Report Indicts DC Council Earmarks

It’s not called “All About Barry.”  The report by Robert S. Bennett  and Amy R. Sabrin is entitled “Council of the District of Columbia Contracts and Grants.”  Among the findings:

In the view of Special Counsel, the current form of Council earmarking is not a sound method for appropriating public funds. It effectively permits each Member to designate individual programs for funding on an ad hoc basis without prudently establishing spending priorities. Council Members, moreover, are understandably not equipped to fully and carefully vet individual grantees, and the legislative “logrolling” inherent in the earmark appropriations process inhibits thorough scrutiny of proposed grant recipients. The informal method by which grantees are selected clearly does not ensure that public funds go to the best or most effective organizations to deliver the intended services or accomplish the stated goals of the grant.

Marion Barry Observes Cell Phone Courtesy Month

July is National Cell Phone Courtesy Month, and no one celebrates it like Ward Eight Councilmember Marion Barry. In conjunction with that paragon of proper deportment, Mike DeBonis of the Washington City Paper,  former DC  Mayor Barry provides us with suave strategies for tricky digital ettiquette in situations unforseen by Cell Phone Courtesy Month founder Jacqueline Whitmore.

Ms. Whitmore’s Protocol School of Palm Beach provides executive ettiquette coaching to enhance personal and business relationships, but only Mr. Barry can show how to finesse females by phone after you have locked them out of your hotel room for not coming across during the historic 2008 National Democratic Convention.  For while candidate Barack Obama was telling delegates “Yes We Can,”  Donna Watts-Brighthaupt told Mr. Barry “No I won’t!” so he locked her out of their room at the Denver Crowne Plaza.

How does a gentleman atone for such a faux pas? Mr. Barry suggests sending gifts of government contracts in lieu of flowers.

Ladies: Ms. Watts-Brighthaupt suggests archiving your cell phone recordings.

 

Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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