Are you looking for a great way to get active locally? Are you looking to get more involved in taking back the White House in 2008? Well, look no further than here for your chance to take back the White House WHILE getting active locally! On March 31, Barack Obama’s Campaign is hosting community gatherings throughout the nation to let folks know how to get involved with the grassroots effort to elect a practical problem-solver AND great progressive as our next President…
And we’ll be here in Orange County to let OC Democrats know how to take back their nation in their own community!

Want to find out more? Follow me after the flip…

So what exactly is this meeting about? Let me quote from the summary on the event page:

This event will be an organizational meeting for anyone that wants to put their support and efforts behind Senator Barack Obama’s campaign. We will be going over the various ways to get involved in the grassroots efforts to get Senator Obama selected as the Democratic nominee during this primary season, and then elected into the White House in 2008.

Basically, we’ll be talking about ways for us to get involved with the campaign. As LOCAL volunteer grassroots activists, we have a unique chance to reach out to our family, friends, and neighbors in our community. Now that we California Democrats will be picking our nominee in February, we have a great opportunity to reach out to our fellow Democrats, and let them know that THEIR VOTES MATTER. Remember what I said about this ten days ago?

Why not take advantage of this real chance to revitalize the California Democratic Party? I am hoping that we in the progressive movement here will take this unique opportunity to breathe some new life into the Democratic Party here, as well as to get our neighbors excited about voting again. There’s nothing like telling someone that his or her vote really matters… And now that our primary will be early and important, ALL OF OUR VOTES REALLY DO MATTER AGAIN!

We can continue to bitch and moan and whine and complain about everything that’s wrong right now, and just see more of the same…
Or we can get up and take action to change this! If we really care about building a grassroots movement here, then why don’t we use this primary as a way to start growing it? If we’re so concerned about the “media ad buys” and all the consultants, then why don’t we get out there ans start growing some real grassroots? No, the candidates cannot meet all of the voters in California… BUT ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER CAN! If we don’t like the status quo, then why do we keep whining about it? Why not just get out there and CHANGE IT?!

The opportunity is now here… We just have to get off our duffs and TAKE IT!

Well, guess what? THE OPPORTUNITY REALLY IS HERE, AND IT WILL BE ON SATURDAY IN LAGUNA NIGUEL!!

So what are you waiting for? Why not join us in making a difference in America, and in Orange County, by learning more about how YOU CAN HELP Barack Obama win Orange County next February! We have ten months to go, and plenty of work to do… But nevertheless, I’m sure it will be quite a fun ride, and I’m sure it will all be worth it. : )

And oh yes, if you can’t make it to Laguna Niguel on Saturday, then PLEASE drop by any of these other OC for Obama community gatherings:

Santa Ana at 2:00 PM

Huntington Beach at 2:00 PM

Irvine at 12:45 PM

Orange at 2:00 PM

Fullerton at 8:00 PM

Buena Park at 2:00 PM

Aliso Viejo at 12:00 PM

San Clemente at 12:30 PM

In today’s San Francisco Chronicle, Matier and Ross report on a J. Moore Methods poll that shows Jerry Brown with a huge lead among theoretical Democratic 2010 gubernatorial candidates. The poll has to be taken with a whole shaker of salt – it’s only 2007, no candidates have declared, this is really just a poll of name recognition, etc.

But by a clause in CA’s term limits law, Edmund G. Brown, Jr. is eligible to run for a third term in office should he wish to return to it. In the M&R story he said he had “no plans” to run in 2010. Still, the 31% support – far outdistancing Antonio Villaraigosa who had 17% in the poll (although becoming the clear favorite when Brown’s name was not included) – makes this at least interesting Sunday morning coffee and donut speculation.

Jerry Brown was one of only four Democrats elected governor in CA in the 20th century, and was greatly helped by sharing a name with his popular father Edmund G. “Pat” Brown, as well as capitalizing on voter discontent with Reagan’s governorship in the 1974 election.

However, it’s my view that Brown was not a successful governor, and failed to provide leadership during the most pivotal moments in recent CA history. Brown entered office with some interesting ideas, but found his most immediate task to be dealing with a protracted economic crisis. Brown’s solution was austerity, cutting or freezing state spending on everything from social services to freeway projects. Half-finished offramps were left hanging in the air as Brown declared an “era of limits.”

While he was not totally wrong in recognizing the need to change, he failed to grasp the voter mood. His spending cuts led the state to amass a sizable surplus – over $1 billion by the 1977 legislative session. Meanwhile inflation had led local governments to hike property taxes to provide for local services, stoking a voter revolt over taxes.

Brown’s failure was to not find a way to cut property taxes or spend the surplus to forestall Prop 13, written and passed in 1978. In his 1977 State of the State address he called on the Legislature to provide tax relief, but Brown was unable to bring a fractious Democratic majority to agreement on the subject. And since he was unwilling to spend the surplus, voters saw the situation as absurd. Worse, critics of Prop 13 who pointed out its eventually disastrous effects on government finances were told by tax revolters that the state could simply use its billion dollar surplus to bail out local governments.

Facing reelection in 1978 Brown came out in favor of Prop 13, though not enthusiastically and after an earlier period of opposition. It passed by an overwhelming margin in June, and Brown knew that if he were to be reelected, he would have to embrace it. He did in fact use the surplus funds to bail out local governments, but though this was only a short-term fix, it set the precedent that the state has been following ever since, as more and more of the general fund has been going to pay for local government costs that property taxes used to cover.

Moreover, state projects never recovered from Brown’s spending freeze. A few were finished, but many others were postponed, a delay that’s now lasted over 30 years. While CA’s problems cannot be wholly laid at Brown’s feet, he did fail to provide leadership to solve them.

The above historical detour is valuable in shedding light on what kind of governor Brown might be. He has always preferred a centrist course, and though he is not especially friendly to corporations, neither has he been sufficiently skeptical of their power. His populism is real, but it has never found a clear manifestation in politics or policy. His term as Oakland’s mayor did not see significant improvement in its fortunes, although as anyone who’s driven down 880 near Broadway knows, he did prove a friend to developers.

My gut tells me Brown will not run in 2010, but in discussing this theoretical possibility, we can also determine what we DO want from our gubernatorial candidates. A commitment to single-payer universal health care seems paramount. Some sort of plan to fix this state’s chronic financial problems also would be good – a gubernatorial campaign built around a well thought-out and well-researched proposal could generate significant political momentum of its own. All governors who have taken office since Brown left in 1982 have merely offered as-needed solutions, which have typically only worsened our budget problems.

Our gubernatorial candidates need to address infrastructure questions, from transportation to water, in a way that emphasizes sustainability, not sprawl. They need to have a good grasp on the state’s economic situation and have some idea of where we can promote job growth for the next decade. They also need to be committed to equal rights, whether it’s equal marriage or protecting all immigrants’ human rights.

The above isn’t an ideal, it’s instead a sensible list of goals. Both the Westly and Angelides campaigns offered much of the above, although were inadequate on the long-range infrastructure and budget issues. Their 2006 platforms should be considered a minimum benchmark for 2010, while we also help build the more long-range and visionary answers to budgets and infrastructure that these times demand.

(Cross-posted on Daily Kos)

The Golden Gate Retaurant Association is organizing a one-day strike of San Francisco establishments, and they may be right.

We all support health care and living wages for American workers, but we as progressives still have to ask ourselves how where we draw the line in terms of regulations on local businesses. For example, you own a small restaurant in San Francisco and employ about a dozen employees. Unlike the stereotypical corporate chain establishment or the bistros owned by the likes of Gavin Newsom, you’re not getting rich, but you are making a living for yourself and your family, paying taxes and providing jobs albeit low-wage jobs) for your employees. Now, imagine getting hit by a triple-whammy of an increased minimum wage mandatory sick leave and health coverage, all at one time? What do restaurants do? Do they raise prices; thereby further squeezing what’s left of the middle class in San Francisco and possibly lose a loyal customer base? Cut service Lay people off? 

Before you start calling me a DINO, I would admonish all of you to realize that even we progressives much realize that regulations have consequences. And a consequence in San Francisco could be the loss of many “mom and pop” establishments who not only provide great service but also tend to be a lot more family friendly for the few of us who have kids (we have to pick and choose for restaurants that would not like to kick us out the moment they see our son). Ultimately, the answer is a national health system that allows business to flourish without having to decide whether they can afford to cover their employees. In the meantime, let’s not choke them to death.

As you all know by now, I love Orange Juice. Claudio can alway be counted upon for piercing insight into the pure insanity of the anti-immigrant wingnuts. Art is always great at pointing out the sheer insanity his old comrades in the Orange County Republican Party. Ryan Gene may have issues with unions, but I still appreciate what he has to say…

But what the heck is going on with Ron and Anna Winship? They are supposed to be the “Newport Beach Republicans” on the blog, but I am wondering if they are really representing more than just your typical Newport Beach Republicans… Especially when they say stuff like this:

The inquiry goes something like this: “Are you a witch?”, NO! “Ok, is any member of your family a witch?” NO!, “OK, so you are saying that you have never known any witch in your entire life?” NO!…. I am saying I am not a witch and no member of my family is a witch! “Hmmm, then you are saying basically that you have never known a witch, never met a witch, never dated a witch, never attended a coven meeting, never watched a television program with witches and in fact are a non-denominational church going person of good repute…who denies any connections to the ‘Wicked Witches of the West’ or any affiliate organizations?” What do you mean by Affiliate Organizations Senator?

At first, I thought this was ridiculous… But now, I must admit that this is some of the most brilliant and hilarious CAMP that I have ever seen. OK, I know this sounds crazy, but I’ll explain it to you after the flip…

Well, first off, we should define what camp exactly is. From Wikipedia:

Camp (colloquially “cheesy”) is an aesthetic in which something has appeal because of its bad taste or ironic value.

So what could possibly have more appeal because of its bad taste than this?

*When people want to know…
they should as of course…
but as we saw in the Monica
Lewinsky episode…just
knowing what “what” is…
can be a problem without
a shot spot on a dress.

Why did Clinton bomb the
Serbs? The true answer
was that Yugoslavia made
the best and cheapest washers and dryers in all
of the world. Sort of
the Mexico of Europe. It
had nothing to do with
ethnic anything. The Serbs
are the intelligent, caring
people in the world. More
like Americans than most
Americans are….who did
you want us to come clean
on again…Saddam who and
what many groupg of Arab
terrorists again? The
Serbs never bombed any
US Target ever…so should
Hillary now answer for the
bombing of Serbia?
“Sophmoric”, “Naive” or “Moronic”? – you pick!

Now they were asked why Bush Administration officials shouldn’t be subpoenaed to tell the truth about all the disaster that they have heaped upon this nation…
Yet instead of receiving a coherent response from the Winships, they get this crazy rambling about Yugoslavia, cheap washers and dryers, and Serbs possibly being “more like Americans than Americans are”. At first, I wondered more ridiculous this could get…
Then it dawned on me: This may be the most amazing piece of camp since The Eurythmics did their classic AND classy music videos in the 1980s:

This makes so little sense, yet it makes such high art.

Ok…there are reasons to have subpoenas….valid, true
and honest reasons. But to what end and what purpose?
Public Inquiry should always be demanded by the Citizens
…no matter what community. What we disdain….is the
political forays into the realm of watching Fox News…
with its yelling and screaming or MSNBC with its Hardball
yelling and screaming or CNN with its cynical low key…
whisper campaigns “psst..is the president is a jerk…
ya think?” “He seems in big trouble now….!”

All in all when bureaucrats steal money, misappropriate
funds for others, use their power for personal gain,
molest children, perform a capital or felonious crime
….then….and only then we probably need the subpoena
….but till that day?

Wait a minute… Didn’t the Republicans do ALL OF THIS during their unchecked years of hegemonic power from 2001 to 2006? I mean, after all, isn’t this why Congressional Democrats are asking for subpoenas in the first place?

But whatever, I guess facts shouldn’t get in the way of such perfectly absurd yet brilliantly humorous camp.

The reality is – that there was a “Watergate”…thank
you Richard Nixon for being the “putz” that you were
in this regard! People like Hillary Clinton and Fred
Thompson were the legal eagles that did the research.
We still remember the Democrats piling on the likes of
Halderman, Erlichman and the rest. It was sad. John
Dean the saddest…as the turncoat with the sexy wife
…..who did what? How about those McCarthy hearings?
Those were popular television fare. What happened to
the Warren Commission? They never got much play on the
TV did they? Why do you suppose? The Waco hearings
were the best we have ever gotten to see. There never
were open hearings on Whitewater….wonder why?

Ah, can’t you just see Susan Sontag rolling in her grave as she cannot resist to laugh at what the genre she so loved has become.