--That's heavy dude…
From: wardfive@googlegroups.com [mailto:wardfive@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Rob
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2012 1:18 PM
To: ward5@yahoogroups.com; Ward 5 Google Groups
Subject: [WardFive] Re: [ward5] What is D.C. willing to give to get local budget autonomy? By Patrick Mara, Published: September 14
Hello Robby,
Why should we who are not GAY fight for Marriage Equality???
I don't see you and most of the rest vocally fighting for "RESTAURANT LIQUOR LICENCE EQUALITY and OUTDOOR SEATING EQUALITY? So, I am thinking of only supporting WHITE MARRIAGE EQUALITY if they treat me to some Authentic Italian Pizza - but only if they promise not to serve Liquor to Gays who are Black!!
For GAY BLACK HOMOSEXUALS, I am thinking about put forth a Referendum that GAY BLACKS have to wait for 3 years before allowing for Marriage Application to be processed but not before signing a VOLUNTARY AGREEMENT that promises to not take trash out your back door of your house because you might slip After Hours "Parties/hookers/drunk partners" into your house without the community knowing and "party it up" !!!
I will understand if Most of the Self Proclaimed "Progressive" Whites don't say anything because they either are only focused on GAY RIGHTS on Rhode Island Ave because Brookland/12th Street is so really away from Rhode Island Ave or they prefer eating Pizza every day, not realizing that the Pizza place has no parking for Gays or Heterosexuals!!
And lets not forgot about some of the Active Gay folks in Brookland - those are the ones who only want Vocal support for Gay rights by Heterosexuals but rather brush under the oppressive behavior of neighbors just so that we can focus on "positive" things in the community.
Maybe Gay rights / Marriage Equality is not so positive after all. That's the bridges I want to bulld/cross coming into Brookland and connecting our Woodridge, Eckington, Michigan Park and Brookland Communities.
Imagine if I stood by and watch a Homosexual person get beaten and did nothing but silently say - "Personally, I think you were treated wrong" but just stood by silently and watch the Hainous ACT occur!!
Tell me again why Heterosexuals should fight for Marriage Equality when so many of you stood by and watched the hateful ACTS of Don & Abigail Padous and Co. against the Cafe and said nothing!!!
We should eat a Veggie Burger and have a beer and talk about being a Responsible Member of the "Community".
Rob Ramson
On Mon, Sep 17, 2012 at 8:49 PM, RobbyCU <RobbyCU@yahoo.com> wrote:
This a very fair a well written opinion piece. We should focus on what we can get. We should give up the gun laws for example, but fight for Abortion and marriage equality. We wont have budget autonomy. We could reach of non-taxation vs statehood. That could appeal to the tea party. It may also help us attract businesses.
___________________________________________
"In everything you do. Always be yourself"- Lee Hall, Billy Elliot
From: KPW <WKPW3@aol.com>
To: ward5@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2012 6:41 PM
Subject: [ward5] What is D.C. willing to give to get local budget autonomy? By Patrick Mara, Published: September 14
Opinions
What is D.C. willing to give to get local budget autonomy?
By Patrick Mara, Published: September 14
D.C. Republicans recently went to Tampa for the Republican National Convention with what was essentially a defensive message: Scandals and the intolerable conduct of our elected officials are no justification for limiting the rights of D.C. residents. Unsurprisingly, our efforts to win support for local budget autonomy fell on deaf ears. In the end, the Republican Party platform stated in no uncertain terms that the District should continue to be controlled by the federal government.
A week later, it was D.C. Democrats' turn, and they stormed into Charlotte demanding, "Statehood now!" Their pitch was relegated to a fenced-in protest pen, set up to accommodate Occupiers and other fringe activists. Inside the convention, the D.C. delegation was placed in nosebleed seats that were truly the worst in the house.
How did we get here? In 2009 and 2010, Democrats were on top of the world. A few months into his term, President Obama's party enjoyed a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and held sway over the House. One would think that these Democrats would do something — anything — to advance the aspirations of the District residents who vote so reliably Democratic. But no. There was no autonomy, no voting rights, no statehood, no statues in the Capitol. Nothing.
Few Americans are aware of the special disenfranchisement that District residents are subjected to. We pay federal taxes but have no voting representation in Congress. Perhaps more unfathomable, we do not even control how our locally raised tax dollars are spent. No other city in America suffers our plight.
The result is predictable. Members of Congress have voters back home to answer to. For many, hot-button social issues such as abortion and guns will always matter far more than do the rights of D.C. residents. For others — particularly those who represent Virginia and Maryland — allowing D.C. statehood would be the equivalent of imposing a commuter tax on their constituents.
In other words, even if Congress cared about our gripes, its chief concern and responsibility would still be to voters who are not us.
When we try to fight for budget autonomy, the debate inevitably shifts to guns, abortion, gay marriage, needle exchange or some other social issue. And we lose every time when the battle isn't on our terms.
It's time to face reality. The federal government holds all the cards. D.C. Democrats need to start working with Capitol Hill Republicans for the achievable end of budget autonomy. Both sides must be willing to compromise a little. But the District probably needs to give a little more.
Also, the debate surely cannot be about statehood. That is a pie in the sky. If overwhelming Democratic political control of Congress and the White House didn't produce statehood for the District, surely it is not going to happen when power is shared or when Republicans are in control. Republicans know full well that any state of New Columbia would reliably elect two Democratic senators long into the future.
While I support the concept of statehood for the District, close to zero Republicans on the Hill (and I'm probably being generous with the "close to") support it. On the other side, many, if not most, Democrats likewise oppose statehood. Both Democratic senators from Maryland and both Democratic senators from Virginia oppose it.
Powerful Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer recently spoke out against a commuter tax when a mere discussion on the subject was suggested by Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
What the District needs is a reset moment. We need civil discussions with members of Congress. Rather than numerous public fights on abortion, guns and statehood, we need to do much more behind-the-scenes groundwork. And the debate must be confined to the simple matter of spending our local tax dollars.
The reality is that we have friends and foes on both sides of the aisle. D.C. leaders need to figure out what they're willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of budget autonomy. Republicans will want something in return, as will Democrats. Maryland and Virginia are going to need assurances, too.
When the District is able to articulate where it is willing to compromise, we may actually get something. Congress has offered deals before, only to be turned down by the city. How much longer will D.C. residents tolerate a stubborn all-or-nothing posture that has gotten us nothing?
A better approach is to give Congress something it wants, get something we want in return and find a way to get more down the road.
The writer, a Republican, is a member of the D.C. State Board of Education.
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R. Ramson
3744 12th Street, N.E.,
Washington D.C., 20017
202-438-5988
"We must become the change we want to see" - Mohandas Gandhi-
(Together, for a Brighter Tomorrow)
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R. Ramson
3744 12th Street, N.E.,
Washington D.C., 20017
202-438-5988
"We must become the change we want to see" - Mohandas Gandhi-
(Together, for a Brighter Tomorrow)
--
WardFive@googlegroups.com is open to WardFive residents for community discussion and information sharing.
To post to this group, send email to wardfive@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to wardfive+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/wardfive?hl=en
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