News & Politics

Georgetowner • December 14, 2012

Wednesday is a big day. It could be a really, really, really big day.

It’s 12/12/12. Or dozen, dozen, dozen, doing the dozens, or December 12, 2012, the 12th day of the 12th month of the 12th year of the 21st century. Don’t you wish you’d been around on 12/12/12 of the 12th century? Just Google it.

In any case, this sort of convenient, coincidental but easy to plan for date doesn’t happen often—this particular series won’t occur again for a hundred years, when the great-great-grandson of the last official member of the tea party goes to his grave, whispering “no new taxes.”

For some, it is also a date in the Mayan calendar, and some people believe that this date, or Dec. 21, will signal the end of all things, or in the very least, no new taxes, and a new hairdo for Miley Cyrus. Dramatic things could occur tomorrow including: the end.

As it is, we’re heading over the cliff, or so it seems, although rumors abound that a deal is in the making, that the key people in the negotiations are having lunch, holding secret meetings that are apparently not secret, and, you know, joy to the world, don’t you worry about a thing, even if it ain’t got that swing.

Tomorrow will see the most significant rock concert in quite a while-the Concert for Sandy Relief, by which New Jersey rock stars Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and (Gov.) Chris Christie will show up with a few of their friends like Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, the wonderful Alicia Keyes, Stevie-Is It Any-Wonder, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, the Who less two original band members and a host of others, including Brian Williams—who will not sing— at Madison Square Garden. It could be the greatest rock concert ever—and also the last if we believe the people who believe the Mayans. It could be true: there is evidence of a recent archeological find of what are believe to be statues of Mayan or Aztec High Priests, one of whom resembles the current incarnation of Keith Richards, with of an inscription advising believers to go to higher ground. This could, of course, be a spiritual admonition, and certainly should not be taken as a sign to get high.

Be that as it may, it seems 12-12-12 is an encouraging date for wedding planners, who have indicated that it’s a day many more people than usual decided to get married. Possibly, it’s because it’s a day easy to remember which means you cannot ever, ever forget your anniversary.

Oh, happy day, then, tomorrow for brides, grooms and bridesmaids and the makers of “Bridesmaids II” which is bound to happen. Or maybe not, if we go over the cliff, or, if per the Mayan believers, the cliff goes over us. What a honeymoon.
Now how does all this play out in the ongoing cliff debate and the politics of the day.

Well, let’s see:
Dateline—12/12/12. The White House phone is ringing. No answer. The president’s hot line is ringing. No answer. Eric Cantor’s phone is ringing. No answer. Nancy Pelosi’s phone is ringing. No answer. Grover Norquist’s phone is ringing. Taylor Swift’s phone is ringing, and gets only a recording setting out the rules for any future boyfriend. No answer, not even a dial tone. It’s as if the rapture has already begun.

House Speaker John Boehner leaves a message: “Hey, where is everyone? I’m really starting to worry. We’re going over the cliff, if we don’t do something. I’ll do anything. I’ll even raise taxes on Trump … and be glad to do it. You’re fired, my butt. But hey, seriously. Where are you guys? What’s happened? Somebody locked the door to my office, and I can’t get out. What the hell is happening? Somebody call me, please.”

At the White House, President Barack Obama, Eric Cantor, Nancy Pelosi, all the Republican tea party members, the Democratic as well as Republican senators, and Grover Norquist and Taylor Swift are listening to the message. They are all laughing their heads off. “I can’t believe he bought it,” Cantor says. “That was the deal,” the president says. “I’m glad you guys finally agreed. Let’s get this done.” “You mean, you don’t really want us to raise taxes on the rich, right?” Norquist says. “The hell I don’t,” the president says. “You all agreed and you signed the legislation.” Norquist and the rest hem and haw and start to argue.

“That’s it,” the president says. “I’m out of here. Do you want to go to the Sandy concert or not?” They all agree and sign the agreement, which even has a name called The Screwtape Agreement.

They all head out the door. The building starts to shake a little. “What’s that noise?” they all ask.
It’s 12/12/12.

Prepare for the Galactic Alignment.

David Post •

Suppose you owed $15,000 and earned $15,000. (Multiply those figures by a billion, and that’s almost what the US economy looks like.) In two weeks, your loan payments are going to increase, and your salary is going down.
That’s a personal fiscal cliff – less income, more expenses.

In federal government budget speak, the fiscal cliff is about taxes going up and spending going down at the same time. Unless something is done to stop it, this will happen in the U.S. on New Year’s Day.

How did this happen?

Twelve years ago, the U.S. economy was generating surpluses – more revenue than spending – for “as far as the eye could see.” In 2001, President George W. Bush pushed a tax cut through Congress that was set to expire in ten years. Why expire? Because a ten year tax cut “costs” less than a permanent tax cut. The ten-year cost was $4 trillion. A permanent tax cut would have cost a lot more. It was the largest tax cut ever. Government revenues decreased. Not until 2006 did income tax revenues catch up to what they were in 2000.

Then, the world changed. The country entered two wars that have cost $1.5 trillion. Congress also expanded Medicare to pay for medications for seniors, another $1 trillion.

The Great Recession that began in 2008 was costly. The Bush bank bailouts cost $800 billion, the Obama stimulus mostly to state and local governments facing massive tax decreases cost another $800 billion, and recession driven unemployment and other safety net costs increased $500. Revenues also declined. Tax receipts declined more than $1 trillion compared to 2007. In fact, in 2012 tax revenues were still lower than they were in 2007.

In 2010, because of the fragile economic recovery, the Bush tax cuts were extended for along with a new payroll tax cut. Price tag for two years: $1 trillion.

The total: $6.5 trillion. A lot of money to be repaid when income tax revenues are only $1.1 trillion per year.

In 2011, Congress imposed a “sequester” automatically cutting $1.2 trillion in spending over the next ten years beginning Jan. 1, 2013. Congress thought it would replace that with a better plan within a year, but it couldn’t.

When New Years 2013 arrives, the Bush tax cuts expire taxes and the sequester spending cuts kick in. $500 billion more revenue. $100 billion less spending. That’s the cliff.

That was the plan, but, now, no one wants it.

Economists say that raising taxes and reducing spending – the ways to resolve the deficit and the debt – that much in one year may cause a recession because 70% of the economy is consumer spending, and people will have less to spend.

Democrats and Republicans agree that the deficit must be reduced by $4 trillion over the next ten years. They don’t agree how to do that. Since doing some now and more later hurts less, that’s what will happen. Taxes will increase a little on the rich and spending cuts will be reduced.

Like pulling off a band-aid slowly, this is going to be painful for a long time.

Georgetowner •

Hey, we love to see people reading a newspaper . . . but safety first, right? Traveling west of Dupont Circle into Georgetown on Q Street Dec. 3, a commuter at Metrobus’s D2 route photographed the driver of the bus reading the newspaper (looked like the Washington Post or Post Express) with it on the steering wheel as he operated the vehicle. The rider contacted the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority, responsible for the bus in question, and then posted this entry on blog, Unsuck D.C. Metro:
“During my commute last Monday morning on the D2, the bus driver was reading a newspaper for a long stretch of the route, both while the bus was stopped and while it was in motion. I emailed WMATA about this and asked for a specific response, which I thought was reasonable given the seriousness of the safety issue (I mentioned that I’d like to provide them with the attached photos and video). This was a westbound D2, leaving Dupont at 7:30 a.m., bus #3077. [It took a while, but WMATA finally got back to the rider.] I got a call from someone in WMATA customer service this morning, telling me they’d started a proceeding against the driver in question. The guy gave me the name and number of the person in charge of investigating the driver, and an email to send photos and video to. So, at this point I’m satisfied with the response. It sounds like they’re actually taking this seriously, and I’d like to give them credit for that.

Robert Devaney •

Soon, after attending Sunday mass at Holy Trinity in the new year, you will likely be able to stop at nearby Dixie Liquor and buy that special cognac. The District Council has approved Sunday sales at D.C. liquor stores among other changes to the alcohol beverage control bill.

The move to open on Sunday is resisted by some stores because they are small business run by families. Sunday is the only day they can take off, as Steve Feldman of Potomac Wine & Spirits told the Washington Examiner: “Basically, none of us want to work on Sunday. By Sunday, people have already done most of their partying for the weekend. . . . How much scotch and vodka are you going to buy on Sunday when you already have a hangover from Saturday night?”

“If they are going to let us open, we will open,” said Sean Clark of Dixie Liquor at 35th and M Streets.

“If I don’t open on Sunday, I might lose a customer who comes in during weekdays.”

While advisory neighborhood commissions have priority in governmental or legal comment, D.C. residents may organize into a group of at least five to protest any liquor license application. An increase in the number of ABC inspectors is proposed as well as new training programs for bartenders and waiters. The council also approved the use of growlers – half-gallon refillable containers used to carry beer home from a brewery or bar.

Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham led on the alcohol bill changes especially the compromise on Sunday sales instead of extending bar hours to 4 a.m, all in a bid to increase sales tax revenue for the District. Nearby Arlington and Montgomery counties already have sold liquor on Sundays for a few years now.

Georgetowner •

OUT — Yves Delorme, the classic bedding and bath linens shop, that seemed to fit in perfectly with Georgetown, will be leaving Cady’s Alley. It has other nearby locations in Bethesda, Md., and McLean, Va. The store’s 1,000-square-foot space will serve as a Bonobos Guideshop location, opening late January.

MOVED — Alessi, the equally classic Italian-designed houseware store has left its space near Cafe Leopard and L2 and moved into Contemporaria a few doors east in Cady’s Alley. It is now known as Alessi at Contemporaria — 202-338-0193; alessi@contemporaria.com.

IN — As reported in our previous issue, online men’s clothier Bonobos Guideshop will arrive at the south end 3320 Cady’s Alley retail space in late January. EastBanc, Inc. and Jamestown confirmed last week that the “popular online men’s clothier Bonobos has signed a long-term lease. … Bonobos is the largest apparel brand in the U.S. that sells its product exclusively over the Internet, and the company prides itself on offering exceptionally tailored apparel to fit men and their lifestyles. Bonobos’s brick and mortar Guideshop sites were conceptualized to transform the customer shopping experience with personalized, realistic impressions of online inventory and to register clothing measurements for future Internet purchases. Currently there are six Guideshop locations in the U.S., including a holiday pop-up in Bethesda.”

IN — Also in Cady’s Alley is the pop-up clothing store, Muleh, in the old Alessi space next to the entrance of L2 lounge. It plans to be there until April 2013. Reports the company: “Established in 1999, Muléh is a highly curated, fashion and home furnishings showroom with locations in New York City and Washington, D.C. … In addition to carrying well known labels, such as 3.1 Philip Lim and Mulberry, Muléh’s design selections of out-of-the-mainstream brands attempt to expand the availability to obtain such critically acclaimed but hard to find designers such as Vivienne Westwood’s Anglomania and Red Label, Jean Paul Gautier, Smythe, MM6, Ter et Bantine, Sea, Hache, By Malene Birger, Faliero Sarti, LD Tuttle, Chie Mihara, Lizzie Fortunato, Paula Mendoza, Coclico, and foundation-building knit lines Majestic and Autumn Cashmere.”

Robert Devaney •

Secondhand Rose of Georgetown, the well-regarded vintage, consignment clothing store at 1516 Wisconsin Ave., NW. Although the sign on the building has remained, the business itself, owned by Lynn Boynton, continues as an online business. The Wisconsin Avenue retail space appears to continue as “Secondhand Rose,” and that has created confusion and a problem.

Owner of the business, Secondhand Rose, Lynn Boynton, contacted this newspaper last week. In an email, she wrote, “I purchased the business 11 years ago from four women who had owned the business for 25 years. I had become weary of the condition of the building and decided it was time for a new location. I gave notice and moved on Nov. 14. The landlord Bok Hwang advertised the space in the Korean newspaper and found a new tenant, Susan Ro. Ms. Ro is using the name Second Hand Rose. DCRA has assured she cannot use my name. I am a corporation in good standing, and I have filed an official complaint. I am curious as to why Ms. Ro cannot give her business a unique name and feels a need to pose as Secondhand Rose. I worked hard for 11 years and have a faithful following. My customers became my friends and are confused and upset by this turn of events. I am still doing business, and my name is Secondhand Rose. Krista Johnson, owner of Ella Rue on P Street, went into 1516 Wisconsin Ave., and Ms. Ro told her she had purchased the business and it is under new management. Ms. Ro did not purchase my business. She offered me $5,000 and told me ‘That is my number, think about it.’ One item in my shop is worth more than $5,000, so there was nothing to think about. The landlord and his wife have told me on many occasions how important they believe the name Secondhand Rose is. I know he has encouraged his new tenant to use the name.”

Georgetowner •

Top D.C. Democratic party leaders met Dec. 10 at Catholic University – in a conclave of sorts, as other media quipped – to select an interim councilmember. Filling the vacancy created when Phil Mendelson became District Council chairman because of Kwame Brown’s resignation, the group of elite Democrats named Anita Bonds, the chair of the D.C. Democratic State Committee – that’s the name for D.C. Democratic Party apparatus – an at-large councilmember. Bonds has with several mayors, beginning with Marion Barry in the 1970s. Other Democrats under consideration were former shadow representative John Capozzi and Doug Sloan, a Ward 4 advisory neighborhood commissioner.

According to WAMU, Bonds won 55 of the 71 votes. WAMU added: “Bonds currently works as an executive at Fort Meyer Construction, one of the biggest city contractors. She doesn’t plan to step aside from her role in that job, she said after the vote last night, but she will cut back on her hours. She also said questions about her outside employment bordered on chauvinistic. ‘Because in the past I’ve never heard a conversation about some of the council members — I’m not going to name names,’ she said. ‘You don’t ask those questions, how much they make in their law practice … how much they make as vice presidents of companies. But you’re very concerned about me … little old me.’ “