I heard that VC has become even more blue since the election. Looks like Boss Hogg at the VCRCC is just trying to fit in by going blue on his extremely mediocre website. I wonder if they will post pictures of when they were all teabagging together?

Not-

Seems like you're forgetting the words of your own Democrat County Chairman, "Registration doesn't mean much if you can't get them to turn out and vote."

I guess it's no surprise that you're sulking considering the Strickland/HBJ election. Lot of good that registration edge did you. Dem edge in Ventura, Dem edge in Santa Barbara, Dem edge in L.A., all that equals a Republican win.

Yea, I think I see your logic.

Let's see, you lost the Foy race, now you've lost the Strickland race, and next year you're going to lose the county races. Keep working, the Republicans love it.

Ron,
Let's see, HBJ lost by less than a thousand votes in a District that used to be easy for right wing extremist jerks like Peter "Big Gut" Foy and Phony Tony Strickland and his wife Fraudra Strickland. But hey, at least John McCant won VC, no wait, that's right, Obama KICK THE LIVING CRAP OUT OF HIM IN VC! I know how sad you are about John McCant losing Ron because I heard you had been promised a job driving the Wasila Hillbillies around to Saks so they could blow more donor money on clothes and you had also been promised the job of changing McCain when his Depends were full. Also don't cry just because dems have increased their lead in VC by thousands more since election day. And let's see, Peter "Big Gut" Foy has no power on the County Board, and the Strickland's have no power in Sacramento, yep Ron, you have a lot to crow about. HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You forgot that right wing poster boy Chrissy Valenzano got his butt kicked hard by Lisagor! AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Ron,

The CA 19 district doesn't cover all of Ventura County. The district Foy represents doesn't have a Democratic voter registration either. I don't know the voter registration numbers in the Los Angles section of CA 19 but I think you are misrepresenting that number also.

Let's not forget that Tony Strickland had to become a Defender of the Environment, a Booster of Alternative Energy, a White Knight For Education and a Protector of Needy Children to bamboozle that win.

Boy, the bitterness certainly comes oozing out of the pores of these Taxin' Jackson lovers when the opportunity arises. Ron, you've made all the points you need to in a calm and rational manner.

The other two losers posting here are just bitter pills. Don't waste any more time with them.

Bitter pill? All those amazing chameleon-like changes were announced by Strickland himself, in one mailing after another. Or didn't you get them? Probably you didn't, because along with repainting his spots he also became a political independent AND a bi-partisan politician...at least until the election was over. Check out the facts yourself.

No, not bitter but thoroughly amused at how easily moderate Repubs were bamboozled to vote AGAINST their own self-interests once again.

Here's something for the Democrats to be real proud of -- Homeland Security Chief, Janet Napolitano.

What a freakin' loser! Does anyone else feel less safe all of a sudden?

This Nation has never felt so UNSAFE as when Bush controlled the Executive branch, Delay & Co controlled the Legislative branch and five right wing idiots controlled the Judicial branch of government....all at the same time.

Yes, and our current Secretary of Homeland Security (Ms. Napolitano) has declared that veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan are susceptible to becoming the next Timothy McVeigh.

She's obviously not qualified for this job, like many of Obama's choices. Anyone checked her last income tax filing?

And where's the text of Napolitano's statement. I'd like to see what she actually said because, quite frankly, the America's Far Right has proven itself to be comprised of despicable, traitorous liars and that's who you probably heard this from.

If you really support the troops you should know that veterans are more than twice as likely to commit suicide than non-vets. (Veterans committed suicide at the rate of between 18.7 to 20.8 per 100,000, compared to other Americans, who did so at the rate of 8.9 per 100,000.)

Veterans aged 20 through 24, those who have served during the war on terror had the highest suicide rate among all veterans. (Two and four times higher than civilians the same age). (The suicide rate for non-veterans is 8.3 per 100,000, while the rate for veterans was found to be between 22.9 and 31.9 per 100,000.)

Last I heard the U.S. government was using a division of Healthnet to deliver benefits to the veterans. In my opinion they are only professionals at denying and delaying claims.

That's how Rush Limbaugh Republicans "support the troops".

Looks like Not Boss Hogg is off his meds again.

Brian, I find it troubling that you took the time to challenge some comments posted in this thread by a conservative blogger (Ron), yet at the same time you had no response to repeated personal attacks in this thread from a liberal blogger directed at Peter Foy's personal appearance.

Good points, Bubba. You'll find this is pretty common on the Dennert blog though. I've encountered it numerous times.

There is one guy who consistently goes nuts with the name-calling and obnoxious comments directed at you, me, Tony and Audra Strickland, Elton Gallegly, Joel Angeles, and the list goes on, with nary a word of caution or reprimand from Brian.

The guy that Brian allows to go nuts on Republicans is a guy named "Josh" from Ventura. More info. will be forthcoming on this guy as soon as we confirm it.

Bubba,

Many times I have told you that if you send me an email regarding a comment that goes over the top I will take care of it.

We seem to have this debate over and over. Many of my readers send me emails alerting me to comments that go over the top. I delete comments quite often that you might not notice for that reason.

And yet every time you are offended you instead post a comment. Then, when I go back and delete comments it makes the other comments look really odd as they are referring to things that aren't there. This makes more work for me. I know you do it to take a shot at me, since I have explained this over and over to you. I am posting this to explain my long standing policy to other people.

I don't read over every comment and when I see the general direction of some comments I just skip ahead. For better or worse another trash talking comment didn't draw me in but Ron's attempted analysis did.

I don't have much sympathy for Peter Foy currently because he wrote a grossly unfair and inaccurate editorial for The Star where he was misstated the contents of a speech given by the commander-in-chief to make some cheap political points.

That doesn't mean I support attacks on his looks.

Now, how come when Tony Strickland stood on a stage with a woman that earlier called Michelle Obama "trash" you were silent?

Feel free to share your opinion on Tony Strickland standing on stage with a woman that had recently to that event called Michelle Obama trash. I know you are interested in elevating the discourse and you will call on him to voice his opposition against disgusting attacks on Michelle Obama.

Did you hear the audio?

I am calling on him to say something classy about Michelle Obama on his Twitter account to show he wants to distance himself from such trash talk.

He uses his Twitter account to update people on his workout and legislative schedule so I think he can find room.

http://twitter.com/TonyStrickland

Will you join me?

NNBH,

You know your statement is untrue and that I have deleted comments directed at you. If you want me to show some examples I have them saved.

Is there a single time I didn't delete a comment that you requested deleted?

Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog.

HNIJ,

Before you drag someone into a debate that might not ever even read or post here use caution, as many of those usually worthless guessing games are wrong.

Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog.

Let's stick to the facts here. Joel Angeles is under investigation for beating up on a Vietnam vet and a young girl, that is a fact. Tony and Audra Strickland are bad representatives, that is a fact. Audra has spent her recent time in Sacramento writing legislation to force religion down the throats of school children and Tony spends his time shooting hoops, meanwhile thousands of people in their districts are out of work and they do nothing. Peter Foy is a former Board Member of the Christian Coalition, that is a fact. Arlen Specter is switching parties and becoming a democrat and once Al Franken is seated the dems will have their 60, that is a fact. People identifying themselves as a republican nationwide has dropped to an all time low of 21% with dems at 35% and independents at 28%, that is a fact. Republican registration in VC has continued to drop, that is a fact. So let's all keep to the facts, because the facts are wonderful!!!!!!

Specter's switch is a really BIG event. If the Dems gain control of the Senate for one year the GOP may well cease to exist as anything other than a far right sect, soliciting and attracting more political extremists....including the more violent-prone. Homeland Security may take on a different meaning in a few years.

GS, You are so correct! Arlen Specter did what was correct by voting for the stimulus because he is a real American who loves his Country. After that vote the extremists like Foy and Strickland started threatening Specter and they recruited a wack job to run against him and they started spreading their hatred toward him and the Country. Specter realized today that his party is gone and have been replaced by a pack of rabid dogs who do the bidding of Walmart and the Christian Coalition and who could careless about what is best for the U.S.A. I personally think it may be time for the FBI to start investigating the GOP the way they did with the Mafia. Hello RICO!

Bubba Kidd's Daddy, by the sound of it, you're in favor of an Obama dictatorship. I thought we lived in a democracy, with the checks and balances ensured by a healthy two-party system.

In your ideal world, we'd have nothing but Kool-Aid chugging, starry-eyed Obama worshipers, with the media cheerleading on the sidelines. Oh, sorry, I guess that's the real world now, isn't it?

None of you fair-weather conservatives had anything to say about the lack of a two-party system as long as YOUR party held all branches of govt, the armed forces, the good will of over 90% of Americans & most of the World and a big surplus. Despite all that, conservative America failed miserably in every sector and in every initiative. You've proven to be the movement of hate, divisiveness, anti-Family and anti-American values.

Now that the tables are turned you miserable failures are concerned about parity? What a tragic laugh!

In the world you'd like to bring about, people like you would be rounded up and placed in re-education camps. Consider yourself lucky that the Dems are here to clean up your mess.

Gary,

Oh, really now? What about the Democrats' and the media's reaction to the TEA party phenomenom that swept the country a couple of weeks ago? Right away these citizens, who are simply expressing their First Amendment rights (the most American tradition possible), are demonized and labeled as wackos, nut jobs, and far right extremists by the likes of Keith OLDERMAN and Rachel Madow.

In scanning the crowds at the numerous TEA party events across the country, I saw young and old, male and female, and all ethnicities fully represented. A true cross-section of America.

It seems the left simply cannot handle the strong opposition that exists out there regarding the Obama administration's policies of excessive taxing and spending. They just want everyone to lay down like lambs and accept it because he's our President now.

Well, this is still America, last time I checked. And we will continue to voice our opposition to the dangerous direction this country is heading with regard to foreign and domestic policy under Obama.

Obama also needs to own the policies he is pushing on us. He cannot continue to blame Bush for them. Bush is gone!

The Tea Party was a right wing extremist orchestrated event. Don't put lipstick on a pig. We been over that many times - it was not a non-partisan event. Both the LA Times and the Ventura County Star had articles to that effect. In addition,read flashreport.org, freerepublic.com, freedomnow.com and the websites of many talkshow hosts like Jon & Ken.

And educate yourself to the history of Boston Tea Party - it has as much in common with the "tea parties" as does "tea bagging" have on an offensive post from the progressive side of things.

I don't speak or apologize for anyone but myself. I don't listen to Olberman or Madow. I don't believe I've even commented on the tea parties but if I did it would have sounded like this:

Most of the participants have a legitimate concern about taxes and spending and they're right to voice those concerns but beyond a shadow of a doubt those people are being bamboozled into showing up NOT to voice their concerns but to add numbers and the appearance of support to a bunch of Far Right spokesmen who hate this Nation and the working people that keep it running.

Just as Christian conservatives were bamboozled into joining these Far Right extremists, only to get dumped and ridiculed when Bush & Company took power...so too are these fiscal conservatives being fooled into working against their own interests.

Bush may be gone but the extraordinary problems he created still exist. It doesn’t surprise me someone as ignorant enough to be Bubba’s buddy doesn’t understand. He or she is just another Republican Paun.

The Tea Parties are a Republican gamble that America will fail. The Republican’s leader Rush Limbaugh stated he wants America to fail. The Republicans realize that if the American people prosper the Republican party will fail.

We had a multi-million dollar investigation over a blue dress. We need investigaions over the important things too.

Thank You

I saw all sorts of right wingers including a bunch of conspiracy minded people that didn't think Barack Obama was born in the USA.

Oh yeah, GS, that's right, we're just a bunch of mindless gnomes who do whatever the conservative wing of the Republican Party tells us to do. We don't have minds of our own to make decisions on which causes and events to support or participate in.

But, when all the sheep that voted for Obama are accused of blindly following a charismatic orator who has done nothing significant beyond community organizing before his election as President, we are called sour grapers. Makes perfect sense!

And, Katie, you of all people should stop speaking out of both sides of your mouth. Regardless of who organized the TEA party events, those who participated obviously believed strongly enough in the over-taxing issue to take time off work or school to attend them (most of which took place during the day).

I. myself, took a half-day off work to attend the rally at the Ventura County Government Center (along with 1,500 other people, of all genders, ages, ethnicities, and political stripes).

I was there and I didn't see you. So, maybe you should rely on your firsthand experience before you're so quick to speculate and criticize based on some partisan blogs or web sites you've read.

The proof is there, Bubba's Buddy. Despite all the Bush promises to reduce taxes and put more money in our pockets the price for those negligible tax cuts actually raised the cost of living for 90$% of America's workers and their families. Between cuts in 1040 deductions, to higher govt service fees, assessments and consumption taxes to increased local govt costs due to withdrawal of federal funds, etc etc, he average American family paid many times more than Bush's phony tax cuts. And that doesn't include the higher costs of energy due to Bush's foreign policy debacles.

So, yeah. You may have been bamboozled by a bunch of extremists who couldn't give a rat's butt about you and your family's well-being.

Katie is a 24 carat Republican. She isn’t the “gold plated VCRCC” or Ventura County Republican Central Committee version that sees the important issues we face as money making opportunities for their friends.

The gold plated Republicans support Tony Strickland. What’s Tony Strickland doing?
Tony Strickland is playing basketball. Schools are cutting sports programs… but Tony Strickland still gets to play basketball.

I look forward to a Republican party I can be proud of. The more like Katie they are the better.

OK, Gary, so now you're telling me that I've been bamboozled by extremists who could care less about me and my family?

Were you any less bamboozled by Obama's promises to change course from the Bush administration's foreign policy direction (vis-a-vis the war in the Middle East)? It seems like it's the same-old-same-old so far. Are you liking it?

Far Center,

Despite your assertions, Katie is not a 24-carat Republican. She may be a registered Republican, but she is far from a bona fide Republican. She is a conflicted fence-sitter who, of late, has been sounding more like Ted Kennedy than Ronald Reagan.

I certainly respect her right to be whoever she wants to be, but, as a blogger, here and elsewhere, she is being intellectually dishonest.

Bubba Butdy,

A good Republican follows Republican values and principles so they don't have to hide behind "Tea Parties" to convey their message.

How come Tony Strickland can play basketball but school children are having their sports programs cut? Is that why Tony Strickland does't want to meet with the students, parents, and teachers,

Far Center,

Nobody's hiding behind TEA parties. It was simply an opportunity for people, from whatever political persuasion, to express their opposition to the taxing frenzy that we seem to be immersed in at the moment. It was effective and caught many a politician by surprise, including President Obama, who had "no comment" when asked what he thought about it.

Maybe I'm naive, but I see the Tony Strickland b-ball challenge as just a little bit of lighthearted fun. Everyone is so caught up in this partisan, attack-dog mentality that this just seems like a straight-ahead, good-natured gesture that could actually result in some good old-fashioned fun, if we let it take its course.

FC - coincidently there are alot of pro-Mike Gibson posts right around the time of Bubba's Buddy posting so it is probably Gibson - which would explain the defense of the Tea parties and Strickland's stupid BB article.

Those included in being caught up in disgusting partisan behavior include the woman that called Michelle Obama trash. She was the host of the Tea party where Tony Strickland spoke. That was wrong for him to share a stage with her and not say anything to distance himself from that type of talk.

Far Center - thank you for your kind words. Interesting that I have NEVER had any complaints from Reps that aren't afraid to use their real names - it is only fake name cyber bullies take issue.

Brian, I'm glad to see that you are so concerned with protecting Michelle Obama from unfair personal attacks. I agree that it is disgusting and uncalled for. Perhaps you could also channel that same energy and enthusiasm toward standing up against vicious attacks made against other public figures, like, say, Audra Strickland or even Sarah Palin. I've seen a lot of particularly nasty personal attacks against those individuals on your blog, yet you often remain eerily silent when attacks are directed against republicans. Maybe if you got just as riled up against all those types of comments, regardless of the political affiliation of the person being attacked, it would set the appropriate tone and standard of conduct for your blog participants.

Katie continual anti-republican tirades remind me of a bitter ex-wife who keeps her ex-husband's last name and cashes his alimony checks, but badmouths him at every turn.

Bubba and the VCRCC,

It's not the VCRCC's party Bubba. The party belongs to all Republicans. Mike Osbourne had to hire his Mother because nobody else agrees with his tactics.

Go cry to Brian. Tell him people are being mean to you while your trying to promote leaders that torture. You worthless little whimp. If Katie is such a bad Republican be a man enough to use your real name and tell us why.

How do you think Ronald Reagan would feel if he knew Republicans had to hide behind fake names and fake "Tea Parties".

Bubba,

You seem to want to point out there is a different standard for political discussion. It is true, I do hold a state senator to a different standard with who he chooses to associate with than I do for an anonymous poster on a blog. If a local elected Democrat was standing on a stage with someone that attacked Laura Bush with the same vitriol I would call them out for that behavior.

In your post you mentioned the attack on Michelle Obama but you didn't state your thoughts on Tony Strickland sharing a stage with someone that had earlier said those things.

Did you see why she called Michelle Obama trash? It is even worse than the name when you listen to the context.

I delete comments all the time for over the top attacks. But no, I don't get as worked up over anonymous bloggers trash talking on a blog as I do with elected officials working with people that attack people for encouraging students to do their best.

You said a few nasty things about Katie which I don't think reflects who she really is and what she believes in.

Unlike you she isn't almost silent in being critical of her party. But she is a prolife activist and continued to support Bush throughout his presidency. She even organized Ventura County for him. That sounds like someone that believes in conservative causes but isn't willing to stay silent to support a team she thinks is going in the wrong direction.

Brian, I guess chivalry isn't dead after all, as displayed by you rushing to the defense of both Michelle Obama and Katie Teague. If I spent my time on your blog continually bashing republicans I suppose you would come to my rescue too.

I like how "Nobody" whines about Bubba and others using fake screen names. That your legal name, Nobody? What a joke. No credibility there at all.

Katie brings the criticism on herself by her bizarre, nonsensical comments. I see you are starting down that same road yourself.

Bubba, you act like this is a Lakers game and Brian is the referee. It's his blog and he doesn't have to defend himself. If he shows a bias, so what?

Moderating a blog is a lot of work and pretty thankless. He's providing a form of free entertainment for you folks and he doesn't get paid much for it. I figure I make about 25 cents an hour with all the research I put into my posts.

He can at least be happy he doesn't have my bloggers. I can't think of one name I haven't been called by now. This week I'm a Marxist.

Bubba, you act like this is a Lakers game and Brian is the referee. It's his blog and he doesn't have to defend himself. If he shows a bias, so what?

Moderating a blog is a lot of work and pretty thankless. He's providing a form of free entertainment for you folks and he doesn't get paid much for it. I figure I make about 25 cents an hour with all the research I put into my posts.

He can at least be happy he doesn't have my bloggers. I can't think of one name I haven't been called by now. This week I'm a Marxist.

Marie, you really seem to be missing the big picture. I challenge Brian specifically because he is the blog moderator and because I consider him to be more informed and intelligent than most of the contributors to his blog (excusing his liberal-bias tendencies). There is no point in wasting my time debating dim-witted trolls like "Nobody". What is the sport in that? Brian certainly has the right to display a bias inasmuch as I have the right to challenge that bias, subject, of course, to his god-like powers as blog moderator. I do appreciate Brian taking the time to run this blog, and I show my appreciation through participation. I would hope that Brian, in turn, can appreciate having contributors with differing points of view who aren't afraid to challenge other, including himself, on their ideas.

As far as you being called a Marxist, it's just the flip-side of conservatives continually being called "neocons", "right-wing extremists" and "fascists". As a blogger I've come to expect that sort of thing. But if it makes you feel any better, I don't think you are a Marxist. You only have Marxist tendencies.

See, and that is why we do this, for the the "god-like powers." It makes it all worthwhile. :-)

до свидания to you, Comrade Bubba!

Basically the way it works folks is that Bubba Kidd and the other VCRCC puppets call names and launch personal attacks because the facts do not favor them, they are losing big time on all fronts. Arlen Specter showed that even republicans don't want to be republicans anymore because their party has been hijacked by the extremists. So they call names, etc. When they are called names, they begin to cry and cry because they like to dish it, but they cannot take. The GOP will be a party that represents only 10% of voters within 5 years and I say good riddance to bad rubbish, hopefully a new party will emerge that actually represents the other 90% of former GOP'ers. And Bubba's Buddy, what kind of buddies are you and Bubba?

Arlen Specter was a lost cause long ago. It was only a matter of time before he joined the Socialist Party of America. Now, he and single-digit IQ guys like Bubba Kidd's Daddy can bow down to Obama like he did to the Saudis.

Rather than gaining respect in the world for America, which was one of Obama's campaign pledges, he is eliciting nothing but snickers from the Arab world and guffaws from Al-Qaeda and the rest of radical Islam.

I think I'll join Glenn Beck and take off to the Great White North.

Bubba's Little Buddy we will all chip in to get you and all the other America Hating Right Wing Whack Jobs out of the U.S.A.! You bow down to Bubba Kidd I guess as his special buddy. Bush and the GOP destroyed America's power and image in the world and actually created terrorists, I would not be surprised to find out that the GOP actually funded and trained Al Queda, that was after all their excuse for their war on terror and their war on the Constitution. GS did you notice that the Overlords of the GOP are now saying they are glad Specter left because it brings them closer to "Purity". Scary that the Nazi's also used terms like "Purity" as an excuse to murder 6 million Jews and millions of other people they found not to be of "Purity". Peter "Wingnut" Foy led a rally in Pasadena yesterday that looked more like a rally of Brown Shirted fascists, I heard they attack someone who shouted a disagreement. We can only imagine what will happen if these hatemongers ever get back in power?!

Wow! Is this Carroll Dean Williams incognito?

I think BKD has some anger management issues. All those years living in his mother's basement seem to have impaired his ability to engage in rational conversation or to date the opposite sex.

The Republicans had to admit defeat when they realized they only had people like "Bubba Kidd" to defend them. I challenge anyone to find a single comment of Bubba Kidds that has any redeeming value.

Bubba Kidd,
Go wrap yourself in the American flag and get some sleep. Let the adults talk for awhile.

You will see above that Bubba Kidd insulted me personally, yet he cries like a little punk when anyone else does it, that is why he is a hypocrit! So Bubba and Bubba's little buddy did you guys do some teabagging together at the Government Center? Yesterday Bill O Reilly wrote in his column that the GOP has so many whack jobs that even he is scared of them, quite a statement from Billo The Clown. Bubba Kidd a gutless punk who crawls behind Phony Tony Strickland like a dog with his tail between his legs and when Phony Tony gives Bubba a slap, Bubba drops his pants and screams "Please sir, may I have another!"