Caveman Republicans Need To Go If GOP To Win

Over on the Sister City, I've posted at least a few times about how the Republican Party continues to spiral into being not only a minority party but an oblivion party in California. I've called for new leadership within the Los Angeles County Republican Party to replace Doug and Linda Boyd who treat the party organization as their own personal pleasure palace, failing to produce any election results and refusing to develop the party as a real alternative for disaffected Democrats.

We know that both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party in California are now more than ever controlled by the most extreme factions amongst their ranks. While most folks in California think like Arnold, both parties are giving us Jackie Goldbergs and Tony Stricklands.

The opportunity exists for Republicans to capture the votes of disaffected Democrats - Democrats who are not big on taxing and spending, who don't go for racial politics and are visibly concerned about the effects of illegal immigration. However, as long as the GOP continues to serve up the Rotarian du jour middle aged white guy who is on a jihad against gays and Mexicans, those folks are not moving over to the other side of the ballot.

In the 60s, Ronald Reagan - hardly a liberal but nothing akin to the right wing nuts of today - built a Republican party based on limited government, pro-business policies, personal freedom & responsibility and a strong national defense. Indeed, Ronald Reagan was but one of a few Republicans in 1978 to oppose the Briggs Initiative, which sought to ban gays and lesbians from serving as teachers.

To be sure, there are a few moderate Republicans out there who offer some promise. One is Abel Maldonado, the GOP State Senator from Santa Barbara County. He is considered a young rising star. Another is State Assemblyman Keith Richman from the San Fernando Valley. Richman is often referred to as the "Mayor of the San Fernando Valley" because of his first place finish in the Mayor's race during the ill fated 2002 San Fernando Valley secession drive. Richman tells us that "...some of the most conservative members of the California Republican Party work against the mainstream (Republican) candidates best positioned to beat Democrats."

Had the Boyds and others placed a decent local Republican party structure in place, Richman could have potentially made a credible run for Mayor of Los Angeles this year. Instead, Doug Boyd took $30,000 to attempt to deliver Republican votes to James Hahn, who was oh so rightly tossed out on his ass. Richman - a second generation doctor whose father once served on the Los Angeles Community College Board - is making a bid for State Treasurer in 2006.

"Some of the most conservative members of the California Republican Party work against the mainstream candidates best positioned to beat Democrats."
Assemblyman Keith Richman

As older, leftist leaning Democrats from the Roosevelt generation begin to die off, Democrats are going to be scrambling to look for new voters. They're looking at getting those votes from immigrants, primarily from Latin countries. However, a real opportunity exists for the GOP to cobble together a strong coaliton of young professionals, libertarian leaners and second, third and fourth generation Hispanics (as well as younger African Americans whose middle class ranks are growing by leaps and bounds) who are beginning to recognize how the Democratic Party has sold them a bill of goods. However, those folks aren't going to come over if the current leadership continues to shoot itself in the foot and nominate unelectable troglodytes.

California AD 53 - Sad News and What's Next

Originally Written by Mayor Frank Shaw for Mayor Sam's Sister City

Assembly District 53 received horrible news on Saturday that their Assemblyman Mike Gordon had passed away from a brain tumor. While we here at the Sister City love to tussle in the weeds, we stayed away from this topic out of respect for the family. As the days go forward however, we will need to start covering the news in his district, as his leadership is already going to be missed and he would have expected no less from us.

On a somber note, according to the Capitol Morning Report, the office of the late Asm. Mike Gordon requests condolence notes be sent to Rm. 2137 in the Capitol or to the district office in El Segundo.

In lieu of flowers, the office says the family suggested three charities:

National Brian Tumor Foundation
22 Battery Street, Suite 612
San Francisco, CA 94111-5520
(800) 934-2873

American Heart Assn. LA Chapter
816 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 291-7000

American Diabetes Assn. LA Chapter
6300 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 966-2890.

A memorial service is scheduled for July 6 at El Segundo High School and a funeral service follows July 8 in Hollywood Hills.

Contact: Janelle Beland (916) 319-2053.

According to the Capitol Basement Roundup, the election to replace Mike Gordon will likely to be consolidated with the November 8 statewide special election, AP's Steve Lawrence writes that the race to fill the seat will be competitive, but money may be scarce with so many competing issues on the ballot.

AP also scans the field for potential candidates. "The race for Assembly District 53 could attract several candidates. Two Republicans formed campaign committees before Gordon's death to run for the seat next year: Gordon's opponent from 2004, former Redondo Beach Mayor Greg Hill; and Torrance Councilman Paul Nowatka.

Two Democrats also are considering running, Torrance Councilman Ted Lieu and Manhattan Beach Councilman Jim Aldinger."

If no candidate receives 50 percent in the first round of voting, the top vote getter in each party will head to a runoff.

In other Gordon news, the Daily Breeze reports that Gordon filed a lawsuit June 17 that alleges an opportunistic business partner took advantage of his ultimately fatal medical condition to seize control of two companies the pair jointly owned. The lawsuit accuses Treasurer-Secretary Kristen Schwenkmeyer, a longtime business partner and former top state Democratic Party official, of fraud, deceit and mismanagement.

The suit seeks the involuntary dissolution of Gordon & Schwenkmeyer Inc., the well-known political fund-raising company the two have operated together since the mid-1980s.

And for those of you wondering why I'm spending this much time talking about him, here's another timely article in today's Daily Breeze that shows where his involvement and activism touched each and every one of us. His little "pet project" was fighting for the local communities surrounding LAX and Hahn's boondoggle of funds. There isn't anyone involved in this process that hasn't heard from Gordon, and his voiced will be sorely missed.

UPDATE**
For the most recent information, El Segundo.net is by far the most up to speed on the comings and goings in AD 53 regarding both the special election and funeral information for the late Assemblyman

Public Broadcasting Names Republican Head, Escapes Chopping Block

Just after shortly naming Bush administration staffer Patricia S. Harrison as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting escaped a proposed $100 million congressional budget cut.

So for now, Jim Lehrer, Big Bird and Huell Howser are not out of a job.

It seems to me that the liberal, bris and chablis set who primarily watch PBS could fund it themselves. Liberals always want to tax the rich, why not at least make them pay for their TV. It is true in years past, there wasn't as much of a market for what PBS airs, but in the last decade or so, networks such as the Discovery Channel, Bravo, A&E, etc. have proven there is cash in learning and culture.

PBS creates content that could easily fund its operations. Merchandising alone from Sesame Street is a huge cash cow.

Its time to wean PBS and its video-less cousin NPR off the public teat.

Now I've Seen Everything

Some liberal group of good for nothing attorneys are on their high horse and demanding the State of California require warning labels for a dangerous product.

Potato chips.

Can you believe it? Some organization called The Environmental Law Foundation says that potato chips carry a chemical that causes cancer. They want the California Attorney General to require these labels on all packages of potato chips.

If the state does not do this, they will sue the potato chip makers to do so. Of course, the chip companies will be forced to pay them a big settlement including legal fees for all these attorneys who can't get jobs elsewhere.

Someone has to put an end to this insanity.

Schwarzenegger Speech Disrupted

A bunch of yay-hoos - mostly socialist union leaders and not regular folks - showed up to try to disrupt a graduation speech by our Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Arnold was asked to address the graduating students of Santa Monica College, one of his alma maters. Graduates inside the stadium were generally annoyed by the paid protestors sent in by union nurses and teachers who are sorry to see Arnold putting an end to the gravy train.

At times during Schwarzenegger's speech, cheers and boos mingled, and the graduates themselves appeared eager to hear the governor. Many applauded at one point when the noise from the bleachers briefly subsided.

How rude it was for these special interest morons to distract and disrupt what should have been a special day for the graduates. These kids worked hard to get where they are at. They didn't need it turned into a partisan political rally.

People need to know that the folks who protest Arnold are not regular folks showing up with a magic marker and a placard. This is part of a highly organized, well funded anti-Arnold campaign headed up by some of the richest government employee unions in the state. These organizations get their money by forcibly taking it from their members, many of whom are actually Arnold supporters. But they have no choice, state legislators who receive massive contributions from these unions have written laws that give the unions the legal right to take money from their members, and use it on poltical causes without their permission. You should also know that a lot of these protestors are government employees who are engaging in these activities on your dime - that's right - they are on the clock and not at their posts!

By the way, look at the paid protestors in the photo above. One of them has a rude sign about Maria Shriver, the Governor's wife. Not only is it sad and wrong, but ironic given that Maria is a liberal Democrat herself and member of the Kennedy clan.

Its tradition to have elected officials speak at graduation ceremonies. This was not a campaign speech by Arnold. The protestors should he ashamed at themselves for ruining some good kids' special day. Conservatives and other thoughtful people need to speak up and not let paid liberal protestors seize the moment dishonestly.

This article also posted on our sister blog, Mayor Sam's Sister City, read it here for more comments.

Update:
In addition to the unions, one of the sponsors of this protest was ANSWER LA, a leftist group that is anti-Israel and pro-Castro. Hardly rank and file folks from the neighborhood. Go figure.