Osbourn speakith with forked tongue.

Why can't you take a man at his word and at least try to figure out who might of done it. I am glad that they are looking into this case and not as glad you didn't even consider maybe Osbourn isn't behind every move in the county!

Wouldn't it be even minutely conceivable that there might be someone else or some other group in the county that doesn't like Steve Bennett?

You want to blame Osborn for everything!!!

Osborn has no worries. I suspect with Totten looking into this nothing will come from it except more of these robo-calls. We need an outside agency to come to VC and do some real investigating!

Hey Possible who are you talking about when you say " you want to blame Osbourn for everything?" I agreed with Osbourn that it could be a single person and not the VCRCC.

The gang that can't spell straight is now after Mr. Bennett why? Maybe he should change to a Republican for a few months so their floor rules would prohibit them from running a Republican against one of their own. It seems like this whole thing is just so clearly partisan.

I think it awesome that the GOP hangs with so many faces of hate in public. Can't wait for Ventura County's partisans to invite her here.

I think its great that the Reps go after Bennett. Bennett deserves it, he wouldn't back Dantona against Foy. He was worried about Dantona as someone who challenge him for leadership on the Board. I'm a Democrat, but Mr. Bennett deserves a beating for not standing together with a fellow Dem.

Well guess what Mr. Bennett, you reap what you sow. Kathy Long too. They both stood on the sidelines as Democrats, while Dantona fought the power in the VC Republicans.

If they approach Dantona for help, I hope he remembers their response to him....

"I like to watch."

I agree with Chauncey, Bennett and Long should have come out strong for Dantona against Foy. Instead they are both so short sighted they couldn't figure out they were next. Follow the Money and you'll find Tony Strickland and Tom McClintock behind both these campaigns. The Dantona - Foy race has turned out to be an extremely important race for the whole county.
A Dantona victory and Osborne would have been out on his rear. Steve and Kathy, think about it.

Steve Bennett is very beatable. I am a Democrat who supported Dantona and for the life of me I can't understand why Bennett and Long didn't support Dantona against Foy. It has turned on them. Did they really believe Foy and his people would not go after them.
As far as Osborne to quote a movie " He's a Pimp". He has no more ability to out think Dantona, Benntt or Long than a high school drop out, don't give him so much credit. It's Tony Strickland and Tom McClintock. It has always been Tony and Tom.

I notice Osborn never came on here to deny he was behind the robo-call attacking Steve. Hey Osborn, are you willing to take a polygraph?

Hey Original Doofus, can't you read? Osborn said he didn't have anything to do with the calls.

Osborn's building an effective and active Party and it scares the Dem's to death. He raised more money in a couple of months than the Democrats have been able to do in years, and I hope he keeps doing it. Laura and the gang can bad-rap Osborn all they want but he's done a great job with the VCRCC.

Ron do you and Osborn fit Ann Coulters recent description of John Edwards? Sure sounds like you are protective of him. Is Osborn afraid to take a polygraph?

Does VCRCC stand for Ventura County Republicans Can't Compete (Fairly)?

I know Mr. Osborn well. No I'm not a Democrat but a lifelong Republican. He has for years been a wanna be and now believes his own press that he has delivered the VCRCC. Osborn and Foy should hide in shame. 18% more Republicans in the Sups Race and they barely squeak by Dantona by 895 votes. What a joke. I don't agree with all of Dantona's positins but at least ke takes stands. Osborn if you have the money and courage go to Dantona and beg him to teach you what campaigns are all about I'm sure his fee isn't that high anyway the Republicans can illegaly get Bucks in your pocket. You really are a light wieght. As far as Bennett he is very beatable, and he probably should join osborn in that class. Steve did you really think Foy and his Right Wing Cronies wouldn't come after you. Good thinking.

Your political insight is only exceeded by your spelling ability.

I do find it funny that you give Dantona credit for being a political campaign guru, but say that the 4th District race should have been won easily by Foy. If Dantona is so smart why did he get in a race that would be won so easily by a Republican? A smart guy wouldn't get in a race that he didn't think he could win, right? Dantona thought he would win in the district, even with the slanted registration, but Osborn and the VCRCC got involved and Foy won. Foy won, Osborn won, the VCRCC won. That's the real measure of campaign ability-who wins.

Come back when you know something about politics.

Ron come back when you have something to say. So the VCRCC getting involved in what most likely were illegal contributions was okay? "The real measure of campaign ability-who wins." I guess in your book Ron that would have applied to Hitler? Whoever wins, right?

Campaigns are not about winning? You've raised being a goofball to an artform.

Voter are you thinking for a minute?

Get ready.

Elections are about winning. If you were a liberal Democrat in Santa Monica running against arch conservative Peter Foy and you won by three votes we would assume your campaign and candidate were weak.

You won. Great Job.

If Shaq comes down and plays one on one with a 3rd grader and "won" 12-10 before recess was over he would be the "winner" but we would also know something went wrong.

So Voter, how do you explain barely winning to what you have described as a liberal lobbyist in SIMI VALLEY home of the Reagan library?

I'm going to echo a prior post. You guys hold up Dantona as some kind of super campaigner/politician and in the next breath talk about how Foy should have won in a landslide. You can't have it both ways.

You're saying now that Dantona can win in the Senate race, but when Strickland cleans his clock you'll say that it's a Republican district and Strickland should have won by more.

You all can't, if we're going to have an honest discussion, continue to argue both sides of the question.

If Dantona is truly a great political mind then the Foy team, and the VCRCC, deserves the credit. If Dantona is stupid, doesn't know anything about politics or the 4th District and shouldn't have been in the race in the first place, then Foy should have had a landslide.

Which is it?

We can have an honest debate or act like children, your choice.

I am starting to think you are either willfully ignorant or are just joking.

Easy facts. Tell us which ones you disagree with. Ready?

1. The area is much more Republican than Democratic.

2. Foy is a conservative Republican.

3. Jim Dantona was a lobbyist for many liberal politicians.

4. Foy had the support of his party.

5. Foy had an ample supply of money to get his message out.

6. Before the campaign neither men had large name recognition with the average voter.

7. Generally voters prefer business owners to lobbyists.

8. Foy barely beat what you have called a liberal lobbyist.

9. All partisan seats, except for statewide offices, in Simi Valley are represented by Republicans.

10. Almost every nonpartisan seat is held by a Republican.

After you answer those questions we will move on.

You're either disingenuous or stupid. My prior post addresses the issue.

Kudos, for Supervisor Bennett for being the champion for Foster Youth. When he saw an opportunity to provide transitional housing for youth 18 and over in a current housing project before the VCBOS he stepped up to the plate and ceased the oppotunity to give these young folks a chance to get established in the community.

Regarding supporting Dantona, many elected officials that serve on a Board do not endorse one candidate over another because they want to have amicable and productive relationships with whoever the voters of that district elect.

I also think that Bennett may not have wanted to be affliated with Flynn who was active in Dantona's campaign. Right or wrong I believe he was letting the voters of the District make the decision of who their representative should be. The same could be true for Sup. Long.

Come on "voter" - honest debate doesn't include calling the other people "children" or "stupid." Ann Coulter tried name calling and it back-fired bigtime.

I don't know Leslie, but as I read it the reference to "children" was a comment on whether people wanted to have a real discussion or not.

The "stupid' appeared to be a response to the poster who deliberately ignored the essence of the post in question.

Lastly why are you chastising "voter" and overlooking all those who are calling Osborn names?

Do you support that particular double standard?

My guess is that Ron and Voter are the same person. I think this area is about to change from red to blue. The next election will be like what happened when Loretta Sanchez beat B1 Bob Dornan. Guys like Voter are so out of touch with reality that they won't know what happened until the day after and then it will be too late.

Gotta tell you, this Dem isn't scared to death or anything close to it. Never felt better.

I also don't have to "bad rap" Osborn, because there seems to be plenty of Republicans here doing it already. That's their family business, not mine.

Shall we recap? Reps had a net loss of 4 non-partisan seats in the last election, and Dems had a net gain of 3.

They barely beat a Democrat in a district with heavy Rep registration advantage. The dam has been cracked. In '08, we intend to break it.

Registration has been moving in the Dems favor (and DTS) over the past 3 years in the county, slashing the Rep advantage from 15,000 to 6,800. With the plan we have already started to implement for '07 & '08, those numbers will continue to move in our favor, until we overtake the Republicans next year. With redistricting in 2010, we'll be ready to compete for seats where we have been locked out due to ridiculous gerrymandering.

Yes, my friends, things are looking very, very good for the Democratic Party in this county. We're looking forward to the State convention next month, where we have much to celebrate!

Ms. Winchester please do not confuse this debate with real facts!

Last time I checked there were over 65,000 Decline to State voters in Ventura County. The margin of GOP vs. Dems may have shrunk a bit, but the numbers (just as in California overall) for DTS voters have grown. There is a large swing vote in this county, and in this state.

Which is an advantage because DTS voters will vote for the best candidate regardless of party. They are turned off by the whole "he is a liberal vote for the true Republican" in nonpartisan races that so many party leaders run.

It won't necessarily be an advantage in the February Presidential Primary, because the California Republican Party (CRP) currently does not allow independents to vote in their presidential primary. There is a movement to change that, but the fussbudgets, I mean leadership, are not inclined to change it. Independent (Decline to State) voters will not get to vote for Rudy Guiliani or John McCain in the primary unless the changes its rules. The Democrats are welcoming the independents and allowing them to participate in their primary, hoping that they will stay with them in November '08. There's a good article on this in the San Francisco Chronicle today.

Steve Bennett better be at the Democratic spring fling as a sign he is willing to stand up to the Strickland machine and stand up for core Democratic values.

He will need his party behind him and we are waiting for him to sound the alarm.

I like how the Democrats are stepping and attacking Bennett and Long for not standing with Dantona. They are taking a page from their Republican counterparts and attacking their own.

I can't speak for them, but I assume that Long and Bennett didn't want to stand in the sewer with Dantona. Just a hunch.

Not Your Regular Republican you are the one in the gutter. I think Long and Bennett thought it was safer to stay out of the Foy race then to get involved. But they should have learned from Nevil Chanberlein that appeasing someone like Foy and Osborn does not work.

Sorry, meant Neville Chamberlain.

I guess many Democrats want a team player. That doesn't mean every campaign but if the Ventura County Central Committee wants to turn it into a partisan seat is Steve Bennett worthy of defending for Democratic activists from Simi Valley or Moorpark?

Questions! Questions! Questions!

Will SOAR and development be the key issue in this race?

How will environmental and health safety issues resound with the voters? LNG? Off shore drilling?
Energy usage and technology?

Could a County budget crisis loom in the near future and be the deciding issue in the campaign? Are the high numbers of mortgage foreclosures spelling the end to the artificial prosperity of this County? Where are the State and Federal Government in all this?

Will law and order trump all other issues? Or will it be the cost and availability of health care?

Will a political unknown with a ton of money (a la Foy) be the candidate? Is there someone in the wings who actually knows how the County government functions without having to spend a year learning about it?

Who will the "king makers" be? The "old guard" of the county? Some "new kids" in town? Will the County political demographic continue to change as development brings in a more diverse and representative base of voters?

Lots to think about and let's hope that some thinking actually goes on in this campaign and not just rhetoric.

Stay tuned . . .

News on the street is that Osborne and the Republican KGB have already begun raising $$$ to beat Bennett. Steve Bennett has a bullseye on his back and better be careful. I would take this threat very seriously. Although Bennett is the incumbent he is very beatable because of his arogance. He also doesn't seem to know his friends from his enemies.

Maybe it is not arrogance.

Maybe he is asleep and he is about to get a wake up call!

Not Bennett, Mike Osborn is not raising any money - he is merely a conduit for outside interests. In other words, the Ventura County Republican Party has sold out and will no longer try to reflect what is important to the county. MO facilitated the sell out.

Yes, a lot of money will be going through the Ventura County Central Committee but it will be like Orange County, Yolo County, San Diego, etc. A lot of candidates outside the county will run money through our county and there will also be some large developers.

There is nothing preventing the Democrat Party from doing the same thing and I wouldn't be suprised it happens.

Bennett is a smart man. He's not my cup of tea but he is probably the smartest politician that Ventura County has to offer. It will be real interesting how he handles the upcoming election. He has the advantage in Voter Registration but I suspect he will try to appeal to the moderate voter as well.

Katie,

Perhaps like Br'er Fox, he is just laying low and is fully prepared to pounce on Br'er Rabbit when he comes hopping along his way.

I would be pleased if it were so, but also surprised.

I suspect Mike Osbourne will run, or is it Osbourn, Osborn, or maybe Ozzy. He must not command too much respect if people can't spell his name. MO has a lot of baggage and has made many enemies with his shady campaign financing of extremist candidates.

The gloves will come off as a result when candidates and their supporters across Ventura County look for payback and restitution for VCRCC gone wild. The people of VC better wake up and realize their elected officials are being bought by large corporate interest from outside of VC.