If you read the reader diaries column in April and May in this space, you would have noticed a somewhat antagonistic relationship between Greg Pettis supporters and Manuel Perez supporters during the Democratic primary for AD-80 in the Palm Springs area. It was probably more pronounced on the Interwebs, but I'm told from those in the district that there wasn't a whole lot of love there on the ground, either. Now, with the primary over, it appears that Democrats are coming together to take back the seat in the fall.
If Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton can make peace, we anticipate Greg Pettis and Manuel Perez can, too.
An olive branch was extended between the former Democrat rivals last week when Richard Oberhaus - campaign manager of Pettis' failed bid in the 80th Assembly race - announced he was joining Perez's camp.
"He endorses the ideals that we all hope and dream will be implemented in Sacramento," Oberhaus said in an e-mail announcing his plans.
"I shall implement all the strategies that are necessary to make this seat turn from red to blue."
While Pettis hasn't publicly endorsed, this move by his campaign manager and, as the article notes, several of his volunteers suggest that Democrats district-wide are committed to working for victory.
By the way, with less than 100 days until the election I am going to start a "drive for 2/3" legislative roundup. I was talking with some leading Dems in LA County over the weekend and they told me about some off-the-radar Assembly possibilities, particularly in the Inland Empire region. Did you know that Democrats are now within 1,500 votes of making San Bernardino a Democratic county? Last year that was a 35,000-vote majority. We need to turn them out, of course, but with a favorable top of the ticket we're going to see some surprises in the Assembly (the Senate is a tougher nut to crack).
Disclosure: I've been a volunteer with the Perez campaign since April 2007.
We won. Manuel Perez won the Democratic nomination for the 80th Assembly District in California. He won thanks to grassroots organizing, an insightful and professional grasp of core issues, and the powerful support of his brothers and sisters across the broad spectrum of the labor movement. But essentially because he's a mensch, and he's in this for us. His rally speech at 2pm:
It's been such a joy to be a part of this campaign. Manuel is the real thing, and it's an honor to help. This is a seat California Democrats are determined to win.
Updated on Sun., June 8th to trim a bit, title was From Rally to Victory Speech - Election Day.
An interesting trend in the primary results is that the more progressive candidates tended to win the state legislative races - Yamada over Cabaldon in AD-08, Leno over Nation in SD-03, to give just a few examples - but the more moderate candidates had success in the Congressional races.
It's hard to make a direct comparison, because many of the contested legislative races were usually not in the same places as the contested Congressional races. The legislative fights tended to be in safe Democratic districts (with AD-80 being a notable exception) whereas the Congressional fights were of necessity in those districts where Republicans currently hold the seat.
It may be that in those purplish districts moderates outnumber progressives among Democratic voters, and though candidates like Cheryl Ede and Vickie Butcher got a respectable 40% each, it suggests that progressives still have a lot of work to do in those red-to-blue districts. There may also be a presumption that a moderate Dem has a better shot at beating a Republican incumbent and even if that's a true assessment, it suggests the continuing uphill climb progressives face on the frontiers of California congressional battles.
The progressive trend in state legislative races was clearer and more widespread. Industry-funded candidates like Gina Papan and Chris Cabaldon went down to a narrow defeat at the hands of more progressive challengers, while in other primary races, such as AD-14, AD-27, and SD-23, a field of progressive candidates fought to show voters who had the stronger left-of-center credentials. A similar dynamic even showed up in AD-80, where two different kinds of progressives - Greg Pettis and Manuel Perez - battled for the right to shift the seat from red to blue.
There does seem to be a very clear progressive trend happening within the California Democratic Party and its state legislative seats. It's a welcome sign, especially as term limits provides new leadership in Sacramento. Democrats want a state government that addresses their needs - health care, education, transportation, the environment, and they now believe progressive Democrats are the most likely to deliver it.
It's now on to the November elections, where we will aim for a 2/3 majority in both houses to consolidate progressive gains and finally start governing California effectively and sensibly.
For what they are worth, here are my personal recommendations for the June 3rd California ballot. I do spend quite a bit of time reviewing competitive races before making my recommendations.
Feel free to comment, agree, disagree, forward, or ignore. But please Vote on Tuesday (polls open 7a.m.-8p.m.) or vote-by-mail if you already have an absentee ballot.
Greg Pettis, in his 14th year as Cathedral City Councilman, former-Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City, and Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District, has now received the endorsements from every member of the California Legislative Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Caucus in Sacramento. Pettis has widespread support in the LGBT community Nationally, State-wide, and locally because of his progressive stands on issues important to the LGBT communities: Pettis fully supports the HIV/AIDS communities, universal healthcare, a strong local economy, good local schools and responsible academic oversight, a healthy environment, equality and justice for all Californians, and mentoring other members of the LGBT community.
This evening, Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass was elected Speaker of the Assembly. Bass, who I believe is the first African American woman elected to this position, will succeed termed-out Fabian Núñez.
Assemblywoman Bass represents the 47th Assembly District - the cities and communities of Culver City, West Los Angeles, Westwood, Cheviot Hills, Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills, Windsor Hills, Ladera Heights, the Crenshaw District, Little Ethiopia and portions of Korea Town and South Los Angeles.
cross-posted at TheLiberalOC.com
(AB 493 is an interesting idea. - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
The Clean Car Discount bill -- AB 493 (Ruskin) -- is alive, and will be up for a vote in the State Assembly at the end of this month.
This global warming solutions bill would create an incentive program of clean vehicle rebates and emissions surcharges on the purchase of new vehicles sold in the state. Cleaner vehicles that have fewer emissions of global warming pollution would earn a rebate--the cleaner the car, the higher the rebate. These rebates would be funded by one-time surcharges on new dirtier, gas-guzzler vehicles. The worse the vehicle, the higher the surcharge. A bunch of vehicles--including several mini-vans--would fall roughly in the middle and receive neither a rebate nor a surcharge.
With the Bush Administration continuing to block California's efforts to implement global warming vehicle regulations, this bill becomes that much more important.
Several Legislators who are on the fence need to hear from activists and constituents THIS month!
Looks like that Dec. 5 deadline for voting on a health care proposal has been extended, after the power play of scheduling it on the day of the Republican Assembly retreat was justified by the Speaker's office by saying "Deadlines are deadlines." Until they aren't.
And now, there's talk of a third special session, this one on the subprime mortgage crisis. I guess the inaction on the first two was not sufficient; we need a third. And I appreciate efforts to stop predatory lending, though I'm not sure how this would make a dent in what is a national credit lending problem.
I'm still not sure we have a housing "crisis" or just a housing market downturn, but I am pretty sure that nothing the Assembly is going to do in a special session this year is going to affect it one way or the other. Well, they are probably capable of making it worse. But I don't think they can or will do anything to increase the value of my home, and while I'd love the help, I don't particularly think they should try.
I'm not as dismissive as Dan Weintraub; this is most definitely a crisis. But I'm not really sure what the Assembly can do. The bills they have proposed would only apply to new loans. That's important, but they would not do a whole lot for those facing foreclosure. And anyway, those entering into new loans would have to be deaf, dumb and blind to agree to some no-money-down ARM at this point. And this bit from the press conference is flat-out embarrassing:
In an illustration of the complexity of the crisis, though, one of the homeowners presented at the press conference as a victim said the house he lost was actually one of two that he owned.
While many owners have lost homes they occupied, others were investors who saw the real estate run-up of the past decade as an investment opportunity.
Sacramento resident Carlos Villegas said he was forced into foreclosure when monthly payments on the house he bought in 2005 shot up from $2,200 to $3,550.
"They gave me three days to move," he said. "I feel frustrated with the system.
In response to questions from reporters, Villegas said after the foreclosure, he moved back to a smaller house he had purchased 10 years earlier, which he had been renting out.
Of all the people with foreclosure problems, you found a guy with another house?!?
The credit mess is a national problem, and state solutions are nice, but they're not going to work. Perhaps driving down the costs of healthcare through a new reform would be the BEST way to help those struggling with home payments.
UPDATE: CPR has a summary of Democratic legislative proposals, and I have to say that the steps to address the current crisis are fairly weak tea. Some of these, like foreclosure consultant reform, are already illegal; others, like facilitating reporting on workout agreements and increasing talk between homeowners and creditors, should have been initiated months ago. The only substantive policy I see here is shoveling $10 million dollars to credit counselors. The federal plan being worked out by the Treasury Department, to freeze teaser rates for some mortgages, would do a hell of a lot more good.
Over 40,000 Californians die every year from tobacco smoking, nearly one-fifth of all of the deaths that occur in the state. That's 17 times the 2,500 California homicides. That's ten times the 4,100 Californians who will die of breast cancer this year. Despite decreases in smoking rates, tobacco use remains the state's leading public health emergency.
What, therefore, can you say about an elected official who takes campaign contributions from the industry that needs, for its survival, that that public health emergency continue unabated and thus needs a favorable regulatory climate in Sacramento?
A new report from the American Lung Association of California details the bribes donations that Big Tobacco gave to legislators and candidates during 2005-6.
Big Tobacco gave $130,700 to 2005-6 Senators, $24,900 (19.1%) to Democrats and 105,800 (81.9%) to Republicans.
Big Tobacco gave $366,823 to 2005-6 Assemblymembers, $75,200 (20.5%) to Democrats, and $291,623 (79.5%) to Republicans.
Big Tobacco gave $98,500 to incoming 07-08 freshmen legislators, $50,100 (50.9%) to Democrats and $48,400 (49.1%) to Republicans.
Big Tobacco spent $2,160,864 on lobbying during the 2005-6 Term. Philip Morris spent $884,694, RJ Reynolds spent $598,507, US Smokeless Tobacco spent $391,137, Lorillard spent $187,202, and the California Distributors Association spent $99,324.
It's hard to keep up with all that's happening on the floors of the Senate and Assembly in this crucial week, but let's bullet point a sampling what we know has been done so far:
* The State Senate passed SB 494, which mandates that 50 of all vehicles sold in the state run on alternative fuels by 2020. This is similar to the bill that the CA Air Resources Board overturned several years ago, leading to the dumping of the EV1 project (ever see "Who Killed The Electric Car?"). It was a party-line vote, with the exception of Mod Squadders Correa and Machado.
* SB 936 is a very important bill which would bring Workers' compensation back in line with reality in cases of permanent disability. The bill "increases the number of weeks of indemnity payments for the range of percentages of permanent disability ratings." It passed 22-13. Too many people are falling through the cracks of worker's comp "deform." This is a good step.
* SB 1036 and SB 210 were also environmental bills that strengthen the good start made in AB 36 to tackle the problem of global warming. SB 1036 provides additional funding for renewable energy, and SB 210 gives legislative heft to the Governor's executive order reducing the carbon content in all transportation fuels sold. SB 1036 was unanimous; Correa joined all Republicans in voting against SB 210.
OK, I just saw this on The Liberal OC, and I think I should share this with all the rest of you. Remember when I told you that Jim Brandt is running for the State Assembly in the 54th District, where Betty Karnette is termed out?
Well, Jim is looking for some help. He actually is looking forward to winning this race and serving the people of Long Beach, San Pedro, and Palos Verdes in Sacramento, but he can't win this thing alone. If you're in this area, then perhaps it's time for YOU to step up and help Jim out!
Follow me after the flip to find out how YOU can help...
(Woo-hoo! Say hello to restored sanity in the desert! : ) - promoted by atdleft)
Manuel Pérez is a hands-on, no bs, Harvard-educated community organizer from the heart of the Coachella Valley. You want direct, unapologetic progressives with experience in building a just and healthy society? I've got one right here.
Here's where he's been: Escuelas Si Pintas No, Youth in Focus, CVUSD. Here's what he'll do as a legislator for California. Manuel Pérez represents the very best of our community, and I'm honored to be volunteering for his campaign for the California State Assembly seat representing the 80th District.
Poor Mr. Republican Insider Jubal. His good friend Todd Spitzer has been asked to move from his current office into a smaller office, since other Assembly Members are in need for larger offices to house larger staff. However, good ol' Jubal won't take the simple and logical explanation... No, this whole damn thing is one big, evil conspiracy of Fabian Nunez to punish poor Todd Spitzer for not "coddling to criminals" like all the evil left-wing extremists who control the Capitol!
(This is a really cool bill. Think about giving it a rec at MyDD. - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
Last week I introduced "The Clean Car Discount Act of 2007" (AB 493) to reduce harmful global warming and smog-forming pollution from passenger vehicles by establishing an innovative program to make cleaner cars and light duty trucks more affordable. This is a market-based program that will provide one-time rebates on purchases of new vehicles that are cleaner. The rebates are funded by one-time surcharges on new vehicles with very high emissions of global warming pollution. AB 493 is sponsored by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and strongly supported by major environmental and consumer groups.
Last year the Legislature and the Governor joined together and passed AB 32, The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. The Governor, the Legislature, and the people of California have said that global warming is a top priority.
It is critical that we establish a program like this now. Transportation accounts for over 40 percent of global warming emissions in this state, and 2/3 of that is from passenger cars and light trucks. That's as much global warming pollution as all of the industrial sources in the state combined. California is a car culture, and we will have to address the vehicles we drive if we are ever going to meet the global warming targets we've set.
In 2006, Jim Brandt fought the good fight in his run for Congress against our favoriteloonyincumbentDana Rohrabacher. Today, he is moving on to a new challenge: Helping the Democrats retain the Assembly seat currently held by moderate Democrat Betty Karnette.
Follow me after the flip for more about the man who I hope will be the next Assemblymember from the 54th District...
A couple of weeks ago, I wondered out loud whether we would get a chance to see where California legislators stand on the Bush's Iraq escalation. The following press release just hit my inbox:
Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), who authored the first anti-Iraq war resolution in the country as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in October of 2002, announced that he would author a resolution in the State Assembly that would support efforts at the Congressional level to hold the President accountable for the failed Iraq war policy and oppose his plan to send more troops into the war.
The release says a, "strong majority of Assembly Democrats" will be co-authoring the resolution. It will be good to see where Republicans stand, are they with Bush and Schwarzenegger or with the vast majority of Californians?
George Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger look ridiculous supporting the "McCain Doctrine" escalation of the Iraq war. California Democrats have a huge opportunity to do the right thing (supported by the vast majority) and stand up against the Escalation of the war in Iraq that has already cost the lives of more than 300 Californians and is on track to cost Californians more than a half a trillion dollars.
Progressive States is working with MoveOn to introduce Resolutions against the surge escalation in a 50 State Strategy manner. As of yet, I'm told that it has yet to be introduced in California. Who is going to step up and lead on this no-brainer and where do your legislators stand? You can contact your legislators and when they step up, all they need to do is cut and paste the draft resolution that is after the flip:
On Sunday, The Union-Tribune reported on the simmering issue in San Diego of sex offenders concentrating in the downtown area. Now that Jessica's Law (Proposition 83) has been overwhelmingly approved by Californians, local officials have been given the greenlight to run sex offenders out of downtown. But has anyone given any thought to where they're supposed to go?
(With Republicans' budget tantrum swinging legislative approval to such a degree -- and with the GOP tanking nationally -- I wanted to bump this as races that might have felt out of reach a year ago are now potentially competitive. - promoted by Bob Brigham)
The 2006 California Legislative election have come and gone with no change in the composition of either the Assembly or Senate. In the Senate,.we kept the 25-15 lead thanks to Lou Correa's narrow win in SD-24. The only near miss was Democratic challenger Wiley Nickel narrowly losing to Republican incumbent Jeff Denham in SD-12. In the Assembly, things are still 48-32, just as they were before the election. So, onward to 2008.
For the most part, I'm going to be focusing on open seats since that's where most of the action is. In 2008, the odd-numbered Senate seats are up.
Ted Gaines (handpicked by the corrupt and ineffective John Doolittle) is too "busy" to go out and meet the voters in his district. This has gone so far that the Auburn Journal felt compelled to write a story about it:
As the Nov. 7 general election draws near, District 4 California State Assembly candidates Rob Haswell and Ted Gaines are battling hard in last-push efforts to reach out to voters.
But while one candidate has attended many public forums, the other has chosen not to show up.
Democratic candidate Haswell, 43 has been walking precincts, phone banking and attending any public forum he can.
