(promoting a California race. – promoted by shayera)

Cross Posted from Daily Kos

Yes, it’s a lot of money.  But if just 1,000 readers here gave five dollars that would help me reach my personal goal of raising $5,000 for my husbands State Senate campaign.  He’s running because of me, I have to support the deadbeat.

Yes, that’s humor.  He’s a good guy and we are working on many other means to raise money.  The official campaign stationary is on the way, unfortunately the wrong paper was delivered, we are insisting on recycled paper and are using a local union printer.  All important choices on our part.

So, what can I share about Gary?  Well, he got the Democracy for America (Orange County Chapter) endorsement last week and that meant the world to both of us.  I will include his questionnaire behind the cut so you can learn more about what he believes.

I’m a 37 year old California native who was born in the Central Valley town of Bakersfield and raised near the southern entrance of Yosemite National Park.

I now live in Aliso Viejo with Heather my supportive spouse of 10 years; Charlotte our exuberant five year old daughter; and Sophie our

family’s high-strung weimaraner.

I am a dedicated educator in the public school system. I completed college in Southern California where I attended Chapman University, the Claremont Graduate School, UCLA, and UCI. I hold a Ph.D. in the Social Sciences and am a tenured professor in the Fine Arts and Communication Division of Cerritos College where I have taught since 1999. In the summer, I am also a lecturer at UCI.

As a tested leader in the California Community College system, I have served as a department chair, sat on curriculum and program review committees, co-authored grants for the National Endowment of the Humanities and federal vocational education programs. I have chaired tenure committees, reviewed textbooks, authored new curriculum including distance education courses, and have participated in a variety of local and national conferences and symposia.

* Why are you running? What are your goals in office?:

My first reason for running was to just get a “D” on the ballot, but then I decided that if I was going to run, I was going to do my best.  The only way to make progress in red areas in the Country is to run.  Democrats can’t win if they don’t run and every contest contributes to Governor Dean’s vision of the fifty state strategy.

* How are you socially progressive and fiscally responsible?:

I support civil unions for same sex couples as well as adoption rights and protection from discrimination.  I would include transgender and transsexuals in equal protection laws as well.  I support a woman’s right to choose.

Most importantly I believe in the idea of the common good, that we are all in this together and that Government should provide a safety net for when we fall on hard times.   This would include universal health care in the form of a single payer system (universal health insurance really) as one of the most important socially progressive issues of our time.

I would demand Fiscal Responsibility that would allow a surplus so that in the boom times we sock away money for the lean times, such as now, and the state would not have to sacrifice such things as funding for education.  

As Democrats, we have a responsibility to redefine how Americans perceive taxes.  They serve a purpose and they provide for many of the things that we need as citizens.  It’s time to stop demonizing them and to also emphasize that spending should also be prudent and balanced.  It should also be transparent, taxpayers should have the ability to easily find out where their money is going through the local, State and Federal level.

And most importantly is the need to change the perception of Government by redefining it as something that works for the people again and not special interests and corporations.

1. What are the top three issues that you are running on? Please explain your stances and provide any personal background and experience that you consider important for implementing, if elected.

If I were to win, I would forward the very important goals of Universal Single Payer Health Care in the state of California.   Everyone should have health care access where people are put before corporate profits.  People are starting to understand the importance of single payer as well as eliminating such issues as pre-existing conditions as a means to exclude people from coverage.  It would also eliminate the connection of employment to health care meaning people would not have to worry about losing their health care when they lose a job or change their profession, it would also take the burden of health care costs away from employers.

Another goal would be promoting green jobs, protecting our water supply and promoting different ways for our communities to lower their consumption of water and other limited natural resources (gas).  It would also include attempting again to reclassify hemp as a legal sustainable crop, more incentives for electric cars, solar power on individual homes and other areas and more uniform and consistent recycling programs throughout the state.

Education is the largest part of our State’s budget, as it should be. It is what allows California to lead the way in technology, keep business thriving and maintain our high quality of life. Education is a lifetime process from K-12 to our State’s public Colleges and Universities. Parents should be able to expect a quality public education for their children and for themselves, learning is a lifetime pursuit.

More money per student does not mean better teaching but funds for the classroom, teacher pay and school improvements are important for a quality public education. Bureaucracy and endless paperwork takes time away from the classroom and we have to not only fully fund our schools but make it possible for teachers to spend more time doing what they are there to do, teach!

2. What is your strategy for a viable plan to win this race? Please include considerations of grassroots organizing and support, obtaining finances needed and how DFA’s support will help in your race.

We plan on raising money through reaching out to our community with house parties and fund raisers at local gathering spots (We plan on having a fund raiser at Steamers Café in Fullerton).  I am seeking the endorsement of as many unions as possible and hope to garner their support as a union member myself.  

Grass roots organization by getting people registered as Democrats and speaking to as many independents and Republicans as possible.  We plan on using any money we raise to hire one person for the summer so that he can learn how to run a campaign (A politics student who interns with DPOC) and have a chance to work towards the goal of turning Orange County blue.  Our goal is also to raise enough for four pieces for mailers and walk pieces to hand out during canvassing.  We would also like to have enough to get a statement on the ballot.  All of this is realistic and important to building on a future run for other Democrats in the County.

3. To the extent that you have not covered the issues below in your answers to question I, please address your stances/proposed solutions for each. The particular order in which you address these categories is up to you. There is an overarching theme that runs through these categories, i.e., how to ameliorate the disproportionate control by corporate big money interests in all aspects of the functioning of our government. Please address that theme, where you can, in each category.

a. Restoring the Constitution, the rule of law, Civil Liberties/Rights,

Congressional checks and balances and meaningful oversight functions.

All signing statements and activities leading up to the war in Iraq should be reviewed by the incoming President.  All torture and war crime activities should be investigated as well as the immediate closure of Guantanamo Bay.  There should also be the restoration of Habeas Corpus and no immunity to the telecommunications companies for their involvement with the illegal wire tapping of American citizens.

On the local level, California needs to force for the funding of the 9/11 Commission recommendations from our airports to our ports.  

b. Economic Justice

America has experienced the largest redistribution of wealth in its history in the last eight years.  The rich have literally gotten richer under the current tax structure and many more people have become poorer.  The top one half of one percent has amassed the same amount of wealth as the bottom 40 percent which has driven down the quality of life for so many in our Country.

Things must change from raising the capital gains tax to closing unfair loopholes that only benefit the wealthy (such as the yacht tax loophole in California).  But our tax code should be fair.

Economic justice also includes access to loans based on credit score not zip code.  Many minorities are subject to higher interest rates and unfair practices by predatory lenders.  Payday loan shops should be closed and access to banking accounts, savings and checking accounts should be more readily available.

There should also be a living wage in California and our minimum wage should increase with the rate of inflation.  California also needs to deal with the pay inequity that still exists between men and women.

c. Health Care

Universal single payer is the only way to go when it comes to health care.  Health Care coverage should not be connected to employment and should cover every single person.  We need to eradicate the term “pre-existing condition” as no one should be denied coverage.

The biggest challenge to UHC is changing the talking points from “socialized medicine” to single payer insurance.  People need to understand how much time doctors spend in paperwork and bureaucracy rather than in treating patients and by having single payer it will in no way affect our quality of care.

d. Environmental Issues (global warming; environmental protection and conservation)



California needs to invest in green technology (Solar and wind, no nuclear) and green collar jobs.  Our infrastructure is sorely in need of repair and improvement and it offers us the opportunity to change things for a more green option.

There should also be the encouragement and incentives on the local level for homeowners and businesses to move to green alternatives.  All residents should be encouraged to do away with their lawns for more water saving alternatives.  We should also encourage the purchasing of local produce.

California cannot wait for the Federal Government to cap green house gas emissions, we need to institute our own standards and enforce them by incentives rather than punitive means.  We also need to raise gas mileage standards so that other states can follow.  

Hemp should be legalized as an industrial crop to serve as a sustainable option for paper products and other things commonly made from trees and cotton.  Hemp is also environmentally friendly because it requires no pesticides.  Currently hemp is imported for use in products and it could easily become a crop in areas where other things are not viable.

The US must sign the Kyoto accord.

e. The war/occupation of Iraq, the Middle East, and care of military personnel

Our government has a responsibility to provide life time health care for our veterans and a guaranteed free education as well (The first GI Bill following WWII is credited with creating the middle class).  The tour of duties by our active soldiers should be returned to sane lengths and those who do serve should be protected from losing their jobs, their homes and their families due to their long absence.

There also has to be something done about our 200,000 plus homeless veterans with accessible mental health care and low cost housing.  They should also have access to job training and employment opportunities by encouraging small and large businesses to hire and invest time and money in our veterans.

And although I am running for a State position, I feel that is the responsibility for all elected officials to put pressure on their federally elected representatives to begin the immediate and safe withdrawal of troops from Iraq.  The US has to restore its moral authority in the world by complying with international law.  We must demand that the Iraqi Government take over in its own rule and protection and ask the surrounding nations who have a more vested interest in a stable middle east to participate in rebuilding Iraq.  We also should implore other industrialized nations to help rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure.  All contracted military personnel should also be removed from Iraq, such as Blackwater and the Government must stop employing them.

f. Election Integrity (public financing; election protection; voter intimidation)

A large part of election integrity is linked to the consolidation of our media and the lack of real information regarding many important issues facing our Country and the world.  Any election reform must be accompanied by the restoration of the Fairness Doctrine.

There also must be a paper trail to any election so that in the need of a recount there is a means to verify the actual vote.  Everyone should have safe access to voting as well as time off in order to do so.  There also needs to be more uniform election law in national contests, such as a Presidential Election.

All candidates should have access to the airwaves as well as publically funded campaigns.  The influence of lobbyists and corporations on our elections have skewed the agenda in the wrong direction for far too long.

There is also a huge need to outlaw the thirty second campaign ad and the use of robo calls to unfairly influence voters (They should at least say who is funding and supporting the call).

g. Media Reform

Restore the Fairness Doctrine to allow real fair and balanced coverage on radio, TV, print and internet news by ensuring the change from corporate media that is concentrated to a small number of owners to a more unconsolidated media system.  We should find a means to encourage all media to return news to being non-profit driven and ratings driven entities that have a responsibility to cover events rather than sensationalizing them.

So here is my meter and I’m asking that you help me raise $5,000 for Gary Pritchard, he’s on the ballot because of me.  And he’s on the ballot because no other Democrat would run in this district.  When good people step up to get a “D” on the ballot, they need your help.  Our main goal is to hire someone to help us, someone we could employ through November.  Imagine being able to pay someone’s salary, I think it’s the best thing we can do with our campaign money.

Not really, but it did make you look, didn’t it?  

Please, wait, just stay for a little bit and read about my husband’s campaign?  I know you are busy and I know there are a lot bigger fish to fry, but I’m hoping you will hear me out, please?

You see, Gary needs your help.  In order to raise money you need to raise money.  Make sense?

Follow me…

Gary and I met with the Democratic Party of Orange County and we also got a chance to meet with a wonderful grassroots organizer.  Well, he’s actually a full time student who is an intern at the DPOC and we want to hire him to help us with our campaign.

Gary is running as the “Sacrificial lamb” in this contest but we also both promised that we would do whatever we could to forward the Democratic cause and issues in our so very red County.  So, for me, personally, I think one of the best things we could do would be to hire a student, who wants to work in campaigns and also forward the Democratic Party in our very red County.

Does this make sense?  The best way for him to get experience is to actually help run a campaign, but right now, we don’t have enough to pay for him.  We do desperately need help because I’ve promised that I would only do as much as I could without losing my job or neglecting my child!  It’s quite an undertaking and we are fighting in quite a large district.  Take a look.

This area covers over 500,000 voters, yes, that’s more than any of the congressional districts in California.  It’s 100,000 more than the largest Congressional District in our area, CA-48 which is just over 400,000 registered voters.  Yes, we really do need help!

So yes, this is a plea for money.  And you are just the tip as they say, I’ve made phone calls to our families and friends and we need to get access to donor lists.  If you want to know something about Gary, here is his ‘About Gary’ page on his website.

And here is our “priorities” information on the website.

Priorities

Transparency and Responsibility in Government

Transparency and responsibility are the first priorities. Every resident should have access to how their taxes are spent in the State of California. It should also be easy to understand and to know who exactly was responsible for parts of the budget and who put forth earmark spending. Fiscal responsibility is imperative at all times, the good and the bad. Why doesn’t the State currently have a surplus from when our economy was booming? Important revenues were cut and spending was expanded without any regard for unforeseen future economic circumstances. Would the average household not prepare for hard times by saving when times are good? Should we not expect the same common sense approach in our Government by demanding our legislature treat our money like theirs?

Education

Education is the largest part of our State’s budget, as it should be. It is what allows California to lead the way in technology, keep business thriving and maintain our high quality of life. Education is a lifetime process from K-12 to our State’s public Colleges and Universities. Parents should be able to expect a quality public education for their children and for themselves, learning is a lifetime pursuit.

More money per student does not mean better teaching but funds for the classroom, teacher pay and school improvements are important for a quality public education. Bureaucracy and endless paperwork takes time away from the classroom and we have to not only fully fund our schools but make it possible for teachers to spend more time doing what they are there to do, teach!

Environment

Our Environment is one of our most important assets and resources which shouldn’t be taken for granted. Many are arguing about whether Global Warming is happening and if it is man made, it’s not relevant since our dependence of foreign oil has put our Country at risk. By working on alternatives to many of the resources we rely upon that are not renewable or sustainable we can lead the way as a State and show how greening our jobs and our communities can be profitable and improve our quality of life. The State should be investing in new technologies and rewarding companies that transition their businesses to greener solutions.

One failure of our current Governor was to veto the bi-partisan bill AB 1147 which would have reclassified industrial hemp as a safe crop and not as a “drug”. The current laws allow the importation of hemp to be sold here and manufactured into products but does not allow it to be grown. Hemp is a highly sustainable plant that could be used for paper, food products and beauty care products. It makes no sense to block such innovations because of arcane drug laws.

The economy is a very important to our quality of life in Orange County and depends upon the above priorities in order to thrive. Without sustainable resources and a supply of well educated and trained workers, businesses are free to go elsewhere to find what we cannot provide as a County and a State. This does not mean that business should not pay its fair share in taxes. Most businesses use our resources at a much greater rate than an individual taxpayer and they also rely on our infrastructure, court systems and Government. It is important that the business/community relationship does not come at the cost of our quality of life.

Health Care

Health care insurance is another very important issue that needs to be addressed by our State. There are just some things that should not be profit driven and when lives don’t come before the bottom line Health Insurance is not working as it should. There is no need for “Universal Health Care” what we need is Universal Health Insurance. By getting rid of red tape and letting Doctors decide what is best for their patients we can insure that every Californian can afford health care. The burden of this benefit should not fall on businesses since there are so many different kinds of employers. If we can take the burden of cost from our business we can encourage them to stay in California where they can thrive as can their employees knowing they will have coverage no matter where they work.

All of these vital priorities directly affect our quality of life and we should not have to compromise education, the environment, the economy and our wellbeing in order to find a balance between work and family and what we want for our children and grandchildren. The State Government should make it easier to live in Orange County and it’s the job of your Senate Representative to be sure that your interests as a resident in South Orange County are a priority to them. Even if they do not have all the solutions they should be willing to work towards balanced solutions to difficult problems that will not get better with time and legislative gridlock.

So, I ask that you give a little bit to help us raise the money to hire a local organizer, so he can help us raise more money, put up a good fight and let this guy learn how to run a campaign.  I’ve met him, he’s worth it and I seriously don’t want another campaign to snap him up.

I believe this is why we support Obama, it’s not just about the campaign, but about organizing, registering Democrats and getting more people involved in the process.

Thanks for reading if you got this far.  We will probably be running against Mimi Walters, check out her hit piece against the other Republican running against her in the Primary.  Ouch.  Seriously, it scares me that Gary has put himself in the shark infested waters of politics.

Cross Posted from Daily Kos

I realize that Calitics is an exception to this and there are many here focusing on local issues and politics.  I just thought I’d share my big orange rant which went virtually unnoticed of course.

Crazy isn’t it?  Local State and Congressional candidates are also running for office and they need your help.  Many of the States have already had their Primary and I’m sure some of you who are still on the fence can’t wait to start working for the eventual nominee, but have you thought, you could be working for local candidates?

I know, many of you do and I commend you for that.  As someone who is trying to run their first Statewide contest the tasks are formidable and the chances slim for us but we have to fight and the Primary battle between the potential Democratic Presidential nominees feels like static.

But please remember this, 2008 represents a year that could change the political landscape for local communities, especially those who have been red for a long time now and the help from local activists could make the difference between winning and losing.  I believe this to my very core.

Today, Gary Pritchard for State Senate released it’s first press release.  The Republican candidate in our district just doesn’t get and is running on the same failed policies of the National Republican policy, these policies have done damage from every town and city and every State in the Union.  Small change must come with our anticipated big change.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gary Pritchard for State Senate

Today Gary Pritchard has announced that he has NOT been endorsed by the Orange County Young Republicans. (H/T to OC Blog)

http://www.redcounty.com/orang…

Citing the last seven years of the Bush administration’s dismal record for the country and record number of defections from the GOP ranks, Gary Pritchard celebrated his no endorsement by the GOP Young Republicans.  “I can’t believe Mimi Walters made such a blunder. Who in their right mind would want the Republican stamp of approval?” The economy is in the tank; Republicans have mismanaged the mortgage industry, The Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina, The national debt, which is owned by China (What happened to “fiscal responsibility”?) and so many more things, why would Mimi Walters want to associate herself with so many disasters?  I have heard the Walters campaign is in crisis mode and are holding late night meetings to do damage control to figure out a way to distance themselves from the Republican taint.

At the state level the Republican Governor is laying off teachers left and right and closing State beaches because the budget doesn’t have room for lifeguards.  Locally they have Former Sheriff Corona on his way to the Clink, The Inmate Scandal at the Jails, Mike Schroeder and his endless number of frivolous lawsuits, Dina Nguyen’s suspect fundraising, and former Rohrabacher staffer convicted pedophile Jeffery Nielson in jail, who would want to be associated with that, how embarrassing.

I, Gary Pritchard, Democratic Candidate for the 33rd Senate District, am proud to say that I am endorsed by the Democratic Party of California and I encourage disaffected Republicans, Declined to State Voters, and Democrats to vote for me this November.

But get this, not only is Mimi Walters having her far right conservative endorsements endlessly paraded on the local blogs she’s embracing the hypocrisy that is hurting every working family in California.

Governor Schwarzenegger was scheduled visit and attend a “pep rally” for a South Orange County PRIVATE School yesterday afternoon.  Some of you are aware that California is facing a huge budget crisis and public schools are giving pink slips to many of their teachers, much to the detriment of their students and the public education system that so many working families rely upon.  I wrote about this at The Liberal OC…

The Governator visiting South County Tomorrow, Privately…

Yes, you read that right. The Governator is going to be making a public appearance at a private school in Orange County and to add insult to injury, thousands of parents of children in public school plan on protesting this appearance. Do you blame them?

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – Hundreds of parents, students and teachers from across South County are expected to surround a private school where the governor is rumored to be making an appearance Thursday to protest his proposed $4 billion cut to K-12 education.Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is widely believed to be making an unannounced stop at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano for an afternoon pep rally.

St. Margaret’s spokeswoman Anne Mack referred all questions about the appearance to the governor’s office, which would not confirm his attendance.

“We respect the right of people to express their concerns through peaceful demonstration … and we want the very best for all students in Orange County and California,” Mack said in a prepared statement.

OC Register

The OC Register fails to point out the irony regarding the planned visit to a private school while the Governor puts forth that the best way to deal with the budget shortfall is to cut public education. South County schools are expected to lose a total of 46 million in funding to Capistrano and Saddleback School Districts which educate 85,000 children. What would this private school need a “pep rally” for? Are they laying off teachers and scaling back on their educational standards because of the Governor’s badly managed fiscal plan? Probably not.

So why bother Arnold? Why do you need to be shoring up support with private schools when the bulk of your constituents have children in public schools? Maybe Arnold will be urging this and other schools to hire the laid off teachers since they will probably have a complete landslide of applicants for private education. Can’t have their classroom sizes affected, now can we?

As Robert in Monterey has pointed out, Arnold could easily reinstate the Vehicle License Fee which would cost the average two car household an extra $300 a year and raise over an estimated six billion in revenue and short circuit these cuts (although the pink slips have already been handed out and the students have already been affected by the threat of cuts). For most families with multiple children, three hundred a year is much cheaper than having to send your child to a private school. I personally believe that public education is one of those things that warrants such action, but then you would probably just call me a liberal.

So, we know that Republicans don’t get the double standard but the level of cluelessness is astounding.  Arnold was going to attend this pep rally at the request of the Republican Candidate for SD-33 Mimi Walters because her children attend this school.  Yes, you read that right, the Republican who is currently serving in the State Assembly and promising not to raise taxes at any cost has her children in private school

Look, they think we aren’t paying attention, that’s the only way I can describe this hubris, blatant and insulting to all of those people who work hard every day and who depend on the public school system.  Parents of children in this private school were actually upset that the visit was canceled because of the planned protests.  Yes, it’s absolutely true.

Apparently Arnold’s planned visit to St. Margaret’s was organized at the request of Mimi Walters, whose kids go to the school. (She’s responsible for what’s probably the largest education budget in the world but she can’t be bothered to send her kids to south OC’s public schools, which have some of the highest test scores in California.)

According to the Capistrano Dispatch, which is unequivocally the BEST local newspaper on the PLANET: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s motorcade pulled into downtown San Juan Capistrano Thursday evening amid hundreds of protesters criticizing his support of the Foothill-South toll road and deep cuts to education. Schwarzenegger entered the back room of El Adobe through the side gate and did not acknowledge about 300 people lining both sides of Camino Capistrano. There was no way he missed the sign-waiving, whistle-blowing crowd, that broke into chants of “Shame on You” and “Save Our Schools” when the CHP-escorted black SUVs arrived.

The demonstrations started at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School earlier in the afternoon: Schwarzenegger was supposed to attend a rally there in honor of the CIF-champion football team, but canceled because of the protests. A St. Margaret’s spokeswoman, who had declined to even confirm the governor was set to appear, said the school supported the right to protest. Not everyone did, though: Some motorists slowed, rolled down their windows and yelled at the protesters because of the cancellation.

H/t to Gila Jones

Please, prove Republicans wrong and start paying attention to local races and write your local papers and call them on this, it has to be done, just as McCain is getting a free ride from the media, so are all Republicans as long as the Democratic Primary keeps chugging along.  We have a chance to change things not just nationally but locally.

And to add, both Gary and I support Obama, not only has he run a far superior campaign, he’s going to have coattails and he’s going to bring a lot of good Democrats with him, as well as moderates and disappointed Republicans.  But no matter who the nominee is, I will work for either, we won’t see anything change with four more years of BushMcCain.

Republican candidates for the open seats in November are already beginning to push their ads out. In SD-33, Assemblywoman and proud Yacht Party member Mimi Walters is putting out this ad, cosponsored by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. The ad is a ringing defense of the ruinous anti-tax politics that have brought California to its knees. The copy, in case you don’t feel like clicking on the “Red County” link:

Send a Tax-Fighter to the State Senate! Republican Assemblywoman Mimi Walters, Endorsed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association

“Taxpayers know Mimi Walters is the stand-up conservative [irony: the picture next to this shows Mimi sitting down] we can trust to protect taxpayers and private property rights. Mimi is one of our best friends in the state legislature and one of the strongest voices in Sacramento for common sense budgets and smaller government. We need to keep her working for California’s taxpayers.” Jon Coupal, President, HJTA

Tax-fighter Mimi Walters is working to:

-Protect Prop 13

-Stop tax increases

-Enact a state government spending limit

-Protect the 2/3 vote requirement for budgets and taxes

-Stop gas tax increases

So there it is, Mimi Walters is planning to run a virulently anti-tax campaign aimed at winning over the oh-so-crucial Howard Jarvis and Club for Growth crowd. Meanwhile, schools in SD-33, such as in Aliso Viejo, are facing crippling teacher layoffs and visitors are being discouraged from south county beaches thanks to a lifeguard shortage.

Mimi Walters’ makes it clear who her constituents are, and who they are not. It shows that she, like most of the Republican legislative candidates, believes that any level of suffering and economic damage is acceptable so long as not one red cent in taxes is raised. I’m sure the parents who live in SD-33 and worry about their children’s education will be pleased to hear it.

This sort of radical go-down-with-the-ship tactic shows two important things. One, at a time when the state GOP is starved for funds, Republican candidates are going to have little choice but to accept funds from extremist groups like Howard Jarvis. Second, that means Republicans have no choice but to take a far-right line that is not in touch with the state’s voters when dealing with the budget, and that is going to open up opportunities for Democrats.

The Democratic candidate in SD-33 is Gary Pritchard. He’s going to have an uphill battle no matter what, but if Mimi Walters is going to run as an anti-tax zealot happy to see her constituents suffer in crowded classrooms and on crowded freeways, then it gives him an invaluable opening.

It is not something we take for granted.  Even though Gary is the only Democrat running the Party’s endorsement is very important not only ideologically speaking but because we care about what other Democrats think.  

Gary is currently driving down from Fresno as I type.  He drove up Friday night and stayed with a childhood friend of his.  In the morning he drove to San Jose and worked the floor for the day.  It was a great opportunity for him to meet and talk to other Democrats.  I wish I could have been there but I was left with the grueling task of taking my five year old and our puppy to the park.  Poor me.  🙂

Gila Jones was “invaluable” (to quote Gary) in helping him get delegates to his endorsement caucus.  Twenty delegates came and all voted in favor of endorsing him.  

So, it has been a busy week for us and this was our biggest concern.  We knew once this was done we could really take off as they say.  The website is up but content is still being worked on.  I am the “webmaster” which leaves much to be desired in terms of technical ability although I was helped out tremendously by webranding at Daily Kos.

We do have a treasurer though, which helps me since I know how important the FPPC document filings are.  They are important for a reason and we don’t take any of it lightly.  

So why the openness?  Because we promised to run our best campaign with what resources we have but I, speaking as the candidate’ wife, wants to share the process others and hopefully encourage them to take the leap in the future when the Party needs to get a “D” on the ballot.  If we don’t run then how can we win?

Gary got his business cards this week and we were helped by Geri at S&S Printers.  I can’t believe how willing people are to guide us through this overwhelming process.  I think part of the reason it is so “overwhelming” is due to the fact that both Gary and I work full time and we have our daughter, just like everyone else, finding the balance is important.

So our week was full of little victories and ended with a huge one.  And I’ve got to thank my puppy Sophie as well, walks with her around our neighborhood has allowed me to meet other Democrats, yes, Democrats that live just “around the corner” from us.  Everyone we talk to is excited to hear that there is not only a Democrat on the ballot but they are a neighbor of theirs.  

Next, I just have to remind Gary that it’s okay to ask for money, not only will we put it to good use but it’s going to be needed in November so we can raise the $7,000 needed to get a Statement on the Ballot.  So if you want to help?  Please donate!

Charlotte and Sophie resting…

My husband, Gary Pritchard, is running for State Senate in California’s 33rd district.  We have raised just over $600 (ActBlue sent our money to the wrong account and their number are wrong, I am hoping the will fix it, the last thing we need is incorrect records) and Friday, I hired someone to help us manage our money.  Crazy, right?

Not really, because I know we will raise more and I’m asking you to help me do this.  This is not a big race, I know, but a good Democrat has stepped forward to put a “D” on the ballot and we can’t do it on our own.

Gary’s birthday is Monday, he’s going to be 37 years old and I haven’t gotten him a present yet.  Last year I got him a membership to the NPR book club (oh so romantic, but the books were great and we donated to our local public radio station).  I’m at a loss this year and I thought, well, why not raise some money for Gary’s campaign?

This is my brazen plea for your help!  Why brazen?  We have no website yet and we don’t have much to share other than the fact that Gary stepped up when no other Democrat would file and run in this district.  It’s too red, it’s not “winnable”.  Phooey!

So my Party Loyalist of a husband said he would do it and we would do our best.  We have so many events coming up and many things we need to get for the campaign and I realize, we need to raise money.  On Thursday evening Gary his first speech as a Candidate and he got a very good reaction, it was encouraging for him.  Gary had nothing prepared, he just spoke for two minutes and told Democrats why he was running (Gary spoke at the pre-endorsement conference for our district).

Gary will be going to the State Convention at the end of the month and we will be going to DFA Training the weekend following that.  We will pay it out of pocket if we must but like many families, we are getting by.  Are we poor?  Hell no, we are not.  We are blessed with many things but I promised Gary and myself that we would limit our personal spending because it would get out of control very easily.  I almost feel guilty for admitting that.  The Republican candidates have both borrowed $100,000 each and raised five times as much.  We bought our first house at the end of 2006, even if we wanted to borrow money, we have negative equity, just as many Americans do, it’s not possible.

So, I thought I would share some things about us, especially the candidate of course.  We will be married 10 years on September 12th.  Both Gary and I are technically only children, crazy right?  Well, I have a half brother that I did not grow up with and Gary has step sisters that he did not grow up with.  Oh families get complicated, don’t they?

We have a five year old daughter named Charlotte Piper and a 7 month Weimaraner named Sophie.  Gary teaches at Cerritos College in their Music Department and he has a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from UCI.

Ethnomusicology is defined as “the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance in local and global contexts.” [1] Formed from the Greek words ethnos (nation) and mousike (music), it is often considered the anthropology or ethnography of music. Jeff Todd Titon has called it the study of “people making music.” Although it is often thought of as a study of non-Western musics, ethnomusicology also includes the study of Western music from an anthropological or sociological perspective. Bruno Nettl (1983) believes it is a product of Western thinking, proclaiming “ethnomusicology as western culture knows it is actually a western phenomenon.” [2] Nettl believes that there are limits to extraction of meaning from an indigenous culture’s music due to perceptual distance of the Western observer from the culture. However, the growing prevalence of scholars who study their own musical traditions, and an increasing range of different theoretical frameworks and research methodologies has done much to address criticisms such as Nettl’s.

Wikipedia

His advisors Robert Garfias and Sam Gilmore are both lovely human beings, they nurtured Gary and encouraged him to keep going and finish his dissertation.  We are blessed to know them.  Robert is retiring soon and Gary was his last Graduate student.  What an honor for Gary.

Sam was patient and I know he enjoyed the Jazz Piano lessons that Gary gave him and they bonded over more than just Sociology (There is not an Ethnomusicology degree at UCI so he had a committee degree that also included Frank Cancian, James Newton and Anthony Seeger).  Gary played piano for one of Sam’s son’s Bar Mitzvahs and that was quite a celebration, we were also honored to be included in such an important day.

So, Gary got his Ph.D. (Which yes, we are still paying for and will be for a very long time) and he’s teaching full time.  The students adore him as well as the faculty and staff.  Gary has always been the more likable of the two of us, I tend to stick my foot in my mouth and I’ve learned the hard way what the phrase “The road to hell is paved with good intentions” means.  

Gary’s biggest side interest is music (which really isn’t a “side” interest, his whole career is about music).  He got his BA and MA in conducting and plays a few instruments although the piano is his favorite.  Gary has been in a few bands and continues to gig on occasion. Felt (Their myspace – www.myspace.com/feltmusic) is alive and well and they put a CD out in 2001.  Gary also plays with the same guys in a blues band called “The Metropolitans”.  This candidate has YOUTUBE video of the band playing “The Wind Cries Mary”! (Hat tip to Mark Wein, the lead singer to both bands and a very talented musician).  The other players are Martin Torres (Gary’s other wife) and Scott Francisco (in Felt not the Metropolitans) and Tyler Walton.

So what does Gary believe in?  He’s a Democrat and he believes that we are the better party, seriously and we are not afraid to say so.  Even though we do believe that we honor and respect the opinions of our friends and neighbors who are Republican.  Why?  Because we are part of a community and fighting with our neighbors and with those who don’t agree with us will not get anything done for anyone.  It’s not worth it.  We would rather just speak for our beliefs and let that be what convinces them rather than a heavy stick.

Gary believes in Universal Health Care, Access to affordable education and the separation of Church and State.  There is more than one way to balance a budget, how about cutting useless earmarks and raise useful taxes (The ‘Sloophole’ is one example of this and included in the list of “Republicans” is the candidate he will most likely run against in the GE, Mimi Walters.)  The California Assembly decided giving tax breaks to yacht owners rather than trying to help fix California’s budget shortfalls was more important.  The hardest hit in these shortfalls?  Yep, Education.  

The Assembly also refused to close loopholes for Oil Companies.  You read that right.

The Assembly Republican Caucus yesterday voted against legislation to close tax loopholes on big oil companies and dedicate $1.2 billion to preventing the layoffs of teachers throughout California.

The legislation, AB 9XXX, called for California to join every other oil-producing state by placing a severance tax on oil produced in California. Some 21 other states, including Texas have the tax. Under the bill, oil companies would be prohibited from passing along the tax to consumers at the pump. The Board of Equalization would be given the authority to monitor and investigate instances where producers or purchasers of oil have attempted to gouge customers.

“Last week, Assembly Republicans sided with yacht owners and this week they’re siding with Big Oil,” said Senator Art Torres (Ret.), Chairman of the California Democratic Party. “Clearly, the Assembly Republicans’ values are out of sync with their constituents, particularly when thousands of teachers across the state are receiving pink slips.”

California Majority Report

And one of the best of all, Mimi Walters has proposed a new law that would require people to show proof of citizenship when registering to vote.

Mimi Walters Introduces Voter ID Bill

SACRAMENTO – Today, Assemblywoman Mimi Walters (R-Laguna Niguel) introduced Assembly Bill 2317. AB 2317 will require voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote.

Walters’ bill requires those registering to vote to provide any one of the following documents proving citizenship:

A valid birth certificate;

A United States passport clearly showing the applicant’s passport number;

United States naturalization documents, or official certificate of naturalization from the government of the United States and verified by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; or

Any documentation as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-603).

“Fair elections are critical to the confidence the public has in our representative government. In order to ensure that each citizen’s vote counts, we must ensure that others who are ineligible do not vote fraudulently,” said Walters. “AB 2317 is an important step in ensuring free and fair elections.”

Red County

Am I naive to think that if someone is in this country illegally that they would spend time worrying about voting?  This is just more red tape and bureaucracy that we can’t afford and would only serve to discourage many people to register to vote!  And I’m talking about citizens.  I want to know why the Republican Party is not utilizing current laws already on the books to enforce the laws to prohibit the hiring of illegal workers?  In the long run, that would save California the most money out of anything we could do!  

Or how about rather than building a wall, invest in Mexico and try to help them bring their living and working standards up to ours.  We can’t disown them as neighbors, it’s not like selling my house when I get in a tiff with neighbor.  This is a permanent issue which will need more humane and permanent solutions.  It’s easy for Californians to blame immigration on all our woes, but it’s always more complicated than that, isn’t it?

I have written about this at The Liberal OC and feel strongly about the issue.  I sincerely believe that the cultural influences of our neighbors below us is valuable and important.  It’s not just, keep “those” people out, “those” people are here.  They are our friends and neighbors, they are the people who help keep this State running.  It really comes down to putting people before the need for “cheap labor”.

Okay, so this is my rant, I would have Gary look this over if it weren’t supposed to be a surprise.  You want to hear from the candidate, soon.  The following is his rough draft of his Biography for the Democratic Party.  The thing is, it could be completely different by the time he submits it to the Party (for the Convention at the end of the month)

Gary Pritchard is an energetic and optimistic candidate who maintains an openness to finding new solutions to the educational, economic, and energy issues that our district and state will face over the next four years.

Gary is a 37 year old California native who lives in Aliso Viejo with Heather his supportive spouse of 10 years; Charlotte their exuberant five year old daughter; and Sophie the family’s high-strung weimaraner.

He was born in the Central Valley town of Bakersfield where he lived for the first nine years of his life until his family moved to the small mountain community of Oakhurst located near the southern entrance of Yosemite National Park. In Oakhurst, Gary spent much of his childhood nurturing a life long love of the arts and environment.

Gary’s professional background is in education. He completed college in Southern California where he attended Chapman University, the Claremont Graduate School, UCLA, and UCI. He holds a Ph.D. in the Social Sciences and is a tenured professor in the Fine Arts and Communication Division of Cerritos College where he has taught since 1999. During the summer, he also teaches at UCI.  

At Cerritos College, Gary has served as a department chair, sat on curriculum and program review committees, co-authored grants for the National Endowment of the Humanities and federal vocational education programs, and chaired tenure committees. He has reviewed textbooks, authored new curriculum including distance education courses, and has participated in local and national conferences and symposium on issues ranging from education to culture and politics.

Growing up in Oakhurst instilled in Gary a strong sense of community, family, and the importance of volunteerism. These values drive Gary’s enthusiasm for serving as your next State Senator.

So, please help me give Gary a great birthday and a great start to the campaign.  We need the money!  We both believe in public financing but we aren’t there yet, so please help us finance his run so the Republicans will know we are serious!

Both Gary and I support Obama (Gary voted Obama in the California Primary) and we were inspired to stand up for what we believe in.  We both took this phrase very seriously, “Be the change you want to see”! Gary is considered young for a candidate but why should we wait?  And Gary is not just another old white guy (not that there is anything wrong with that, (some of my favorite people are old white guys!).  Gary’s background is unique, his father was a white boy from Bakersfield and his mother, Esperanza, was a Native American, a Mojave Indian. Esperanza’s father was a Mexican native and her mother was 100% pure Mojave Indian, not many of them left, sad to say.  As far as I know, he would be the first Native American State Senator in California.  

So, please help us out!  I offer up the following symbolic increments of $3 (for the month he was born), $17 (for the day he was born), $37 (for Gary’s age) and if you are feeling very generous, $71 (For the year Gary was born).

Thank you!

And to honor St. Patrick’s day, here are some photos from our new favorite place to walk with Charlotte and our dog, Laguna Niguel Regional Park.  Gary likes to run around the lake when he has time.  This was my first visit and I took some photos.

So, another day and another diary.  I’ve been pondering the Obama experience issue, especially since my husband is running for State Senate in California.  Yes, this is going to be a big topic for me because it’s so close to home.

How does having a PhD in music and holding no prior office qualify Gary for the Senate or for any office for that matter? Just wondering.

Posted by: Curious at February 21, 2008 03:52

http://www.californiaprogressr…

Or for any office for that matter?  Hm, this was a shocking sight since Gary has just started running and so far we’ve been told he doesn’t have much of a chance.  

But the main issue is, experience is relative, isn’t it?  This argument is being used again and again against Obama and I find it to be one of the weakest.  How do you get experience being President anyway?  You become one.  No one can ever be fully prepared for one of the hardest jobs in the world, so who is to say what experience would qualify someone to lead the free world?

Gary, my husband, is just running for State Senate and it used to be that serving your community in this manner wasn’t a one way ticket to a new career.  And we feel that the thing that qualifies him the most is the fact that he’s had quite a bit of life experience in his 37 years.  Gary has been through almost every form of the California public school system and he’s put himself through that system without help except for loans.  

Gary was born in California and he’s attended k-12, two different community colleges and two UC’s.  He teaches at a community college and has also taught at UCI as a guest lecturer and a summer school instructor.  Gary has direct contact with those who are in the California school system and understands the challenges many of his students face.  And seeing as though our daughter Charlotte will be entering this school system this September, we have a vested interest in it’s ability to form the characters and the minds of our children.  

No Child Left Behind has been a categorical failure and this administration has also failed to deal with the immigration issues that are facing not just the state of California but the entire Country.  What good has their experience done for us?  What good has it done for you?

Obama does not lack the experience and he will surround himself with advisers in order to help him through this uncharted territory.  It’s what every President does, they don’t run the Country so much as set the tone.  For me, the tone of Obama is much more appealing than that of Clinton.  As much as she deserves to be the nominee I don’t believe she is our best chance to win.  What does ready on day one mean?

And I should know the power of “Yes we can”, because it’s the only way to take on any challenge, the only way.  Why even bother if you start off chanting, “No we can’t”.  Why?  And so that alone sets the right tone.  It doesn’t mean it won’t be difficult and it doesn’t mean everything put forth by Obama as President will go through, but I do believe in the power of “Yes we can”.

Gary is running for California State Senate because no other “D” had stepped forward to do so.  I already outlined this in my first diary about his run entitled, ‘Choosing to be inspired, a candidate’s wife and a grassroots campaign’, but I don’t think I will ever be able to say this phrase enough,  “If a Democrat doesn’t run then how can a Democrat win?”.

So who represents the experience candidate in this race?  Mimi Walters is currently in the California State Assembly and she recently voted with the party line to keep intact a loophole that allows yacht owners to avoid certain taxes.  That’s right, yacht owners.

It might not seem like such a big deal if it weren’t for the fact that California is facing a 16 billion dollar shortfall and is threatening to cut funding to the states already hurting school system.

School districts across California have begun trimming services and preparing to lay off teachers in response to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget, which could cut about $4.8 billion in education funding this year and next year. Educators say it’s the worst financial crisis they can remember.

…

“There isn’t a whole lot of fat left to squeeze. You squeeze now by cutting jobs and teachers,” said Bill Hedrick, president of the Rialto Education Assn. “We expect some of our members not to have jobs next fall. That’s the reality of the situation.”

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the state’s largest, could have a $560-million deficit next year, an amount that would affect classroom programs. The district already had agreed to trim almost $100 million from next year’s budget to comply with county guidelines before Schwarzenegger’s announcement in January of his fiscal plan, which includes $460 million more in potential.

Now the closure of this loophole (or sloophole as they call it around here) for yacht owners would not help much in the long run, but doesn’t it seem rather odd that someone with so much “experience” (10 plus years in public service according to her website) would want to protect yacht owners rather than public schools?

So you see, this experience argument is used at many levels of Government from State Senators to Presidential candidates and to me it holds very little water.  Over and over again, experience politicians have put the interests those who need little help over the interests of those who need the most help.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that Obama is without his own baggage and it baffles me when people completely exclude the fact that he served in a state senate for years before moving on to the US Senate.  But I also don’t believe that he lacks the experience needed and as I said, it’s the tone that matters.

“Yes we can”.  See, this is something that has won me over, because why even bother running if you don’t think you can win, right?  “No we can’t” isn’t the best way to start any fight and both Gary and I have decided to go the same route, “Yes we can”.  

And sadly, people don’t vote on issues as much as they used, it’s just a fact.  But then again, I don’t believe Obama is lacking on substance either, I’m impressed with his proposals for transparency in Government and the lack of mandate is not a deal breaker for me.  “Progress not perfection” is another favorite saying of mine and if Obama can take us from 47 million uninsured to 15 million uninsured, I see that as a first step.  Anyone who argues for a system that is anything other than single payer cannot say they are for Universal Health Care, it’s just a phrase that’s been thrown around rather lightly (Remember Hillary was calling all of their plans UHC?  Yes, she left out Kucnich too).

And, I’m happy with his education plan as well, he does have a plan, such as all this.  Does it mean every element is perfect?  NO.  But he does have substance and he does ideas.  OH yes and he does have “words”.  Those are important to me too, “Yes we can” does matter to me.

Early Childhood Education

   * Zero to Five Plan: Obama’s comprehensive “Zero to Five” plan will provide critical support to young children and their parents. Unlike other early childhood education plans, Obama’s plan places key emphasis at early care and education for infants, which is essential for children to be ready to enter kindergarten. Obama will create Early Learning Challenge Grants to promote state “zero to five” efforts and help states move toward voluntary, universal pre-school.

   * Expand Early Head Start and Head Start: Obama will quadruple Early Head Start, increase Head Start funding and improve quality for both.

   * Affordable, High-Quality Child Care: Obama will also provide affordable and high-quality child care to ease the burden on working families.

     K-12

         o Reform No Child Left Behind: Obama will reform NCLB, which starts by funding the law. Obama believes teachers should not be forced to spend the academic year preparing students to fill in bubbles on standardized tests. He will improve the assessments used to track student progress to measure readiness for college and the workplace and improve student learning in a timely, individualized manner. Obama will also improve NCLB’s accountability system so that we are supporting schools that need improvement, rather than punishing them.

         o Make Math and Science Education a National Priority: Obama will recruit math and science degree graduates to the teaching profession and will support efforts to help these teachers learn from professionals in the field. He will also work to ensure that all children have access to a strong science curriculum at all grade levels.

         o Address the Dropout Crisis: Obama will address the dropout crisis by passing his legislation to provide funding to school districts to invest in intervention strategies in middle school – strategies such as personal academic plans, teaching teams, parent involvement, mentoring, intensive reading and math instruction, and extended learning time.

         o Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities: Obama will double funding for the main federal support for afterschool programs, the 21st Century Learning Centers program, to serve one million more children.

         o Expand Summer Learning Opportunities: Obama’s “STEP UP” plan addresses the achievement gap by supporting summer learning opportunities for disadvantaged children through partnerships between local schools and community organizations.

         o Support College Outreach Programs: Obama supports outreach programs like GEAR UP, TRIO and Upward Bound to encourage more young people from low-income families to consider and prepare for college.

         o Support English Language Learners: Obama supports transitional bilingual education and will help Limited English Proficient students get ahead by holding schools accountable for making sure these students complete school.

     Recruit, Prepare, Retain, and Reward America’s Teachers

         o Recruit Teachers: Obama will create new Teacher Service Scholarships that will cover four years of undergraduate or two years of graduate teacher education, including high-quality alternative programs for mid-career recruits in exchange for teaching for at least four years in a high-need field or location.

         o Prepare Teachers: Obama will require all schools of education to be accredited. He will also create a voluntary national performance assessment so we can be sure that every new educator is trained and ready to walk into the classroom and start teaching effectively. Obama will also create Teacher Residency Programs that will supply 30,000 exceptionally well-prepared recruits to high-need schools.

         o Retain Teachers: To support our teachers, Obama’s plan will expand mentoring programs that pair experienced teachers with new recruits. He will also provide incentives to give teachers paid common planning time so they can collaborate to share best practices.

         o Reward Teachers: Obama will promote new and innovative ways to increase teacher pay that are developed with teachers, not imposed on them. Districts will be able to design programs that reward accomplished educators who serve as a mentor to new teachers with a salary increase. Districts can reward teachers who work in underserved places like rural areas and inner cities. And if teachers consistently excel in the classroom, that work can be valued and rewarded as well.

     Higher Education

         o Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit: Obama will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. Obama will also ensure that the tax credit is available to families at the time of enrollment by using prior year’s tax data to deliver the credit when tuition is due.

         o Simplify the Application Process for Financial Aid: Obama will streamline the financial aid process by eliminating the current federal financial aid application and enabling families to apply simply by checking a box on their tax form, authorizing their tax information to be used, and eliminating the need for a separate application.

And, this is something I want to teach to my daughter, “Yes she can”.  So many times girls are told that there are things they just can’t do, not happening here.  She can do almost anything she wants if she puts her mind to it.  So shouldn’t we all be saying, “Yes we can”?

So, experience matters, it just depends on what kind of experience you are talking about and tone matters too.  Yes, we have our work cut out for us, not just in this very red district in a very blue state, but Democrats across in the country in every district need to be saying, “Yes we can”.  

You can earn your ‘A’ is a post by the California Democratic Party at Calitics and they gave a shout out to Gary for choosing to run.  It made our day!

Many of you probably remember when Gov. Howard Dean issued his now-famous citizens’ report card:

       * If you vote you get a “D”

       * If you donate money to your candidate you get a “C”

       * If you do all of that and volunteer you get a “B”

       * But if you do all that and run for office, then and only then do you get an “A.”

Well, we’d like to start out by saying that our hat is off to all Democrats running for office, like Gary Pritchard for his “A” performance in California’s SD-33.  

But Gary doesn’t have to be the only Calitician to earn an “A” this year. We are in the midst of another electoral race, one that not very many people know about, but one which is of utmost importance to California Democrats.