All posts by Dante Atkins

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DNC Delegate selection plan hearing

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(updated: despite the fact that speakers for having the caucuses earlier than the primary outnumbered those in favor of later caucuses by 10 to 1 at least, not one member of the committee made a motion to introduce earlier caucuses. Eric Bauman of the LACDP introduced a motion allowing for earlier registration and publicly viewable registration dates as a compromise measure. – promoted by hekebolos)

I’m in the delegate selection hearing.  The current proposal before the board is a selection plan that would have the caucuses after the election.  Lots of people are unhappy with this, and Susie Shannon, the e-board rep for the 42nd AD, has submitted a proposal to maintain the pre-primary caucuses.

The vast majority of the speakers are in favor of Susie Shannon’s proposal, including me–I just went up to speak, and said that I want people to go to Denver for a candidate, not go to Denver for themselves, and that if the campaigns are too busy, then the DNC should do something to arrange a plan that doesn’t force states to compete against each other for relevance.

I’ll update this post as things go on, but right now it’s just speakers.

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McNerney stands strong against corrupt lobbyists

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dengre at DailyKos, who has been tracking the Northern Marianas Islands-Tom Delay scandal like a bloodhound, has an excellent diary up.  I recommend reading it, but the key element for California politics is that Jerry McNerney is standing strong against corrupt lobbyists.

Basic upshot is that Jerry raised hell about FroshPAC, the PAC dedicated to re-electing our 41 Freshman Democrats in Congress, hiring an uber-lobbyist with ties to the “Pirates of Saipan” to run the PAC.  Jerry was adamant about refusing to take money from the PAC until the lobbyist was let go–and Jerry won, as the lobbyist in question, William Oldaker, was just let go.

Score yet another one for Jerry, who continues to stand strong on principle and make CA-11 proud.

Environment, Los Angeles Area

Farewell to Dante’s view

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Until I visited it on a hike through Griffith Park this April, I had no idea Dante’s View even existed.  And when I found out, I became quite partial to it.  After all, my real name is Dante–it was nice to have a view named after me.

But Dante’s View is no more.

Now, it’s early May.  We should be having nice spring weather.  But no.  I live in the Miracle Mile region of L.A. and it has been in the mid-90’s the past couple of days.

And we’re also treated to news like this:

Downtown Los Angeles is close to setting a record for lack of rainfall. County officials issued a report earlier this week that found the moisture level of hillside brush was 50% lower this May than a year earlier. The brush is expected to dry considerably more during the summer and early fall.

And this:

The fire was the park’s worst in at least three decades and was the latest of several to strike the Hollywood Hills in what has been the driest year on record.

I was going to take my mom to the poppy fields by Lancaster for Mother’s Day.  But–what do you know–there aren’t any.

It’s true that we had record rainfall in 2005–but that was an aberration.  We’ve been getting increasingly drier down here in Southern California.

Our climate is changing.  I don’t know why it’s so hard to convince people that we ought to do whatever we can to at least slow it down.

How much more beauty and life will we need to lose?

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this is getting ugly: a quorum has been called.

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There was a motion to amend the Iraq resolution to put language in to cut all funding.  Someone called for a quorum on the presumption that there wouldn’t be a quorum, so no more debate could be conducted and business would be over.  When the quorum call was made, they immediately started counting–I barely had time to run from the blogger table back to my region–much less anyone from the hallway.

A lot of people are upset about this–there are people who are saying they expect parliamentary crap like this to be pulled by the Republican party, not by Democrats.

A quorum is 1155, and there are only 623 delegates.  No more business can be conducted.  The convention is over and we can only hear reports.

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Richardson speech

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I actually feel sorry for the Sunday morning candidates–including Edwards–because the hall isn’t nearly as full.  I mean, seriously–if you’re from some place like Sacramento, wouldn’t you want to take the opportunity to have a beautiful sunday afternoon in San Diego?

So would I.  And that’s exactly what I intend to do.  But only after the speeches, and after I vote.

Notes below.

Richardson started by giving his credentials on Iraq based on his experience at the UN.

His energy independence section just got an ovation.  You can read a lot of what he’s saying in the speech in the blogger meeting I transcribed below–it appears we bloggers just got a good speech preview.

I would announce a plan to revitalize American education.  It’s all crime, Iraq, energy, but education is the key to economic development.

I will have a minimum wage of $40,000 for all our teachers.  I did this in New Mexico.  We used to be 48th in teacher pay, now we’re 29th. (author note: and how has that improved education? I would have liked some statistics on that…)

We would emphasize languages and the arts, but science and math are the key to our future.

We can get rid of the statistic that one out of every two Hispanic and black children do not graduate.

And with No Child Left Behind, it’s just just the unfunded mandates–we need to spend more on teacher training at schools that do not perform well.  testing and accountability need to be part of the system, but the system is not working.  I believe that education is the centerpiece of America’s progress.  The fourth day, I would take off, because I’ve done too much.  But seriously.  On the fourth day, I would have a plan for Universal Health Care for every American.  that is a right.  But I would have that plan first deal with the existing problem: the massive bureaucracy and administrative costs.  We have to find solutions that pay for a healthcare plan.  but I would focus on other creative ways.

As governor, I have to deal with this issue every day.  My plan includes the option for every American to have the same plan was the Senators and Congresmen you’ve heard speak.

We need to get junk food out of schools, like I did in New Mexico. We need to invest in cancer research, autism, stem cell research.  We need to be the party of Research and Development.  We need to find ways to make America healthier

My secretary of labor would be a member of an American union.  I would push prevailing wage, fairer health care, but also, I would say to America’s working men and women: we will find ways to bring collective bargaining to everywhere in America.  Then, the next day, I would reinforce America’s commitment to civil rights.  I would start with the issue very dear to me as the governor of a border state: immigration.

I would tear down the weall between Mexico and the United States.  I would find a path to an earned legalization program that stresses family reunification.  I would say to Mexico: ayudenos.  Stop giving maps to the most porous areas in our borders.

(I missed what he said about choice.)

I would be a president that says that discrimination is unacceptable to all people.  On issues relating to discrimination based on sexual orientation, I would put domestic partnerships, civil unions, and hate crime laws like I have in New Mexico–the most progressive state on all these issues.

I love you all.  You’ve given me a huge welcome.  But you’re thinking–this Richardson guy.  Well-qualified.  Pretty good-looking too.  But can he win?  And all I’m saying is we’re going to outwork everyone.

(missed the rest).

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Calitics talks with Bill Richardson

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We just had a group interview with Bill Richardson.  Below is a transcript of sorts.  Not included in the transcript is his response to my question on the US Attorney Scandal, where he said basically that Gonzales should resign and he would make sure that his AG would be a servant of the people, not a political flak.

Full text below.

Bob: As the only Western candidate, what are opportunities for Democrats in the West?

Richardson: The West is veering Democratic.  Four years ago, the governors from Canada to Mexico were all Republican.  Now 5 out of 7 were Democrats.  What has helped make that trend permanent is the rise of environmentalism and renewable energy.  Non-traditional supporters, sportsmen and recreationists turned off by Bush’s energy policy.  Clean air and roadless areas.  Second is a strong Hispanic migration.  Even smaller-scale, like Utah.  But Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, that has been an important issue.  Third, I’m the only Presidential candidate with a transportation and smart-growth policy.  A lot of folks are moving to escape the traffic and the northeast and Midwest are doing the same.  And that’s causing a new set of voters to be there that think quality of life is important.  And that’s causing Westerners to assess-in Las Vegas the biggest issue is traffic, and a lot of Western governors are looking at light rail and energy efficient mass transit.  Every year the president gets billions to build new highways.  We need smart growth and strong land use policies.  In terms of other issues-individualism-the West is very independent, and there’s very strong anti-government initiatives that do well.  The West is pro-choice, and pro-second amendment.  I can’t underemphasize the energy side.  The most progressive policies in renewable energy-New Mexico is 20% renewable by 2020-California with climate change-we have the strongest targets, a 75% in greenhouse emissions reduction by 2030 in New Mexico-we’re the only state that abides by the Kyoto treaty.  And we have progressive governors.  I believe in growth, and I believe in cutting taxes.  You give a company a tax cut if they pay over a prevailing wage.  We should be the party of science, R&D, high tech.  In New Mexico, if you’re a technology startup, we don’t tax you for three years.  We’ve been stuck in the politics of redistribution instead of economic growth.  My point is as a presidential candidate, I can bring several Western states do the Democratic column.  We build our coalition around 20 states.

DDay: taxes.  We had a PPIC poll in California that said that at least 65% said they would pay higher taxes if it meant they could get healthcare.  I want to know how you respond to liberal Democrats who think that the rhetoric about taxation needs to change, about how America is worth paying for and taxes are the price you pay for a free society, instead of the rhetoric about taxes that the Republicans have been successful with.

Richardson: I think that kind of thinking has gotten us in trouble.  I would replace the Bush tax cuts with cuts for the middle class and companies that create more jobs.  I believe in tax cuts for the country to become green, and I’m for an Apollo program to reduce our dependence on foreign oils  There’s a huge job market for America in this.  And I would ask Americans to sacrifice.  I have a fuel-efficient vehicle.  I’d double fuel efficiency in ten years.  I’ve got the strongest policy on climate change.  There needs to be aggressive mandates.  I’d have a cap-and-trade system.  On health care I believe you can have a universal plan and I think it can be financed through the existing inefficiencies in the system.  34% goes into bureaucracy and no electronic records.  Then I’d do existing reforms, like allow every American to purchase a Congressional healthcare plan.  Second, the war in Iraq.  I’d shift lots of that to healthcare.  I’d also have what Massachussetts and Cali are starting to do-everyone pays their fair share on healthcare, and those that can’t, you give them a little subsidy and incentive.  Not a tax cut, just hold down insurance costs.  More personal responsibility.  Taxing the rich to pay for everything won’t help.

DDay: would you repeal the AMT?

Richardson: yes, I would fix that

Juls: 49% of Californians feel they’re falling behind.  How would you address that feeling?

Richardson: I believe we have to have policies-I was on an airplane, and by the way, we need a passenger’s bill of rights.  But I’m sitting with this woman, and she said that she was in the middle class and felt like she was paying for both the poor and the rich.  What I’d do is use the tax code to reward companies that create jobs.  I’d raise the minimum wage.  I’d focus on California’s strengths.  But we’re taking a lot of your people because your state income tax and business taxes aren’t competitive.  A national healthcare plan.  The key to everything is education.  Community college and vocational training.  And you pay for it with a constitutional amendment to balance the budget.  This has been proposed before, and I have to do it as a governor.  I’ve run a bureaucracy of 110,000.  I would eliminate earmarks, which wouldn’t be popular in Congress.  Eliminate tzaax breaks for companies that take jobs overseas.  I would restructure the Bush tax cuts to focus those that produce jobs.  My priorities are human needs.  But my solution isn’t to tax the rich.  It’s to build coalitions like I’ve done in New Mexico.  Education is huge for me  I’d extend the school day and hear, pay our teachers better with accountability.  I’d have a goal-in 15 years, move from 28th to number 1.  We have a crash program.

On Iraq: construct legislation to de-authorize the war.  Challenge it on the war powers act.  I want no residual troops.  I would redeploy those forces.  All contractors out too.

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Liveblogging Obama

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Obama enters like a rockstar, with more applause (and better music) than Clinton.

author’s note: I strongly disagree with the “let’s not blame anyone and let’s come together” generalizations.  There is fault to be assigned here.  This isn’t about the “same old politics.”  We can change the way Washington works, but for hell’s sake, this isn’t just about how Washington works.  It’s about reversing evil ideologies.  Just my opinion.  Still–excellent section on Iraq.  And overall, he crushed Hillary.  Absolutely.  My previous opinions are confirmed.
Speech notes below.

Obama’s voice is powerful, charismatic and strong–much better than Hillary’s raspy voice.

Obama begins by saying that he is surrounded by strong women, and talks about his endorsements by female State Senators and assemblymembers.  There’s a strong woman that is missing today–I will miss, California will miss, and Washington will miss Juanita Millender-McDonald.

It’s been a little over two months since we began the campaign, and we’ve traveled all across the country.  Before every event we do, we have a minute to sit and collect my thoughts.  Recently, I was reflecting on what led me to public service in the first place.  I live in Chicago now, but I’m not a native.  I moved there when I was out of college and a group of churches offered me a job to help organize neighborhoods devastated by the steel mill closures.  And in those neighborhoods I learned that ordinary people can come together and achieve extraordinary things.

I went to law school and earned a degree and a lifetime of debt.  And I turned down corporate offers so I could organize voter drives.  And I began to teach constitutional law.  And I was told that I should run for a state senate seat that opened up.  I prayed on it, and I asked my wife, and after consulting these two higher powers, I decided to get in the race.

And everywhere, I get the same questions.  Where did you get the name Obama?  And the second thing is, you seem like a nice young man with a fancy resume.  Family man, church-going man.  Why politics?  And I understood the cynicism of the question.  We get a sense that politics is a business and not a mission.  In the last several years, we’ve seen Washington be a place where keeping score is more important than working on behalf of the American people.  We’ve been told that debts don’t matter, that the economy is doing great, so Americans are on their own.  We’ve been told that climate change is a hoax.  We’ve seen how foreign policy based on bombast and bluster can lead us into a war that should not have been authorized or waged.

And when we try to debate, the discussion isn’t about common ground, it’s about who to blame.  We’re told to blame someone.  And that’s why we’re cynical about politics.  And with that frustration, lobbysists have filled the void, turning politics into a game that you can’t afford to play.  They thing they own this government, but our government is not for sale!  And we’re here today to tell them that.  Our government is not for sale, we want it back.

People tell me that I don’t know the ways of Washington.  But I’ve been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change.  And I’m running for President because the can’t-do politics won’t do.  It’s time to turn the page.

There’s an awakening taking place.  We are seeing crowds we’ve never seen before.  We’re seeing people showing up for the first time to political events.  We’re seeing challenges we haven’t faced in a generation.  People are hungry for a different type of politics.

This is not getting a very enthusiastic reception.

It’s time to let drug companies know that they can have a seat at the table, but they can’t own every chair.  I want to have a universal healthcare bill signed by the end of my first term.  I want to have the American people have access to the same plan members of Congress do.  And this plan will save families $1000 on their premiums.  We can do this.

It’s also time to turn the page on education.  To move back the indifference that says that some schools can’t be fixed.  I will launch a campaign to recruit and support hundreds of thousands of new teachers because the most important part of education is the person standing in front of the classroom.  It is time to treat the teaching profession the way it deserves to be treated, to pay them what they deserve to be paid.

I will put in place a low-carbon fuel standard like we have in California so we can take the equivalent of 32 million cars’ worth of pollution off the road.  We have the technology to do it.

But most of all, we have to turn the page on the Iraq disaster.  I’m proud that I stood up in 2002 when it wasn’t popular to do so.  Many said it was a bad idea when it wasn’t popular to say it was a bad idea.  We knew back then we could find ourselves in an occupation of undetermined length, undetermined costs, and undetermined consequences.

Now we’ve seen those consequences.  I was in New Hampshire, and a woman told me that her nephew was leaving for Iraq.  She said how worried she was about him and began to cry.  She said, “I can’t breathe and I want to know when I can breathe again.  It’s time to let her know she can breathe again.  It’s time to put an end to this war.  Republicans and Democrats both passed a bill in Congress, House and Senate.  It’s time to let the Iraqi government know that we won’t be there forever.  It’s time to bring all combat brigades home by March 31, 2008.  And we’re one signature away from ending this war.  And if the president refuses to sign it, we will find the 16 votes we need to end this war without him!

WE WILL BRING OUR TROOPS HOME.  (this was delivered with a firestorm of passion.  impressive.)

It’s time to show that America is still the last best hope on Earth.  This president may occupy the White House, but the position of Leader of the Free World has remained open.

Whether it’s terrorism, climate change, global AIDS, or WMD’s, American cannot meet these alone, but the world cannot meet them without America.  We are not a country that sends people away in the middle of the night to foreign countries to be tortured.  We don’t lock away people in a cell and don’t tell them what they’re charged with.  We don’t preach compassion while bodies rot on the streets of a major city in America.

We are America.  We have always been a beacon of liberty.  I was down in Selma, Alabama.  We were celebrating the march  Every time they were beaten down, they got back up and kept marching.  It was called Bloody Sunday.  The culmination of the civil rights movement.  That wasn’t African-American history we were celebrating; that was American history we were celebrating.  That reminds me of the truth you carry by being here.  In the face of impossible odds, you can change this country.  there will be times where I will get tired and make a mistake.  But this campaign is not about me.  It’s about your hopes and your dreams, and what you will do.  Because there are few obstacles that can withstand the power of millions of voices calling for change.  And that’s how you and I will change this country.