We have confirmed the following four Democratic candidates who are entering the Special Election in Council District 4.
Former Board of Education President Nancy Navarro
Navarro lost to Don Praisner last year in a tight race. We recommend Dan Reed's interview from a year ago.
Delegate Ben Kramer (D-19)
Kramer's father is former County Executive Sid Kramer. His sister is District 14 Senator Rona Kramer. Ben Kramer has run for County Council twice before. In 1994, he won the Democratic nomination in District 2 and was defeated by Nancy Dacek. In 1998, he finished 7th of 8 candidates in the Democratic at-large primary.
Former Montgomery County Civic Federation President Cary Lamari
Lamari considered running last year but dropped out to support Don Praisner.
Former Montgomery County Red Cross Executive Director Chris Paladino
A first-time candidate, Paladino has international disaster relief experience working with the National Red Cross.
Maryland Moment carried the news on Navarro and Kramer. We confirmed the intentions of Lamari and Paladino directly with the candidates themselves.
We will have much more on this race in coming weeks.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Who's Running in District 4
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26 comments:
Very interesting. Seems like basically a head to head between Kramer and Navarro.
But so many questions now!
1. Perhaps the civics and progressive activists will recognize the Kramer threat here and back Navarro this time? Will the handful of civics considering Lamari spoil the race toward Kramer?
2. And will business and developers flock to Kramer? I don't think he's run very well in the past -- losing a few races and barely making it into office in 06. Or will they hedge their bets and play it safe....?
3. And who is Chris Paladino? Anyone know anything more about him? Seems destined to be the Kanstoroom or Pat Ryan of the crowd, no? Where is he likely to draw his support from?
4. Does this race now dash hopes that business and labor could forge coalitions of interest, rather than coalitions of convenience? Even Elrich seems to be playing with the developers lately -- but does that all come to an end with Kramer in office?
Fun!
It will doubtless fascinate you to know that of the Democrats, I personally preferred either Mr Praisner or Mr Ryan to the other Democrats, though of course I had the same apprehension a lot of people did, that Mr Praisner might not be able to finish out Ms Praisner's term. Thus Mr Ryan would have been my top choice, a fairly conservative Democrat. I need not mention that the more leftish the Democrat, the less I liked them.
But the question remains: who will step forward to carry on the Praisners' dedication to detail and sound policies favoring Slow Growth and Fiscal Prudence?
Thomas, isn't the real question -- of the two viable candidates (Kramer and Navarro) -- who is more likely to carry on the "Praisners' dedication to detail and sound policies favoring Slow Growth and Fiscal Prudence."
Answer seems obvious to me, since one of the two contenders is a developer! Heh.
Who is Chris Paladino - great question! I've spent most of my career in social services and the last few years in business, and I love solving problems. I'm running for the District 4 seat because I really look forward to constituent service - taking calls from people who need help, and working with them to find an answer.
I've been slowly talking to people in the District as well as some elected officials about running for the seat in 2010, but Don's very sad passing has moved up my time frame. I hope you'll visit my Web site next week (www.chrispaladino.org) to learn more about me, and I believe I can win.
I have a strong background of results in the non-profit world and in business, and if you're looking for someone who not only talks about fiscal responsibility but has put it into action - with real results - then you might find yourself thinking, "this is a guy I could vote for!"
I've heard a lot of neighbors, friends and people I've met around our community lament how hard it is to get someone new to run for office. It often seems to be the same names and faces running again or changing seats.
I believe our nation was founded on the idea of citizen-legislators, and I'm not doing this to launch a “political career.” I'll serve District 4 as long as you'll have me, and I'll go back to being a citizen and businessperson after that.
I am committed to
• representing local interests on the Council
• having an open mind and listening to all sides of an issue
• voting one way or another because it's the right thing to do and never because of how it might affect my run for another office down the line, and
• always explaining why I chose a position - just ask.
I’m asking for your vote because I believe I can bring real change and a new way of thinking about issues to Montgomery County politics.
Call me any time (well, not TOO early or late!) if you would like to talk - would love to hear your advice (301-910-6199).
--Chris Paladino
This wonk wants not only the legacy of the Praisners' dedication to detail and sound policies favoring reasoned growth and fiscal prudence, but also something that Marilyn did like no other, and Don also highly valued:
exceptional constituent service. Remember, this is a district council office.
Those of us who reside in D-4 have received superb constituent services from the D-4 Council Office staff, and from the holder of the office who inspires such a commitment.
foolia said "4. Does this race now dash hopes that business and labor could forge coalitions of interest, rather than coalitions of convenience?"
Perhaps progressives don't know to what extent developers and business funded and participated in Navarro's campaign.
When Sharon Cox (the self named "stealth Republican") was chair of the Board of Education she did sleezy, sneaky things like conspire with Weast with closed BOE meetings to try to sell "surplus" MCPS land. That anti-transparent behavior one might expect from a conservative and Republican.
Navarro, Weast and others got caught secretly conspiring on her last campaign. Navarro participated in closed meetings that agreed to close the special ed learning centers. Navarro chaired the BOE on multi-million dollar procurements of electornic blackboards that County Council staff has said are "unauthorized procurements". Navarro chaired closed meetings the Maryland Open Meeting Compliance Board found were closed illegally.
It seems Navarroo is an unworthy successor to the Praisners.
Is tranparency a core value for progressives?
sheldon fishman
progrssive democrat who supports transpanrency.
Sheldon, going back to my original question, since Ben Kramer is far from the "transparency" candidate -- more like the corporate candidate -- are people still going to have an irrational hissy fit and invent reasons to not support a more moderate candidate (ie: Navarro)? It reminds me of the whole question of justifying war in Iraq -- the Bushies knew they wanted to do it, but the reasons why kept shifting.
Without development on the table, now it is transparency? Give me a break. This is especially more suspicious since you yourself were once a candidate and have your own alliances -- AND if I read your comments correctly, it sounds like you're trying to tar one candidate with the actions of Sharon Cox, no? You weave open meetings questions in with narrative about Cox and other expenditures as if they're all causally connected.
But even without that, the term "progressive" seems to keep changing its definition to fit whomever a certain clique in MoCo seems to support.
I think your clique's politics are FAR from progressive politics - and I find ZERO correlation between progressive politics and what certain segments of the county have been trying to do with immigration, transit, jobs, economic justice, etc. And the sad thing is all this poisonous talk is coming from people who try to label themselves as "progressive."
Progressive politics for me has to include balancing economic justice, process questions, disparate impact (ie: race, gender, sexual orientation) and other factors together in land use, budgetary and other decisions. But it means you have to think about it. If everything is based on inductive reasoning and we know where certain politicians will always come out on an issue, they can't possibly take the progressive mantle - because they are too rigid in their thinking and won't adapt.
Our esteemed Executive certainly doesn't help here either, as Ike "finger in the wind" Leggett provides ZERO leadership on trying to make tough decisions and steer the dialogue. So sad, but we'll have to see what 2010 portends.
Here we go again. Slash and burn politics by "progressives." With "progressives" like Sheldon Fishman who needs enemies? Sheldon must be in a hurry to cut off his nose to spite his face because he appears so willing to distort the facts just to win the disinformation campaign. Goebbelsian tactics that must make Goebbels proud are being deployed here. Disgraceful is all I can say. One sees desperation all over Sheldon's postings. Kramer v Navarro, that one should be a no-brainer. Why anyone would want to go near Ben Kramer is beyond me. But stranger things have happened. Republicans once swore that Palin was more qualified (to be something) than Barack Obama! Go figure.
Now for the facts: Sheldon, please provide the document that shows Council staff declaring that the purchase of promethean boards was unauthorized. And yes, the Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board recently gave an advisory opinion that stated the opposite of what you just alleged: The MoCo Board did not violate Open Meetings Act when it met recently in closed session and in its several meetings with the County Council. It found however that the resolution on closed session needed more specificity in the language. I will find the opinion and post it in its entirety so people can figure you out. That is different from the tales you just spun and you know the truth; these are the kinds of tactics that have ruined your credibility and those of your merry band of elite coalition of MCPS bashers. These are the kinds of tactics that have kept you safely out of elected office in this county.
Please feel free to join Ben Krame's bandwagon. It is your right and good luck, the guy appears to be a piece of work.
My real questions to you Sheldon are these: Don't you think it would be respectful to have someone on the Council that represents the face of District 4? Should that seat belong to a dynasty? Who is afraid of Nancy Navarro? You? Why?
Watch my name in the coming months. Minorities are getting tired of being marginalized by an elite coalition of people who believe they are entitled to special privileges. Their opinions are the law or it is the highway for the rest of us. We are going to form a force for good that protects all of us from the needless abuse that you Sheldon and your five or six other friends have been heaping on the people of Montgomery County. And those of you who forced Don Praisner into this seat, I hope you are all happy now. Why are we even wasting money on yet another special election? Was Nancy Navarro not a close second? Just let her have the seat. I know, I know, it is the law. The law is an ass. Watch this space. More coming. I am a minority, I live in District 4 and I am tired of taking the condescension from the likes of Sheldon Fishman. We are not going to complain, we are going to organize to take back our destiny from these few folks who think they are all that!
- Genevieve Mamuna
We need someone who is homeowner-friendly on the council. The council just voted unanimously to give us the biggest property tax increase in 20 years--a 13.5% increase.
Mr. Kramer and Ms. Navarro are not homeowner friendly. They both were strong opponents of Question B on the November ballot(property tax relief). Question B passed in District 4 by 2,000 votes.
Question B, which requires 9 votes to exceed the charter property tax limit, will keep the council under control this year because there are only 8 council members.
But in 2010, there will be a big push, just like there was in 2006, to use the homeowners as ATMs and buy primary votes. The county budget in 2006 increased 14.6%. Only a homeowner-friendly council member, neither Mr. Kramer nor Ms. Navarro, would resist a big property tax increase next year.
I would like to see someone like Stuart Rochester fill this seat on a temporary basis. He has the integrity and many years of service to the east county to keep Marilyn and Don's agenda on track in the short term until the next election. We cannot risk having Ben Kramer get the seat.
"I would like to see someone like Stuart Rochester fill this seat on a temporary basis. He has the integrity and many years of service to the east county to keep Marilyn and Don's agenda on track in the short term until the next election. We cannot risk having Ben Kramer get the seat."
- "Hank"
I rest my case. Even in the face of all the demographic changes in our district, there is hardly any talk about promoting a leadership that represents the true face of the district (and the County by the way). No it is all about Marilyn this and Don that. The comments on this blog are oh so revealing. The next time someone tells me that MoCo is the garden of progressives (blah! blah!! blah!!!) I shall barf. Well, it is up to the people. If the people of District 4 allow someone as scary as Ben Kramer to represent them, then they deserve the disrespect they are getting from the likes of Sheldon Fishman and "Hank."
- Genevieve
Genevieve said...
....
"Now for the facts: Sheldon, please provide the document that shows Council staff declaring that the purchase of promethean boards was unauthorized."
County Staff analysis:
"MCPS contends that e-rate funds are not subject to separate appropriation. Council staff disagrees with this assertion and recommends that the funds come to the Council for appropriation when they are received. "
source: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/council/pdf/agenda/cm/2009/090202/20090202_ED01.pdf
In that same document, Council staff says this about transparency of Navarro's BOE and MCPS:
"expanding this initiative raise significant questions about how oversight and approval authority were used in this case. MCPS has entered into a major multi-year funding commitment with no apparent public discussion in a difficult fiscal environment."
In the Sentinel, Wayne Goldstein, a staunch advocate of good government said this about Nancy Navarro's leadership of BOE:
"New BOE Worse Than Old BOE In Defying Community Expectations
by Wayne Goldstein MCCF Education Committee
It was the behavior of the "old" BOE concerning the Seven Locks Elementary School (SLES) Projects that became the hallmark of its multiple failures to be transparent and to listen to community concerns, ultimately persuading several BOE members not to seek reelection. It is the very recent behavior of the "new" BOE concerning Special Education Learning Centers (SELCs) that may become the hallmark of its failures to be transparent and to listen to community concerns, perhaps having similar effects on their political aspirations. There are striking parallels in the behavior of both MCPS and BOE on these two matters."
source: http://www.montgomerycivic.org/documents/sentinel/20070308.asp
My point is simple. Inductive reasoning based on issue after issue, Nancy Navarro has displayed a lack of transparency. I hope that voters of District 4 elect a progressive who is a friend of transparency and accountability.
The District 4 councilmember votes on issues impacting all of us. But I do not live in District 4 and do not plan to post any more about District 4 election.
sheldon
ps facts on land use:
Navarro, Nancy Friends Of R William Hard
(12020 Edgepark Ct. ,
Potomac, MD, 20854) $1,000.00 04/03/2008 Business Entity
Navarro, Nancy Friends Of Artery Development, LLC
(7200 Wisconsin Ave Suite 1000,
Bethesda, MD, 20814) $1,000.00 04/03/2008 Business Entity
Navarro, Nancy Friends Of Home Properties/Resident Services
(8229 Boone Blvd Suite 500,
Vienna, VA, 22182) $1,000.00 04/03/2008 Business Entity
Navarro, Nancy Friends Of Pleasents Construction, Inc.
(24024 Frederick Road ,
Clarksburg, MD, 20871) $1,000.00 04/03/2008 Business Entity
Navarro, Nancy Friends Of Home Properties
(850 Clinton Square ,
Rochester, NY, 14604) $4,000.00 04/03/2008 Business Entity
source: http://www.mdelections.org/campaign_finance/ctprocess1.php?pagenum=1&acctno=A4819
Genevive wrote: "I will find the opinion and post it in its entirety so people can figure you out." The last sentence of the ruling reads "However, we did find that the County Board did violate the Act by failing to produce a written statement in advance of the closed session September 9 that satisfied the disclosure requirements of the Act" I read this to mean the Board violated the Act, but I guess some people like to pick and choose different levels of violations, and pretend some don't count, just like they feel they can decide "Just let her have the seat. I know, I know, it is the law. The law is an ass." I don't know what Navarro would say about the quoted comment, but I hope voters reject any candidate who thinks the laws of our state are something you can use or disregard, whichever you find most convenient.
Goodness Gracious Me!
Nice point made by Rocky: Constituent services in District 4 have in fact been exceptional. Everything I ever asked for as a community activist (Aspen Hill Civic Association, Inc., Mid-County Neighborhood Initiative/CSAFE) that was sensible and needed we got in very short order, from getting PEPCO to clean up their property at 14101 Georgia Ave to clearing foilage overgrowth away from a lot of streetlights in Aspen Hill's residential houses section. They're a little too busy and overworked to "go on patrol" themselves, but they're happy to work with you if you find something worth doing.
As to the rest of it: If this whole election is going to turn into a tissy fit over this or that obscure procedural or documentary issue, how about I run, as a Centrist/Conservative Democrat. Centrist on Social and Green issues, uber-Conservative on issues like County Code Enforcement, and practically extremist-radical on issues like full public equality for GLBT and people with non-violent psychiatric disabilities. Further, I might tend to demand better family-planning classes and much stronger ESOL in schools. But I'm not going to get bogged down in proceduralism, I would run on a ticket of "spare me the rationalizations and obfuscations, I intend to actually get things done".
Oh, and By The Way, I am now a registered Democrat.
And on the issues of Fiscal Prudence, there's video of me on YouTube. Where Mr Praisner was talking about 'fiscal prudence' I was talking about "looming economic catastrophe only now beginning to unfold around us' and I guess that makes me the better prognosticator. None of the other candidates even had it on their radar and it was the basis for my entire campaign. Why not vote for someone who can see the big picture and isn't merely about empowering their ethnic group on the one hand or about Paving The Bay on the other hand?
In any case, the declared candidates of either party, and their supporters/staff and plain old citizens, they're all invited over to District 4 Wiki to let us know their issues, concerns, approaches, and intentions. As it's a Wiki, each can vandalize the other's statements but it will all be logged and revertable so everyone will know who did what and who said what when.
Let the games begin!
"My point is simple. Inductive reasoning based on issue after issue, Nancy Navarro has displayed a lack of transparency. I hope that voters of District 4 elect a progressive who is a friend of transparency and accountability."
- Sheldon Fishman,
Sheldon, you obviously do not know your facts even though you are impressed with your alleged monopoly of alleged facts. Get your facts right. Concerns about the lack of transparency in the Seven Locks ES issue were trumpeted and championed by, you guessed wrong again - Nancy Navarro AND Valerie Ervin. Check your facts. You should apologise to Nancy Navarro for not giving her credit for her courage as a Board member.
You have ducked my questions and refused to acknowledge that you misstated the facts to fit your little agenda. That's just not right. The County Council staff have a difference of opinion with MCPS staff and you take the side of the Council staff. Because this time, their views align with yours. That's plain wrong.
Now you drag in Wayne Goldstein, Lord of fish wraps posing as newspapers. Wayne Goldstein! Give me a break. As a minority female, I applaud the Board for bringing down those learning centers that were a shameful warehouse for black and Latino children. I ask you Sheldon: Should those warehouses continue to exist? It is a disgrace that it took the County so long to release minority children from those learning centers. Please go look at the data and come back with informed opinions - based on the facts.
Your treatment of Nancy Navarro is shameful. Your slips are showing; you will give her half the respect due her only IF she is perfect. And, if you are going to stop ccmmenting on the District 4 race, by all means stop. What's up with the throwing out of data on your way out - Oh look she took pennies from developers - bad girl! And Marilyn Praisner did not touch thousands of dollars from developers. And Ben Kramer certainly will not. I say, who is afraid of Nancy Navarro? Sometimes I just want to holler!
- Genevieve
Integrity First said...
"Genevive wrote: "I will find the opinion and post it in its entirety so people can figure you out." The last sentence of the ruling reads "However, we did find that the County Board did violate the Act by failing to produce a written statement in advance of the closed session September 9 that satisfied the disclosure requirements of the Act" I read this to mean the Board violated the Act, but I guess some people like to pick and choose different levels of violations, and pretend some don't count, just like they feel they can decide "Just let her have the seat. I know, I know, it is the law. The law is an ass." I don't know what Navarro would say about the quoted comment, but I hope voters reject any candidate who thinks the laws of our state are something you can use or disregard, whichever you find most convenient."
Mr. or Mrs. Integrity First:
And I ask you in the names of integrity and fairness and justice: WHERE were you when Don Praisner penned his famous last words decreeing that we should dispense with the law and follow his edict in the interest of our county? Were you unsubscribed from Mother Earth at the time? Why is it okay for him to express his views and be hailed as THOUGHTFUL whereas I basically get bashed by you for even thinking out aloud? Were these laws not made by men? When that long letter came out, all I heard were polite noises about its authenticity and the energy it must have taken for a dying man to pen all of those words complete with up-to-date statistic. I say something and hello, they are going to throw the gods of transparency at my doorsteps. You see what I mean? Different strokes for different folks. I think I really need to hang around here and show many mirrors to all of your multiple faces. You are all good people but you need some cultural competence and sensitivity training and I am willing to do it pro-bono.
- Genevieve
"Begin, the proxy wars have...."
Okay, I've had just about enough of this thread.....
Sheldon, I assume you're speaking for Marc Elrich and Ike Leggett here.... and even if you're not, you still haven't answered my original question.
This is a two-person race between Navarro and Ben Kramer. You are again trotting out these shrill, witch-hunt statements about Navarro having received money from developers (as did Marilyn Praisner and most the rest of the Council!) -- but you're really not addressing the KEY question in this race. I've asked this at least two other times now: with Navarro running against one of MD's most conservative Democrats (who is a DEVELOPER), why do you continue the Navarro witch-hunt -- and why do you do it on development grounds?
I'm beginning to develop a theory that at least a large chunk of people's aversion to Navarro has to do with closeted xenophobia or some ridiculous fear that she's going to swing open the doors for the illegal immigrants of the world to come and take over all of Montgomery County. It's as if we're witnessing arguments about who represents "real" america all over again, except this time it is about who represents the "real" montgomery. Apparently Navarro doesn't fit that bill for your clique. First, I thought you were genuine that it was about land use, then it shifted to transparency.
But even that doesn't make any sense, because she's running against BEN KRAMER!!!!
If you are so concerned about developers and transparency, why in the WORLD are you so focused on Navarro, when she's a SAINT compared to Ben Kramer on these issues! When somebody wants to "stick it to the man" -- Ben Kramer IS "the man" that they're talking about!
Is this simply because she's latina??? I don't know anymore... It doesn't make sense to me, this irrational hysteria.
That theory is at least the most plausible explanation for the public "anybody but navarro" sentiment among the Republicans --- Just look at the frothing at the mouth (bordering on Minutemen-Tom Tancredo-speak) posts of the GOP challengers from last round (Fennell/Hartman, etc) at http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2009/02/kramer_and_navarro_set_to_run.html?wprss=annapolis
Those crazy guys talk about "code enforcement" and "illegals" and "overcrowding" -- they sound like the anti-progressive xenophobes that are trying to overrun the Herndon and Manassas governments and that are now trying to scapegoat latinos for all of the crime in Montgomery.
...and what do all of the other "progressive" Democrats in the race do? Last time they stood back and watched the crazies attack the latino community (or candidates) for their own personal gain -- or maybe because they agree with them!
And this time we see the Leggett/Elrich wing trying to open a new flank on a shoddy transparency? Are you guys TRYING to get Ben Kramer elected? MUST BE THE CASE. Well, have fun with him when he turns all of Montgomery into Rockville Pike!
Some of this is even tied to your own suggested candidate -- Mr. Stu Rochester. As I mentioned before, you and your clique are nowhere near PROGRESSIVE. You use developers as the bogeyman to try and tar Navarro, but what's the real motive here? Ben Kramer IS the developer candidate, no doubt, so why keep trying to tar Navarro? Is it possible that you and Mark Fennel and Tom Hartman have more in common than with Navarro and the progressives?
I need point you no further than this continuing nonsense talk about the threat of "undesirable" residents moving into MoCo and folks not wanting affordable housing (and god forbid, the "kind of people" that affordable housing brings) -- http://www.justupthepike.com/2008/06/bville-charrette-defining-undesirable.html
..and yes, that kind of talk is coming from Stu Rochester, the very person you suggest would make a great councilmember to represent D.4 -- a district, which, by the way has becoming INCREASINGLY non-white, but perpetually represented by white folks. Now, I usually don't care about identity politics too much, but when the talk starts getting irrational and borders on racist like this -- it starts to justify why more diversity is needed on the Council.
Even Mr. "finger in the wind" Leggett and Elrich have bought into this nonsense proposal to call the INS on apprehended immigrants -- as if they are behind all of the crime in MoCo.
Bottom line, Ben Kramer IS one of the shadiest developers in the state, and his family practically owns all of Montgomery County's real estate. He is a SERIOUS danger to the county's slow-growth community, far beyond the tenuous ties Navarro ever held. So forgetting about all of the hyperbole, are you and your ilk going to continue with the Bush-like moving target of justifying your actions, or are you going to admit that we can't let Kramer get into office?
I must admit reading this has been very educational. My disappointment is that, in a community where I have heard SO many people who wish someone new would run for a local office, people seem to think this is a two-person race before I've even had a chance to get out my background and message.
I wish, as I know many of you do (for a variety of reasons I'm sure) that we did not have to go through this until 2010. But here we are, and I plan to not only be viable but in the end win.
Frankly, from the tone out there already I don't expect much of this to be "fun." But if we can't take someone new seriously and give him (or her) a chance to have their message heard, how will we ever expect anyone but future "career politicians" to want to try and make a difference?
My web page will be up later this week, and I would be happy to talk with anyone one-on-one - just give me a call. My personal number is 301-910-6199.
I believe there is a third choice, and that a plurality of voters will choose me once they learn more about what I can bring. I might even convince each of you if you give me the chance! :)
P.S. - if you do call to chat (and I hope you will), I have a 10 year old and a 91 year old in the house so please call after 8am or before 9pm - thanks!
foolio wrote, in-part, and clearly under the influence of one too many Jolt Colas "with all of the sugar and twice the caffeine":
[ ... ]
That theory is at least the most plausible explanation for the public "anybody but navarro" sentiment among the Republicans --- Just look at the frothing at the mouth (bordering on Minutemen-Tom Tancredo-speak) posts of the GOP challengers from last round (Fennell/Hartman, etc) at http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2009/02/kramer_and_navarro_set_to_run.html?wprss=annapolis
Those crazy guys talk about "code enforcement" and "illegals" and "overcrowding" -- they sound like the anti-progressive xenophobes that are trying to overrun the Herndon and Manassas governments and that are now trying to scapegoat latinos for all of the crime in Montgomery.
[ ... ]
Wow. That's genuinely astonishing.
First, the last name is "Hardman", not "Hartman", not that it makes a difference when both of those most likely come from "Hardtmann", a craft-based name from Germany.
And speaking as a German-American who is very proud of the fact that his father killed Nazis up close and personal in the North African and Mediterranean theaters, I find your imputations -- nay, your direct if nebulous accusations -- of xenophobia and racism to be insupportable and outrageous.
We don't care if it's our own ethnic group that's the clear enemy of America, to make my point clear. We fight 'em anyway. We don't care if it's not our ethnic group that's the clear enemy of America, we fight 'em anyway. Was taking the war all of the way to Hiroshima and Nagasaki racist?. Hardly. Just like you can't pick your family you often cannot pick your enemies. Fighting Japanese in the Pacific Theater wasn't racism, it was national defense. But I digress.
As to your accusations of "Minuteman" and "Tancredo-speak", it sounds to me like you've spent a lot of time in the online trenches of the anti-Invasion debates and I think it's pretty clear from your rhetoric on which side you stand.
Further, Mr Fennel and I -- although I respect his rights to air his views however he likes -- are poles apart on a lot of issues, and you will note if you bothered to research his campaign last year, you won't find the least bit of rhetoric that is anti-latino. Among other things, his wife is latina, and a nice lady I might add.
You won't find any anti-latino rhetoric coming from me. Now either directly cite what you accuse or stop with the libel.
What you will find is my googlemap of housing code violations by property owners in Aspen Hill who are not claiming the resident "homesteading" tax exemption. There are quite a lot of them. And since the names of the property owners as well as those of the people cited for violations are there, draw your own conclusions as to which groups are the major offenders. No, they are not all latino.
Look HERE for those googlemaps.
As for Code Enforcement issues, take a look at Towering Doozy of McMansionism. Strangely enough, it's all within Code, because the Code is seriously fouled up. How is it that Permitting Services granted a permit to build a single-family detached residential home without bothering to see if there was already one there? Now there are effectively four times the living space in that house as in any of the other "original plan". And the Code is also broken in that as long as they build the place large enough, they can have unlimited numbers of "relatives" although the Code does not define what constitutes "related". This flies in the face of the standards of occupancy that have been accepted folkways in this part of the County for at least one generation.
And now on to Genevieve:
[ ... ]
Now you drag in Wayne Goldstein, Lord of fish wraps posing as newspapers. Wayne Goldstein! Give me a break. As a minority female, I applaud the Board for bringing down those learning centers that were a shameful warehouse for black and Latino children. I ask you Sheldon: Should those warehouses continue to exist? It is a disgrace that it took the County so long to release minority children from those learning centers. Please go look at the data and come back with informed opinions - based on the facts.
[ ... ]
Ah, talk about warehouses for black and latino kids? Closed them down, did you say? Shameful did you say? Make your arguments based on the facts, did you say?
Look here and then click through near page bottom to the Maryland State Report Card graphic demographic chart for Brookhaven.
Notice, if you will, that in the whole K-6 elementary school, there were a total of 12 white females, slightly less than two per grade. That means that those little girls are outnumbered 15 to one by "all others combined" and this categorically demands busing. It was never that bad in Washington DC when court-ordered busing was going on all around the country.
Look at the other elementary schools in Aspen Hill. Some are better in terms of fairly balanced representation of all ethnic groups. But take a look at the Parkland Middle School and its graphic demographics, Brookhaven is right across the street and is its main feeder. The only way they could get both the "No child Left Behind" test scores up, and make the place look less like the ethnic warehouse, was to repurpose it as a geek Magnet school and bus in a lot of kids from Potomac, Olney, and West Rockville.
So tell me, foolio, Genevieve, what exactly is Nancy Navarro going to do to revise County Code to redefine "relatedness" for purposes of reducing overcrowding. What is Nancy Navarro going to do about people paving their lawns and illegally parking their work fleets on the paved lawns while illegally renting out the basement to their illegally-present workforce?
What is Nancy Navarro going to do about all of the schools in my neighborhood being effectively blacks-and-latinos-only warehouses of the poor and downtrodden?
So sorry, still waiting. And I would rather not hear it from proxy-warriors. Let's hear it from Ms Navarro herself. What does she intend to do about all of that. She has a lot of voters to whom she should explain how she's going to address these issues.
And if she can't do it in ten short paragraphs or less, each of those being in classic form of Rhetoric, or better-yet: being direct concise and to the point, how can she explain it to us in a way that doesn't reek of rationalization and obfuscation? And let's have no waving of documents or retreats into mind-boggling alternations of proceduralism and unsupportable calls to pseudoscience.
If we can't get a response bordering on "moderate length" and "comprehensible to average voters" within three days, we should get a withdrawal of candidacy.
I have never seen Ms. Navarro nor Mr. Kramer post on Maryland Politics Watch before. Why aren't they more transparent? Why do they ignore the Blog that has more hits than any other political blog in Maryland? Why are they so shy?
What would they have done to get Hilton Hotels to locate in District 4? Why didn't they?
Why did they oppose Question B on Property Tax Relief on the November ballot which PASSED in District 4 by 2,000 votes?
"So sorry, still waiting. And I would rather not hear it from proxy-warriors. Let's hear it from Ms Navarro herself. What does she intend to do about all of that. She has a lot of voters to whom she should explain how she's going to address these issues."
- Thomas Hardman
With all due respect, I am ignoring you. Your posting made no sense to me – it was more than a stream-of-consciousness rant, it was so inane, I would question the judgment of whoever rewards you with a response. And please next time show respect to this lady: Do not ever write me under the influence of Merlot. I have no time for this – some of us have real jobs you know plus a household full of kids to care for.
BTW, Mr. Hardman, I find it so patronizing that I would be referred to as a “proxy warrior”, whatever that means. I am very proud of what leaders like Nancy Navarro and Valerie Ervin have come to symbolize for me and my children in this county, and I will stand up for them since they are obviously too classy to give your ilk the time of day, what is so wrong with that? I have been a silent fan of Maryland Politics Watch, enjoying Adam Pagnucco’s energetic and insightful postings – until he announced the passing of Don Praisner. Well, it became a free-for-all against Nancy Navarro. She must be the person to beat and beat up.
Well, I tell you, people are furious. I have been sending these comments to list-serves populated by people of color, those who do not normally read these blogs and they are steaming mad. My mailbox is brimming with email from folks who are livid at the chutzpah and the disrespect. Please, I beg you, please keep hurling insults at the person of Nancy Navarro. The strategy is getting her buckets of votes. This is quite simply outrageous. I wonder what would have happened if say, a Caucasian had come to such a close second as Navarro did in the last VERY EXPENSIVE election. I bet you Mr. Praisner would have penned a wish – that we forgo the expense and inconvenience of a democratic process and physically carry this person, this second-place winner of a hotly contested VERY EXPENSIVE election on to the Council seat. And you know what, with tears in our eyes we would have given him a standing ovation and proceeded to find a way to appoint the anointed one. Less than one year after a VERY EXPENSIVE election, we are set to do it over. Because a few people who do not even live in our district are afraid of Nancy Navarro. I half-expect them to recruit Sarah Palin to show up at New Hampshire and Randolph yelling “terrorists! Ay-rabs!” Wonders shall never cease! Y’all may get your wishes but it will not be easy for y’all because I will sit on your collective conscience until my dying day.
Ben Kramer for District 4? Give us a break. You guys should be deliriously happy that Nancy Navarro is running, can you imagine a County Council with Ben Kramer in it? What can Ben Kramer do for us in District 4? Constituent Service? Puhleeze! People, get with the program. How is this for constituent service? He is abandoning Annapolis at a time when we need him the most!! Constituent Service my foot. How is this for constituent service? The County Council has not changed its ways of reaching out to the people since we stopped using smoke signals to send faxes to fox hunters. The Council has no translation equipment for tax payers who happen to speak other languages (Ask Nancy Navarro how she got the Board to provide the most comprehensive translation equipment in the state of MD). How’s that for transparency and open-ness???? Nancy Navarro empowered tax payers of all stripes over at the Board. The Council could use her skills. This woman is a quiet dynamo – the budget, early childhood education, pre-kindergarten education, a mastery of half the County’s budget. What else do you need? Maybe she should practice walking on water just to satisfy y’all!!!!
Those of you running against Nancy Navarro, I have a message for you. Stick with the issues. Attacking her personally by throwing out obscure procedural issues (transparency, open meetings act, resolutions, Blah! Blah!! Blah!!!) will earn you the ire of the people of District 4. We are reading you. One more time people, here are real issues: Child care provision, early childhood education, affordable housing, pre-kindergarten, closing the gap in academic achievement among all races, transportation, responsible environmental policies. We need a Latino voice in these important discussions. What are you guys thinking? How many Ben Kramer look-alikes will it take to screw on a light bulb over at the Council? Sometimes I just want to holler! Don’t get me wrong, I love Montgomery County, it is a land of great people and there is no place else I’d rather be. But sometimes people, sometimes, some of y’all get on my last nerve!
- Genevieve
Genevieve, I should point out right from the start that it's clear to all readers that you lost any possible right to pretend to be sufficiently worthy so that I should consider it a hardship should you ignore me. Try responding to the question at hand.
When you declare that you're ignoring me and then launch into a meandering and clue-free diatribe that fails to either defend my critique of Navarro's schools in Aspen Hill as third-rate warehouses of people of color, or respond to it with suggestions as to how Ms Navarro or any other candidate (or the School Board or the Council) can fix it, you only discredit yourself and anyone you claim to represent.
It's called "running far afield while ducking the issue". In technical terms, your post displays rampant circumstantiality and in places approaches tangentiality. try to not do that. If you are appointing yourself to be Ms Navarro's proxy-warrior -- by which I mean a shill, a tout, a propagandist, whether paid or otherwise -- she'd be better represented by someone who doesn't come off like a hysterical rumormonger who has all kinds of attitude but can't make any kind of a point.
But let's not make this all about you, let's make this all about all of those listservs to which you claim to have posted these remarks. What are their addresses so that I can subscribe and read what these people are saying? Because first, I don't believe you when you claim "the lurkers support you in e-mail" which is an ancient and hoary dodge in UseNet; secondly, you've got a lot of nerve if you're "cherry picking" remarks and fanning the flames where people aren't around to defend themselves. That's both underhanded and dastardly. And that is clear to anyone.
Does Ms Navarro know that you are actually crowing about using such tactics, and then associating yourself to her cause? Can we then reasonably impute that she supports such tactics and process? Because if she does support that sort of thing, any reasonable person would see her as only a source of disruption and danger were she elected to County Council.
Now if you'd like, I can deconstruct your little diatribe; I'm rather gifted at direct and linear Socratic Method, however, I am convinced that politically it would be pointless, and further it would be wasting my time in a wild goose chase since you don't appear to have anything better to do than to share with everyone the fact that you can't keep your train of thought on one set of tracks.
And I find it astonishing that you have the audacity to claim that the late and lamented Mr Praisner "would have" wanted Ms Navarro appointed as his successor should he fail to recover from his surgery. Their contest in the last special election was little short of bitter. Let's add flights of fancy and wishful thinking to the notepad which is rapidly filling up with diagnostic criteria. Indeed, anyone who can close a diatribe with "get on my last nerve" -- as if that were a cogent conclusory summary of a reasoned argument -- is someone making not merely an appeal to nebulous emotion, but practically a veiled threat.
I find it even more astonishing that you seem to think that the District 4 Special Elections are only about Nancy Navarro and Ben Kramer. Frankly, I am waiting to hear from Cary Lamari and Chris Paladino in more detail than they've given us so far.
As I am a District 4 resident, I am tempted to go register my own candidacy as a Democrat for County Council.
First and foremost, if elected, I would do what any sensible person would do, retain the exceptionally strong Constituent Services staff and if at all possible expand their reach and authority. These people have been in place for years and know the ins and outs.
Secondly, I would work to have much stronger ESOL in schools, and support as much as possible all kinds of ESOL after-school or for adults. The savings on printing multilingual documents should more than make up for the cost of having more ESOL.
As for child care, Ms Navarro deserves STRONG CONGRATULATIONS for her years of efforts to prevent Alingual children from entering our schools with no real language skills. So let's expand her program, but let's try to involve a few more people who speak English instead of exclusively fostering a foreign language as the preferred monolingua for first-graders.
Etc etc. I could go on and on.
And if anyone from the listservs wants to tell me directly -- I won't believe it, coming from you -- how much they hate me or my ideas, my website is here as is contact information. Be sure to include my contact information or do not quote me outside of this blog.
Do have a nice day, and always remember, I do not drink... Merlot.
I see an emerging demographic alignment going on here within MoCo Democrats / center-left Independents:
• centrist whites and “model minority” minorities (centrist asians, blacks, hispanics, others, roughly in that order)
• leftist whites and “affirmative action” minority minorities (leftist hispanics, blacks, asians, others, roughly in that order)
I fall under “other” in the first category.
It is so patently obvious how the leftist pols in MoCo have been playing ethnic/racial minorities against one another by playing favorites and using a divide-and-conquer charm offensive, whether it comes to business/community redevelopment, education, social welfare, or anything else.
This is a huge reason I left the left. Identity politicking has been trumping common sense for far too long.
Only in places like MoCo do you have a leftist voter comparing a Jew to Goebbels!
International, national, and state politics always poison the well here.
—a District 5 independent
Slumburbia wrote, in-part:
[ ... ]
Only in places like MoCo do you have a leftist voter comparing a Jew to Goebbels!
[ .. ]
Ah, I think that might be a first for that one, anywhere. One can only hope.
It's like someone went googling from their home base at www.100-percent-clue-free.org and said "hmm so what country does the name Kramer come from, oh Germany, okay, let's call him Der Fuhrer". Deeeeep lack of context, there.
Then again, all may be explained by a recent WaPo article detailing the rise of anti-semitism in Venezuela. Yet-another curious link between MoCo and Venezuelan politics in the Democrat Party? Inquiring minds want to know. ;)
This is, in fact, starting to get extremely silly and we're not even a full week into the campaign.
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