WHEN STATE LEGISLATORS did their grand gerrymandering of legislative districts back in 2001, one of the most egregious errors was the odd mishmash that is Senate District 19. It encompasses Ventura County, Santa Barbara County and part of Santa Clarita.
The Santa Barbara coastline and Ventura, which were once represented by Jack O'Connell, fell under the vastly reconfigured district of Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks), one of the most conservative members of the Legislature.
The more moderate voices of Ventura, Oxnard, Santa Barbara and Ojai have felt distinctly left out ever since. No wonder then that as McClintock leaves his seat after being termed out, a strong Democratic contender, Hannah-Beth Jackson, has emerged to take on the far-right Tony Strickland for SD-19.
I have been an admirer of Jackson's for a long time. She owned a business in Ventura for 22 years and was an extremely effective legislator while in the Assembly and a champion for every cause I value -- education, the environment, consumer protection, public safety and women's issues.
I was also one of the Mound Elementary School parents who in 2000 found myself with a young child sickened at school by a serious pesticide overspray incident from a neighboring orchard. The farmer was substantially fined. In response to our pleas, Jackson brought together environmental and agricultural advocates who are frequently adversaries in support of legislation that empowered county agricultural commissioners to impose conditions on the use of pesticide applications near schools and other sensitive sites.
Tony Strickland voted against it.
I wanted to avoid overtly political statements on this blog, but a succession of mailers from the Strickland camp has sent me over the edge.
STRICKLAND IS NOW CALLING HIMSELF an alternative energy executive in an obvious attempt to diffuse an extremely poor environmental record while in the Assembly. With a lifetime score of nearly zero from the California League of Conservation Voters, Strickland is no friend of the environment. He has opposed legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect children's health from pollutants, and re-authorize the state's recycling program, among many other environmentally friendly measures. He even opposed a bill to increase California's supply of clean, renewable energy.
But wait, isn't that what Strickland's new company supposedly does? You can read more about it in a story by Star reporter Timm Herdt. The truth is that the company, formed by a group of Republican real estate developers and staffed for free by Strickland's campaign workers, has not had success even pulling a permit to study the issue in California. Their initial permit requests were deemed insufficient by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and are still pending. FERC is carefully scrutinizing these filings to prevent speculative claims.
"I don't think they're going to get it," Fort Bragg, Calif. environmental activist Laurel Krause told me. She led a protest against the greenlighting of wave energy projects without proper environmental review and citizen input. Strickland's company has applied for a project there. Wave energy research is still in its infancy and causing concern among environmental groups because of its untested effects on the ocean environment, she said.
Strickland was brought into the project, according to a quote from company president Wayne Burkamp in the Fort Bragg Advocate News, for his political pull.
BUT HE'S LISTING HIS OCCUPATION as alternative energy executive on the ballot, even though he's yet to make a dime from the company because it is obviously not yet generating revenue. It also figures prominently on all his advertising.
Now I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt and would, except that this is not the first time his integrity has been called into question. According to a Los Angeles Times story, both Strickland and his wife, Audra, were investigated by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office for transferring campaign donations to businesses owned by each other. And while they were cleared of wrongdoing, eyebrows remain raised in local political circles.
I will also add into the equation that Strickland has accepted thousands of dollars of donations from tobacco companies, alcoholic beverage companies, and gambling interests.
According to the Institute for Tobacco Policy, he has accepted almost $85,000 in direct contributions from tobacco companies. He then voted against two measures which would make it harder for minors to buy cigarettes.
Ventura and State Senate District 19 deserve better than this.
Go get him Hannah Beth!!!!
Thank you for exposing Tony Strickland. He has no integrity. My vote is for Hannah-Beth for the 19th district senate seat.
So, let me get this straight, Marie. You're supporting an extremely liberal former State Assembywoman, with a far left agenda and an itch to get back into politics, because she responded to a little overspraying in an agricultural area that got your kid sick? It seems to me the school should have been held just as responsible for that little mishap as the farmer. What were they doing letting the kids play outside if it wasn't safe? Another wonderful example of our overpaid school administrators doing their jobs.
You have completely misrepresented Tony Strickland's record as well in order to build up your candidate. The "limousine liberal" from Santa Barbara-Montecito who accepts big donations from all the Santa Barbara elitists who think that government knows what's best for us. Yes, it's "Taxan Jackson" to the rescue, folks. But, hang on to your wallets. It's bound to get rougher out there if she's elected to the Senate.
Tony believes in a reduced role for government in our lives. He and Audra both have fought valiantly with the liberal Democrats who control the Legislature for many years trying to achieve this noble goal, only to have been stifled at every turn. They have also both struggled to bring an out-of-control State budget back to reality and bring expenditures in line with revenues, only to be rejected time and time again.
Tony has also established an alternative energy company, Green Wave Technologies, to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil through the development of wave energy, in an effort to reduce the prices we pay at the pump, which is not only helping to destroy the economy, but affecting us at an individual level as well.
Let's not denigrate the best candidate for this office in order to build up Hannah-Beth Jackson's meager qualifications. Let's support Tony Strickland for State Senate. Someone who will best represent the interests of the common person in District 19.
Anybody that accepts donations from tobacco companies does not deserve my vote. As far as I am concerned a candidates integrity should count for something.
Mongo, you know full well that Strickland has done NOTHING for the good folks of our community. His entire reason for being is to maintain a beachhead for the far right wing of the GOP and facilitate the election of like-minded candidates. To put it in perspective, Jackson's support comes from the community. Strickland's comes from Tobacco, Alcohol and Gambling. You're fooling no one except yourself if you think Tony will represent the interests of the common person.
Isn't this the same Strickland who voted for drivers licenses to illegal aliens and voted for the largest tax increase in state history? Is he the Republican in the race? Can someone clarify that?
In fact the 19th State Senate District is changing and it looks like Hannah Beth Jackson will represent the views and party of a majority of voters, small business people and residents. Apparently, many Republicans agree and the centrist Decline to State voters and are going to take a careful look as this experienced candidate in November. We don't want an idealogical pol like Strickland but an official who can work with everyone for the community.
One of the times I wrote to Tony Strickland was to ask that more effort be invested in snagging illegal construction contractors, my greatest competition came from illegal contractors. His staff answered saying, Tony doesn't have time for that. The only conclusion I could come to was the fact Tony concentrated in making life easier and more profitable for big business, not small business.
Why would Strickland take dirty tobacco money?
That doesn't show strong family values.
His compnay that uses government employees to work for it hasn't made a profit. But that isn't the problem. The problem is that it doesn't have any money coming in. It doesn't have a product. And the employees are being paid for through campaign contributions and our taxes.
He shouldn't take tobacco money to fund his company.
I have a question for Mongo.
Do you think Tony Strickland should give the tobacco money to a charity?
Is it ethical to take tobacco money?
Would you prefer he not take the money?
Good post Marie. Strickland has to reinvent himself every election and idiots like Mongo chant the matra. Yes, Strickland has an alternative energy company and his cohorts Gorian and Kunicki are engineers and scientists, as are his campaign workers and those of his wife. It is all a bunch of bull. The man just can't tell the truth! According to The Star newspaper, HBJ did a great presentation last night in Simi Valley. I guess Strickland was too busy harnessing wave power to address the dump expansion.
Comparing TS to HBJ in their potential to represent the community is what representative politics is all about and TS isnt even in the stadium much less the same playing field.
Mongo does himself no service either by mis-characterizing HBJ while complaining of the mis-characterization of TS. This makes him out to be the shill and sycophant that he really is...cant argue the facts but he is all over the meaningless, emotional BS.
Cant expect more from someone who lacks the conviction of their own opinion.
Keep ripping them a new one HBJ while Mongo mistakes his balls for his wallet and hangs on tight.
Listen to these whiners. They cannot stand an independent voice speaking out against the mantra and shrill shrieking from the far left wing of the Democrat Party. Well, get used to it, kids.
Mongo has spoken and Mongo will continue to speak out when he sees someone trying to capitalize on the common people in this community with the help of the wealthy liberals up in Montecito, which is far from representative of the average person in this district!!!
You are just hapless, Mongo, but I will address every one of your ill-informed points one by one.
1. My child and others were poisoned while walking into their school by Lorsban, a pesticide banned by the EPA for use in homes because of its toxic neurological effects on children. It happened quickly before anybody was aware of what was going on. The grower's workers improperly used a speed sprayer in the adjacent orchard and a toxic cloud drifted over the campus. I drove through it in my car and my vehicle was covered with a sticky residue.
2. I support Hannah-Beth because she is an effective legislator. She and Tony Strickland served during the same six-year period, and any objective person who compares their respective records of legislative accomplishment and her 63 bills that were enacted into law and signed by two governors will recognize a huge difference between the two.
In the same period Strickland authored just six pieces of legislation which were signed into law. One was for the Arthur Murray Dance Studios and the other was for Reagan license plates ... which were never made.
3. Hannah-Beth has about the same number of donations from Ventura as she does from Santa Barbara. We are working folks here who are donating. I counted only eight donations from Montecito on her list.
In contrast, Strickland's donors are almost entirely Big Business. He lives in Moorpark but only three of his donors are from Moorpark and they are all Big Business. His neighbors aren't donating to him. Why is that?
4. I did not misrepresent his record. He absolutely did vote against every one of those things I mentioned and many more. He even voted against Hannah-Beth's Violence Against Women Act which was signed into law in 2002!!
I have never felt so strongly in my life about a campaign. He absolutely should not be elected. So I stepped out of my usual pattern on this blog to say so.
The only thing worse than Tony Strickland, is his wife....well, come to think of it; Audra AND Elton Gallegly are right up there, too, along with Tony.
Keep it up Marie, you're batting a thousand !
I don't live in Santa Barbara or Montecito nor am I in the wealthy crowd but I support Hannah Beth totally.
Not only does she drive a regular car as opposed to one in Mongo's make believe world of liberal limo driving people, which by the way would more likely be a Republican, but she's a highly intelligent, well spoken, honest, hard working person who loves her country and state so much that she's devoted her life to doing the right thing for it and by once again I state she's an honest person.
I don't trust the Stricklands to look after the welfare of the people, all the people or the earth that we all live on and will hopefully leave to our grandchildren.
I sign out as a regular person supporting an inspiring strong leader and that person is Hanna-Beth Jackson.
I hope all of the people blogging here get out and support Hannah-Beth, time and money I'm sure will be needed.
I wouldn't give lying slugs like Mongo and Strickland the time of day. HBJ is a mensch and gets my support whenever I can give it.
HBJ is a "mensch", huh? Isn't that a derogatory term for a female Jew? Wow.
Etymology
From Yiddish, from the German Mensch (human).
[edit]Noun
mensch (plural mensches or menschen)
A person of integrity and honor.
HBJ is one hot ticket. She is the only politician who has come out against the expansion of the dump in Simi Valley. She has a strong environmental record and is a person with no silent objectives. Strickland, on the other hand, is a dangerous phony who will hurt our State. More than likely, he will continue to cross the line and end up in jail. Then Bubba can deal with all his lies and we can all sit back and laugh as that smile fades away. Go Bubba.
Surfs up. I'm surfin' my may up from Ventura to Lompoc to let Bubba know that Tony is on the way.
Jim Balter, you owe this blog an apology, I'm afraid. You cannot conceal the fact that you have a personal vendetta against Jewish women. Please don't try to cover up your offenses any longer. A simple apology will do though...
American Heritage Dictionary:
Mensch:
A person having admirable characteristics, such as fortitude and firmness of purpose:
Mensch means a person of integrity and honor. These are all things Strickland has none of and you, Mongo, as his only cheerleader here, only hurt his cause with your ramblings.
Mongo is Mike Gibson. It is common knowledge on the Dennert Blog and it might as well be common knowledge over here. Since he works for the SB government, everytime you argue with him it ends up costing the taxpayer money.
The same one who ran for Ventura City Council?
Ask him and see what he says. Or e-mail me directly at KatieTeague@verizon.net
I find it ironic that some of you think that Tony Strickland is unethical because of his donations but think that HBJ is the moral compass for us all. She totally supports killing unborn babies and receives contributions from Planned Parenthood. Tony Strickland is exactly what we need to get California back on track and away from the liberal socialist state we have become.
As long as Roe v. Wade stands, a woman's right to choice is perfectly legal. Only 17% of Americans believe abortion should be illegal in any circumstances. It's a non-issue in this campaign. The state legislature will never be called upon to overturn Roe. V. Wade.
I would worry more about why Tony is in the pocket of Big Oil, Big Tobacco, Big Alcohol and Big Gambling. He's not looking out for the little guy.
Hey Folks,
A good friend of mine informed me this afternoon that I am being mistaken on the Dennert blog for "mongo flamo". Let me assure you, this is not me. I have seen some of his posts and know that he can be quite offensive and insulting at times.
Not sure how the rumor got started and I'm not that concerned about it, since anyone can say they're anyone on these blogs, but I just thought I'd try and set the record straight a bit.
Katie, judging by some of your posts above, you seem convinced it's me. I guess I'm a little surprised at that, but oh well.
Hope all is well with you. Maybe we can have coffee sometime and talk about the local political scene. It seems like you're still quite involved. Good for you!
Well hey now. That makes some sense to me. Why else would Mongrel spend so much time trying to trash the city council? I've been trying to figure this one out. Why thanks Miss Katie.
Looks like your preview works again, Marie.
Yes, Skipperoony, the student becomes the teacher, eh? I'd always liked Mike Gibson, but it sounds like he's blowing me off now to save his own skin. Typical politician, I guess. He's starting to act like he's on the City Council already, but we'll see, if he keeps abandoning his supporters.
You sure you're not his evil twin? Jekyl and Hyde? Multiple personality? Psychotic episode? Is it like the Exorcist when Linda Blair started speaking like the devil? Sort of interesting how you both are on this blog a lot.
I have never seen HBJ kill any unborn babies. I have never known Planned Parenthood to support that either. Their preference is to avoid doing such things thru family planning but choice is legal and a decision for a woman, her doctor and her God (not self-righteous fools with their intrusive government programs).
But it sure is emotional (a bit childish too) to talk about it like that. It would even be fair to say a tad bit hysterical and I dont mean funny. Too bad your bleeding heart doesnt extend to taking care of children after they are born - that would be socialist!!
Somewhere someone is looking down on you from above and shaking their head in disbelief at what a reasoning failure you are.
It is so refreshing to find the general public represented by these commenters are no longer lapping up the conservative right propaganda. Probably the most significant advance in local politics is that former Bush/Cheney/Gallegly supporters have finally come to the realization that the main ingredients in Repubican politicians is greed, racism, pedophilia, confused sexuality, anti-environmenalism and hypocrisy, a common thread among most GOP members including McCain, Rove, Libbey, O'Reilly, Hannity, Limbaugh, Savage, Scarborouch, Buchanan and throw in Chris Matthews who plays the role of a Lib, but just doesn't pass the smell test.
Mongo Gibson, Gibson Mongo, Kunicki Osborn, . . .
Who cares! Nothing changes the fact that Strickland is a phony and Jackson is woman who can stand on her history and life's work. There is no question who we can trust. HBJ, all the way!
Migeuel, I am a lifelong Republican and I'm not planning on switching parties. I expect elected Republican officials to spend less - starting at home. I also expect less government interference. I'll vote or not vote accordingly.
Don't paid Republicans or Democrats with a broad brush - both Parties need to do some serious housecleaning. I think you will find this is readily admitted to by grounded leaders.
Agreed, Katie. I have plenty of Republican friends who share my strong ethics and values. As a very moderate Democrat, I have been known to support candidates in both parties.
But I don't support Strickland or his wife and have serious issues with the misdeeds of the Bush administration.
Integrity and hard work will always get my vote and that's why I support Hannah-Beth.
I think we can dismiss both Katie and Skippy as over-the-top people, with obvious political agendas.
When you start mistakenly identifying people on a blog and trying to smear their good names by associating them with other people, it starts to sound a lot like Rove/Libby, or even shades of McCarthyism.
At a minimum, it is an attempt to stifle open debate and freedom of expression. Very sad, indeed.
Ventura Voter - quit whining. He has been outed repeatedly. He shouldn't listen to people like you - got him into trouble in the first place.
Miguel - sorry about all the misspellings in the post - I did it as I was heading out for work and was in a hurry.
Nobody more over the top than Mongo.
Is that you Mongo in the Ventura Voter disguise?
Skip and Katie, you guys seem to live to bag on Mongo and discredit Mike Gibson. Poor souls, the both of you.
Katie is so wrong. Mike Gibson hasn't lost a thing in terms of his political viability. He may have lost 3 votes for all the people that patronize this blog. The rest of the world could really care less.
It's tough being outed, ain't it buddy?
Who is this Gibson and why do we care about him? From what I have seen in the newspaper, he made his play and fell on his face. On with the blog. We can deal with Gibson if he ever makes a play again. For now, Mongo/Kunicki/Osborn/Strickland are far more fun!
Phony, homely and a loser - Strickland
Real, classy and a winner - Hannah-Beth Jackson
Gibson? Who cares!
CAP-812,
You mean to say people should base their decision on voting for either Strickland or Jackson on looks? You must be related to Jill Dominique. Maybe you are her. Yeah, that's it. You must be her. (I sound like Katie now, don't I?)
BTW, have you taken a good look at HBJ. Yikes!!!
You know, Mongo, I was staying out of this up until now. You made a back-handed religious slam earlier that I let go, but now you've really crossed the line.
CAP-812, I agree with your choice of candidates, but let's leave looks out of this.
Both of you: stick to issues.
Ohhhh, I shudder...What are you going to do, Marie? Take away my mouse?
Mongo,
One of the "joys" of being a blog moderator is attempting to keep commentary confined to issues and steering it away from personal stuff like how a person looks.
I've been a little lax lately in monitoring the blog because this is a busy time of year for my family. I just felt it necessary to step in before it got out of hand.
But I will remind you that I have a delete key and I know how to use it.
Marie,
Your point is well taken. Perhaps you missed the sarcasm contained in my previous post, however.
You made it a point to jump down my throat for the comment on Hannah-Beth, but you were much less forceful in your criticism of CAP-812 in her "homely" comment on Tony.
Sometimes I feel like the political persuasion of the blog moderator has a lot to do with who gets hammered and who doesn't. So much for impartiality, I guess.
Delete away. It's always a good way to stifle freedom of expression. Interesting posture, coming from an ex-journalist, such as yourself.
I was harder on you because of the aforementioned religious comment. I found your tone and persistence in that regard out of line.
I told CAP-812 to knock it off, too, with the comment on Strickland's looks.
You push the envelope here continually. I have blog rules (the same as the rules on the Star's main site) and if you stay within the boundaries, I won't delete. Ask the Star's tech guys how much time they spend out there cleaning up comments. A lot!
Just because you can post something, doesn't mean you should. Repeat that over and over to yourself and maybe it will sink in.
Back to the topic at hand: So exactly how is wave energy going to reduce our prices at the pump as Mongo and Strickland are saying? Wave energy, an untested industry in its infancy, at its best is only capable of generating electricity for a very small portion of a coastal city, but wouldn't have any impact on gas prices.
Two of the main players working in Oregon, Ocean Power Technologies and Finavera Renewables, claim that about seven buoys are needed to create one megawatt of power. At 150 kilowatts each, each buoy could feasibly power 60 homes.
Late last year, Finavera Renewables' test buoy deployed near Newport, Oregon, sunk and is still at the bottom of the ocean.
Marie,
Most of my comments are well within the bounds of reason and good taste and you know it. You disagree with a lot of my political opinions and, therefore, you feel the need to reign me in from time to time. We all know this to be true.
Your undying support of the Mayor and current City Council is a classic example. Anything I say that is the least bit critical of the current regime at City Hall, you immediately take umbrage with. Let's be honest here for a moment, shall we?
The only thing I intend to repeat (and it will be to you, not myself) is that I have just as much right to state my opinion as anyone on this blog and Dennert's blog (as long as I don't cross the line) and I will continue to do so (more now than ever before because you've succeeded in raising my hackles!)
You can throw your spin out there all you want about Tony Strickland or whatever the du jour topic is, but I will not be stifled or intimated by your school marm approach to blog moderating or superior attitude regarding access to the delete key.
Now, if Marie will cease and desist with her politically-motivated interference for a moment, I will happy to respond to "Logic's" previous comment.
You make the point that wave energy will have very little impact on reducing gas prices. So, does that mean we should abandon our efforts to seek and explore new technologies to reduce our dependence on foreign oil?
If I extended your logic to wind and solar power (and electric cars for that matter), that would argue for us to remain as hostages to the whims of OPEC and the world oil market. Is that your point here? Because you can't have it both ways.
I am a big advocate of trying whatever methods we can muster, including such innovations as wave technoloy (as Tony Strickland has proposed), and such tried and true and safe technologies as nuclear power, to cut the cord of dependency that is causing us as individuals and our economy as a whole to suffer so dramatically.
Mongo,
In the past you have posted sexual comments about women, including me, on Brian Dennert's blog, which had to be removed. Here you have used profanity and and other vile and baseless attempts at character assassination which I have had to remove. You threatened a female blogger once here, too. All these things violate my blog rules.
Brian Dennert will back this up.
I like to encourage all points of view here for balance so I let you fly most of the time. But your past track record is abysmal and you know it.
I don't begrudge any legitimate attempts to develop alternative energy sources. My guess is Green Wave is engaging in a speculative placeholding arrangement with no actual intent to develop. I find it disingenuous to link high gas prices to this nascent technology in an effort to get votes.
My question to your candidate is this: given his anti-government background, will he accept subsidies to get this off the ground? They are currently being offered to other developers of this technology.
Ahh, quit belly-aching, Marie. If you can't handle a little roughing up once in a while, you shouldn't be involved in politics. It's a blood sport, like it or not, and you don't appear to have the disposition or the stomach for it.
BTW, I have not used profanity on your blog. That's a lie! I always conceal any profane words with **** and you know that to be true. It's called adding emphasis to the point, a common technique in journalism and free speech.
And, furthermore, I don't recall threatening a female blogger on here either. I would like some proof of this.
You told the Pierpont folks to go pound sand up their a-- only you didn't use the hyphens. I removed it and saved it.
You threatened Katie Teague the night before Easter. She protested and asked me to ban you. I didn't.
I'm happy to do so now.
I'm much, much tougher than you think,
Mongo, chill out and enjoy the weekend. Try hard to tell us why we should take Strickland seriously. Up until now, he and his gumbas have been jokes.
CAP-812,
I always enjoy the weekend, but thanks. I already wrote a pretty lengthy post on why I think Strickland is the best candidate for the 19th. I stand by my previous comments.
Marie,
Don't you think you're being a bit of a picky prude here? A--? Is it really that bad of a word? They use it constantly on prime time TV these days. But, OK, I'll give you that one and extend my sincerest apologies. I guess I was under the mistaken impression we were all adults on this blog.
I vaguely recall the Katie "threat", but I don't think it was much of a threat, really. More of a joke, actually. But, I know how hyper Katie can get, so it doesn't surprise me she took it that way.
Anyway, I would like to extend the olive branch to you in the spirit of the weekend and call for a truce. Are you down with that?
Marie is out of town for the weekend with family. Consider the extended olive branch accepted. To all, have a great weekend.
Truce here, too. This is all pretty childish stuff.
As proof of loyalty and conviction of belief I would like to see Mongo do the following:
1. Refinance his ocean view mansion in Ventura
2. As loyalty is rewarded, he can take a job with GreenWave. It doesn't matter that there are no paid positions its all about the future.
3. Take said refinance money and invest in GreenWave. Better yet, make the check out to Tony himself.
Who here believes Tony will even acknowledge alternative energy or GreenWave after the election? Tony is the Malibu Ken of politics. Pick an outfit for play time.
Ligor Hunter,
For your information, I've already invested in GreenWave and the check was made out to the company, not Tony.
It is so rewarding to find so many commenters with intelligence and determination to see GOP crooks eliminated from the scene. It is encouraging to observe the local fall of a stubborn GOP. It was a long time coming, but every ounce of gratitude goes to all of you for putting the Bush administration's puppets Audra and Tony right where they belong, in the gutter. But, please, don't forget the guru of the local GOP, Elton Gallegly, the master scum of them all...the absolute Bush puppet, the only mayor who permitted the Ku Klux Klan to demonstrate and gather new memberships in Ventura County. Simi is still trying to shake the racist/segregationist philosophy he planted in Simi Valley.
Mongo-
Do I have a proposition for you!
My new company, Padunk-a-dunk Energy Solutions, is looking for individuals interested in new energy sources as well as helping to cure obesity in America.
What we propose is harnessing the energy produced when those with very large posteriors are placed on mini trampolines. we refer to this as rebound technology. Although there is no proof we BELIEVE there is a future.
Our grant writers are busy with the secondary effect our system produces. Each person will overtime lose the required girth for efficient production. With the lack of our patented Padunk-a-dunk, junk in the trunk, what the heck is that funk back sides the subject is now healthier and happier.
The only stipulation is the GOP has required all our subjects to smoke in order to keep funding levels up.
In regards to the $50K tobacco contribution recently rec'd by the VC Republican CC -
"Osborn said he sees no downside in the local GOP accepting such a large contribution from a tobacco company. "They have rights just like everybody else," he said. "Everybody's interested in good government."
Asked why he would take so much money from the makers of Marlboro, Osborn responded: "You say Marlboro,' I say Nestle's chocolate.'"
Until last spring, Altria also owned Kraft Foods, the parent company of Nestle. Altria spun off Kraft Foods last year and is now exclusively a tobacco company."
The Republicans dont even try to disguise their willingness to sell their soul for power and influence. What little disguise there is - claiming that Big Tobacco has rights like everyone else - thus equating their existence with a human right and not a legal right - is nothing more than an immoral justification for greed.
But hey all you good Republican citizens out there - these people care about you by wanting less government - you know, for you, the people.
Don't forget the fact that Gibson's sister is a VP with Altria...
Strickland is scum and Mongo needs attention. What a waste of time for Marie to have to deal with Mongo instead of the issue at hand. Go start your own blog Mongo & let us talk or disagree respectfully about --well-- just about anything. Which is more than a woman-hating-racist-attention-hound like you can do. Go blabber somewhere else.
Well, the issue is that Mongo is pretty intertwined in the fund-raising efforts for Tony Strickland. His Dad is a big-wig in Rancho Palos Verdes that doesn't mind writing six-figure checks to the campaign on a moment's notice. Mongo simply has to tell him what to bring and his father is more than happy to engage his dsires.
This will be a wild weekend - Women, wine, song and money flying all over the place.
If thimgs are managed well, which I expect they will be, there should be tons more money evailable from this little extravaganza than no one could ever hav imagined!
han ahhappy yoengagge gho, whish hih huiscmmsncd kk
Mongo Mike is a loser and so is Strickland.
Who Cares, how many brain cells did you use coming up with such brilliant comments? Not that you have a lot to spare...
70 comments and no one found any integrity.
You must have missed the plethora of letters to the editor in The Star over the last couple of days, joker. It seems Hannah-Beth is suffering from a major case of double-speak, my friend. Who is the one lacking integrity now?
Mongo, you and I both know that those letters were orchestrated and ghost written by Strickland's staff. It's a standard campaign trick.
There are letters today taking an oppositional stance to Strickland and the Republican Central Committee which were not coordinated with anyone. They came from the heart.
Hannah-Beth will not take any money directly from tobacco companies. VCRCC Chairman Mike Osborn and County School Board (!!) Member Dean Kunicki directly solicited $50,000 in tobacco money to help Strickland's campaign. They are trying to get around campaign finance limits. Strickland is already maxed out in cigarette contributions.
Because they did so, they are now beholden to tobacco interests and Strickland will be expected to vote accordingly. A vote for Big Tobacco is a vote against the health of our citizens.
Oh, c'mon Marie. The letters in today's editorial section were written from the heart? One of them was authored by a member of the Ventura County Democratic Central Committee. How orchestrated was that?
Osborn's job is to solicit campaign contributions for candidates and he does an excellent job at it.
You cannot criticize Strickland for taking money from a company that has tobacco holdings while giving Hannah-Beth a free pass for her acceptance of trial lawyer & union contributions. These are special interest groups as well. A vote for trial lawyers & labor unions is a vote for the health of our citizens?
Let's get real for a moment, shall we?
The letter was not solicited or ghost written by the campaign or put out with a staffer's name, as Strickland did with his. It spoke to the issue very well: Strickland is bought and paid for by tobacco companies.
And the one from the Republican was most certainly not. Apparently folks aren't too happy with Osborn's leadership. I am really glad Neal was elected to the Central Committee. They need some integrity there and Neal is the one to bring it to them.
I'd rather have teachers and police officers and firefighters in my corner than Big Tobacco.
Between the two of you, Marie and Mongo, this blog has turned into a big waste of time. Neither one of you has convinced the other one to change their minds in who they are voting for and the comments have really turned childish. We get it, one accepts campaign donations from Tobacco and the other one doesn't. In reading this blog and the comments, that's really all I've taken from this. The really unfortunate thing Marie, is your main blog that you wrote on the 3rd talks more about why we shouldn't vote for Strickland and nothing overly compelling on why we should vote for HBJ. I want to be convinced for the right reasons about a candidate, enough of this lesser of two evils non-sense. Don't let democracy become a joke.
Agreed, VC Vote. Peace out from me.
I agree wholeheartedly. Mongo and I will never change each other's minds. We sort of work as a point and counterpoint to each other. It's been this way since I started doing this. We do agree on a few things; just not this race.
I did talk about why I admire Hannah-Beth in the early part of the blog. She has been a champion for everything I value -- education, the environment, consumer issues, etc. But it's much more than that. She really takes the time to listen to constituents and works hard for them. I haven't known a more effective legislator in terms of getting things done and she has the legislative record to back that up.
Like me, Hannah-Beth's a huge public policy wonk. She is on top of everything and is a detail person. Nothing slides through the cracks. These are qualities I admire. She's honest and a straight shooter and loves a good debate.
I never tire of listening to her speak. She's good at firing up a crowd. When she spoke at the education rally here in Ventura, we had it filmed. When the editors went through the many speeches to pull audio for the opener, it was mostly Hannah-Beth's remarks that he used. Nobody asked him to do that. It was just that they were that good.
Her background is similar to mine -- the child of "Rockefeller Republicans:" Strong on fiscal issues, but progressive on social issues. Like me, she believes in compromise. We all need to give and take a bit on this budget nightmare.
This particular blog was motivated by my own personal experience with the Mound pesticide incident and dealing with a sick child and feeling authorities were non-responsive. She helped us out, brought both sides together to work out a compromise and then, to get the legislation passed, she had to water it down a bit.
And, still, Strickland voted against it. I never forgot that. He was one of the very, very few who did. And so when I started getting all these mailers addressed to my DTS husband trying to remake Strickland as a "green" candidate, it was just too much. This will likely be the only overtly political blog I will ever do.
Marie, we haven't met but it is clear to me that you speak from the heart. Don't ever give that up. I'm sure HBJ appreciates all that you do to support her. I recall last year when I was working for Jim Dantona and you always came to the front line to do battle for your friend HBJ. I'm sure Mongo respects that. We should also respect Mongo's dedication to Strickland. While I don't agree with that support, Mongo does a good job of leading the battle. For that I say "go Mongo". Nevertheless, Mongo's dogma in support of the tiger is without merit in almost every case. Strickland is a fraud, reinvents himself at every turn and must find our fellow residents to be rather uninformed. Otherwise, he would recognize how foolish he looks pretending to be something that he is not. Tom McClintock had character, like him or not. I haven't been able to find any character in Strickland. Keep your powder dry, Marie. There will be a big war ahead.
What part of taking cigarette money that a SCHOOL BOARD member asked for makes him ethical?
Instead of saying he is just as bad or not as bad as someone else can you defend what he did?
Is it all moral relativity to you?
I find it funny that Mongo sees no difference in money from this tobacco company and from unions. Last time I checked the police officers', firefighters', or teachers' unions didn't cause diseases like cancer.
There is a difference. Of course they are special interest groups but not every special interest group is the same.
And Strickland did the tobacco industry's bidding after taking its cash.
· He failed to vote on a measure which would have prohibited self-service sales of cigarettes or free distribution of tobacco products on publicly accessible property.
· He voted against allowing the Department of Health Services to conduct stings on business selling tobacco to minors. Passed into law anyway.
· He voted against restricting non face-to-face sales of cigarettes. The measure passed anyway and was signed into law by Schwarzenegger.
Hi, I live in the County area and mostly work as a Contractor in the Simi area. After smoking for 29 years and having lung problems I can side with the anti smokers 100%. Those taking those monies are helping others kill us.
Do cities that band smoking get better insurance rates for their citizens from ISO ? ISO is the company that sets the insurance rates you pay on housing and business etc,. etc.? 9 being the worst and 1 the very best.
Agreed. These companies are greedy and only want to push their cancer sticks. My husband has been battling lung cancer for the last two years and after quitting almost ten yrs. ago. Politicans shouldn't take this money.