Are you really undecided? I can't fathom voting for him in light of his position on streetcars even if I didn't find his softer than soft on crime position to be unacceptable.
Anon 12:00 --- exactly how is he "softer than soft on crime"?
His website indicates nothing of the sort.
Additionally, he wants to get the council out into the community to experience city crime concerns first hand. See: http://www.youtube.com/user/ClarkRayDC?feature=mhum#p/u/14/XAzWByJkVYw
How can you not be in favor of streetcars? Of all the ridiculous ways the city burns through money, here's an opportunity to build infrastructure that encourages commercial expansion to derelict shopping centers.
After all the ways Mendy has screwed up and watered down common sense crime prevention, I can't imagine voting for him.
Anybody but Mendelson. Just on principle. He's been there forever, and has been either a) ineffective, b) actively working against efforts to ensure public safety.
He's like a paleo-liberal caricature out of a Batman comic book, or a Charles Bronson movie. All we need is a scene in the final act where the Green Goblin dangles him from the Brooklyn Bridge, and Batman saves him at the last minute.
Ask Mendo if he thinks that if you driving a car and you have a loaded gun laying in the passenger seat, if you can be charged with possession of a firearm. He thinks not.
Yes, I was talking about Mendo when I mentioned him being softer than soft on crime. Clark Ray would be a huge improvement IMHO. Mendo is against our streetcars and tried to slow them down time and again. Clark Ray has championed them. I also think Mendo's position on crime control is piss poor, but even if you disagree, if you care about streetcars, I think a vote for Clark Ray is the clear way to go here just as a vote for Fenty is in the Mayoral election even if you aren't otherwise sold on his strong record on crime, education and other issues.
I live two blocks from H Street and I still can't understand why we are spending vast sums on the streetcar. What will the streetcar provide that the X2 does not? I take the X2 every day. Other than occasional overcrowding, I think it serves its purpose very well. Can someone explain why the streetcars are a much better option? (I'm asking this sincerely, not as a rhetorical challenge). I agree that they look better - and cooler - than buses. But other than novelty, I don't understand the appeal.
@unconvinced - MANY people just won't ride buses. They thing they're dirty, or they think the people that ride them are dirty, or they're confused about where it goes because it does not travel on a track. The streetcars are meant to bring those people into neighborhoods not served by Metro.
Occasionly overcrowded? The X2 is always jammed packed, even when they are clustered together...which happens many times a day. The streetcar can carry many more people per trip. If METRO doesn't seem capable of putting more busses on the route, then let solve the problem.
My understanding is that the street car will connect Union station directly to Atlas district and will stop at RFK stadium. X2 connects Chinatown to Minnesota Ave. It will ease the pressure off X2 by providing alternate mode of transport for those interested in getting off at or nearby Atlas district. Also I am hoping that the streetcar will stop every 3 blocks instead of X2 which stops at practically every block!
The streetcar may be able to carry more people per trip but there won't be nearly as many streetcars as buses, so I don't see how that will make things better. Are we going to have both buses and streetcars? If the problem is overcrowding on the buses, it would be much, much cheaper to add more buses to the line than to build tracks, buy cars and maintain this system. As for people who ride the buses being "dirty," won't those same people be riding the street cars? I guess I just think that this is a very expensive way to make public transportation more attractive and I'm not sure why we think spending money on this right now is the way to go.
i feel the same way as unconvinced, but as someone else said, some people are bus averse. it is stupid but they are.
for the medium term, street cars will be quieter and cleaner. electric buses would be superior to street cars in every way, except for appealing to people who don't like buses.
if everybody would just man up and take buses, street cars would be stupid and useless. but people won't so they arent.
the bus map/routes alse take some time to learn to make the most use of. even if it is just googling the map before you head out. a lot of people dont/wont do this, especially out-of-towners.
a minor advantage of street cars is that i think they offer a smoother ride. so if you are standing shoulder to shoulder you wont be bumped into others.
I've never even heard of this guy before I saw this YouTube campaign video. Mendelson was getting my vote out of name recogintion alone, now Inked, you have me seriously considering this guy. Thanks for posting. I should do more homework before casting my vote.
Has Tommy Wells thought of doing a YouTube type campaign ad or is it assumed that all the YouTube watchers are already voting for him anyway? Of course, he might be better served by being on the back of a church fan.
This has been hashed out at http://greatergreaterwashington.com
to death, but essentially the effect of a streetcar line is akin to the effect of a Metro rail line rather than a bus line. There are a number of reasons why this is so, but it's incontrovertible.
Streetcar lines drive development, and there are economic multiplier effects that you don't get by simply routing a bus through a neighborhood.
From an infrastructure perspective, it's the difference between shacking up and getting married.
I've often appreciate Phil Mendelson's thoughtful path. But in recent times he seems to slow things too much, so that he seems almost obstructionist. So that's why I am undecided. Clark Ray isn't perfect either. When he was still on Parks and Recs a friend of mine took to texting/emailing him every time the lights (which were supposed to be on every night) were off at Joe Cole Rec. At a certain point Ray quit responding. I hope he'll do better if elected. That said, the same friend is a longtime Mendelson supporter, and he's now supporting Ray because he's upset with Mendelson's recent performance.
All I can say is that I remain undecided, but I do recall Mendelson (with young daughter in tow) showing up for early meetings of the Trinidad Neighborhood Association. I feel the most philosophically aligned with Mendelson on many points, but I'm super frustrated with him on others.
Two other points on streetcars: first, in the long run, they're considerably cheaper to operate than buses, even factoring in the initial investment. Second, buses *destroy* the roads. Streetcars don't.
I've been reading the comments about Clark Ray and saw someone said she sent an email and didn't get a response. I'm a volunteer on Clark's campaign and am very surprised as I know how hard he works. Our apologies. Can you send it again? Clark@clarkray4council.com
For anyone involved in the community and aware of Phil Mendelson's record/philosphy/ideology I am absolutely left without words for how someone could support him. Phil Mendelson has set out to single-handedly fight on behalf of every violent criminal offender in this city. Dont ask me why. I chalk it up to a completely *ucked up ideology on how to advance the poorer socio-economic classes. However what it means for the rest of us law-abiding citizens is that we have to live our lives in fear of being shot by a 17 year old who knows he will get off scott free, thanks to Phil Mendelson.
26 comments:
effective ad.
i'll read that testimony and chime in tomorrow, it's almost 2am on the side and most of the midnight oil is burned out.
Are you really undecided? I can't fathom voting for him in light of his position on streetcars even if I didn't find his softer than soft on crime position to be unacceptable.
Anon 12:00 --- exactly how is he "softer than soft on crime"?
His website indicates nothing of the sort.
Additionally, he wants to get the council out into the community to experience city crime concerns first hand. See:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ClarkRayDC?feature=mhum#p/u/14/XAzWByJkVYw
How can you not be in favor of streetcars? Of all the ridiculous ways the city burns through money, here's an opportunity to build infrastructure that encourages commercial expansion to derelict shopping centers.
After all the ways Mendy has screwed up and watered down common sense crime prevention, I can't imagine voting for him.
Clark's a Reserve PO. He's not soft on crime at all. Are you referring to Mendy?
Anybody but Mendelson. Just on principle. He's been there forever, and has been either a) ineffective, b) actively working against efforts to ensure public safety.
He's like a paleo-liberal caricature out of a Batman comic book, or a Charles Bronson movie. All we need is a scene in the final act where the Green Goblin dangles him from the Brooklyn Bridge, and Batman saves him at the last minute.
Ugh.
For what it's worth, I consider myself pretty liberal.
I'm sold. He likes streetcars
I can't watch videos at work, will someone give me a rundown of the ad? He likes streetcars?
Ask Mendo if he thinks that if you driving a car and you have a loaded gun laying in the passenger seat, if you can be charged with possession of a firearm. He thinks not.
Yes, I was talking about Mendo when I mentioned him being softer than soft on crime. Clark Ray would be a huge improvement IMHO. Mendo is against our streetcars and tried to slow them down time and again. Clark Ray has championed them. I also think Mendo's position on crime control is piss poor, but even if you disagree, if you care about streetcars, I think a vote for Clark Ray is the clear way to go here just as a vote for Fenty is in the Mayoral election even if you aren't otherwise sold on his strong record on crime, education and other issues.
I live two blocks from H Street and I still can't understand why we are spending vast sums on the streetcar. What will the streetcar provide that the X2 does not? I take the X2 every day. Other than occasional overcrowding, I think it serves its purpose very well. Can someone explain why the streetcars are a much better option? (I'm asking this sincerely, not as a rhetorical challenge). I agree that they look better - and cooler - than buses. But other than novelty, I don't understand the appeal.
@unconvinced - MANY people just won't ride buses. They thing they're dirty, or they think the people that ride them are dirty, or they're confused about where it goes because it does not travel on a track. The streetcars are meant to bring those people into neighborhoods not served by Metro.
Occasionly overcrowded? The X2 is always jammed packed, even when they are clustered together...which happens many times a day. The streetcar can carry many more people per trip. If METRO doesn't seem capable of putting more busses on the route, then let solve the problem.
My understanding is that the street car will connect Union station directly to Atlas district and will stop at RFK stadium. X2 connects Chinatown to Minnesota Ave. It will ease the pressure off X2 by providing alternate mode of transport for those interested in getting off at or nearby Atlas district. Also I am hoping that the streetcar will stop every 3 blocks instead of X2 which stops at practically every block!
The streetcar may be able to carry more people per trip but there won't be nearly as many streetcars as buses, so I don't see how that will make things better. Are we going to have both buses and streetcars? If the problem is overcrowding on the buses, it would be much, much cheaper to add more buses to the line than to build tracks, buy cars and maintain this system. As for people who ride the buses being "dirty," won't those same people be riding the street cars? I guess I just think that this is a very expensive way to make public transportation more attractive and I'm not sure why we think spending money on this right now is the way to go.
i feel the same way as unconvinced, but as someone else said, some people are bus averse. it is stupid but they are.
for the medium term, street cars will be quieter and cleaner. electric buses would be superior to street cars in every way, except for appealing to people who don't like buses.
if everybody would just man up and take buses, street cars would be stupid and useless. but people won't so they arent.
the bus map/routes alse take some time to learn to make the most use of. even if it is just googling the map before you head out. a lot of people dont/wont do this, especially out-of-towners.
a minor advantage of street cars is that i think they offer a smoother ride. so if you are standing shoulder to shoulder you wont be bumped into others.
the x9 can't get here soon enough. late sept?
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=4400
I've never even heard of this guy before I saw this YouTube campaign video. Mendelson was getting my vote out of name recogintion alone, now Inked, you have me seriously considering this guy. Thanks for posting. I should do more homework before casting my vote.
Has Tommy Wells thought of doing a YouTube type campaign ad or is it assumed that all the YouTube watchers are already voting for him anyway? Of course, he might be better served by being on the back of a church fan.
@unconvinced:
This has been hashed out at
http://greatergreaterwashington.com
to death, but essentially the effect of a streetcar line is akin to the effect of a Metro rail line rather than a bus line. There are a number of reasons why this is so, but it's incontrovertible.
Streetcar lines drive development, and there are economic multiplier effects that you don't get by simply routing a bus through a neighborhood.
From an infrastructure perspective, it's the difference between shacking up and getting married.
Clark Ray came and knocked on my door to ask for my vote, but I was busy feeding my toddler and couldn't talk with him.
When I emailed him my question on his positions later that week, he never responded.
A candidate can't do that. A public official can't do that.
Sorry, but Phil has got my vote.
I've often appreciate Phil Mendelson's thoughtful path. But in recent times he seems to slow things too much, so that he seems almost obstructionist. So that's why I am undecided. Clark Ray isn't perfect either. When he was still on Parks and Recs a friend of mine took to texting/emailing him every time the lights (which were supposed to be on every night) were off at Joe Cole Rec. At a certain point Ray quit responding. I hope he'll do better if elected. That said, the same friend is a longtime Mendelson supporter, and he's now supporting Ray because he's upset with Mendelson's recent performance.
All I can say is that I remain undecided, but I do recall Mendelson (with young daughter in tow) showing up for early meetings of the Trinidad Neighborhood Association. I feel the most philosophically aligned with Mendelson on many points, but I'm super frustrated with him on others.
Two other points on streetcars: first, in the long run, they're considerably cheaper to operate than buses, even factoring in the initial investment. Second, buses *destroy* the roads. Streetcars don't.
As any cop in town (right up to the top) will tell you, there's soft on crime, softer on crime, and then there's Phil Mendelson.
I've been reading the comments about Clark Ray and saw someone said she sent an email and didn't get a response. I'm a volunteer on Clark's campaign and am very surprised as I know how hard he works. Our apologies. Can you send it again? Clark@clarkray4council.com
For anyone involved in the community and aware of Phil Mendelson's record/philosphy/ideology I am absolutely left without words for how someone could support him. Phil Mendelson has set out to single-handedly fight on behalf of every violent criminal offender in this city. Dont ask me why. I chalk it up to a completely *ucked up ideology on how to advance the poorer socio-economic classes. However what it means for the rest of us law-abiding citizens is that we have to live our lives in fear of being shot by a 17 year old who knows he will get off scott free, thanks to Phil Mendelson.
-Jordan
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