Many of you know me from here. Welcome to the machine’s newest nightmare.
I am just going to jump right into things. In Baltimore, we have a government that says it is for safe streets and against nuisances. Last year many dedicated people living in Reservoir Hill spent a lot of time trying to get the liquor license removed from an establishment that had haunted the area for thirty years. Back in September 2007, this establishment was covered with political signs for every major candidate for Mayor and candidates for other positions. When people allow their names to be placed on a business, institution, etc.., they are giving it their endorsement. Ever wonder why we can’t seem to get rid of nuisance establishments? Check one out around Baltimore City election season and you will see why.
There has been a lot of talk about change lately in the national media. In the Baltimore political system change is something that will only be attained when we stop electing members of the ruling junta which got us into this situation long ago.
There I said it.
This blog is not going to be a pretty promo for Baltimore. I am not going to clean things up to make it seem like life is dandy here.
I will name names. The time has finally come.
I was using google maps the other day and something caught my eye when I saw a street level view of the 900 Block of West North Avenue. Click here to see what I saw.
This photo was clearly taken in 2007 during the election campaign. You can see campaign signs for Andrey Bundley, Sheila Dixon, and Stephanie Rawlings-Blake posted on the front of the notorious Linden Liquors drug hangout that I referenced above. Now you can see the shameful truth for yourself. Our Mayor and City Council President talk about how Baltimore’s streets need to be safe and clean, but this photo clearly shows that in order to win elections they are willing to plaster their name on just about anything.
When one places one’s name on something, one is endorsing the very existence of that thing and giving it legitimacy. In the end of the day one’s name and one’s reputation is all one really has. Some people are willing to give all of that up and compromise any values they may have once had in order to attain power.
Start the Revolution!
Filed in: Uncategorized.
Tags: Adam Meister, Andrey Bundley, Baltimore, elections, Liquor Stores, Reservoir Hill, Sheila Dixon, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
Adam is the most recognizable face of the recent resurgence in Reservoir Hill. He has appeared on many national and local radio shows, in several news publications, and at numerous events discussing his innovative urban redevelopment ideas and his unique lifestyle. Adam is a successful entrepreneur, community activist, and a local political guru who ran for city council in 2007. He is the founder and director of the TechBalt.com Buy a Block Project and BaltimoreHourly.com. His fearless local political commentary has rocked the local blog scene for most of this decade and he plans to take it to the next level in the next decade here on Charm City Current.
I think “change” and nimby should be synonymous. Change sounds good, it’s a great campaign slogan but change is painful and nobody likes pain. Transparency is a great phrase and I would love to see it, no pun intended. But in actuality most people either would not know what they were seeing or don’t care. People ultimately want change as long as it doesn’t change their lives. So ultimately people are asking for change for everybody else. Everybody sees problems with everybody else. People see problems with the mayor or city council president. Then we change them and another set of people have a problem with the new set. People have problems with the school system but nobody wants to pay more taxes to fix it. People have problems with zoning boards and license offices but when those people come out and find problems with your property then we have a problem with them. Change is very uncomfortable.
you took that guy to school, Adam!! (as well as “m4rk” who also said that politicians aren’t aware of the establishments displaying their posters).
I don’t know what is more nauseating: the actual behavior of these campaigns…..or the excuse-making of people like m4rk and Bill Mill. Probably the latter — if people would stop TOLERATING this behavior, things could/would actually CHANGE!
I don’t think Baltimore is ready for this. Even more Adam Meister live and in living color. Wanna see how much the citizens of Charm City really want change? The eagerly awaited verdict of Mayor Sheila Dixon’s trial will show us all where things truly stand. We’ll see.
Congratulations Adam, give em hell, I know you will.
Fight on for those of us whom the machine has attempted to destroy.
fair enough, I concede. That’s interesting info that should be in the article!
Bill let me explain how political sign distribution works in Baltimore. I experienced it first hand in 2007. The candidates with money will pay their volunteers to walk around a neighborhood and ask local businesses to put up their signs. It is theoretically possible that the businesses are also offered money or some sort of future favoritism in return for the sign being put up. The paid volunteers (workers) can easily be instructed to avoid shady places. They are not. They are specifically told to hit high traffic areas LIKE LIQUOR STORES ON DRUG CORNERS! Once one candidate sees a rival’s signs on a building they will send their people over to that same place and offer to put up a sign.
Businesses by nature are busy places that do not have time to contact campaign offices and pick up campaign posters. 99% of the time with commercial establishments the politicians and their campaigns are indeed responsible for where their signs end up. The campaigns are proactively putting up signs where ever they can. They know exactly where their signs are ending.
A property owner has the right (within zoning limits) to put up a political poster, and nobody has the right to rip it off without their consent.
I’m all for closing down public nuisances, and going after pols who ignore their constituents, but the pols are not responsible for who puts their signs where
Candidates or campaign managers can make simple rules for their campaigns. A rule that all candidates in Baltimore should follow and stress to their campaign staff is “no signs on establishments that are legendary drug havens”.
I don’t disagree with your goals here at all (actually, I’m a fan), but I can’t imagine that politicians are aware of every establishment displaying their campaign posters. Granted, they should be aware of “nuisance” establishments, but once they are, is it fair for a politician to ask registered voters to silence their support?
At any rate, you might be absolutely right, but the ill-advised placement of a political banner does not a corruption scheme make. Clearly, there is far more convincing evidence to be cited.