At least three national protests are being organized in the wake of the Valentine’s Day killings in Parkland, Florida. Each is different in scope and substance, and all deserve support. And, no, three protests is not too many.
Legislation co-sponsored by San Diego Congressman Rep. Scott Peters has drawn the ire of civil rights organizations and advocates for the disabled. On Thursday as the House of Representatives passed the ADA Education and Reform Act (HR 620) by a 225-to-192 vote, with 12 Democrats joining all but 19 Republicans.
Supporters of the bill claim it is a reasonable reform aimed at stopping bad actors from abusing the law for personal gain. Opponents claim it limits the power of the Americans with Disabilities Act and turns back the clock on disability rights.
At issue is a change in the language currently requiring ‘providing access’ to making ‘substantial progress.’ This may seem like small potatoes to some, but for those who are wheelchair bound and still seeing access problems three decades after the original ADA was enacted, it’s a big deal. [Read more…]
The National Rifle Association needs to be put out of its misery. Despite all the talk about mental health, thoughts and prayers, a national conversation, and sensible gun laws, the solution to our gun madness is obvious.
The gunman in Parkland, Florida did not act alone as he carried out the 18th school shooting of 2108.
He was assisted by 52 Republican Senators, 298 Republican Representatives, and the NRA. Many, if not all, of those GOP legislators were elected or persuaded to vote the ‘right way’ with $140 million in help from this vile organization in the 2016 election cycle. [Read more…]
People will have to take time off from work if they have an interest in local government this year. With most of the Board of Supervisors leaving office in the next couple of years due to term limits, they’ve decided daytime hearings are all the people need.
Supervisor Bill Horn’s recent statement that he was no longer willing to sit through evening hearings on the $5.79 billion County budget and the willingness of three other board members to go along with him says it all.
As reported by the Union-Tribune: “If you’re a concerned citizen … you could make the time to come down here to testify,” Supervisor Bill Horn said at a recent board meeting. “I’m willing to sit here for two days. … I don’t want to sit here at night.” [Read more…]
Indivisible 49 and its coalition partners are continuing their weekly rallies outside the Vista offices of Congressman Darrell Issa. The North County Republican may be laying low for now –it’s expected he’ll jump into the race for District 50 if and when Rep. Duncan Hunter takes a fall– but the issues surrounding Congress and the administration continue.
As has been true throughout their campaign, the Issa office protests have a theme each week. This week’s theme seems especially appropriate: a “Love America” rally on the day before Valentine’s Day focus on the values of democracy, freedom, truth, justice, equality, the Constitution, rule of law.
Given that Russian interference in domestic politics is in the news today, this theme seems especially appropriate. [Read more…]
There are doom and gloom stories galore popping up all around the media universe concerning the Trump administration’s proposal for a budget. To the extent these stories report on the words contained in this document, they are likely correct.
Words and actions are two different things, and the budget proposal advanced by the White House will never see the light of day in Congress.
The same is true for the much-ballyhooed gazillion dollar infrastructure plan. It ain’t gonna happen. [Read more…]
News accounts of an arrest where a San Diego Police officer was punched in the face on Saturday, February 3, didn’t tell the whole story.
Video of the punching incident furnished by Irate Productions to the Southwestern Sun college newspaper show another, more disturbing, version of what happened.
While I think it’s always a bad idea to punch somebody with a badge and a gun, the video shows the officer (who has yet to be named) starting the confrontation by hitting with a police baton Frederick Jefferson as he backs away. And the incident was completely unrelated to what was going on that day in Chicano Park. Also, there was no ‘violence’ at the rallies. [Read more…]
There are thirty-eight events of interest to activists in San Diego over the next ten days. It’s safe to say the pace and intensity of progressive politics have not lessened as we enter into year two of Cadet Bone Spurs.
I have a few observations about our County so-called government to share before you get to the good stuff:
First Amendment eff up. Journalist Kelly Davis has worked diligently over the past few years exposing injustices in local government. The County of San Diego didn’t take kindly to her (along with Dave Maass) exposés concerning (60!) jail deaths at the SD County Jail. So they decided to drag her into court to reveal her notes, interviews, and recordings from the award-winning CityBeat series. She’s off the hook, for now, thanks to a judge with common sense. But there’s still a chance the County government will appeal. Read about it here. [Read more…]
Campaign financial reports were filed recently, and it’s worth a look at this time to see who’s looking to be a serious contender in the five contests for the House of Representatives in San Diego.
The really juicy stuff–contributions by Political action Committees revealing the special interests backing candidates–typically come in the final months before the election, so we’ll have to wait for numbers.
Two things to watch as Field Marshall Trump of the Bone Spur Brigade continues into his second year: the investigation into purported wrong-doings by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and voter turnout in the 2018 elections. [Read more…]
Politico has published a devastating article about Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter based on more than a dozen interviews with lawmakers, congressional aides, former staffers, and sources close to a Justice Department investigation.
According to the account, Hunter had problems with alcohol and a predilection for what appear to be inappropriate relationships with a female staffer and lobbyists, in addition to growing suspicions that his financial misdeeds were more widespread than has already been reported.
The bottom line is this: while Hunter still has some fans in Washington, GOP insiders fear his legal and financial problems will cost the party what should be a safe seat in the House of Representatives. The deadline for filing to run in the 2018 elections is March 9. The timing of this story and the number of sources willing to come forward tells me party elders want Hunter gone. [Read more…]
Campaign financial reports for the second half of 2017 were released recently. There’s good news and bad news, and news needing to be taken with a grain of salt.
In San Diego County, the system of passing the torch from retiring officeholder to anointed successor gives the GOP candidates for District Attorney and D4 Supervisor all the advantages of incumbency sans the need to defend past actions. Republican Bonnie Dumanis is running as a “Judge” in the hopes of creating some distance from the scandals associated with her tenure as County District Attorney.
Simply put, the County government is the biggest entity impacting the most lives in San Diego. And if you look closely, it’s apparent the decisions of the Board of Supervisors regularly favor interests whose fundamental values do not align with those of most of the people living in the region. [Read more…]
Immigration Leader Rep. Luis Gutiérrez’s presence at San Diego State University for a “Defend the Dream” rally on Friday is coming at a time when the future for participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program looks bleaker by the day.
Congressman Gutiérrez, the co-chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ Immigration and Border Issues Task Force, along with Ammar Campa-Najjar, a Democratic candidate in CA50, will be urging Congress to immediately remove the threat of deportation for nearly 800,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.
Rep. Gutiérrez is the Capitol’s most outspoken advocate for a DACA “fix”, which has been delayed and deferred throughout a series of short-term spending resolutions by Congress. Nearly 30% of DACA recipients reside in California and, according to Alliance San Diego, 40,000 residents of San Diego County are DACA-eligible or DACA recipients. [Read more…]
