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How Republican Candidate Ronald Reagan Colluded with a Foreign Government to Manipulate the 1980 Presidential Election

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The Story of the “October Surprise”and How Reagan Got Away with It

With all the scandals bursting around Trump and the White House these days, with FBI and Congressional investigations into possible crimes committed by the President’s men, many pundits and commentators are making the obvious comparisons with Richard Nixon’s Watergate Scandal.

Yet, besides Watergate, there’s another very striking historical parallel in our not-to-distance past, and it’s another comparison that it would be good for us to review as well.   [Read more…]

Villa Famosa Project Promises to Be a Challenge for Famosa Slough

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A new construction project coming to the shores of Famosa Slough promises to be a challenge to one of the last natural vestiges of Mission Bay.

The “Villa Famosa” project is slated for a remodel of one already existing 2-story apartment building at the site on Camulos Drive, the 90 degree “turning” of the other already-existing 2-story, and the construction of a brand new third 2-story building that will hold 6 units.   [Read more…]

San Diego Council Committee to Hear Proposals for Short-Term Rentals – Fri., Mar. 24th

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A San Diego City Council committee is posed to hear three different options for short-term vacation rentals being proposed by the Planning Department this coming Friday, March 25th.

The Smart Growth and Land Use Committee of the Council will meet in the morning at the Jacob Center and attempt – once again – to juggle the contentious issue of how to deal with these particular types of rentals, an issue that the Council and city staff have bounced around now for 2 years.

The issue of short-term rentals have roiled the beach areas and Ocean Beach in particular.   [Read more…]

Issa Walks Back Support for Special Prosecutor

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There’s some kind of a sick and nefarious game being played out on national politics right now. It’s called, “Special Prosecutor, Special Prosecutor, Who’s Got the Special Prosecutor?”

Even as Congressman Darrel Issa walked back part of his solitary Republican call for a special prosecutor to look into Trump’s ties to Russia, White House press spokesguy Sean Spicer, was denying the need for one and that it would all be a waste of time. When pressed by a reporter to respond to Issa’s call for a special investigator, at a news briefing Monday, Feb. 27, Spicer said:

“A special prosecutor for what?”   [Read more…]

OB Rag Editorial in 1973 During the Days of Nixon and Watergate

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The following is an OB Rag staff editorial from October 1973. It was published during the time of the Nixon administration and the Watergate scandal. As Nixon didn’t resign until August 1974, there were fears of what he would do in the months prior to the resolution of the Constitutional crisis. In reading this editorial written 44 years ago, many of the themes resonate with us today.

tyranny at home …

We of the OB Rag staff are appalled at Richard Nixon’s latest moves at establishing one-man rule n America. Nixon has stepped outside the bounds of his constituted authority … again. He has usurped the powers of the courts by refusing to comply with a court order to release the tapes. More, he has fired the one man, Archibald Cox, who had the legal authority to investigate the White House’s involvement in Watergate.   [Read more…]

San Diego Lawyers and Legal Workers Rally in Solidarity with General Strike Against Trump

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As part of a set of actions at courthouses across the country, San Diego lawyers and legal workers rallied in downtown San Diego today – February 17 – in front of the Federal Courthouse on Front Street, all in solidarity with the proclaimed General Strike Against Trump on F17.

Several dozen brave folks made their voices heard and presence known in front of the red-bricked buildings, as the wind kicked up and the skies promised rain. Additionally, there were courthouse rallies in at least 17 other cities nation-wide.   [Read more…]

Bluff Collapse Reminds Us of Inevitable Erosion of Sunset Cliffs

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Sections of the bluff along Sunset Cliffs in Ocean Beach collapsed January 28th, right after heavy rains. First reported by Delinda Lombardo in the San Diego Reader, the collapse affected two properties, 5107 Narragansett Avenue – the Pelican Point apartment complex, and the property just to its south, 1783–1787 Ocean Front Street.

None of the units on the properties were directly affected, but the cliff gave way under patios on the first floor at the Pelican Point. Lombardo reported, “Though there was no reported damage to the structure itself, the seawall located below the property is crushed.”   [Read more…]

Thank You UC Berkeley Students and Community for Confronting Racist

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This Is Not an Issue of “Free Speech” for a White Nationalist with Connections to the White House

Risking becoming the lone voice in today’s wilderness, we say today that somebody has to say “thank you” to the UC Berkeley students and community members who demonstrated against the white nationalist Breitbart News senior editor back on Wednesday, February 1st, and helped cause the campus to cancel the talk by Milo Yiannopoulos.

So, thank you.

The whole incident has now blown up, with claims the protesters violated free speech, with Trump threatening to cut off funds to UC Berkeley – which he cannot do unilaterally – and the subsequent push-back against him from school and California officials.   [Read more…]

40,000 San Diegans at Women’s March – Photo Gallery

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with additional photos by Lisa Mix, Judith & Wayne Starker, Patty Jones, Byron Morton, Linda Taggert

January 21, 2017, was a historic day in San Diego – and around the nation and world – with the Women’s March.  According to San Diego Police, the crowd in downtown San Diego at the rallies and the march down Broadway was 40,000 women, men, and children of all ages and all hues.

It was definitely one of the largest demonstrations in San Diego’s history – matched probably by the huge immigration march of nearly a decade ago.

Here are photos from yesterday’s march – taken by this reporter and by a number of friends who sent them to us.   [Read more…]

Call Congressional Reps Susan Davis and Scott Peters – Urge Them to Avoid Trump’s Inauguration

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Hey San Diegans – now is the time to call – or email or text – the two remaining Democratic Congressional Representatives of our area who have not made a commitment to either avoid or boycott Trump’s inauguration on Friday, Jan. 20th.

Rep. Juan Vargas said Tuesday that he was not attending the event and instead would be in his community praying with constituents. Fourteen members of California’s Democratic delegation are not attending.

Nearly sixty Congressional Representatives – all Democrats – and no senators – have gone on the record declaring their support for John Lewis by not attending the spectacle.

Come inside for contact info
  [Read more…]

Health Care Reform Town Hall Meeting In Sizzling Spring Valley With Rep. Susan Davis

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Editor Note: The Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare is much harder and less popular to do than to simply promise it. Republicans were recently confronted by constituents demanding continuation of their ACA healthcare at rallies across the country. This article from the OBRag archives from 2009 is a reminder of the pitched battle that took place in San Diego to support health care reform. Obamacare, which so many loved to hate has suddenly become a program so many now hate to lose.   [Read more…]

Duncan Hunter Pulls Trump-Like Distraction By Removing Award-Winning Painting

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It appears that our own Rep. Duncan Hunter has pulled a “Trump-like” distraction in order to manipulate the press away from something else that was embarrassing. It’s a case of Animal House.

Donald Trump has become infamous for making tweets or taking efforts to manipulate the press that are often distractions to more questionable or controversial elements of his campaign and transition. For instance, his press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 11th – the first in 6 months – was a distraction to embarrassing and controversial statements by his cabinet nominees, whose hearings were being held at the very same day in Congress.

And now Hunter has pulled a rabbit out of his Trump hat.

On Friday, Jan. 6, Hunter pulled down an award-winning but controversial painting from a wall in a Capitol hallway. The painting depicts a street clash between police and protesters, most of whom are Black. The painting shows some police officers and protesters as animals.   [Read more…]

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