R.I.P. Marion Barry

[DrPhil]

TJMS was profound and heartwarming this morning.

They talked about how he got many high schoolers their first jobs. They talked about how he gave many people hope for their futures. They talked about how he would show up at the Go-Go and people would shout "go Marion Barry" and he'd do a quick two-step and be done.

D.C. (the original Chocolate City) would be a lot different had it not been for Mayor for Life Barry and the people like him who did what they did despite personal shortcomings and struggles.

[DubaiSis]

Unfortunately, the politicians who get the most done have to be the most sleazy. Mayor Daley, used above as an example of similar corruption, achieved remarkable things for Chicago. And my favorite, John Rostenkowski who ended up going to jail was known to many a Chicagoan as "he may be a sleazeball, but he's OUR sleazeball."

If you want to get anything real accomplished in our political system you have to be willing to cut corners. Is that wrong? Absolutely, but boy scouts never got anything done in Washington or any other capital for that matter.

And on a similar issue, politicians as a group have to think they are better than the rest of us. Without that arrogance and superiority no one would ever run. The best we can hope for is that they use their powers for good instead of evil. I mean really, who could possibly think they are qualified to be president? Or the mayor of one of the most powerful, important and messed up cities in the entire world? Nobody in their right mind can think that highly of themselves.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

Unfortunately, the politicians who get the most done have to be the most sleazy. Mayor Daley, used above as an example of similar corruption, achieved remarkable things for Chicago. And my favorite, John Rostenkowski who ended up going to jail was known to many a Chicagoan as "he may be a sleazeball, but he's OUR sleazeball."

If you want to get anything real accomplished in our political system you have to be willing to cut corners. Is that wrong? Absolutely, but boy scouts never got anything done in Washington or any other capital for that matter.

And on a similar issue, politicians as a group have to think they are better than the rest of us. Without that arrogance and superiority no one would ever run. The best we can hope for is that they use their powers for good instead of evil. I mean really, who could possibly think they are qualified to be president? Or the mayor of one of the most powerful, important and messed up cities in the entire world? Nobody in their right mind can think that highly of themselves.

Dan Rostenkowski

[TonyB06]

I've always considered it "less than classy" to throw shade about somebody in a thread announcing their passing and memorializing their life. (We know trolls do it, but they're trolls. Who really expects anymore from them?)

Heck, start another thread and chop it up about the +/- of what the person did on earth. That's fair game.

/standard disclaimers apply ..yes, this is GreekChat and anybody can post anything they want, blah, blah, blah./

May Bro. Barry rest easy.

[DubaiSis]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

Dan Rostenkowski

My bad. Of course!

[Munchkin03]

My condolences to his family and friends.

I had no idea he was a chemist, and left a PhD program in chemistry to go into what became his life's work. The obituaries have been very illuminating!

[andthen]

Originally Posted by spuds

Chemistry? Today that would be considered selling out to the man.

How is that even selling out? He accomplished something.

I have to say in reading the obit, I didn't know he was a chemist, as I've only known him as a politician. I know he hadn't been in the best of health over the past few years. Be at peace.

[moe.ron]

Originally Posted by andthen

How is that even selling out? He accomplished something.

Don't feed the troll

[DrPhil]

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/f...284643561.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...litical-elite/