Pat Buchanan, who has been very critical of Sonia Sotomayor held a conference recently that included discussing making English the official language. This is the banner for it:
The confirmation hearings for Sonia Sotomayer are said to be a forgone conclusion. Sure, the US Senate should do their duty and look into her background. But for many of the interest groups, on both sides, this nomination is really an opportunity to raise money, grow their email lists, and prepare for another nomination.
This banner was from the 2000 Simi Valley Days fair:
It was likely the printer or a problem reading hand writing and the misspelling probably wasn't noticed until the sign was unraveled at the start of the fair when it was too late to order a replacement, but that doesn't mean it wasn't funny.
So, why do I bring up a Pat Buchanan conference and an old sign from Simi Valley Days? Because I am humbly ask for your help.
Writing a blog is not my main job and I don't have any official editors. I often write trying to finish an entry too quickly. If you see a typo, misspelling, broken link or grammar error I would appreciate you pointing it out. You can either send an email or post a comment letting me know.
My friend and fellow blogger, Marie Lakin, frequently helps me with this and I appreciate it.
Marie, click on continue reading for a really big link as a show of my appreciation.
Ventura County Star blogger Marie Lakin has a cross posting of her latest blog entry up both at her Ventura County Star blog and at statewide liberal political blog Calitics.
Click on the screenshot below to see it.
Marie, anytime I see stories covering teacher lay offs it is usually talented and newer to the profession teachers that are profiled because they are the first to be let go with our current seniority system.
Do you support changes to remove seniority as the primary and often only factor in letting teachers go? I believe if schools did a better job taxpayers would be more willing to fund them more. It is true that many school districts are doing fine or even great but they get blamed for the failures of others. The recent high profile failures of LAUSD are not going to encourage many voters to support higher taxes.
Click here to read an amazing series that should win awards from The Los Angeles Times on problems in The Los Angeles Unified School District.
The series is called Failure gets a pass and it is well worth the time to read all of it.
Click on continue reading to see my videos from the Pink Friday rally in Simi Valley.
Progressives call out their own bad behavior
Also on Calitics Rep. Laura Richardson is in the news again for irresponsibility and corruption. It would be great if an ambitious Democrat challenged her in the primary. I support a primary challenge for her and I know many progressive bloggers and activists will support removing her from office. I am confident that a serious challenger will be surprised how quickly her support dissipates when voters are presented an alternative that more closely matches their values.
No party is immune to corruption and both parties should guard their reputation of their caucus before it causes their party to lose power like the Democrats did in 1994 and the Republicans did in 2006. Her seat is in an overwhelming safe Democratic district so there isn't an issue that a tough primary will help a Republican take the seat.
Democrats, the likelihood of controlling the legislature for a long time depends on many things, including removing people that tarnish your reputation from holding high office.
I am glad Calitics is among the many critics of this type of irresponsible behavior.
If you have comments for Marie or you want to see her response to my question go to her blog. Comments for her that are posted here will be deleted.
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Ventura City Manager Rick Cole recently posted the above video on sprawl that has the provocative line in it about the biggest threat to America. The video was an award Winner of The Congress for New Urbanism CNU 17 video contest. Rick didn't say he was endorsing all of the views in it so I asked him for a comment and this is what he sent me:
Sustainability is not based on wishes or desires, but on the ability to continue to function within available resources. Unfortunately, by that standard, much of the way we've built our suburbs is not sustainable, despite our wishes and desires. This clip makes the dramatic point that sprawl is not sustainable. The hard part, of course, is what comes next: adapting what we've built so that we can sustain our communities past the era of cheap energy and the illusion that we can take without giving back. Here in Ventura, we're working hard on that challenge, recognizing that not everybody even agrees on the problem, let alone the solution(s). But our 2005 General Plan recognizes that Ventura citizens have repeatedly voted against sprawl.
Would you like it if your city council or city manager posted blog entries on vital issues in your city? The City of Ventura is leading the way for the time being. Send me an email if you are a city manager and want to start blogging .
The California State Supreme Court listened to arguments today to determine if Proposition 8 was a legal amendment to the State Constitution or if it was a major revision. They are also considering the fate of the approximately 18,000 people that got married while gay marriage was legal in California. The lawyers in support of Proposition 8 are arguing that these families should be treated differently under the law and that their marriages should be legally voided.
Whatever the courts and lawyers argue the issue is to me a religious issue. If your religion doesn't want to acknowledge love between two men or two women as essentially the same, then so be it. To my friends that were married before Proposition 8 passed you should know that the power that validates your love isn't a court of law. The power is your friends, your family, and from a much higher power.
In these of all times it is wrong that people would seek to invalidate the marriages of two people that love each other. Marriage is more than some rights. If it was just some legal rights we wouldn't be debating it so much. Marriage is also focused on responsibility and duty. At the center of marriage is love.
With the shape of the world tonight we should be encouraging duty, responsibility, and love. We need to support more love and to find ways to help it to flourish. Marriage is a building block of our civilization and we should encourage two people that love each other to create a stable and beneficial partnership that will reward themselves and our communities.
The ultimate question over marriage is if love is essentially the same between two people of the same gender. If you believe it is the same then you likely believe in marriage equality. Same gender love is not like love between two friends nor is it the same as love between parent and child. It shares traits, but it isn't the same. It is no different then love between man and woman and therefore shouldn't be treated any differently.
The dream might be deferred but in the long run it is likely best if marriage equality is supported in an election and not only by courts. I will be there on the street corners and on the internet to push for that day. I was inspired by seeing so many young people come out to rally in Simi Valley for themselves and for their families. I met people I didn't know were directly impacted or cared so passionately for justice on this issue. Regardless of the court ruling know that we will organize again, this time with better resources and a better plan. The campaign was so negative from both sides last time, but next time we will focus on the families involved.
Do you remember the ad above from the Courage Campaign? It was one of the more controversial ads that went directly after the Mormon Church for their involvement in the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign. It sparked outrage and news coverage on the internet and on television. One of the creative minds behind it, David Atkins, is now going to be involved in a local progressive radio show.
Two other bloggers have already reported it but in case you missed it there is a new Democratic radio show in town. I like to post entire press releases to help give you a closer look at local politics. Click on continue reading for the press release.
Who would you like to see the Dynamic Democratic Duo interview in the near future?
By Brian Dennert on February 5, 2009 10:55 PM
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Making Waves blogger Marie Lakin went to the protest in front of State Senator Tony Strickland's office today and has posted a blog entry describing the event.
As for Mr. Strickland and staff, they were nowhere to be seen. Not surprising after Strickland and his wife both bypassed a recent meeting with all the county superintendents. Another meeting is planned soon and both legislators have been invited.
For those of you that were upset State Senator Tony Strickland wasn't able to make the last meeting to discuss what the various spending proposals would do to local schools there should be a meeting soon. Marie, will the other legislators from the Democratic side also be invited?
The problem seems to be the two sides won't negotiate. How are they to compromise and work together if they don't even all meet together? I would like to see them all meet together and have a video so we can listen to our legislators explain their reasons for failing to compromise thus far.
Ventura County Star reporter Timm Herdt has posted on his blog that Ventura County Republican leader and State Senator Tony Strickland took $3,600 from recently arrested San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus for Tony Strickland's State Senate campaign.
Here is a quote from Timm Herdt's blog post:
Sen. Tony Strickland of Moorpark, who received $3,600 from Postmus' PAC in June 2007. It was among the first contributions Strickland received after announcing his campaign for the Senate.
Click here for the story of Bill Postmus's arrest, drug abuse, and his efforts to hide being gay from friends, family, and Republican Party leaders.
Click here for the Wikipedia article on Bill Postmus.
Even Republicans are turning against Bill Postmus. Click here for the story.
In other State Senator Tony Strickland news Marie Lakin is taking him to task for holding a card table event instead of meeting with public education officials, elected officials, and others at a large event in Ventura.
I am calling on State Senator Tony Strickland to donate any money he received from Bill Postmus in any direct way to a local charity.
Do you agree with me that he should not hold onto the money? When Tony Strickland accepted it Bill Postmus was a Republican Party leader and there is no proof that I see that Tony Strickland displayed any poor judgment in depositing the check.
If anything he should donate the money to stifle criticism from his opponents.
If you think he should donate the money leave a comment as a petition to him. If at least twenty different readers don't agree with me I won't bring it up again.
Of course, this is all moot if Tony Strickland has already returned or donated the money already, which is very likely knowing his political instincts.
Ventura County Star blogger Marie Lakin went to the Barack Obama inaugural party in Ventura and has posted an entry that includes photos and analysis of the event.
Marie Lakin does great work covering policy discussions in the city of Ventura. Check our her archives for some in depth articles.
I don't know if it has officially been reported elsewhere that Susan Jordan is running to replace Pedro Nava in the State Assembly but Marie is reporting that she announced her intention to run.
Thanks for giving me advice, spell checking my work, and allowing me to bounce ideas by you Marie. I really appreciate it.
How is the election over WalMart in Ventura shaping up? Will it be the dominate issue
in the Ventura City elections? I don't live in Ventura but I think it will be the most covered issue with each candidate being asked questions and their opinions on the subject.
If the proposed expansion is a referendum on WalMart I think the Bentonville corporation will be allowed to build. But if they can convince people they can support WalMart, but oppose this specific location or project somehow it will turn out different.
The question I also have is who locally will work for each side in the debate. Any progressive politicians, consultants, or activists that support the store will have to face their allies for supporting WalMart. Conservatives that support it will make themselves a target for well funded and energetic unions.
For a background on the subject my friend Marie Lakin, the blogger behind Making Waves, has written extensively on it. Click here to see what she has written on the subject.
Here is an interesting article that will get anti-WalMart activists talking:
Wal-Mart wants to build a Supercenter within a cannonshot of where Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant first fought, a proposal that has preservationists rallying to protect the key Civil War site.
This blog is devoted to the nuts and bolts of local politics.
Have some political Info you want released? Let me know! I want to publicize fundraisers, parties, Web sites, meetup.com events and anything else happening in Ventura County. So, send them to briandennert@yahoo.com.
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