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Down the San Diego County Ballot – Results of Races Endorsed by Labor and Democrats

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A week or so after the November 6th election, we can now decipher a more whole picture of how San Diego County voted – and look at the results of those races where candidates were endorsed by the San Diego Labor Council* and/ or the Democratic Party. And we also can see just how extensive Barack Obama’s coattails were. Just who were the winners and losers down the ballot – the lesser knowns running in those smaller cities and school boards scattered across this huge county?
City Races

Chula Vista – Both candidates endorsed by Labor and the Dems won handily: Pamela Bensoussan with 60% of the vote and Mary Salas with 58%.

Coronado – Casey Tanaka, endorsed by the Labor Council and the Democratic Party for mayor, won in a landslide with 70%.
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Election Update: Peters Widens Gap with Bilbray

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As the vote count at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office extends into its second week, Scott Peters continued to see his lead in the 52nd Congressional District race grow. The previous update from the Registrar showed Peters with a 1,899 vote lead over Republican incumbent Brian Bilbray.

As of last night’s update, with approximately 210,000 mail-in and provisional ballots from around the county yet to be counted, Peters’ lead grew to 2,660, further dimming Bilbray’s reelection hopes.   [Read more…]

The Starting Line – Foreclosure Notification Ordinance Passes City Council on Party Line Vote.

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After more than a year of organizing and agitating, including protests at local bank branches, activists have succeeded in winning City Council approval of an ordinance requiring registration of foreclosed homes in San Diego.

A coalition including the Center on Policy Initiatives, ACCE, the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, AFSCME and many others fighting bank foreclosure blight in San Diego neighborhoods was on hand last night as the City Council voted 5-3, splitting along party lines with Republicans opposed, to enact the Property Value Protection ordinance.

Walmart Walkouts Redux, Education ‘Reformers’ Lose Elections, Bigotry on Parade

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Republicans’ Exile into Ignominy Not Healthy in the Long Run

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Anti-tax, anti-reality zealotry smacked down in San Diego, statewide, and nationally, but a more moderate and modern Republican Party is needed for good governance long term.

Last week, Republicans across America—and especially in California—were dealt a pretty crushing defeat. Despite confident predictions to the contrary and despite a pre-election victory dance being done by Republicans and their talking heads on Fox News, Barack Obama thrashed Republican standard bearer Mitt Romney to win a second term as President of the United States.

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The Starting Line – Hundreds of Thousands Sign Up to Dump the Trump

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An online appeal aimed at getting Macy’s Department stores to fire Donald Trump as an advertising spokesman is expected to pass the half million signature mark today.  Citing the celebrity millionaire’s ‘unpleasant, nasty and despicable behavior’, the signon.org petition statement says:

Macy’s: Donald Trump does not reflect the “magic of Macy’s.” We urge you to sever ties with him. Macy’s says it has a strong obligation to be “socially responsible” and that “actions speak louder than words.” Indeed. It’s time to act.
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Scott Peters’ Lead Grows

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The race to determine who will represent San Diego’s 52nd Congressional District has not yet been officially determined, but with 260,000 mail in/absentee ballots from all around San Diego County left to be counted, Democratic challenger Scott Peters’ lead over Republican incumbent Brian Bilbray has grown. With the latest vote tally showing 118,476 votes for […]

The Starting Line – Elections Have Consequences; Gov. Brown Says Prop 30 Vote Has National Implications

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Gov. Jerry Brown took to the airwaves Sunday, telling CNN’s Candy Crowley that voter passage of tax increases on the wealthy included in California’s Proposition 30 were indicative of a coming nationwide shift in voter attitudes, just as passage of Proposition 13 signaled a tax revolt thirty five years ago. “I was here in 1978, when Howard Jarvis beat the entire establishment, Republican and Democrat, because the property taxes had just gotten out of control. Now the cutting, the cutting and the deficits are out of control.”, said Brown.   [Read more…]

A Change is Gonna Come

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Ahh, hope fills the air that I breathe, as I move, light and easy, like a river dancer on a cloud that’s floating in a gentle wind, as Bob Filner becomes my mayor and Barack Obama my president, again.

It’s a nice high I’m in, hallucinogenic, with music, Sam Cooke singing, “It’s been a long, a long time coming, but I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will.”

Oh, it feels so good having a couple of guys in high places who view what people have worked towards for years as earned “benefits” not “entitlements,” and see unions as who they are, “We the People!” Not “bandits.”
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The Fiscal Cliff: Why Obama Should Go Over It, If Necessary

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The looming so-called crisis facing the US after the reelection of Barack Obama is the fiscal cliff. It has been hyped as something that will bring wrack and ruin to the US economy unless something is done soon to prevent it from happening.

However, in my opinion and that of others, if nothing were done and the provisions already agreed upon went into effect on January 1, 2013, it might actually turn out to be the best thing for the US in the long run, mainly because the military-industrial complex would take a hit while there would be no consequences for Social Security, Medicare and Veteran benefits.   [Read more…]

Presidents Matter, but Movements Matter More

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The presidential campaign for those of us on the left was a real nail biter while the Romney team, optimistically cocooned in their alternative reality, had a victory speech and fireworks at the ready. Then the race was called when Ohio went to Obama.

We won. Whew. Team Romney/Ryan was handed its ass. Barack Obama has four more years, and yes this election was clearly a mandate. It matters that Obama will be sworn into office this coming January, but what matters even more are the progressive movements that put him there– and what effect they will continue to have on the remainder of his administration.
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The Starting Line—Missing at the California Ballot Box: Older, White Voters

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While there are disputes over the level of voter participation in this past Tuesday’s election, one thing is certain, according to exit polls and numbers released by the California Secretary of State: Non-Hispanic white voter participation is showing a rapid decline, falling from 63% of the state’s electorate in 2008 to 55% this year.

Estimates of voter turnout have ranged widely, with some sources claiming an 80%+ turnout, a Field poll estimate claiming  0% participation and other data showing turnout more in the 55% range.  The actual numbers won’t be available for another month, as counties will be processing mail-in ballots and attempting to verify provisional voters.  Turnout in the 2008 election was 77.5%.

Inside:  Mayoral Election Fallout- Day Two, UT-SD Tries to CYA on Bogus Polling,  Why the GOP Hates Education…

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Statehood for Puerto Rico? 3.7 Million American Citizens Vote for Democracy – Will They Be Heard?

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The most significant result of the 2012 election may not be the re-election of President Obama, nor any of the other highly publicized races decided on November 6, 2012. If pursued to conclusion, the vote of the residents of Puerto Rico to pursue statehood will likely have the largest impact on the United States.

A two-part ballot question first asked voters if they favor the current status of Puerto Rico as a territory of the United States. Second, voters were asked what type of status they preferred: full statehood, independence, or “sovereign free association”, a semi-autonomous status.   [Read more…]

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