Annapolis Capital Punishment

The Fourth Ward seat was vacated by Alderman Wayne Taylor when he was quickly snatched up by new Exec John Leopold to become the county's director of aging. Even faster than the Ward Eight race developed, an R came forward and two D's as well. The R, a fellow named James Conley, is the CEO of a mortgage company (according to the Sun) from the new, tony section of Knightsbridge, which abuts the old and not-so-tony section of Bywater and other communities located behind the sprawling Safeway on Forest Drive. Interesting.....rich Republican against local, Black woman and former head of the teacher's union.

Finlayson, who also got the all-too-rapid nod from the police union's pals at the 40,000 member United Food and Commercial Workers (no surprise there....) is undoubtedly the favorite daughter of Mayor Ellen Moyer, also a former teacher's union official. In her appearance at the late December D candidate's night, Finlayson did not hesitate to read a long litany of all her accomplishments and wonderful achievements. No doubt she is bright and hardworking, but can you say "tax and spend liberal" and "Moyer pal" loud enough? Is Carl Snowden lurking in here somewhere?

I really enjoyed meeting her primary opponent Brian Tucker, a youthful, energetic and straight-talking literacy instructor whose heart is in all the right places. Tucker campaigned hard with the support of Taylor but did not prevail.

Meanwhile, the signs of the times are, well, they are the signs of the times. Finlayson and Tucker have huge-really huge signs posted, mainly around Forest Drive. Conley's proclaim that "More Police=Less Crime" which I used the other day to try to teach my 13 year old about the difference between a liberal and conservative viewpoint on an issue...."See, a conservative might say that to stop crime, you arrest more people, but a liberal might say you have to create programs to give people jobs and keep them from becoming criminals....." Hmmm......

Anyhow....Conley also has a huge sign saying "Forest Drive Traffic", with a big red slash through it. Well, if that were not confusing or weird enough, it's facing all that Forest Drive traffic. Now I know what to tell my 13 year old when he asks the definition of irony....I can just imagine being stuck in traffic and he sees the signs and asks.....and I say, "Well, do you see that sign over there...." It will be most interesting to hear ideas about stopping Forest Drive traffic. I also tell my kids that I remember when there really was a forest on Forest Drive. Now I'm geezing. So, who shall we blame this week for all that Forest Drive traffic? Let me see.....Think of the movie "Ship of Fools." We'll blame it on the Jews! And the bicyclists! The bicyclists? Why the bicyclists? Why the Jews? How about if we all accept the blame and act accordingly? We have seen the enemy and it is us!! Let's make Forest Drive into a toll road. Okay--don't shoot me--it's just an idea. But it is sure is easy to say STOP FOREST DRIVE TRAFFIC...just ask Mr. Conley.