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Debate Dodging and Disappointed Democrats in the 49th Congressional District

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“We, not the candidates we elect, are the leaders we’ve been waiting for.”
–Flip the 49th! organizer

Wow. What could have been a defining event in the effort to win a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives turned into a punch in the gut for North San Diego County activists.

A candidate viability forum organized by Flip the 49th!, an independent expenditure committee (super-PAC) which grew out of the weekly protests outside Rep. Darrell Issa’s office, and an Indivisible chapter was supposed to confront candidates with hard questions about their continued presence in the race.

Hundreds of people showed up on Friday, filling Oceanside’s Ocean Hills Clubhouse and spilling into overflow rooms. Another thousand turned in via Facebook to watch a live broadcast. Only two of the five declared Democrats running for Congress took the stage.   [Read more…]

San Diego’s Rapid Response to ICE

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There can be no doubt that ICE raids at workplaces and in neighborhoods will once again become major activities in our area – top officials in ICE have said so.  After California’s Governor Brown signed a law limiting California law-enforcement officials’ cooperation with federal immigration authorities, Mr. Holman, a top ICW official warned, “California better hold on tight—they’re about to see a lot more deportation officers.”

Top ICE officials have also said that they intend to instill fear among all undocumented immigrants, to force “self- deportation”, and we see this is beginning to happen.  Fear is real when facing immediate, forced separation of families on a moment’s notice – without even knowing how to find loved ones – losing everything that residents have worked for sometimes for decades while here in the United States.

Those of us paying attention read of a Virginia mother was sent back to El Salvador after her 11 years in the United States unraveled because of a traffic stop. A Connecticut man with an American-born wife and children and no criminal record was deported back to Guatemala.  A workplace raid in California nets 6 workers that ICE was not looking for and now they face deportation back to Mexico.  150 more are reported arrested in the Bay Area in recent days.   [Read more…]

It’s Activism Time –Things Are Getting Bad in D.C. + Progressive Activist Calendar March 2-10, 2018

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“Not since Richard Nixon started talking to the portraits on the walls of the West Wing has a president seemed so alone against the world.”

The insanity in national politics is speeding up. Following are just a few random tidbits, plucked from the news this morning…

The President has announced trade tariffs likely to have a profound impact on the economy. Protecting a domestic steel industry that produced 90 million tons of steel last year (up 5%) and had 72.5% of the US market has nothing to do with anything other than lining the pockets of his wealthy supporters.   [Read more…]

Details Scarce on President Donald Trump’s ‘Border Wall Hallucination Tour’

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The Golden State is, without a doubt, a thorn in the President’s side. None-the-less, Donald Trump says he’s coming to the left coast to visit the prototypes for his beloved wall. And maybe raise some elitist California cash for the GOP at a location to be determined in either Los Angeles or Orange County.

I’ve been getting emails asking about anti-Trump demonstrations, and haven’t been able to provide much in the way of answers. Information about the timing of any visit and a proposed itinerary has yet to be released.

The area surrounding the wall prototypes isn’t a great choice as a demonstration location, due to limited access and its remote location. A Presidential motorcade through San Diego seems unlikely; my bet is he’ll fly into a military facility and be taken by helicopter to visit the site.

Regardless, it’s just too soon to tell. When plans for protests are announced, you’ll read about them here.   [Read more…]

An Open Letter to the Bellwether State | Dear Ohio, Part 3

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Dear Ohio,

This is my third letter to you, my sister state. Oh, I know you don’t think of California as your sister state, but in the now-forgotten context of a United States of America, we are all sister (and brother?) states, right? Being our bellwether election state, Dear Ohio, you have a special importance for us all.

I was reading about the Lowmillers the other day. You probably know of them. They run a dairy farm their granddaddy and daddy started in 1942 in Columbiana County, Ohio. They’re very proud of it, and they’ve won awards for their farming excellence. But one day when one of the Lowmillers was hunting rabbit on his land with his cousin, they noticed the hunting dogs never stopped once to drink from the stream. And the Lowmiller boy said he got to thinking, “I kinda know what’s going into that stream.” It was runoff from manure produced by the dairy herd.   [Read more…]

Can Schools Discipline Students for Protesting?

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By Vera Eidelman / ACLU – Speak Freely

Students around the country are turning last week’s heartbreaking school shooting in Parkland, Florida, into an inspiring and exemplary push for legislative change. In the last few days, many people have asked whether schools can discipline students for speaking out. The short answer? It depends on when, where, and how the students decide to express themselves.   [Read more…]

Students, Moms, and San Diego Officials Make Actions Against Gun Violence a Priority

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Students in more than a dozen local high schools have announced plans to participate in a nationwide walkout organized by the Women’s March to protest gun violence on March 14th. The 17-minute walkout at 10 a.m. in each time zone is meant to honor the 17 lives lost in Parkland, Florida.

The San Diego Unified School Board unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday calling for federal background checks for gun and ammo purchases, a ban on semi-automatic firearms, high capacity magazines and bump stocks. It also called for the reinstatement of the federal assault weapons ban.

On Tuesday evening, several local high profile groups announced the creation of a new coalition, called San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention. Participating are members of the San Diego Brady Campaign Chapter, Sandy Hook Promise and Survivors Empowered.   [Read more…]

Why Should I Be A Democrat? – How the Party Works in California and San Diego

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In the Golden State you really only have one option if electoral politics is your thing: the Democratic Party. Should you choose to be involved, realize that the mass media portrayal of this organization is driven by the need for headlines, controversy, and conflict. The day-to-day reality is another matter altogether.   

Understanding how the party functions in California should guide your activism. So today’s column will be primarily a guide to navigating your way through the largest State Democratic Party in the country. (I’ll save internal/external controversies for future columns.)

It’s a big organization, with lots of moving parts and layers of authority. Like all political parties, it’s comprised of interest groups working together towards common goals. And, yes, there is some truth to the maxim about working in the party being like herding cats.   [Read more…]

Arm the Teachers, Blame the Liberals Says Rep. Hunter + Progressive Activist Calendar | Feb. 23 – Mar. 5, 2018

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Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Not Indicted Yet) needs a new nickname.  Mr. AR15 sounds right, cause they’re both available for (relatively) cheap.

The Center for Responsive Politics, says as of the end of 2017, Hunter has accepted $41,087 from the National Rifle Association. That puts him next to last among California’s Republican Congressman who have been supported by the NRA.

None-the-less, Hunter’s been front and center pushing the NRA’s line. Teachers who have served in the armed forces need to be armed: “Nobody is getting shot in these school shootings after an armed presence arrives.”   [Read more…]

White House Listening Session on School Shootings: ‘Just make it stop! We should have fixed it!’

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What does “it” mean?

It was hard listening to the remarks today from Parkland students who survived a school shooting a mere week ago; it was devastating listening to the father of one of those students who was murdered tell us that he visits his daughter in the cemetery now. It was also a heart crushing rebuke to hear from parents who had lost a child at Columbine (19 years ago) and Sandy Hook Elementary (5 years ago).

When everyone who wanted to speak was heard, Trump asked if there were any recommendations about what should be done. An adult (who was that guy?) was ready to jump in with a solution—more guns! Arm the cafeteria worker, volunteers or guidance counselors if teachers didn’t warm to the idea.   [Read more…]

Survey Says: Flipping the 49th Won’t Be Easy

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A just-released poll, conducted February 12-15 by FM3 Research for Flip the 49th! Neighbors in Action has a cautionary tale for Democrats seeking to replace retiring Congressman Darrell Issa.

The good news is the Republicans’ brand is so tarnished that a generic Democrat could win over a generic Republican by 7 points or more.

The bad news is that the current line-up of Democratic candidates is likely to split primary voters in such a way that two Republicans will face each other in the general election.   [Read more…]

‘Teresa Gets a Boyfriend’ at Saville Theatre

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When Teresa Gunn performs her one woman show Teresa Gets a Boyfriend at City College’s Saville Theatre on Saturday, February 24, she will take on the universal and often time worn themes of looking for love, finding love and trying to keep love.

Creative storytelling makes old stories new and Teresa Gunn is a consummate storyteller. Twenty years ago the San Diego recording artist and educator undertook a series of one woman performances as fundraisers for the nonprofit Musicians for Education/Street of Dreams. She refers to this series as the Trailer Park Queen Project.   [Read more…]

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