For Council Chair: Kwame Brown

Kwame Brown with ANC 2B Commissioner Mike Silverstein.  When the city closed down P Street for road construction, stifling small businesses in Dupont Circle, Brown helped provide relief.  Photo: Kwame Brown for Chair 2010.

It's easy for an at-large Councilmember to fall out of touch.  You've got an entire city to represent.  Each diverse neighborhood has its own set of issues and goals.  But Kwame Brown has managed to bridge the gap.

The first rule of politics is showing up.  In my decade or so involved in the community, I cannot think of another at-large member who does such a good job of it.  Brown's visibility and likability are the reasons he will be elected to the second highest position in the District of Columbia.

But it's not the only reason.  Brown's focus on job training, restoring vocational education programs, expanding the District's community college, and supporting small businesses is precisely what the District needs in its #2 leader.  There are citywide issues that demand attention from a citywide leader. 

Brown and his staff are also responsive when it comes to individual concerns.  In my experience, he and his staff are quick to lend a hand to address individual community concerns.  He's also been strong on cleaning up nuisance properties and putting them back into productive use.  He's a champion against domestic violence.

I've seen a lot of Brown's opponent too, Vincent Orange.  The problem is that the only place I've seen Orange is on lampposts -- his signs barely came down for from his abysmal run for mayor in 2006 where he received an whopping 2.9% of the vote before his green and orange "DC Chairman" signs went up.  After the 2006 election, Orange did a stint as a lobbyist for Pepco.  This is a guy who declared himself a staunch opponent of gay marriage, then denied it when he was considering running for Council Chairperson, and then became a staunch supporter of gay marriage when declared his candidacy.  Really?

It's a choice between apples and Oranges.  I'll go with the apples.  Vote Kwame Brown for Chairperson on September 14.