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Check out this key section from the Post's account of Cropp's backstabbing, Mudville-topping idiocy:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3262-2004Dec15.html

"Watching the council late Tuesday, a viewer could get the impression that Cropp had been confused. When she first explained her amendment -- which voids the stadium financing package unless the mayor delivers about $150 million in private investments -- Cropp said it would take effect only if the mayor blatantly ignores a viable private-financing package.

Evans initially described the amendment as "friendly." But after Fenty, Catania and Schwartz demanded clarification, Cropp explained, to everyone's surprise, that the stadium deal would die without private funds."

Doesn't that just sum it up? Half-assed, half-baked, touch of class-baiting, dash of concentrated stupidity = triple-decker DC government shit sandwich.

I'm in love. If she runs for mayor I will definitely contribute. BTW, Eric, when do we get the perspective of the "free market sports fan"? I saw something about it in the tagline to the blog.

Here's the letter I sent to Cropp and her colleagues:

Dear Ms. Cropp:

I am in favor of baseball coming to the District and I am in favor of the deal the Mayor made. So I already think your grandstanding and flip-flopping on this issue is laughable, at best. But your actions last night cannot pass without comment.

We are the only 600,000 people in America without voting representation in Congress. We complain about how we are denied a voice in issues of national policy because we are not represented in the House or Senate.

Well, thanks to your weasel-like actions late last night, we are all hypocrites. How can we complain about how we are not allowed a voice in the political dialogue, when you scuttled baseball with a last-minute amendment that received no public comment or discussion from the residents of the District? Have you no shame?

You know what gets me? it's typical Expos luck. Even when they kicked out of the place that didn't realize they had a baseball team, the place that claims they want them can't agree to keep them.

When I first read the headlines on this story (and having once lived in the DC area for a dozen years), my instinct was to castigate Cropp. I'm still leaning in that direction, because she seemed to renege on a deal. However, after looking at this a bit more closely, I'm not so sure. It's interesting that both the RINO Republican Council member Carol Schwartz and the Republican-turned-Independent/libertarian David Catania also supported her. Washington, DC is one of the most heavily taxed localities in the country. Trying to offset the costs of this stadium via private financing demonstrates some respect for the taxpayer.

Jim Henley: First, I'm a big fan. I'm no libertarian, but I'velong loved High Clearing for the incicive writing and for your willingness to break with dogma when appropriate.

But you gotta understand that Linda Cropp is no libertarian champion, riding in to save the city from obscene corporate welfare. She's an opportunistic hack who -- after playing every angle of the debate -- found an issue that allowed her to cast herself as a principled hero. It's not her position on the ballpark that's wrongeheaded -- it's her tactics.

Robert:

Except that Cropp helped negotiate the original deal... and then flip-flopped on herself. She had agreed to the deal ... but then political opportunism set in. Her actions are less about policy and more about a complete lack of integrity.

Also: http://www.dropcropp.com

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