Deborah Simmons

D.C. should bolster school choice

You don't have to be a top chef to know that, like oil and water, President Trump and left-of-center Democrats don't go well together — and that sensitive palates find the taste of anchovies yucky. Published April 22, 2019

Terry McAuliffe and the Democrats’ 2020 strategy

American voters should get to know or reacquaint themselves with Terry McAuliffe. He's the Democratic Party's don and king who seemingly doesn't take the money and run but makes sure his own pockets runneth over. Published April 18, 2019

Term limits would drain the swamp

As the "Democratic Demolition Coalition" grows, another group of get-out-the-vote movers and shakers is on the move, too. Supporters of term limits are making their voices heard. One of them is James Baker, who lost to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in the 2018 Democratic primary and was a write-in candidate in the general election. Published April 11, 2019

Larry Hogan’s smart BW Parkway push

Enter Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who is so fed up with the NPS ignoring the dangerous and gridlocked realities of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway that he has urged the state's congressional delegation into action. Published April 8, 2019

Demanding clean water, pothole-free roads

Wanted: Someone to invent a roadway topping that doesn't fall prey to potholes. Deadline: ASAP. Published April 4, 2019

Baltimore mayor vs. Catherine Pugh

The scandalous ruins surrounding Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh means Charm City is in the throes of urban renewal — not gentrification, though. Published April 1, 2019

D.C. auditor Kathy Patterson sends warning about Mayor Muriel Bowser’s budget

Mrs. Patterson tweeted that Mayor Muriel Bowser's "Proposed FY 2020 budget under review by the @councilofdc is 'not fiscally responsible,' with spending increases that outstrip local revenue growth." Published March 28, 2019

Give manual labor a chance

The job market is calling for laborers and manufacturing workers. All those boxes delivered by FedEx, Amazon and the U.S. Postal Service don't appear by osmosis. Published March 21, 2019

The Birth to Three for All D.C. bill is misguided, will raise costs of child care services

Working parents, including those who work from home, often depend on child care services that operate outside the home. Published March 18, 2019

Education system scandals is true March Madness

Every liberal and conservative, progressive and libertarian should agree that cheating a child of their education is wrong. It's simply wrong. Yet it happens, sometimes is even encouraged, in schools across the country. Published March 14, 2019

Jack Evans must step down, D.C. Council steer clear

When it comes to D.C. politics, Jack Evans is pretty much a household name, and he earned the recognition. Published March 11, 2019

R. Kelly unplugged

The reality is this: R. Kelly is in denial and scared to death of facing the music that he and his entourage wrote the score to. Published March 7, 2019

Measles vaccinations: Bolster them now

There is no cure for measles. So you see, when it comes to "one of the most contagious diseases known to man," an ounce of prevention against measles, two doses, is worth a pound of cure. Published March 4, 2019

D.C. targets Trump

This week, D.C. prosecutors became third in line, behind New York and New Jersey, to subpoena the Trump inauguration committee. They want to know the specifics of the whos, the whats, the whens and the wheres -- and, of course, how much. Published February 28, 2019

Trumpeting July Fourth along the National Mall

Here comes Mr. Trump, who apparently loves a parade and wants one on display in the nation's capital on July Fourth. With his proposal comes backlash. Indeed, if we've ever had a president who draws immediate backlash, it's Donald Trump. Published February 25, 2019

Jussie Smollett never grasped that he was really attacking his own credibility

The cameras caught much of the "attack," but the director of the fantasy lost his way. He never seemed to even grasp the reality that he was attacking himself -- his credibility as an actor, singer, producer, a TV star, a friend -- or "Empire" coworker, if you will -- whose ethical behavior others depended upon. Published February 21, 2019