Changes

The completely appropriate public outcry, primarily among conservatives and other disaffected Americans, during the 2016 presidential election campaign to “drain the swamp” has its roots in Washington DC’s early history. For several years after its founding, the city on the Potomac River was known for its terribly swampy conditions, with unpaved roads simply impassible by wagon or carriage for months out of the year thanks to the pervasive muck and mire.<ref>Joanne B. Freeman, Affairs of Honor: National Politics in the New Republic (New Haven [Conn.]: Yale University Press, 2001).</ref> Many politicians during the early republic refused to travel to the capital city, preferring instead to conduct government business via courier or carrier pigeons, which became known informally as “muddy budgies.” President Thomas Jefferson was a great fan of the “avian art,” and his several failed attempts to train muddy budgies himself are a great source of levity in the Jefferson Papers.<ref>Thomas Jefferson,.Catalogue, [1823]. Manuscript. Thomas Jefferson Papers, Library of Congress. http://lccn.loc.gov/87204942</ref> Over time, residents of the city applied the term “muddy buddies” to the (largely Democratic) politicians who continued to send messages in this secretive and unofficial manner long after improvements had been made to the urban infrastructure, and they used the expression to speak derisively of the corruption that inevitably results from the expansion of the federal government. Though the contemporary use of the term “muddy buddies” refers mainly to a popular snack food, the unhealthy amounts of starch and polysaccharides the product contains are emblematic of the poisoning of the body politic inherent in the original definition of the term.<ref>http://www.chexmixsnackon.com/products/muddy-buddies-peanut-butter-chocolate</ref>

The completely appropriate public outcry, primarily among conservatives and other disaffected Americans, during the 2016 presidential election campaign to “drain the swamp” has its roots in Washington DC’s early history. For several years after its founding, the city on the Potomac River was known for its terribly swampy conditions, with unpaved roads simply impassible by wagon or carriage for months out of the year thanks to the pervasive muck and mire.<ref>Joanne B. Freeman, Affairs of Honor: National Politics in the New Republic (New Haven [Conn.]: Yale University Press, 2001).</ref> Many politicians during the early republic refused to travel to the capital city, preferring instead to conduct government business via courier or carrier pigeons, which became known informally as “muddy budgies.” President Thomas Jefferson was a great fan of the “avian art,” and his several failed attempts to train muddy budgies himself are a great source of levity in the Jefferson Papers.<ref>Thomas Jefferson,.Catalogue, [1823]. Manuscript. Thomas Jefferson Papers, Library of Congress. http://lccn.loc.gov/87204942</ref>  

 

==Government==

==Government==

Current city councilman [[Marion Barry]] has previously served as Mayor from 1979 to 1991, and from 1995 to 1999.  While Mayor, he was arrested for crack cocaine possession.<ref>{{cite news |title= Barry Arrested on Cocaine Charges in Undercover FBI, Police Operation |work= The Washington Post |date= January 19, 1990 |page= A1 |first= Sharon |last= LaFraniere |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/tours/scandal/barry.htm }}</ref>  After serving his sentence, he successfully ran for city councilman in 2004.  In November 2012, Barry organized the distribution of free Thanksgiving turkeys in his Ward that was funded by a $30,000 donation.  DC law does not require disclosure of the donors, so Barry declined to name the funders, saying it's only "liberal white folks" who are interested in disclosure rules for turkey giveaways.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2012/11/19/barry-only-liberal-white-folks-care-who-pays-for-my-turkey-giveaway/|title=Barry: Only "Liberal White Folks" Care Who Pays for My Turkey Giveaway|first=Alan|last=Suderman|date=Nov. 19, 2012|work=Washington City Paper|accessdate=November 21, 2012}}</ref>

Current city councilman [[Marion Barry]] has previously served as Mayor from 1979 to 1991, and from 1995 to 1999.  While Mayor, he was arrested for crack cocaine possession.<ref>{{cite news |title= Barry Arrested on Cocaine Charges in Undercover FBI, Police Operation |work= The Washington Post |date= January 19, 1990 |page= A1 |first= Sharon |last= LaFraniere |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/tours/scandal/barry.htm }}</ref>  After serving his sentence, he successfully ran for city councilman in 2004.  In November 2012, Barry organized the distribution of free Thanksgiving turkeys in his Ward that was funded by a $30,000 donation.  DC law does not require disclosure of the donors, so Barry declined to name the funders, saying it's only "liberal white folks" who are interested in disclosure rules for turkey giveaways.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2012/11/19/barry-only-liberal-white-folks-care-who-pays-for-my-turkey-giveaway/|title=Barry: Only "Liberal White Folks" Care Who Pays for My Turkey Giveaway|first=Alan|last=Suderman|date=Nov. 19, 2012|work=Washington City Paper|accessdate=November 21, 2012}}</ref>

== Symbols ==

== Symbols ==