D.C. in the Red: Our left-leaning capital is making some right turns

Opinion: When I moved back East from Portland, Ore., I'd more or less had my fill of ''crunchiness.'' The guy I moved out there with had moved on from crew cut to white-boy dreads, from Eagle Scout to drum circle. I'd become numb to women sporting facial hair as a political act. By the time I left, my nightmares were filled with recumbent bicycles and tempeh jerky. Back in D.C., once I trained myself to stop smiling at strangers on the sidewalk (a bad habit acquired in the wild Northwest), I settled back in nicely. After all, the District is a wonderfully progressive place. Here I could have both smartypants progressives and couture. Not that I can afford fashion, of course, but I take comfort knowing that where Portland has Birkenstock and Columbia Sportswear, D.C. has Thomas Pink and Zara. And whereas the Portland progressives could sometimes tend toward righteousness, D.C. lefties seem a bit more tempered. I credit the diplomatic vibes emanating from the State Department. ... (more)

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