More importantly will Jim Dantona be there???

In the interest of keeping things balanced here, does anyone know of any upcoming Republican Party events in the County, besides the grand opening of the new office in T.O. today?

Hi Brian,

I plan on attending and look forward to sharing the afternoon with fellow Ventura County Democrats. Labor Day is important for us as a nation to reflect upon, to show appreciation for what Unions have achieved throughout the years. However, much of what they have worked so arduously on is slowly being dismantled at this time in our history. The benefits of unions, both social and economic, are what helped to build our middle class and it is imperative to support Labors’ endeavors. After all, if corporations can consolidate, bargain collectively for the "good" of the corporations while externalizing costs, then why can't all workers "consolidate" and bargain collectively for the good of the workers while externalizing costs?

In Friendship and Solidarity.

PS - To Jill Dominique above, I am a recovering republican, does that count?

Democrats are being attacked for being Irish mafia and being told to go to confession.

Check it out by clicking on my name.

Funniest comment so far and it is true!!

For any valid purpose today in California, the Republican Party is gone and it is not the Democrat's fault.

North Star, did you see how Tom McClintock was slammed by several letters in the Star today over his pro-smoking stand? Tommy Boy thinks parents and anyone else should be allowed to drive around and smoke with children in the car. Tommy Boy had said government should not make these decisions and he hates government and wants no government regulation. People pointed out that Tommy Boy is anti-choice and wants big government to stop women from getting abortions, in other words he is a big hypocrit! We make people put kids in car seats and make them wear seat belts, does he oppose that also? What if nanny has your kid out driving them around, they roll up the windows and smoke and you don't know it? To get Tommy Boy's no vote Phillip Morris gave him around 12 grand, he sells his votes cheap! No wonder with nuts like Tommy Boy California's GOP is in shambles!

Not Steve, apparently, the Dems and their friends in the State Legislature feel they need to play "nanny" to all of us fools driving around out there smoking in our cars, not to mention preventing us from spanking our kids, if the need arises. Sorry, but I agree with Tommy Boy, the government makes a terrible parent.

When a mother or father or adult guardian cannot act in a responsible manner regarding the safety and health of a small child, they can expect not only the government, but their own family, neighbors, friends, doctors, clergy, teachers, police and others to intervene.

It is not just about the laws of the state, but the most deeply rooted taboos in virtually all societies of all human history. Those harming a child deserve the grief they get!

So we should punish parents who let their kids eat too much, watch tv too much, not exercise, play outside without full protective gear, etc.?

I'm sure that is coming next. The same individuals who are OK with abortion are taking it upon themselves to protect children from their own parents. The same folks who defend the rights of drug addicted mothers to give birth to drug addicted babies want to regulate parenting.

Personally I think divorce does more damage to kids than just about anything else, yet you don't see liberals trying to keep families together. I guess it's OK for Johnny to be aborted, be born addicted to crack, or to grow up in a broken home, but heaven forbid he be exposed to 2nd hand smoke.

Bubba,

Divorce is a tragic thing for everyone connected with it - except perhaps the lawyers and accountants handling the details. Families all over the political spectrum have suffered the consequences of it; even some of those who have lived in the White House.

Most clear thinking people do not see protecting children as a liberal or conservative issue. It is a matter of defending those who are unable to protect themselves and it also applies to child custody in matters of divorce or abuse or endangerment. That principle of defending the defenseless is a part of most religions in Western Civilization and is a part of English common law upon which much of our law is based.

Does any of this register as important on your idealogical radar screen?

Jill if you follow Tommy Boy that means you are pro-choice? I mean how can you want government to stay out of the smoking debate if you do not also want them out of the abortion debate? If smoking causes an asthma attack in a child that kills them how does that differ from abortion? In terms of divorce why do we need big government involved in marriage or divorce, if Tommy Boy had his way the government would have no say in marriage or divorce. Sorry folks, you can't have it both ways.

I think Owen stated it best - where does it end? If the State Legislature had their way, they would be regulating how much TV a kid watches, what kinds of games he/she plays, what kind of food they eat, etc., etc. I'm not saying a lot of things that kids are allowed to do are necessarily good for them, but, for God's sake, we have to place some degree of trust in parents to make these decisions.

I think that the laws that are in place are there to protect children from things that have been empirically proven to harm children.

2nd hand smoke causes cancer, lung problems, asthma, among other issues. That has been proven.

Excessive prescription and illegal drugs put people in a state of consciousness that renders them often unable to care for themselves, let alone others. Again, proven.

You are not talking about things that are just "rumored" to be bad for people, this is not a debate over bottled or tap, these are things that are proven.

Physical abuse and child abuse is harmful to children, short-term physically and long-term mentally. Proven fact.

Divorce is made extremely difficult because it is supposed to be the last result; unfortunately, many people get to the last straw and have to take that route. It is not a liberal or conservative issue, and it has nothing to do with liberal views on children and abortion. Yes, you have to place some degree of trust in parents, but there are far more bad parents out there than any of us would like to admit.

Okay then for the record, Jill wants government out of our lives and that means women have the right to an abortion and same sex marriages are okay, I guess the GOP really is trying to make a bigger tent.

One of the fundamentals of government is providing for physical security, protecting the most vulnerable among us clearly fits under that responsibility. Marriage is a cultural institution that the government recognizes. What we have now is a minority of the population trying to press upon the majority a cultural change through governmental means and structures. It has nothing to do with gov staying in or out of our lives.

I disagree strongly that same sex marriages are OK. Marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman. That's a fundamental principle of our society, and, I agree completely, we shouldn't involve the government in it by asking them to sanction something that the majority of Americans disagree with in principle.

What rights for gays do you two support? Domestic partnerships? Adding them to hate crimes laws? Adding them to federal workplace protections?

Was the Supreme Court wrong to overturn the Texas Law that made gay relationships illegal?

Instead of telling us what you are against, how about what you are for?

Jill, your argument would of been the same when interracial marriage was unpopular, no?

C'mon now, you're not sounding very "Happy" to me. I have no problem with domestic partnerships, or adding gay-bashing to hate crime laws, or giving gays full workplace rights & protections. I only have an issue with the government sanctioning gay marriage. I am not the only person who feels this way, BTW. It's a majority of Americans. Your other comments are just ridiculous about gay relationships and interracial marriage. Who would be in favor of this except someone still living in the 50's.

I am glad you agree with Democratic leaders on all of these issues and not with Bush who doesn't favor adding hate crimes laws or workplace protections.

Thanks for your support of gay rights.

I was simply pointing out that the idea that the majority can control the freedom of the minority has been used in the past and now we agree America was wrong.

But thanks again for supporting gay rights. You are real progressive. What local politicians agree with you?

Why didn't Jill answer the question?

So it's simply a semantic issue for Jill..."marriage" versus "domestic partnership"? Same rights, just don't call it marriage? BTW, Jill, would you say that that is what a "majority of Americans" believe as well?

I don't know why you are attacking Jill for coming out strong in favor of gay rights.

No attack, just want her to clarify before I get swept up in her progressive views on gay rights. She also seems to have some sort of stats on what the majority opinion is, so I'd like her to expand on that as well.

If it really is a semantic issue, then I'd like to know more about what separates a marriage from a domestic partnership besides being gay. Aren't there domestic partnerships between non-gays as well?

Is there a divorce lawyer reading this blog who can respond?

(Never around when you need one!)

As far as the "majority" issue is concerned, I read a recent article in U.S. News & World Report that quoted a poll of Americans showing that 74% were in favor of keeping marriage between a man and a woman only.

Gopher alert. Gopher is out from under rock. Get traps and poison. This is an official gopher alert for gopher #2.

Gopher will protect us from gay marriage. I feel safe. We are so lucky that gopher #2 is working for us and the 74% supporters. Go Gopher, go!

Set those traps. Gopher alert.

According to Jill:

"I have no problem with domestic partnerships, or adding gay-bashing to hate crime laws, or giving gays full workplace rights & protections."

That makes you far to the left of W.

I am glad you support so many gay rights. It is refreshing to hear a conservative not support the party line on all of these issues.

So, some proportion of ultra-conservatives are willing to concede on the gay marriage issue by allowing gays to participate in "domestic partnerships." We still don't know how many nationwide, but if Jill will, then there must be a good number of others. That is progressive, but is it progressive enough for the gay population, or is "marriage" what they really want?

I don't understand why someone would want to give gay couples the same legal rights as married couples (healthcare visitation/decision-making, property/alimony, beneficiaries...), but just not allow them to "marry," unless it's a simple case of discrimination...we're better than you, and we don't want to share that word.

(Jill, am I understanding that you would agree that gay couples should have these types of legal rights, just not "marriage"?)

I'm not a lawyer, but it seems to me that the only legal difference between a marriage and a domestic partnership is that with a marriage you have to get a divorce to break it off. So there's a "commitment protection" of sorts in a marriage.

Now, one might say that that protection would be for the sake of the children that might spawn from the marriage. (I can't think of any other reason, can you? Again, I'm not an expert, just processing out loud and hoping someone can help.) If that's the case, then why allow other infertile couples to marry (elderly, tubes tied, whatever...), but not gays?

If churches or other private marrying entities want to discriminate between consenting adults willing to make a life commitment to each other who want that protection, then that's their perogative, but I really don't see something the government should be playing with.

Back to the actual topic of the blog...the Labor Day Picnic. Did anyone else go besides myself and Mary?

Share your thoughts and I will be honest about mine...