Progressives vs. the Growth Machine and the DC Election

Since this is my personal blog, I can say specific things about politics, and candidates, and my preferences--although I have to think about this from a political calculus standpoint, about how to manage my progressive tendencies with reality and "effectiveness."

But one thing I do know is that the "Growth Machine"-"Urban Regime" isn't about much other than more construction. It certainly isn't an agenda that embraces citizen participation, especially of the "people power," unmonied sort.

And as the City Paper made so clear in the excellent piece about Herb Miller a few weeks ago, the Growth Machine wants to control every councilmember, every one. See "A superb lesson in DC "growth machine" politics from Loose Lips ..."

as well as this entry: DC's Growth Machine is hard at it, well-funded, and odious ...

That means that At-large City Councilmember Phil Mendelson is targeted, just as he had been targeted in the two previous elections by Beverly Wilbourne (a Growth Machine candidate, she was endorsed by the Post the first time she ran, but not the second, but she didn't have the kind of community connections and bonafides that Scott Bolden has).

Scott Bolden is running an alleged populist campaign, but he is the darling of the developers.

It makes sense, he works for a law firm with a huge real estate and financing practice (even though that isn't his area of practice, he still profits from it, at the end of the year when partnership profits are divvied up), he was chair of the DC Chamber of Commerce, and former chair of the City (State) Democratic Party, and note, you don't get those kinds of positions if (1) you don't deal; and (2) you're a populist. (DC isn't the kind of place that "produces" people like Paul Wellstone or Bernie Sanders.)

Anyway, tomorrow night is a straw poll for the Ward 6 Democratic Party for the at-large race. I hate these kinds of political events (see [1] and [2] in the previous paragraph for why I don't like these kinds of events), but a progressive political agenda for the City of Washington demands our attendance there tomorrow night.

From "Along the campaign trail . . .News and notes from the 2006 campaigns for D.C. elective offices" from the Common Denominator:

[May 31st]Democratic candidates for D.C. City Council chairman and at-large council will be questioned at a forum sponsored by the Ward 6 Democrats and several Ward 6 community organizations at Jefferson Junior High School, 801 Seventh St. SW. The forum begins at 7:30 p.m. and is expected to feature Vincent Gray and Kathy Patterson, both seeking the chairman's seat, and incumbent at-large Councilman Phil Mendelson and Democratic Primary challenger A. Scott Bolden. The event will be moderated by WTOP political commentator Mark Plotkin.

Index Keywords: Washington-DC-Election-2006