( The name of the band is "Middle of the road".) The California Association of Political Centrists is soliciting their members for opinions about endorsing a candidate in the State Senate campaign between Hannah-Beth Jackson and Tony Strickland. Katie Teague sent me an email that went out to their group members. Click on continue reading to see it.
Of all the endorsements not yet announced in Ventura County, which is the most valuable? I would think Mickey Jones could help. Any other ideas?
Should CAPC make their opinion known as a group?
I say go for it. If you think she will stand up for moderate voters, redistricting, and she is wants the groups endorsement, why wouldn't you do it?
Does Tony Strickland even want their support? It doesn't sound like it.
RE: Senate Race I have been encouraged by the Executive Board to lay all the cards on the table and ask for more input: I assumed all of you knew what was going on but perhaps not.
Tony Strickland
He refused to participate in the forum because of my involvement and CAPC's involvement. For the record, I have been neutral in my support of either candidate for the senate or the assembly race. Strickland operatives have called the paper at least twice and asked them not to participate in the forum. The paper explained to them twice it was a very fair forum and they were honored to be there. The local GOP also called the state reporter and accused CAPC of not being a real organization. The local GOP has contacted all Republican candidates in partisan races and have told them not to participate in CAPC forums. Tony Strickland is trying to marginalize CAPC yet appeal to DTS voters in his direct mailers. He has very few Democratic endorsements.
Hannah-Beth Jackson
She was an eager participant in the CAPC forum. She has made it clear she would like CAPC endorsement and that she values the mission of our organization. She does not have a good history in the assembly though. She has embraced CAPC and is trying to appeal to DTS voters in her direct mailers. Her operatives have not called the paper, reporters or other candidates. She is making an effort to listen to all of her potential constituents. She has a number of Republican endorsements.
The Executive Board would like to get more input from CAPC members and Advisory Council members.
My input is that all candidates owe it to the public to participate in forums (as long as they are fair and unbiased). CAPC spent a lot of time picking dates that worked for everyone and has spent a lot of effort with the Ventura County Star and Cal Lutheran University to ensure that our forums are fair and unbiased. My personal opinion is that vindictive behavior is never suitable for an elected official.
A previous CAPC e-mail was leaked to Ventura County Star nutjob political blog so I went ahead and copied Brian Dennert on this one. Until we find the source of the leak, we might as well post it for the general public. Any comments on this matter? Your opinion is always valued. You can also e-mail me at katieteague@verizon.net. Input from CAPC members is kept confidential and will be forwarded to the executive board (stripped of ID).
While in the Assembly, Hannah-Beth was part of a bipartisan group of legislators led by Keith Richman who worked on the budget together. How far we have fallen from those times!
And this "leaked" email will verify that Katie really was trying to be fair when she set up that forum.
On the other hand, we now have the Ventura Chamber PAC who has endorsed Strickland setting up a forum at 7 p.m. on Friday at Ventura College. Hannah-Beth has agreed to be there. She agreed to this forum even though the group operating it has clearly endorsed her opponent and will likely have a strong hand in formulating the questions.
Some folks have told me they think Hannah-Beth is being ambushed here.
I went to Katie's event on Wednesday and the questions formulated by the Star were certainly balanced and fair. Strickland would have been pleased with the questions, actually.
I think that they should support Mickey Jones!
he's an American hero!
Who is moderating the chamber debate?
Who is choosing the questions?
Tony Strickland has proven himself to be totally lacking in ethics and has proven he will say or do anything to be elected. I think you have to endorse HBJ or you lose all credibility.
The real issue here is that Strickland does not want to give credibility to CAPC by attending their forum. And he has good reason due of a long and well documented history of personal attacks made against him by CAPC leadership. It doesn't really matter who is moderating the event or what questions are asked. It would be like asking Barack Obama to attend a presidential debate organized by Joe Lieberman. Get real.
Strickland does not want to debate because like Gallegly and other local republicans they know the more they talk, the worse they look. They tend to be extremely right on the political spectrum and out of the mainstream. If most voters really got a look at their souls they would never vote for them. They are playing it safe by lying low and not letting voters get to know them.
Gopher out from under rock. Grab your traps and poison.
BK - Can you please document your charges? I don't think anyone can accuse me of being anything but honest and straightforward.
Unfortunantely, the attendees of the CLU/Conejo forum missed a wonderful opportunity to compare the responses and agendas of both Senatorial candidates. They were engulfed in answers by candidate Jackson with no opposing view. Not smart campaigning on the part of her opposition.
It's about voter education. Voters lose when they can't get unbiased information and are subjected to painted campaign ads. Seeing the candidates in person at a free public forum is the best way for them to become better informed.
It's also about voter control of the election, not control by the candidates. How's that for a concept?
Leslie,
The problem is that you are honest and you have ethics. You don't play the game of Osborn/Strickland/Foy etc. Their game is doing backroom deals and scurrying about in the dark like cockroaches.
Well, T, that's a real good question. Last I heard, the Chamber's PAC was formulating the questions. This is in stark contrast to the CAPC debate at which the questions were written by the Star and asked by a CLU professor.
So an organization that has endorsed her opponent is in charge of coming up with the questions for now. That does not seem entirely fair to me, but maybe things have changed since I last heard. I hope the Star takes over and comes up with the questions.
But, still, she's hanging in there. She's a tough competitor.
Leslie is always much nicer than me.
The California Association of Political Centrists has been neutral in this senate race. BK will not be able to find anything to the contrary.
Both candidates are spending tons of money to appeal to the broad middle. Only one organization, CAPC, represents them. One candidate supports their mission, one candidate rejects their mission.
Read the email for my personal opinion. My bad - I have a personal opinion that makes sense! Now the rest of the CAPC membership is asked to weign in.
While CAPC, as an organization, may have remained neutral in the Senate race, Katie Teague and Leslie Cornejo, its two founding members, have been anything but neutral, via posts on this blog and others.
For what it's worth, that says something about the organization as a whole.
Take the Leslie challenge Something. Provide some documentation. Right now you are just repeating what Strickland wants you to believe. What other lies have you been told?
If CAPC doesn't endorse after all Strickland has done to try to destroy the organization, then perhaps it should close up shop. Hannah-Beth Jackson may not be a Centrist, but she is honest, educated and driven by a willingness to serve. Phony Tony, on the other hand, is dishonest, conducts his campaign condoning illegal and questionable activities and uses public service to enrich himself.
CAPC needs to take a deep breath and endorse HBJ. It is the right thing to do!
I think the only fair debate that can happen between these two is the debate I plan on hosting before election day.
I would like to invite both candidates to attend a small forum in which they will be asked down the line questions on several important issues that concern people of the 19th Senate District.
So Tony and Hannah, do you accept?
It's up to the membership.
Something (pretend person) - I demand that you document your charges against me.
This is a no-brainer, folks. Other issues aside for the moment, Tony Strickland has a horrendous record on protecting animals and the environment; Jackson a very strong one.
Eric Mills, coordinator
ACTION FOR ANIMALS
How about protecting our tax dollars? ie. our children's financial future?
Oh boy, the animal rights loonies are weighing in too, huh? This only strengthens the argument that Tony is the better choice here. HBJ seems to align herself with the most credible organizations, doesn't she? Oops, I better be careful, my house might get fire-bombed by one of these wackos.
Leslie,
You can demand all you want, my dear. The record speaks for itself. You and your buddy, Katie, have made a habit out of launching accusations and innuendos up the ying-yang about Tony (and anyone with the enough brains to associate themselves with him) on this blog and others. And you know it!
It's interesting that people who care about the earth and the other species on this planet are immediately labeled as "loonies" by Strickland's careless blogger here.
I think you can safely care about the planet and our financial future at the same time, as Hannah-Beth does.
You Strickland groupies are your own worst enemies and just drive home the point that there is absolutely nothing to Strickland's "green" posturing.
Run on your record, Tony!
Something Gibson - don't fling accusations unless you can prove them. You invoked my name and you got my attention. I make no accusations or innuendoes about anyone. Deal with it.
Brian:
Notwithstanding the fact that both HBJ and Strickland are furiously, but vainly, attempting to run away from their respective partisan monikers, both of their efforts are too little too late. Neither is a "Centrist," nor will they ever be.
Their respective records in the State Legislature during the time that they both served in Sacramento amply demonstrated their "knee-jerk" loyalty to the demands of partisan special interests, guided by party bosses.
Simply put, their past voting records and current sources of political capital all combine to bind them both to the most dogmatic elements of their respective political parties and hyper-partisan legislative caucus leaders.
Further, regardless of their "Johnny come-lately" usage of the term "independent," on their ads, literature and signs, when push comes to shove, neither will be politically independent of those who funded, guided and provided the "political muscle" that guaranteed their election.
Let's not forget an immutable political fact. Both the Democratic and Republican caucus leaders in the State Senate view the 19th State Senate District race as "ground-zero" in their respective efforts to either trump or salvage the two-thirds super-majority control over raising our taxes.
Further, I have seen no evidence (either on their websites, literature, ads, (let alone their responses to the CAPC questionnaire) that either bothered to offer a concrete plan on how they would have voted to solve the most significant fiscal crisis that the State of California faces, namely the need for a balanced, fiscally sound and proactively prudent State budget.
In light of the fact that neither HBJ nor Strickland demonstrated the necessary strategic vision, prudent fiscal planning, nor political courage required to assure a balanced and just State budget, do any of you really want either HBJ or Strickland deciding on the fiscal life-blood of the State of California? Remember, after all California is the seventh or eighth largest economy in the world!!!
In my view, notwithstanding recent endorsements of their respective candidacies by high-profile partisan figures from the other party, neither HBJ or Tony Strickland has demonstrated the independent judgment, nor the political courage necessary to tackle major public policy issues of great importance to California from the Centrist perspective.
Ipso facto, neither has earned the right to wear the badge of independent political courage that would be bestowed on them by a CAPC imprimatur.
Hiram Johnson, Hiram Johnson, whereforth are thou Hiram Johnson when we need you?
NostraDemus
Why would they debate for a Republican blogger that says he is calling propaganda on both sides, but in reality is really only doing it to Democrats?
Centrists endorse HBJ because when the election is over we want a credible, intelligent and honest opposition party in Ventura County. That is democracy at its best.
Nostrademus!
I'm surprised that you think the hallmark of a "centrist" is someone who will do....NOTHING. As you well know, the basic problem that underlies CA's ability to function as a vibrant, first-world economy is that the legislature has been forced to do... NOTHING, to remain so centrist that it can't function. For all practical purposes CA is a stroke victim, paralyzed so completely on one side that it can only walk in circles. This needs to end.
We need to end the...do NOTHING, centrist-at-all-costs policies that have made CA one of the three worst states in which to educate our children; one of the future dust bowls because we can't manage our water resources and one of the most expensive places to turn on a light bulb because our Sacramento "centrists" couldn't make a decision during the energy crisis.
No, neither candidate is a centrist, we all know that. But one candidate has the chops to tell her party colleagues to go screw themselves when she's ordered to continue stalling on legislation. You know who that is. She's done it all her career and I'm voting with the certainty that she'll continue doing it after next January.
Maybe she'll be the one Sacramento senator who shakes us out of our DO NOTHING paralysis and make a real difference.
Nostrademus is far too bitter. Looks like he was in the Dantona camp and just can't move on. He misses the most important difference between HBJ and Phony Tony. HBJ was able to get things done while the Phony wasn't. Nostrademus needs to put the primary behind him and move along with his life. He is far too bitter.
GS:
Contrary to your assertion, I do not define a "Centrist" as someone who will do NOTHING. Rather, in my view, the essential qualities of a Centrist political leader include their ability to adapt principles to circumstances, keep a laser-like focus on the common good, broker "Solomnic" compromises amongst competing partisan factions and if necessary, risk their very own political careers when the public interest requires it. In short, wise, just, independent, effective and strong political leadership!
Further GS, in my judgment the fault in Sacramento does not lie with Legislators who "DO NOTHING," but rather with too many of them "DOING THE WRONG THING" at the direction of their HYPER-PARTISAN POLITICAL KOMMISARS who masquerade as legislative caucus leaders.
Rossini said it best, “Oh how wonderful, really wonderful opera would be if there were no singers!�
Nostrademus' Daddy:
On the contrary, I harbor no personal bitterness towards either HBJ nor Tony Strickland. Life is too short for such nonsense.
Nonetheless, in my opinion, any fair examination of the partisan rhetoric and legislative voting records compiled by HBJ and Tony Strickland during the time that they both served in the Assembly together makes it abundantly clear that NEITHER are political Centrists. Nor, on the political votes that really matter, have either of them functionally demonstrated courageous independence from their political masters and fund-raising machines.
Like President Harry Truman use to say, "..I don't give 'em hell, I just tell the truth and they feel its like Hell!"
NostraDemus
Sounds like an election you should sit out, Nostrademus, until your perfect candidate arrives.
ND: But you, yourself stated that HBJ would not be backed by the state Dems BECAUSE she's too much of a maverick and would not adhere to party ideology. If that was so then, when we both supported Dantona's play for the Senate, what makes you believe she's now changed her mind and become a ideological adherent to the party kommisars?
As for your definition of "centrist", I agree. But the character of a "centrist" legislature today is a DO NOTHING legislature. Each party trips over itself trying to define themselves as more "centrist" than the other and yet adopts extremist stances to avoid any attempts at compromise. That may be"centrist" but it's also DO NOTHING.
The reincarnation of Strickland as a "centrist" belies that fact that he leads one of the most pernicious and extremist anti-citizen movements in CA history. He seeks to bankrupt the State and its working families simply to maintain power as a far right ideologue.
HBJ's the only candidate for SD-19 who's shown the guts and the ability to disobey her party's ideologues and work across the aisle. We both know that.
I wanna know who Katie Teague endorses for this seat
Why on earth would it matter who she endorsed? She's a nobody.
GS:
Frankly, I don't think I said it quite the way you remember it. To the best of my recollection, at the time of our conversation, I believe that I opined that should there be a contested Democratic Primary in the 19th SD, I did not believe that the HBJ could count on any significant support or financing from then Senate President Pro-Tem Don Perata, nor former President Pro-Tem John Burton, because neither liked or respected her politically, It had nothing to do with her being a maverick, which she is not.
Further, the facts simply don't support your assertion that the current California State Legislature is populated with anything approaching a majority of "Centrists." And don't just take my word for it, perform your own version of "Dovyerai no provyerai" and check out the URL referenced for the Partisan Rankings of the 2008 CA Legislators published by Capitol Weekly.
If you do, you'll find that the small handful of CA Legislators with rankings anything near being called a "Centrist" represent an insignificant number of districts which are in play for both parties in the November election, a rarity in California and its heavily-gerrymandered districts. Your Honor, in the court of public opinion regarding the corrosive effect of partisan gerrymandering on the people's legislature, I rest my case!
Finally, as to your assertion that HBJ has "..shown the guts and the ability to disobey her party's ideologues.." as the guy from Missouri said, "Show me!." Please provide one concrete example where HBJ, during her term in the Assembly, voted her conscience against the Democratic leadership and received any form of political punishment? I await the results of your research, but not with baited breath, cause I don't think you'll find one.
And by the way, I'm not talking about simply voting against the Democratic leadership, but rather voting against them when the issue is of such importance that the risks of her political independence rose to the level of existential challenges to her future as a legislator. Much the way Assemblymember Nicole Parra voted her conscience against the recent State Budget, and because she did, she faced a puerile punishment by Democratic Speaker of the Assembly, Karen Bass.
NostraDemus' Daddy:
Me thinks, perhaps intentionally, you seek to confuse the terms, "preferable" with "perfect." No rational human being can reasonably expect politicians to be perfect. At least in this lifetime. Although those who read, learn and act boldly in this lifetime, when their consciences demand it, much like Saint Thomas Moore did, may very well earn significant points towards perfection in the next lifetime.
I realize that you fiercely disagree with me on this matter, and that you are preternaturally loyal to HBJ, which is your right. But please show me the respect of being able to disagree with me vehemently without making unwarranted accusations as to my being bitter. After all, are we not both citizens of the greatest nation on earth and the greatest state in that nation, California, more than we are partisan hacks, consumed by hyper-partisan polemics and propaganda?
Or is it that in the blind pursuit of electoral victory, are you becoming what you say you are fighting against, an "ideological extremist," blithely casting unwarranted aspersions against those who share a different political view or judgment regarding your chosen candidates?
Have a nice day, Daddy!
NostraDemus
Well, how's this NostraDemus:
Hannah-Beth one of a group of only five Democrats who went against their party's leadership to vote against the 2004-05 budget. She was part of a bipartisan group led by Keith Richman and Joe Canciamilla who opposed the budget because it was based on accounting gimmicks and debt.
All the liberal members of the caucus voted for this budget, but she did not.
She's come out publicly in support of Prop. 11, which would seem to buck the Perata crowd as well. Maybe she didn't play well in that good old boys network and if she didn't, well then good for her. JMHO.
The lady's definitely got a mind of her own. She's a policy wonk and is never afraid to tell you her opinion. (Men, especially those with big egos, don't like that very much, as I discovered myself today on my own blog in a skirmish over a remark I felt was quite sexist.)
But she definitely knows how to compromise. And she's funny as hell. She really makes me laugh sometimes.
Marie:
Close, but no cigar! And, her actions certainly don't rise to the level of "Profiles in Courage."
Trust me on this one, due to backroom deals by the Big Five, the margin of victory for the 2004-05 budget vote in the California Assembly was a done deal BEFORE the "Gang of Five" engaged in their theatrics. Accordingly, there really was no political consequence for HBJ's so-called act of fiscal independence at that time, and she knew it.
Occasionally, even "liberals" running in marginal districts cast fiscally conservative votes, but not necessarily out of the courage of their convictions, but rather the calculus of their DTS electoral demographics. Remember, she was being termed-out and she had an eye on running for the 19th SD, an even more conservative seat, in the near future.
Regarding her support of Proposition No. 11, I am glad that both she and Strickland support it, but then again, both are trying to "out-independent" and "out-maverick" the other in such matters. Holy Sarah Palin, Batman!
And you can bet your sub-prime mortgage that both cleared their pseudo-heresey on this matter with their respective caucus leaders and mega political fundraisers in the interest of winning the 19th SD seat for their respective parties.
You see, the stakes of victory in this seat are so high, that both the Democratic and Republican Senate caucus leaders will look the other way and and ignore this so-called minor partisan heresy in the interest of their chosen candidate helping them win the big prize. Namely, political control over the Senate of the State of California. A state which if it were its own country, would be the seventh or eighth largest economy in the world!
If and when you can factually demonstrate that HBJ exercised the courage of her convictions and paid an existential political price for doing so, I'll be the first to bow to her "walking the independent walk, instead of talking the independent talk."
Until that day, I admire your personal loyalty to HBJ, and respect all of the hard cyber-work you are doing on her behalf. She is lucky to have your support. Hopefully, if HBJ is elected, she will not let either you or her 19th SD constituents down, when it comes to the day when the best interests of her district demand that she risk it all on their behalf. Only time and her electoral victory will tell whether or not this happens.
Best of luck to you.
NostraDemus
Yeah, let's all run out and vote for Hannah-Beth because she makes Marie laugh. Have you sunk so low as to have become nothing more than a shameless groupie? Sorry, but you've got to give me some better reasons than that to vote for this candidate.
BTW, I got one of her glossy-colored flyers in the mail today and it had a full-page picture of the Bill of Rights. How inspiring. It said virtually nothing about what she accomplished when she was in the Assembly. Maybe because there wasn't anything worth highlighting?
I agree with NostraDemus that neither candidate is a centrist. The records of each candidate speaks for itself. And anyone who follows politics understands the political nature of votes for or against certain bills. Anyone who claims that either candidate in the SD19 race is a "centrist" is either naive, delusional or dishonest.
Look, I only threw that in there because I think we talk about the candidates in the abstract so often. She IS funny and that's just one of the reasons I like her. She's also extremely honest and holds herself to the highest standards. That's very important to me.
There's an incredible work ethic there. She cares so genuinely about the things I care about -- kids, education, environmental issues, small business and consumer issues. (And, as we all know, she helped my child's school out tremendously.)
Groupie? Good grief no. I spent years interviewing public figures and celebrities as a journalist. They're just people. I work with political types all the time in my job.
It's called campaigning, my friend.
I liked that mailer. To insist that Bill of Rights be put in there says something about her personality. Her legislative record is superb, unlike Strickland's.
I don't always share NostraDemus' cynical eye on the world. I know that sometimes people do things because it's the right thing to do. I know I do.
Her legislative record is actually very much in conflict with the Bill of Rights, if you askk me. She has a record of voting for more government, higher taxes, and over-regulation. All of these things fly in the face of some of the principles embedded in the Bill of Rights - like not letting government get too big or out of control like it is now.
She's not exactly what you would call business-friendly either. That's why the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, among other business-oriented groups, came out in support of Strickland.
Again, I know the flyer was meant to convey her human side, but, frankly, I'd rather hear about how she stands on Prop. 8 and Prop. 11 than how big of a Red Sox fan she is.
The Ventura Chamber of Commerce DID NOT endorse Strickland. Read Timm Herdt's blog.
She supports Redistricting and I imagine she opposes Prop 8.
If you want to talk about the Bill of Rights, let's talk about Strickland Chief of Staff Joel Angeles' actions to stop peaceful protesters from assembling on a sidewalk. I was a witness to this. And Jack Phillips' arm was still in a sling the last time I saw him.
Let's also talk about her actual record and not the false talking points put out by the Strickland camp:
I've gotten a huge number of mailers from her campaign talking about where she stands on numerous issues and what legislation she has passed.
She has voted for billions of dollars in tax cuts, which I have detailed in the comments section on my blog and here, too.
Hannah-Beth authored Assembly Bill 384 in 1999, which simplified payment of sales and use taxes by businesses that faced confusing and irregular prepayment requirements during the second quarter of the year. The legislation was sponsored by the Board of Equalization.
Strickland authored legislation which was vetoed by the governor for excessive expansion of gambling. Another bill he authored was vetoed for "increasing the size and cost of government at a time when state revenues are $1.1 billion below forecasts for the first three months of this fiscal year alone."
Excuse me, Facts, but you'd better go back and check yours. The Ventura Chamber of Commerce's Political Action Committee (PAC) did, in fact, support Strickland. The Chamber PAC is the government/legislative arm of the Chamber and is comprised of long-time Chamber members, with particular expertise in evaluating proposed legislation and candidates for electice office and their impact on local business interests.
Jack Phillips seems to be milking his so-called arm injury for all he can get from it. I'm sure you'll see that sling quickly removed after the case against Angeles is dismissed.
HB Humor-
There is a difference - the Chamber PAC - the political money arm, stuffed with Strickland supporters, endorsed him. We hear the full Chamber voted down an endorsement.
Jack had surgery for a torn rotator cuff. He needs to wear the sling for awhile longer. I suppose we could produce a hospital bill for Brian to post.
Once again a Strickland minion completely lacking in all class.
The full Chamber Board declined to endorse Strickland; their PAC did and it was not unanimous.
You are overlooking the obvious here. Hannah-Beth's endorsement list far outshines Strickland's.
So, you're calling a bunch of disgruntled former Republicans and a few union hacks shining endorsements? Not at all.
That old guy, Phillips, is really claiming that a Strickland supporter knocked him to the ground? Come off it now. Old people tear their rotator cuffs all the time from nothing more strenuous than doing their morning stretches.
Let's get back to the real issues here and stop wanking about the past.