The presumptive presidential candidates have taken sides in a labor dispute that has engulfed the Bay Area this week–and that reflects the growing income gap that is engulfing our country. While Senator Obama stands with area janitors who are fighting to win a higher standard of living for themselves and their families, Senator McCain is lunching with the CEOs of the multi-billion dollar corporations whose floors the janitors scrub for poverty wages.

Today Obama spoke out against the “unacceptable and ever-growing divide between the wealthiest and poorest among us” that keeps hard-working janitors like Cisco cleaner Maria Lopez making just $11.04 per hour after nine years on the job.

McCain, for his part, embraced that divide yesterday when he attended a campaign fundraiser in Atherton hosted by Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers. The tech industry giant’s sprawling Silicon Valley campus is cleaned by the striking janitors who currently are paid just $23,000 a year–less than one third of what the Center for Economic Policy reports it takes to survive in California.

Some striking workers–on their way to a 600-person, 3-mile “march to close the gap” in Palo Alto–dropped by the fundraiser to call on the two Johns to stop turning a blind eye to the poverty their policies and decisions help to create. When they left, the workers left behind this flyer highlighting a scandalous equation: 10 tickets ($2,300 each) to the fundraiser = 2 tickets for the event’s VIP reception ($25,000 per couple) = 1 year’s salary ($23,000) for a Silicon Valley janitor.

The candidates know what’s at stake in this strike and they’ve made their allegiances clear. I encourage you to learn more and do the same.



~posted by Nadia, SEIU staff

I have been holding off writing to Susan Davis, my local superdelegate, but after what Hillary Clinton said yesterday, I finally had to let it out.  Here is the text of my letter to Rep. Davis:

May 24, 2008

Susan Davis for Congress

PO Box 84049

San Diego, CA 92138 Via Facsimile

Re: Superdelagate Endorsement

Dear Congresswoman Davis:

I write to you as my member of Congress and as a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention.  I strongly suggest that you endorse a candidate for President of the United States now.

It is my understanding that there are three positions that you and the other superdelegates have taken in this election: those who have endorsed a candidate; those who have declared their intention to vote for the winner of the most pledged delegates; and those who have made no endorsement.  It appears you fall into the third group.

Recent developments in the presidential campaign have, in my view, made it absolutely necessary that you and the other superdelegates declare your intention as soon as possible.  Specifically, Senator Clinton’s remarks about her staying in the race, juxtaposed with a reference to the assassination of Robert Kennedy in 1968, are simply beyond the level of decency I expect from a Democratic candidate.  Further, any attempt on her part to explain them as a mistake are unconvincing to say the least; as she has made such a comment on at least one other occasion in March to a Time magazine editor.

I want to say that I will respect your decision as to whom you will support; the party rules have reposed such discretion in you and your conscience, and I will leave it to you to exercise such discretion whether or not I agree with you.  However, the Democratic Party can no longer wait and watch as this internecine battle winds down.  In order for Senator Clinton to win the pledged delegates, she would have to win well over 100% of those delegates to be awarded in the remaining primary contests and caucuses.

I have supported you in Congress since you got there, but I feel that I am witness to a disturbing lack of alacrity on your part for both your Congressional and political duties.  I have been rather unimpressed with your legislative accomplishments with regard to the core duties and powers of Congress as set forth in Article I of the U.S. Constitution.  Let me point out, for example, that you were on the Veterans’ Subcommittee for years while conditions deteriorated at Walter Reed and other VA hospitals, yet I am unaware of any statement from you regarding those conditions until they became public in late 2006.  Walter Reed Hospital is only a short distance from Capitol Hill.  Based on the conditions I saw in the news, they should have been obvious to anyone who had visited the place.  I would think that you even more than others, being that your husband was a military physician, would have made an effort to visit that hospital.

Further, I note that going into the second primary election this year, you do not have a functioning campaign website.  The page asks viewers to “bear with you” while it is being updated.  I must ask: what is the holdup?

This is a disturbing trend.  Now, as the Democratic Party needs unity, and Senator Clinton seems bent on destroying it, you again “sit on the sidelines.”

It is time for the party to begin to move on to the general election.  John McCain is being given a “free ride” to do as he pleases, in spite of his daily gaffes, flip-flops, and shockingly bad positions, such as his cowardly abdication of any leadership on the new G.I. Bill.  He says he opposes the Webb bill, but would rather be fundraising rather than vote either for or against it.  The Democrats simply cannot let him get away with it any longer.

I urge you to do the simplest of things, even though it will take courage.  Please publically endorse a presidential candidate now.

Very Truly Yours,

greggp

The presumptive presidential candidates have taken sides in a labor dispute that has engulfed the Bay Area this week-and that reflects the income gap that is engulfing our country. While Senator Obama stands with area janitors who are fighting to win a higher standard of living for themselves and their families; Senator McCain is lunching with the CEOs of the multi-billion dollar corporations whose floors the janitors scrub for poverty wages.

Today Obama spoke out against the “unacceptable and ever-growing divide between the wealthiest and poorest among us” that keeps hard-working janitors like Cisco cleaner Maria Lopez making just $11.04 per hour after nine years on the job.

McCain, for his part, embraced that divide yesterday when he attended a campaign fundraiser in Atherton hosted by Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers. The tech industry giant’s sprawling Silicon Valley campus is cleaned by the striking janitors who currently are paid just $23,000 a year-less than one third of what the Center for Economic Policy reports it takes to survive in California.

Some striking workers-on their way to a 600-person, 3-mile “march to close the gap” in Palo Alto-dropped by the fundraiser to call on the two Johns to stop turning a blind eye to the poverty their policies and decisions help to create. When they left, the workers left behind this flyer highlighting a scandalous equation: 10 tickets ($2,300 each) to the fundraiser = 2 tickets for the event’s VIP reception ($25,000 per couple) = 1 year’s salary ($23,000) for a Silicon Valley janitor.

The candidates know what’s at stake in this strike and they’ve made their allegiances clear. I encourage you to learn more and do the same.  

XPosted 5/23/2008 6:21 PM PDT on MyDesert.com in blog of BluePalmSpringsBoyz

Coachella City Councilmember Gilbert Ramirez, Jr., former Candidate for the 80th Assembly District seat being vacated by the termed-out Bonnie Garcia (R), has endorsed Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Councilmember for more than 13 years and former-Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City, for the 80th AD.  Ramirez joins former-Mayor of Coachella Juan DeLara in endorsing Pettis’s bid for the 80th AD.

Pettis widespread support for his candidacy in the Latino/Latina communities is also apparent in his endorsements by Co-founder of the Palm Springs Democratic Club Lisa Arbelaez, Desert Stonewall Democratic Club activist Bill Cain-Gonzales, Candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District Greg Rodriguez, and Candidate for the 41st Congressional District Dr. Rita Ramirez-Dean.  Pettis has also received endorsements from such Latino/Latina community activists as Christopher Arellano, Larry Baza, Juliet DeLara, Olivia DeLara. Tony Escobedo, Sylvia Escobedo, Maylon Gonzales, Jose Lemus, Christina Marquez, Rodolfo Martinez, David Membrez, Sylvia Preciado, Leticia Quezada, Nicole Ramirez, Dan Ruiz, Anthony Tapia, Ed Torres, and Joe Velasquez.

More below the flip…

(Given that Rick Gonzales, a Wells Fargo investment manager, has obtained the endorsement of three Coachella Valley Unified School District Trustees, Gloria Maldonado, Anna Rodriguez, and Maria Elvia Rios. it seems that fellow Trustee Victor Manuel Perez’ campaign in his home base of Coachella is unraveling.  It begs the question “Just where is Perez’ support in Coachella?”)

In comparison, Pettis has the endorsements of every single Democratic elected who has endorsed in the West Valley except for former-Palm Springs Mayor Ron Oden who endorsed Gonzales.  Cathedral City Councilmember Paul Marchand, Cathedral City Clerk Pat Hammers, Desert Hot Springs City Councilmember Karl Baker, Palm Springs City Councilmember Ginny Foat, Palm Springs City Councilmember Rick Hutcheson, Palm Springs Unified School District Trustee Meredy Schoenberger, and Candidate for Palm Springs Unified School District Greg Rodriguez have all endorsed Pettis’ candidacy.  Although Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet has not made an endorsement, he is co-hosting the U.S. Representative Barney Frank fundraiser for Pettis tomorrow, May 24, 2008, at the home of Andy Lindsky, Human Rights Campaign Boardmember.

In addition, Pettis obtained the endorsements of every single Democratic Club that endorsed thus far in the campaign, including the Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club, the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, the Inland Stonewall Democratic Club, the Palm Springs Democratic Club, the San Diego Democratic Club, and the San Diego Democratic Women’s Club.

Ramirez was conducting a campaign for the 80th AD until his signatures were invalidated by Riverside County in March 2008 (see The Desert Sun):

A former Democratic rival endorsed Greg Pettis in his bid for the 80th Assembly District seat, his campaign announced today.

Coachella City Councilman Gilbert Ramirez Jr., who was knocked out of the race for the Democratic nomination in March, threw his support behind the Cathedral City Councilman vying to replace outgoing Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, R-Cathedral City.

Garcia cannot run again because of term limits.

“With our economy in recession and our kids facing budget cuts from Sacramento, we want leaders with a successful track record of showing up day in an day out and protecting vital services,” Ramirez said in a campaign press release.

“Greg not only has a track record of success creating jobs in Cathedral City, but also a sensible plan to cover every child with health care and to invest in our public schools. That’s the kind of tested and trusted leadership we need in Sacramento to turn our state in the right direction.”

Ramirez did not qualify for the race because he failed to get 40 Democratic nominating signatures. Only 33 of 68 of his signatures counted.