Comparing the Mayoral Candidates

You know how, sometimes, there’s something that’s so clear to you, crystal clear, but no one else seems to see? Take Donald Trump, for example. You and everybody you know agrees Trump’s a flaming jerk. So why is he doing so well in the polls? Who are all these people who believe his special brand of crap and think he’s God’s gift to the Presidency? What is it about this blowhard these people don’t get?

Well, we’re having one of those moments about the race for Mayor and Sheila Dixon in particular. There are 6 leading candidates, only one of which has the following attributes:

• Has already been Mayor, but did nothing, when she had the chance, to reduce unemployment and eliminate poverty. She was never the friend of the city’s disadvantaged neighborhoods, their families and businesses.

• About whom it can honestly be said that the city is no better off now than before she took office as a result of anything she did. (She takes full credit for a declining homicide rate, but it turns out that was a national trend when she just happened be in office.)

• Who was tried and convicted of embezzlement and then struck a plea agreement that threw her out of office, required that she contribute $45,000 to charity – while allowing her to avoid a trial and conviction on charges of perjury and keep her $80,000+ retirement benefits.

So why is she even running, let alone leading in the polls? Is re-electing Sheila Dixon, with 5 other more qualified candidates, really the best Baltimore can do?

One explanation is that the early polls are more about name recognition than they are about substantive qualifications. To help rectify that problem, we recommend that you read the attached PDP that compares the 6 leading candidates.

Take a look and let us know what you think. The question is, “In what alternate universe is lackluster former Mayor and convicted criminal Sheila Dixon more qualified to be Mayor than any of her 5 opponents?”

Comparison Of Mayoral Candidates