Five Cents a Bag

Last year the DC City Council passed gay marriage and a five cent tax on plastic bags. Congress may yet step in prevent marriage equality and opponents may get the issue before the voters -- so gay marriage in DC is far from being in the bag. But nothing will stop a tax. Even on bags.

Judging from my grocery store people have adapted, bringing cloth tote bags. The process has definitely slowed checkout down.

But the burning question I have is -- what are we going to pick up dog poop with? Will we get fewer plastic bags in the Anacostia but more poop on the devil strips?

Harry Thomas, Marriage Equality Champ

I agree with DCists praise of DC City Council Member Harry Thomas Jr.'s vote in support of marriage equality. As the DC blog points out, Thomas was one of few council members who could face political fallout for voting for the measure. But Thomas said:

"I represent a ward that is torn down the middle on this issue," he said. "But as a legislator, I cannot allow my personal...or religious life to allow for the disenfranchisement of any individual in the District."

Thomas could have taken the safe path, voted no, knowing the measure was going to pass, making those who favor marriage equality in his ward less motivated, since the final vote went their way anyway. As it is, opponents to marriage equality are angry and motivated and have vowed to go after council members who supported the measure.

Lets hope some Senators in the New York legislator find some of Harry Thomas' courage.

The Nationals and the District of Columbia: Take Me Out to the Ballgame

I shouldn't be surprised the Nationals are screwing the District. After all, the song warned us:

Take me out to the ball game

You can't get there yourself?

Take me out with the crowd.

Gee...we have to take everybody?

Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks

We have to feed you too?

I don't care if I ever come back!

Hey...we don't have to keep Metro open late!

Oh its root, root, root for the home team

How's that going?

If we don't win it's a shame

No, the shame is the way th eDC government kowtows to MLB

Oh it's one, two, three strikes you're out

Three strikes and counting, and out of how much in taxpayer money?

At the old ball game!

Carol Schwartz Doesn't Get It

Carol Schwartz, a long-time member of the DC City Council who was defeated by a challenger in the GOP primary here, is running a write-in campaign. In an op-ed in today's WaPo she tried to explain why she's running and demonstrates instead she is tone deaf to current political times.

The victories of Adrian Fenty over Linda Cropp and Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton, plus her own primary defeat at the hands of an unknown newcomer have taught her nothing. And she's still running on the past.

And her column includes this paragraph:

While I have never been mayor (though I tried to be four times), as a council member I have always been a sharp-eyed watchdog. I have used my legislative, oversight and budgetary roles to make government more accountable and efficient -- not in an "unrelentingly negative" way, as characterized by The Post in another recent "unrelentingly negative" editorial about me, but in a way that has helped bring about positive results.

In other words, let me use my own editorial space to remind you how you rejected me for mayor four times. I'm a four-time loser. Remember? And let me repeat something negative the Washington Post has said about me.

It makes her "oldie but a goodie' campaign signs from the primary seem wise.

She ends her little article with this:

So when The Post says "Mrs. Schwartz admits to offering more of the same," indeed I do.

And therein is the problem, Ms. Schwartz. Voters don't want to know where we've been. In these uncertain times, we want to know where we're going.