making across the country to disregard rules and brazenly gerrymander electoral districts to enhance the chance of winning in the next elections.  It is disturbing that Cheh would hand over the redistricting pen to a Republican operative so connected to the Trump campaign and some of of more notorious national GOP political practitioners, not to mention who just four years ago was working with someone under felony indictment and Russian state interests to interfere with democracy in Ukraine.  Yes, it's true that community residents have been playing a game of stickball compared to a major league Trumpworld pollster and operative.[/quote]

BS. Bob Ward didn't come to Ward 3 Vision until a few years ago. The group came togeher in the 2000's in response to all of the NIMBY fights over Martens, Babes, GDS, 5220 Wisconsin Ave and the Wisconsin Avenue Giant. All volunteers, no money, just passion for better urban planning, better transportation options and more affordable housing. Over the ensuing 15 years, we have seen a sea change in the politics at the ANC, Council and Mayor level. That isn't some right wing conspiracy, that is good liberal policies that the Biden Administration has fully embraced.

Maybe ask yourself why you are opposing development fights and bike lanes that are 100% part of the Biden agenda?[/quote]

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