Strike up the band!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBmkor9WF0U

Steve Bennett is exactly the wrong person to fill this Congressional seat. He has a well-documented history of catering to union demands in his time on the Ventura County Board of Supervisors and the Ventura City Council by approving outrageous pension hikes and compensation increases for public employees, most of whom will retire with 80%-90% of their wages, far greater than those of us in the private sector could ever dream of.

He has also not been a friend to business, especially as a County Supervisor. He has continually voted for regulation after regulation that makes it difficult for businesses to open or continue to operate in our County.

When you consider where he gets all his campaign contributions from (i.e., public employee unions and environmental groups), his voting record should be no big surprise.

We will be providing a lot of detailed information about Steve Bennett's campaign finances and voting history as this campaign unfolds, so the voters in the 24th District will know exactly what they're getting with Steve Bennett.

I'll be supporting and voting for the guy who supports workers and their families over those who fight them, on behalf of the richest corporations and individuals. We've had forty years of catering to the rich and it's left this country and our economy in shambles. Time to elect those who trust the American worker to put this country back on its feet.

So, you're in favor of continuing with policies that force the taxpayers to pay for exorbitant pension plans for public employees because they fit into your mold of so-called "workers?"

A high percentage of public employees are in the management and executive ranks - - i.e., like a lot of the City of Bell's upper management staff who were making well over $500K/year and had multi-million dollar payouts when they left public service (plus their annual pensions, which were often higher than their final salaries when they left the City).

Steve Bennett is the kind of guy who would have gone along with these outrageous payments to public employees because he sees the political benefit to it. Take a look at his campaign financial disclosure statements if you don't believe me.

Steve Bennett has been kicking republican butt for years in Ventura County and he will keep on kicking it! Bring on the loser republican candidate, will be fun to watch them lose just like they lost in Ventura this past election! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!

The average CALPERS retiree receives less than $128K per year and has their benefits shifted to Medicare when they reach 65...hardly the $500K+ salary & retirement packages that the Bell City tea baggers gabbed once they convinced voters to leave the State's regulatory cover, under the excuse that Bell voters should have control over their own revenues and spending. Don't belive me? Then look back through the news archives to see what REALLY happened in Bell.

It is obvious you don't know what it is you're talking about.

CORRECTION: should read "....less than $18K per year...."

The point remains that many in government jobs, especially employees of police and fire departments, receive enormously generous pension benefits. Look at Mike Tracy (former City of Ventura Police Chief and current Ventura Deputy Mayor). His pension as a retired police chief is in excess of $186K per year. And now he's being paid again by the City to serve on the City Council, including health care and other benefits. How many times do these greedy, self-serving public employees get to go back to the public trough?

Another good example is current Ventura County Clerk-Recorder, Mark Lunn. This guy is drawing a huge pension from his previous job as an Assistant Chief for the California Highway Patrol (well in excess of $200K per year). Now, he's being paid handsomely (in addition to his State pension) as County Clerk-Recorder - again, well over $200K/year. Nice to be making close to $500k/year working in one pretty cushy job for the County.

Yet another example is Steven Hintz, current Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector. Hintz is a retired Ventura County Superior Court judge. So, he's again pulling in over $200K/year from his judge's pension and now makes over $200K/year as Treasurer-Tax Collector. Another case of major double-dipping - about $500K/year all told.

If you need more examples, I've got plenty of them...

I don't disagree that there are too many retirees milking the system and we need to put a stop to it. No public employee should retire with more than, say 60% of his/her salary for the first job and 30% for the second. There should be NO pension for the third job. Overtime, sick days, vacation days and bonuses shouldn't count towards cash benefits.

The average CEO walks away with a retirement package worth over 100 million dollars even when their company has lost money, kinda makes Hintz and Lunn's pensions look puny.

Hey Factless,

I'd love to see some actual facts that back up your assertion that the average CEO leaves his position with a retirement package of over $100 million. That equates to $4 million/year over the span of a 25-year retirement period (which is way generous - most retirees live much less than 25 years after they retire).

Even if your $100 million figure is correct, which I know it isn't, the exorbitant pension benefits paid out to people like Mike Tracy, Mark Lunn, Steven Hintz, and what Steve Bennett is striving for, are all paid for directly by the taxpayers. The CEO's retirement pay and benefits is paid for by company profits, stock earnings, and the like...

Are you making up how much Hintz is getting paid or guessing? What's your source?

Only joke on the Board of Supervisors is named Foy.

Ventura County is having what is called a "Republican Spring". The Republican people are rejecting "VCRCC law". They no longer want the opportunists "in control" now.

Steve Bennett has a college degree and a long list of accomplishments. Steve Bennett is a smart guy and wouldn't be running for Congress unless he had the Linda Parks Republican votes to win.

We say what people think of Mike Osborne is the county supervisor election. Audra Strickland lost big time and those same voters that sent her a message are looking forward to sending the same message to the rest of them.

Bennett's only accomplishment is collecting a government paycheck and we all know you don't have to be very smart to do that. Gallegly ran an extremely successful realty business in Simi Valley, which he made millions from well before he ever got involved into politics.

I had to laugh when I read the comment that Bennett will get Linda Parks' Republican votes. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

Linda Parks is a huge phony who only registered Republican to try and siphon away some Republican votes in her district. But people are catching on to her game and she will get her ass kicked if we can get a real Republican lined up against her. Audra Strickland was a bad choice. She's a horrible candidate and hopefully the VCRCC learned some lessons from that campaign. I think they have.

Ventura County is having a "Republican Spring". People already caught on to Phoney Tony and Audra Strickland. We already have seen it in their last elections. People's patience are up with college drop-out Elton "do nothing" Gallegly. Elton Gallegly may have made money in real estate but he is a big kiss ass piece of crap Congressman.

Please have Elton Gallegly run and not show up to debates or have a town meeting and rely on his history of being a real estate salesman 30 years ago.

Seriously dude you're a idot. Through in your fake laugh buck-toothed dork see if it helps you argument..

Steve Bennett has feet of clay when it came to protecting this County's environmental health and safety. One has only to look at his support for the massive expansion of the dump for L.A. county waste in Ventura's East County for proof.

Apparently, his vaunted reputation as a County champion of environmentalism only applies within his current district boundaries. On this issue, he is worse than Peter Foy who has made no secret of his support for (and support from) Waste Management in their efforts. Bennett's talk is a lot of sound and fury, but signifies nothing (beyond hypocrisy) when it comes to action.

When his vote was needed on a tough decision he took the easy way out. So his district will receive its share of the crumbs that the County receives from Waste Management's profit feast, he is content with seeing the problems of waste, traffic, negative impact of property values and potential health issue foisted onto the backs of residents of the East County.

Now he wants to represent us?

He will NEVER ever get the trust (and vote) of this East County Democrat to represent me in Congress. My party's only chance of winning - and making a change form the "business as usual attitude" we have had in Congress for nearly a quarter of a century on important challenges to this nation - is to select a candidate who's word means something when it comes to action.

All the supervisors did their jobs and protected their districts. Everybody is happy WM came up with a number Peter "Paid Off" Foy would take. Now we don't have to build another landfill. Now we can clean up Rocketdyne and keep the contaminated material in Simi Valley. Who is going to stop us...? Elton Gallegly? He can't even get Simi Valley a decent library. Keep voting Bush Republican. We are counting on you.

Here's some breaking news for you:

"Democratic Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi of Castro Valley has been charged with felony grand theft after being caught on video surveillance cameras shoplifting more than $2,000 worth of merchandise from San Francisco's Neiman Marcus store on Union Square, prosecutors say."

What a complete idiot! This is typical behavior from our Democratic legislators in Sacramento. They think they can rape and pillage and rob the taxpayers blind without ever having to be held accountable for it.

I hope the judge throws the book at her slimy ass. She deserves at least 10 years in the State pen where she can do some up close and personal research on how our money is being wasted in the prison system. A true win-win for the taxpayers.

"Breaking Wind" aka tea party Tom and 20 other fake names started using the name Breaking Wind because that is what he claims to hear everytime he pulls his head out of Phony Tony's behind. This cowardly punk is so insecure about his lack of manhood that he has to hide behind fake names. Notice how this punk forgot to list the roughly 200 former republican office holders who are currently in prison or on probation. In other Breaking News the LA Times reported today that Mitt Romney was and is a high ranking member of the Mormon Church, not just a member of the Church. No wonder the Christian Coalition is so afraid of him. According to the Mormon religion only a Mormon can reach the highest level of heaven.

"Breaking Wind" aka tea party Tom and 20 other fake names started using the name Breaking Wind because that is what he claims to hear everytime he pulls his head out of Phony Tony's behind. This cowardly punk is so insecure about his lack of manhood that he has to hide behind fake names. Notice how this punk forgot to list the roughly 200 former republican office holders who are currently in prison or on probation. In other Breaking News the LA Times reported today that Mitt Romney was and is a high ranking member of the Mormon Church, not just a member of the Church. No wonder the Christian Coalition is so afraid of him. According to the Mormon religion only a Mormon can reach the highest level of heaven.

Hey "Breaking News," you friggin' narcissist. Did you really need to post your idiotic comments twice? I guess you're so needy and insecure that you were worried nobody would read your latest blather unless you doubled down. How pathetic!

This idiot has no defense for that loser Assemblywoman, Mary Hayashi, who blatantly ripped off a high-end clothing store. All he can do is make some vague references to Republican officeholders that are allegedly behind bars, but doesn't have the courage or the knowledge to name them.

Is that all you got, "Breaking News?" Really, is that all you got?

LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I had to post it twice because it takes an idiot like you twice to understand it! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! In terms of law breaking republicans where to begin. Let's start here: "North County Assemblyman Martin Garrick apologized Thursday for his drunken driving arrest in Sacramento. Garrick, once the leader of Assembly Republicans, was arrested by California Highway Patrol officers Wednesday night."
Not only was he drunk driving he tried to run from the police. Of course the idiot tea party Tom "Breaking Wind" and 20 other fake loser names never wrote about this one. Looks like you lose again punk, but losing is the one thing you are good at! LMAO!!!!! Of course when you live in Ventura and you are a tea party sheep losing is all you know!

Is that the best you can do, you little punk-ass bitch? Martin Garrick arrested for drunk driving? Really, is that the best you can do?

If I started listing all the public officials who have been arrested for drunk driving, I'd be at my keyboard all night.

Seriously, dude, felony theft is a big deal! Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi must be one arrogant bitch to think she was going to get away with that. Stop with your kindergarten comebacks and give me something that actually stimulates a thoughtful response. Oh, I forgot, you're incapable of that...

Here you go loser, I'll keep adding to it. Imbeciles like yourself can only comprehend information in small bites.
•Senator John Ensign (R-NV.) confessed to serious cheating on his wife with a staffer and caught paying hush money to the husband, his chief of staff.
•Gov. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.), confessed to serious cheating on his wife after leaving his state unsupervised for a week.
•Senator Larry Craig (R-ID.), caught in a gay sex sting operation in a Minn. bathroom.
•Senator David Vitter (R-LA), found to have been a client of prostitutes in D.C. & Louisiana.
•Rep. Mark Foley, (R-Fl.) forced to resign when he was found to be having inappropriate communications with male pages.

Money laundering convictions:
On October 3, 2005, a Travis County, Texas, Grand Jury indicted Tom DeLay on a felony conspiracy charge to move $190,000 in corporate donations to Republican candidates in the Texas State Legislature in 2002. On October 20, 2005, Tom DeLay turned himself in to the Harris County Sheriff Office, the day after an arrest warrant was issued. He was released after posting a $10,000 bond. On November 24, 2010, DeLay was found guilty by a jury in Austin (Travis County), Texas, of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison and 10 years probation on January 10, 2011. DeLay's lead attorney has said that he will appeal the convictions. As a convicted felon Delay would never again be eligible to run for public office in Texas nor would he be able to vote in Texas until he completes any sentence, including probation and parole.

As of January 11, 2011, Delay is out on bail pending his appeal.

Here's a few Democrats who were involved in sex scandals:

- Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY) - guilty of wagging his weeny on his Twitter site to a woman that wasn't his wife.

- Governor Eliot Spitzer (D-NY) - guilty of having affairs with numerous prostitutes while he was married.

- Senator John Edwards (D-NC) - guilty of carrying on an affair with his campaign videographer and fathering a love child with her, all this while his wife was suffering from cancer.

- Governor Jim McGreevey (D-NY) - guilty of carrying on an affair with a man he appointed to a government post.

- President Bill Clinton - (D-ARK) - guilty of carrying on an affair with Monica Lewinsky that included oral sex in the Oval Office.

- Congressman Gary Condit (D-CA) - guilty of carrying on an affair with a young intern who mysteriously went missing after word leaked out about the affair (her body turned up later in a Washington D.C. park - hmmmmmm.....).

- Governor David Patterson (D-NY) - guilty of carrying on an affair with a woman other than his wife.

- Congressman Eric Massa (D-NY) - guilty of groping and awkwardly touching male members of his staff.

- Vice-President Al Gore (D-TENN) - guilty of forcing himself on a masseuse.

- Senator Ted Kennedy - (D-MASS) - guilty of carrying on an illicit affair with a young Senate staffer, Mary Jo Kopechne, and then driving his car off a bridge in Chappaquiddick in which Miss Kopechne was killed as a passenger in the vehicle. Kennedy pleaded guilty to a charge of leaving the scene of an accident when he left her to die in the river and didn't even report the accident to police until the next day (should have been convicted of murder).

Would you like to hear more? These are just a few that come to mind off the top of my head.

In Florida teabagger Governor Scott has passed a law that everyone on welfare must get regular drug tests. It turns out that not only has this cost more than it has saved, the company that handles the tests is owned by Scott's wife. Just another example of how these tax hogmonsters in the GOP eat your tax dollars and how tea party losers like tea party Tom love getting bent over and then defend this immoral activity! LMAO!

We just qualified a measure for the ballot that will prevent union thugs from taking money from your paycheck (to be used for political purposes) without your consent. It's about time this practice was halted.

Unions are declining in popularity in terms of their role in politics, and for very good reason. People are getting sick and tired of unions, especially public employee unions, for raping the taxpayers for more money to feather their nests and let them retire with 90% of their pay. That is obscene. Private sector employees are lucky to get 40% of their earnings when they retire. What makes these trough-feeders more valuable than private sector workers? I'll tell you what -- nothing!

Great story in the Star today on how republicans in Alabama are now running more scared then a Ventura teabagger! Big businesses in Alabama has told the GOP there they will be cut off all campaign funding if they do not immediately drop the parts of the anti-immigration bill they passed. Since this idiotic law was passed crops have rotted in the fields and the state has lost hundreds of millions of dollars. Only a republican could pass a law this bad. Recently two foreign workers from Honda and Mercedes were pulled over and roughed up by local yocals trying to enforce this crappy law and now both firms are threatening to close their plants there and move them to California. The republican Governor has now said he wants the changes that have been ordered by big businesses. In 2012 you can watch for all republicans to be kicked out of office in Alabama! LMAO!

Governor Jerry Brown recently signed into law "The Dream Act," which makes illegal aliens eligible for in-state tuition rates for State colleges, whereas, a student coming to California from Arizona, or any other State, is not eligible for this reduction in tuition and fees and has to pay a premium rate to attend college here.

There is a petition circulating to repeal this stupid law that was authored by State Assemblyman Gil "One-Bill" Cedillo (D-Los Angeles). He's also the idiot who got a law passed that allows illegal aliens to obtain drivers licenses in California. As if we don't have enough problems with drunk illegals on the road and other major traffic violators among the illegal population. Now we're giving them licenses to carry out their illegal behavior.

What a joke!!!

The joke is the republicans in the state of California. They don't even hold one statewide office, nada, zippo! Meg and Carly spent about 300 million between them and they both got blown out. Face the facts little boy, republicans are about as welcome in California as a stinky fart in church. If you don't like it leave, otherwise quit your crying baby!