District 5 election musings

I was at the debate the other night where the candidates for the Prince George's County special election in District 5 were given about 1 minute to respond to a list of questions. On the panel were Adam Ortiz, mayor of Edmonston; Theresa Dudley, teacher at Kenmoor Middle School; Andrea Harrison, the talking puppet for Jack Johnson and his boy Harrington; Adrion Howell, the political wannabe; and Sherry James-Strother, former nurse at a local county hospital. Needless to say, I am NOT impressed by either Adrion Howell or Andrea Harrison.

First, let's things straight. Harrison used to work for Harrington. She is a candidate hand-picked from the Jack Johnson administration. That alone is enough to disqualify her from contention in this race. From her associations, it should be clear what the people of the county should expect if she is elected: more of the same. More of the same development projects that drain resources from our communities without giving back. More of the same discriminatory environmental policies that allow contracts with companies who pollute the air of our residents. More lies and deceit. Did someone say slate committee????

And Adrion Howell, well, he's actively seeking the endorsement of Jack Johnson. He's not afraid to let his connection to corrupt government be known. Good luck with that, Adrion. The people are going to see right through your glossy ads.

So that brings us to the last three. These are candidates who I feel are real candidates of the people. They are not without their flaws, but they are nonetheless who I feel are the top contenders (or at least should be).