I just got linked to a survey from my Republican Assemblyman, George Plescia. He wants me to say that I hate all taxes; I told him quite the contrary. It seems to me that if everyone told him and his party that, well, at least it would surprise them a bit. So here’s the link:
Please share your feelings on taxes with the California Republicans, too; let’s mess with their heads.
In June I asked What the Hell Happened in San Diego following a disaster in the June primary. A few days later, I noted that, among other things, Ben Hueso happened. Today, former state senator Dede Alpert happened in much the same way. Alpert is, apparently by virtue of just being a Democrat who’s ever been elected to something, generally considered to be a major force within the San Diego Democratic Party. She was even batted around as a possible candidate for mayor before leading Dems decided it would be easier to just give up and go home. So in the one remaining citywide race, Alpert endorses Jan Goldsmith for City Attorney, the Republican. This of course continues her streak of supporting Republicans every chance she gets.
Let’s keep this straight. Incumbent City Attorney Mike Aguirre is the only one in San Diego who has consistently and seriously pursued tremendous corruption concerns over the past several years. Alpert’s endorsement says that Goldsmith “will provide the kind of leadership the City Attorney’s office needs to be a competent, well-managed law office for the people of San Diego.” Which of course implies that Aguirre’s office is incompetent and poorly managed. This is a popular line of CW bullshit in San Diego pushed out by people who bristle at the notion of real accountability at the city level. I know that Aguirre isn’t always the easiest person to get along with or work with, but with nobody else in the entire city taking seriously the responsibility to provide an uncorrupted, open and reasonably functional government, I’d wonder what exactly Alpert is looking for.
Has the city’s recent crumbling infrastructure, financial mismanagement, city hall pay-to-play scandals, collapsing economy and lack of responsiveness been some sort of model for virtuous governance and I missed the memo? Has the appeal of having a viable oppositional voice been abandoned in favor of a de-facto autocracy full of people keeping their head down and building a resume?
In this case, it makes some sense that, since Alpert’s Republican choice for mayor has won, that she would want to undermine anyone who might oppose his policies- regardless of whether the policies are good. Or ethical. Or healthy for the long-term prospects of city governance. Effective government requires a public and reasonable debate, a legitimate division of power within government and between ideologies, and a basic level of competence and motivation towards maintaining such standards. It would seem Alpert disagrees, but complacency and go-along-get-along simply doesn’t fly. Not anymore at least.
The Democratic Party in San Diego is completely rotten at the top. These standard-bearers of the establishment and decaying conventional wisdom are an embarrassment and actively undermine the tremendous bottom-up organizing that new blood, new perspectives and new energy have brought to the grassroots level. It’s people like Ben Hueso and Dede Alpert who work expressly at cross-purposes to the notion of a viable San Diego Democratic Party. The ultimate opponent is the GOP, but these oppositional Democrats are a hurdle that need to be identified and understood as well. There won’t be a healthy Democratic Party until we win both fronts. If Dede Alpert wants to try to hold up the Republican power structure, so be it. Now we know what we’re dealing with.
OK, so check this out. Arnold signs the executive order slashing state employee salaries to $6.55 an hour, the federal minimum wage.
At the same time, he’s agreed to host a fundraiser in three weeks with Oregon Senator Gordon Smith (R). Here’s the invite, courtesy his Democratic opponent Jeff Merkley:
The bottom of the invite says “Host and Photo Opportunities at $10,000 give/raise.”
The annual salary for a state worker under the federal, based on a 40-hour work week and a 50-week year, is $13,100.
So Arnold thinks the cost of getting a picture with him is roughly equivalent to the cost of working for an entire year running his state government.
Priceless.
(Courtney is the head of SEIU State Council. Good stuff in this poll. – promoted by Julia Rosen)
The Service Employee International Union (SEIU) California State Council is releasing our new poll today showing 65 percent of California Republican voters say GOP Legislators should work with Democrats to achieve a practical compromise to produce a balanced budget – including revenue increases. Just 29 percent of those surveyed agree GOP Legislators should resist any tax increase even if it means gridlock.
As you know, California’s State Legislature is four weeks overdue in passing this year’s state budget. According to our State Controller John Chiang’s office, the gridlock in Sacramento is causing a ripple of concern and crisis throughout California communities as the State’s $2 billion reserve fund for community health clinics and small hospitals ran out of money earlier this week, July 28. Schools, community colleges and local governments, which typically receive a significant portion of their funding at the end of this month, will not because there is no state budget.
In addition, Governor Schwarzenegger has threatened to sign an Executive Order today which would lay off 22,000 employees and force another nearly 200,000 state workers to work for $6.55 an hour – well under the poverty level for a California family of four. Controller Chiang has vowed to refuse to comply with this illegal threat and meaningless stop-gap strategy. We appreciate his responsible leadership and willingness to stand up to Governor Schwarzenegger.
Here are the details on our survey… [Note by Julia: edited to put it on the flip.]
SEIU CA State Council’s survey of 800 registered California Republicans was conducted June 5 through June 9 by The Feldman Group. Key findings are as follows:
* 85 percent of Republican voters say the budget deficit has them concerned
* 65 percent say they think Republican Legislators should work with Democrats to achieve a compromise including budget cuts and revenue increases.
* 54 percent support increasing the top bracket of the state income taxes from 9.3 to 10 percent for families with taxable income over $272,000 annually and to 11 percent for families with more than $544,000 a year in taxable income.
* 54 percent support closing the loophole that allow.
* 56 percent support the sales tax to entertainment such as concerts and sporting events.
* 64 percent support a bill to prevent people who purchase yachts and luxury vehicles from avoiding sales taxes on these purchases.
In a split sample, half of the participants were told “Democrats, Who make up about 60 percent of the legislature, say they will never approve spending cuts and Republicans, who make up about 40 percent of the legislature, say they will never approve raising taxes. Neither side has the two-thirds votes necessary to pass the budget.” When asked what respondents think legislators should do, an overwhelming 71 percent said both sides should work out a practical compromise of cuts and new revenue without gimmicks and more borrowing.
SEIU is the largest union and one of the largest advocacy organizations in California. Our more than 700,000 health care professionals, public service providers and service workers are dedicated to protecting and strengthening California’s communities. That’s why our members – Democrats and Republican – are reaching out to their elected officials in Sacramento and allies on the local level to encourage Legislators to compromise on a balanced, responsible budget that gets California moving again.
Courtni Pugh, ED, SEIU California State Council
Thanks for working with us to oppose to the bill that seeks to impose a blockade on Iran, H.Con.Res. 362. As a result of your efforts and those of others, this dangerous resolution – which a House leadership aide predicted would pass through Congress like “a hot knife through butter” – remains stalled in committee. But the sponsors of the resolution continue to press for its passage.
This resolution calls for a naval blockade against Iran. As Wikipedia explains, this is an act of war
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B…
It is the third part of the action portion of the resolution, after all of the “whereas” B.S. statements. It says:
(3) demands that the President initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities by, inter alia, prohibiting the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products; imposing stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran; and prohibiting the international movement of all Iranian officials not involved in negotiating the suspension of Iran’s nuclear program;
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/…
LOOK BELOW the fold to see if your rat-faced California Congressman is supporting this resolution. Give them a call or e-mail them to give them a piece of your mind.
Mike Thompson (D 1st) 06/24/2008
Dan Lungren (R 3rd) 07/24/2008
Ellen Tauscher (D 10th) 07/30/2008
Jackie Speier (D 12th) 07/10/2008
Dennis Cardoza (D 18th) 07/15/2008
George Radanovich (R 19th) 06/10/2008
Jim Costa (D 20th) 06/03/2008
Devin Nunes (R 21st) 06/24/2008
Kevin McCarthy (R 22nd) 07/24/2008
Elton Gallegly (R 24th) 07/15/2008
David Dreier (R 26th) 06/10/2008
Brad Sherman (D 27th) 06/05/2008
Adam Schiff (D 29th) 06/04/2008
Henry Waxman (D 30th) 06/03/2008
Jane Harman (D 36th) 06/11/2008
Ed Royce (R 40th) 06/03/2008
Gary Miller (R 42nd) 06/10/2008
Joe Baca (D 43rd) 06/03/2008
Ken Calvert (R 44th) 07/10/2008
Dana Rohrabacher (R 46th) 06/04/2008
Loretta Sanchez (D 47th) 06/24/2008
John Campbell (R 48th) 06/04/2008
Darrell Issa (R 49th) 06/24/2008
Brian Bilbray (R 50th) 06/04/2008
Bob Filner (D 51st) 06/26/2008
The Governor did what he said he would do today. He just cut the pay for over 200,000 state workers to the federal minimum of $6.55/hour and fired 22,000 temporary or seasonal workers. We do have someone fighting back and that is Democratic Controller John Chiang. SacBee:
While budget delays have nearly become an annual rite in the Capitol, Schwarzenegger argues that this year calls for drastic steps because the state has less cash due to a sour economy. The move could save roughly $1 billion per month, and the governor believes California will not have a sufficient cash reserve in September without the executive order.
But Democratic state Controller John Chiang disputes Schwarzenegger’s view of the state’s cash situation, insisting the state has enough cash to last through September without engaging in expensive borrowing. Chiang has vowed to defy part of the governor’s order by paying state workers their full wages, though he cannot help temporary state employees retain their jobs.
There remains a high threshold for the federal minimum wage cut to take effect for 200,000 state workers. Most get paid at the end of the month, so the lawmakers would have to remain in a stalemate through the end of August. Even then, Chiang has said he intends to issue full paychecks at that time, so Schwarzenegger would have to sue the controller to ensure workers receive the federal minimum wage, a process that could take weeks or months and pose image problems for the governor.
Any minute my aunt, who works for the state is going to call me back. She called earlier today from a room filled with seasonal workers. I get the unhappy task of letting her know they all got fired.
Damn you Arnold. We didn’t need to do this. Once the budget is passed, it is going to be a pain in the rear to process the paperwork and hire everyone back. The amount of pain and financial hardship this is going to cause is immense.
[UPDATE] Here is Speaker Bass’s statement:
“I’m disappointed with the Governor’s decision. It is an unwise and unfortunate move to cause economic strife to public servants and their families who are working hard and playing by the rules. We are not going to let this decision get in the way of our mission which is to deliver a budget that reflects the values of Californians. We are continuing to make progress and I remain hopeful we will have a budget on his desk in the next few days.”
I’m getting word that John Garamendi might be announcing his official intention to run for governor in 2010 in the very near future. I know, big shock.
More details as they arrive.
UPDATE: Confirmed, press release over the flip. (h/t Sertorius from the comments)
SACRAMENTO, CA – Democratic Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, who has been serving the people of California for more than three decades, today announced he is a candidate in California’s 2010 governor’s race.
“If we really believe in California, then we must fight for it. I am prepared to lead that fight,” John Garamendi, Democratic candidate for governor said. “I know how to bring people to the table and solve problems. That’s because I’ve worked every part of the problem solving equation as a legislator, state insurance commissioner, deputy interior secretary under President Clinton and as lieutenant governor.”
Garamendi’s coalition of supporters shows his range as a public servant. He is being endorsed up and down the state by everyone from ranchers to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, teachers, veterans, and business leaders who call him the great facilitator.
“It is with great enthusiasm that I endorse John Garamendi for Governor,” Cástulo de la Rocha, a state and national leader in healthcare advocacy. “For the past thirty years John has and continues to be a champion for California’s underserved populations. During his tenure in the California legislature he led the fight for universal healthcare which demonstrates his vision and commitment to improve the quality of life for all Californians.”
de la Rocha continues, “More recently, John successfully facilitated over $45 million dollars in grants and loans for community clinics’ infrastructure through the Wellpoint Anthem merger. That is why I know John has the vision and leadership to be a great Governor in 2010.”Garamendi said his record proves he delivers results.
“I developed a universal healthcare plan in 1991 that sparked the debate nationally and statewide, negotiated the Headwaters compact in 1998, built the workers compensation plan called “roadmap to reform”, and forced the insurance industry to return billions of dollars to consumers. Currently, I’m working to keep the doors of California’s higher education system open to all students by protecting education funding,” Garamendi said.
In a democracy, every person has a single vote. Unfortunately, what is becoming increasingly true is that someone with millions of dollars and the willingness to fund front groups has the ability to influence millions of votes.
Take the issue of the Iraq War – by any and every national poll, millions of Americans want the war to stop as they see through the lies that got us in the war, the lies that have kept us in the war and now with even the Iraqi leadership asking we leave, the vast majority of Americans see no reason to fund billions on dollars in war every month.
However, despite their wishes and their votes, the wishes of the people are countered by the wishes of the few, or in today’s example, the wishes of one, Sheldon Adelson. Mr. Adelson is one of the very few wealthy “behind-the-scenes” manipulators that set up phony front groups and fund them with millions and millions of dollars to pollute our country’s discourse, smear people, spread fear and lies and the worst kinds of dirty stories. Every politician knows that this ugliness could be directed at them if they dare try to fight this kind of power.
Where do these Republican, pro-war front groups get so much money?
Thomas B. Edsell’s July 25 post at Huffington Post, titled Sheldon Adelson: GOP’s Answer To George Soros? provides us with a few clues.
Sheldon Adelson, the 74-year-old casino billionaire who has become the third richest man in America and who has strong ties to the hard-line Likud Party in Israel, has emerged this year a major benefactor of the American right.
Adelson has been a major backer of right-wing Republicans, including Tom DeLay, and has given $2.9 million to a Newt Gingrich organization, American Solutions for Winning the Future.
And now, according to Edsell,
. . .Adelson, according to the National Journal, has begun channeling cash and fundraising support to Vets for Freedom, which is expected to use the influx of money to finance what it claims will be a multimillion dollar “Four Months For Victory” ad campaign.
Why does a wealthy Jewish casino owner, so rich that he is flown around in his own Boeing 767, support a veteran’s organization? Probably because Vets For Freedom isn’t really a veteran’s organization, but a Republican Party front group working to elect John McCain and keep the Iraq war going.
If Vets For Freedom was a veteran’s organization, they would be front and center in holding John McCain responsible for voting against the new G.I. Bill? But they didn’t say a word.
If Vets For Freedom was a veteran’s organization, they would be concerned with the hundreds of thousands of returning wounded warriors and their need for care and assistance? But they’re not.
In fact, Vets For Freedom has only one mission – build public support for continuing the war in Iraq and now it appears they really only have one donor – a hard line neoconservative who is determined to influence US foreign policy in the Middle East.
Adelson is also a major funder of Freedom’s Watch, another Republican front group that exists solely to help wealthy individuals like Adelson get around campaign finance laws that are designed to protect our democracy from this kind of dollars-outweigh-votes corrupting influence.
These organizations are allowed to take unlimited donations and not disclose donors because they are supposed to be educating the public about issues, not polluting our elections with ads that support or smear candidates. But, of course, who in the Bush government is going to stop them from breaking our campaign finance laws to support Republicans and smear Democrats?
In Israel Adelson has purchased a newspaper that he uses to try to influence Israeli politics. According to some, he inspires resentment and fear there. A recent New Yorker article about Adelson says,
“In Israel, where political, academic and business leaders tend to be outspoken, there is a striking reticence at the mention of Sheldon Adelson. Even people who are diametrically opposed to his politics refuse to be interviewed. ‘There is a discernible amount of self-censorship going on,’ the liberal Israeli-American writer Bernard Avishai said. ‘There is no ideological justification for what Sheldon is doing among the Israeli intelligentsia and a revulsion at an American weighing in so heavily on Israeli politics, in such a crude, reactionary way. But they won’t speak.'”
Post-Script: As we were about to publish it, news comes that Sheldon Adelson has hired Karl Rove with a mid six figure deal to help run “Freedom’s Watch” another right wing front group.
Tony Strickland has quite the history with the Club for Growth, a radical anti-government organization. The Club has a history of challenging moderate Republicans in federal and state elections throughout the nation. Strickland has been president of the California branch and is still fiercely loyal to the Club and its tactics. Unsurprisingly there are some Republicans who are a little less than thrilled with their nominee.
So, in the wake of the threat-induced “Democrats for Dreier“, we have the “Moderate Republicans for Jackson.” Of course, Hannah-Beth didn’t use threats of withholding money from parts of the district to get these people to sign on to her campaign. You can check the details here. It lists some of their grievances with the former Assemblyman, beginning with the Club for Growth:
Moderate Republicans for Jackson was formed out of concern that Strickland is a man who is far removed from the beliefs and ethical standards held by the majority of people in our neighborhoods. Tony Strickland is an extremist. He was the founding president of the California Club for Growth, part of the ultra right-wing National Club for Growth which has made it a mission to destroy the political careers of moderate Republicans.
They go on to mention a laundry list of problems they have with Tony. From his accepting $85K in tobacco money for this campaign to his abysmal voting record on the environment.
Hannah-Beth Jackson has a long road until the general election, but this can’t hurt. You can find her on the Calitics ActBlue Page. Full release over the flip.
Moderate Republicans from the communities represented by State Senate District 19 have announced support for Democratic candidate Hannah-Beth Jackson in her race against Republican Tony Strickland. The group includes many prominent names in political circles including former State Senator Cathie Wright; former executive Director of the Ventura County Taxpayers Association Jere Robings; past Ventura County Republican Central Committee Chair Bob Larkin; retired Mayor of Moorpark John Lane; Judy Mikels, former Chairperson of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors; John Walker, President of the Ventura Unified School District Board of Education and Velma Lomax, Ventura Unified School District Board member.
Moderate Republicans for Jackson was formed out of concern that Strickland is a man who is far removed from the beliefs and ethical standards held by the majority of people in our neighborhoods. Tony Strickland is an extremist. He was the founding president of the California Club for Growth, part of the ultra right-wing National Club for Growth which has made it a mission to destroy the political careers of moderate Republicans.
The subject of numerous legal investigations into his campaign finances over the years, Strickland has also solicited nearly $85,000 in donations from tobacco companies and in the Assembly consistently sided with tobacco, oil, and gambling interests.
A career politician, he has opposed nearly every law established to protect our water, air, mountains and beaches. He has voted against legislation that protects the rights of consumers and the health of children, lowering prescription drug prices and capping electrical bills during the energy crisis.
As a former Deputy District Attorney prosecutor, Jackson has the solid backing of the majority of law enforcement officials in the district. As a family law attorney for 22 years with a practice employing as many as 15 people, she is the only candidate in the race who knows what it is like to run a small business, make a payroll and pay benefits.
As an Assembly member she authored more than 60 pieces of legislation to protect consumers, the environment, crime victims, women’s rights and children. She has written and passed legislation to keep prescription drug prices as low as possible, simplify payment of sales and use taxes by businesses, and issue tax credits for teachers. Constituent services are a very high priority for Jackson.
Hannah-Beth Jackson is someone we can trust. She listens to our concerns and wants to end the extreme partisan gridlock that has paralyzed our government. She has a proven track record and worked her entire life to make California a better place to live and work.
As we brace for the Governor’s executive order slashing state employee salaries, the Senate Governmental Organization committee wants some answers.
Anticipating that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today will sign an executive order to cut state worker pay and terminate about 22,000 temporary, part-time and contract jobs, the Senate’s Governmental Organization committee has called on Schwarzenegger to explain his rationale. The committee, chaired by Senator Dean Florez (D-Schafter), has scheduled the hearing for Monday at 10 a.m. Schwarzenegger is invited. Controller John Chiang and leaders of state worker unions will testify, according to a press advisory.
Florez, who sought the advisory opinion from the legislative counsel about this move (which showed that John Chiang has more than enough constitutional authority to deny the wage cut from going through), said in his press statement: “I think the Governor owes the public a full explanation as to why he has singled out the state’s workforce with his executive order to cut their salaries.”
Right on. Which is why you should keep calling Arnold and ruin his birthday by demanding an explanation of your own.
This is a good move by Florez, both from the standpoint of policy and politics.