If I want to protest the protesters where do I go or who do I call?

And I want to protest any moron who protests the protestors! I heard that during the Romney/Strickland/Bush fundraiser that they will be giving away cartons of smokes in drawings and Romney will be giving a $1,000 to anyone who can drink more shots of tequila than he can. For the big prize of the night who ever donates the most money will get to raise the price of gasoline tomorrow on behalf of the GOP at 3 local gas stations! They will smoke and drink and celebrate family values.

Smoking causes less pain than eating too much or not exercising enough does. It is about an overall healthy lifestyle.

Giving away cigarettes sounds like a funny raffle. Are they tax free? Because most of the cost seems to be taxes.

Anyways, is there a counter protest to join? Who do I e-mail?

For the e mail you are looking for try www.tonystricklandisajokeandfraud.com or try www.romneyisahypocrit.com or try www.bushloveshighgasprices.com

I don't suppose Tony Strickland is worried that Mitt Romney might say something "off color"? I would...

Bush Republicans have always had a knack for attracting the religious nuts...

So the oh-so-tolerant and accepting left is on the personal attack train again huh? This is ridiculous. HBJ will be happy to see Tony get protested for something her own party does. And she'll probably have paid union workers doing it.

Is she willing to call out the other 44% of CA legislators who have taken money from Altria? People need to wake up and understand that the affects to the average Californian will be much worse if the untold billions of dollars in tax increases sail through the legislature.

For those of you who consider yourself more "middle of the road", do you think it's a good idea to give the dems a 2/3 majority and an open checkbook? We're the 5th highest taxed state in the nation and the dems want more of our money for their gross mismanagement? Get a clue. Talk about an unfriendly environment for businesses!

You all can continue your personal attacks all you like but the fact is that an HBJ victory would cost California families and hurt our economy.

Don't worry. She's already cooking her own goose by the people she's affiliated herself with. They are nothing but a bunch of attack dogs who will "Hillarize" their candidate long before November.

"Talk about an unfriendly environment for businesses!" That's an interesting remark. What businesses? Are the little businesses going well under the current corporate big boxes? I'm quite tired of hearing this concern for the businesses. Has someone recently tried to open a small hardware store and been successful? How about a small general store - Walmart sure took care of them didn't they? Just what businesses are we crying for here? When the big boxes put folks out of business, they can sure apply to work with them for minimum wage, poor benefits, and little security. What a ridiculous statement.

I don't know where you got attack dogs from but I don't see a high minded approach from Tony Strickland supporters like yourself.

But did you see one of the people behind the Swiftboat smears apparently supports Tony Strickland?

http://whazgoinon.wordpress.com/2008/06/15/tony-strickland-donations/

Why do you think he is interested in Ventura County?

If Strickland is so unfriendly to small businesses and HBJ would be a better choice, why is it that he had close to a 100% Chamber of Commerce rating while in the Assembly and her approval rating was in the single digits? Ask your average local business owner which candidates policies they prefer. I have, and the answer is as clear as the Chamber ratings. The only thing ridiculous here is your apparent lack of knowledge on the subject.

Would these be the same chambers that just gave an award to a business that has no payroll, paid employees, profit, offices, or any other marker of a business?

I am willing to concede the point that business owners prefer Strickland's business policies. But don't even bring up the chamber of commerce in a serious way again.

Many business owners are not single dimension people. They, just like the rest of us, worry about the environment, income taxes, health care, and education on the state level.

But the chamber is nothing more then a political organization for passing up actual local businesses.

I am not interested in your partisan bickering as much as I am in finding out the details for the counter protest. Any idea who I e-mail?

This letter was in The Star.

Tobacco backing a concern

Re: your June 8 article "Tobacco firm funds county GOP":
As an advocate for children's health issues who sits on numerous county boards, I am concerned about the growing influence of tobacco money in politics.
Several recent UC San Francisco Medical School studies on the tobacco lobby's influence show an alarming trend. The tobacco industry has intensified its efforts to influence California politics with its campaign contributions to candidates for legislative office.
The next senator from the 19th District will be faced with numerous decisions on the use of tobacco settlement money, budget allocations for tobacco control and legislation that will help prevent tobacco sales to minors and restrict smoking in public places.
So it very much concerns me when one candidate in the race has taken contributions directly from tobacco companies. According to the Center for Tobacco Policy, Tony Strickland has solicited almost $85,000 from tobacco interests since 2001. This is in addition to the $50,000 contributed from Philip Morris to the local Republicans on his behalf this year.
Strickland's voting record while in the Assembly shows a pattern of siding with tobacco interests. He voted against crackdowns on businesses that sell cigarettes to minors and against another bill that required face-to-face sales. These were both signed into law.
In contrast, Strickland's opponent, Hannah-Beth Jackson, has never solicited or taken any money directly from tobacco companies. She will fight to protect minors and others from the dangers of tobacco products, and her views will never be compromised.
Tobacco firms don't care about the health of our community. They are only interested in selling their products. We can't let them influence policies that protect our health.
-- Debbie Golden, Ventura
(The writer is trustee on the Ventura Unified School District board. -- Editor)

This letter was in The Star also.

Jackson doublespeak

Re: your June 8 article, "Tobacco firm funds county GOP":
Hannah-Beth Jackson should be ashamed of herself. She has the nerve to protest Tony Strickland's acceptance of campaign contributions from Altria when her own party and campaign have accepted donations from this same company?
This is hypocrisy at its finest, but it doesn't surprise me in the least, coming from Jackson. She has a record of similar doublespeak when she served in the Assembly.
I thought I had escaped Jackson when I moved from Santa Barbara to Ventura. But, apparently, she's hot on my tail and trying hard again to get elected to represent me as a state legislator.
Let's vote for someone with a solid record of achievement and genuine concern for the same people in Ventura County that he represented so honorably before in the state Assembly. Vote Strickland.
-- Mike Fonza, Ventura

This letter was in The Star also:

Re: your June 8 article, "Tobacco firm funds county GOP":
The Star is to be congratulated for this article. An informed electorate must know where the candidates get their money. Of course, the firm also gave to the Democrats, a fact The Star did not emphasize.
Unfortunately, too many politicians are more interested in getting elected or re-elected than doing what's right. Campaigns are expensive. Political action committees have money and want access to the politicians. Contrary to the statement by Ventura County Republican Central Committee Chairman Mike Osborn, they are not necessarily interested in good government.
I understand the need to raise money for one's campaign. However, the people should know where it comes from and what influence it has had or may have with regard to legislation.
I urge The Star to periodically publish campaign contributions.
-- David Shepard, Camarillo

It seems to be the most fair of them all.

The first letter is from a real person. A school board member, no less.

The second letter is from somebody who doesn't exist. It was a plant.

I don't see any reason to think it is a fake letter. Tony Strickland has many supporters who would write a letter for him.

Really?

I find your remark quite ignorant. You would do well educating yourself on the local makeup of the Chamber of Commerce. See many small retail shops there. You won't. There are many big box representatives and professional offices, but small businesses run by folks without advanced education - quite few. Closing out this avenue of career choice to those that prefer to open a small business over attending college has really become quite rare. 40 years ago, my father owned a liquor, take out deli, and butcher shop. From working in his store as I grew up, I know first hand that he would never have made it in today's environment of big boxes. He just couldn't have competed on a cost basis. A local Chamber of Commerce is a label. You'd do best to look what it contains.

And what's up with Simmons money in Strickland's campaign fund?

jurnei- The biggest threat to small business comes not from big business but from liberal politicians like Jackson who go around throwing mandate after mandate on the backs of all businesses without regard for cost. Big business with their hired accountants are able to see how each new mandated cost affects their bottom line and are able to adjust in whatever way necessary (increase prices, reduce staffing etc.) to continue making a profit. It is the small business owner who, like most politicians, does not have an accounting background and is unlikely to see the true cost of each new rule until it is too late to save his business. In the end all of the cost is passed on to the consumer in one form or another.

?- The most effective way to counter protest the protesters would be to attend the fundraiser and contribute to Tony’s campaign.

That is a great point. I didn't realize that there might be tickets at this date. See you inside.

If CA's "mandates" are so onerous then all those small business people should pack their tents and migrate south of the border, or to someplace like Louisiana...which they wouldn't dream of doing because the economic system that's evolved in this greatest of states have made it possible for small businesses to thrive, for individuals to get rich and for 30M people to weather through every economic downturn better than the rest of the nation.

Gimme a break...the only thing CA's conservative business community wants from CA are more breaks for themselves and more loopholes for themselves to get richer by screwing the rest of CA.

What small businesses? According to jurnei all of the small businesses have been displaced by the “Big Boxes.�

Of course once those small businesses have thrived and their owners have gotten rich then you and Hannah-Beth Jackson can tax them to death.

Big boxes are such villains too, aren't they? I wonder how much tax revenue is collectively generated for the City of Oxnard by Costco, Sam's Club, and Wal-Mart. Now those are the kinds of villain I could get behind.

I just got back from the Strickland/Romney event in Westlake Village and I'm totally pumped about this election.

Mitt Romney did a fantastic job in framing the issues for voters in the coming presidential election and gave a very effective speech for John McCain, highlighting his background and experience in foreign affairs and national security, which should be the primary issues of concern for this country in the near future. He enumerated many reasons why this is the case and did a great job in illustrating it.

Tony Strickland spoke eloquently and knowledgeably about the issues facing the SD-19 and really distinguished himself as the clear choice in this election. He will represent the interests of this district because he understands the needs of this district much better than Hannah-Beth Jackson.

I will be proud to cast my vote for both of these gentlemen on November 4th. Go McCain!!! Go Strickland!!!

BTW, the so-called protest never really materialized outside, as far as I could tell. If it did, it went unnoticed by the press who seemed riveted by the activities going on inside and the thrill of rubbing elbows with a former presidential candidate.

How much was the ticket to get in Mongo?

Fifty protestors outside the event. Audra's campaign manager attacked two of them. It is all on video.

How long do we need to wait to see the FEC reports to read who was there?

Protestor, do you know where I can find a photo of Audra's campaign manager. I would like to know if he was the person who attacked me.

Try the story from today.

http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jun/18/romney-campaigns-for-strickland-at-fundraiser-in/

Take a look at the picture, Joel is a 5 foot, 5 inch hispanic guy who got shoved by two bigger people. Take a look at the faces in the picture, the bigger guy (HBJ) looks mean and is pushing the littler guy (Joel) while Joel just looks surprised.

The funny part is after the bigger HBJ goons called the cops and tried to press charges a guy came up with a video tape of them (the HBJ goons) starting it.

The general protest was pitiful, maybe 30 HBJ people with over 50 counter protesters. The only protesters signs yu could read were the Obama signs, you know, Obama the smoker.

Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney headlined the packed event at the Westlake Village Hyatt for Tony, drawing over 400 supporters and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in this key state contest to succeed Sen. Tom McClintock, who is now on his way to Congress as the Republican nominee in the 4th district.

Tony's strength wasn't just evident inside of the event, but outside as well. A group of the usual suspects on the left showed up to protest, only to be badly outnumbered by a larger group of pro-Tony supporters waving American flags.

It is true that if you include government paid staff members that there was plenty of Strickland supporters. What did you think of the shoving? Was the assembly member correct to suspend her government paid staff member?

Great blog, indeed.