My Voting Reccomendations

“Some citizens are so good that nothing a leader can do will make them better. Others are so incorrigible that nothing can be done to improve them. But the great bulk of the people go with the moral tide of the moment. The leader must help create that tide.”

That quotation’s author is unknown, but was published in the September 29, 1970 edition of the Washington Post by Edward P. Morgan. Last fall’s Harvard Law Bulletin included a reference to author Peter Siviglia who declared: “Yes, I was born when the Dead Sea was just beginning to feel ill.”

This is the month when Daylight Savings Time begins on 8 March, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on 17 March, 20 March is the first day of Spring, 29 March is Palm Sunday and 31 March is designated Cesar Chaves Day. One hundred and one years ago, Calvin Coolidge observed at his March 4, 1925, inauguration: “It is much more important to kill a bad bill than to pass a good one.” March 18 also marks the 115th anniversary of our neighbor, Daly City’s founding in 1911, when its traffic problems emanated from too much horse manure on its streets and flies in children’s eyes.

I share the “return to gallantry” advocated by Tom Brennan of Mesa, Ariz. in his Jan. 13 letter to the Wall Street Journal, alluding to a 2008 presidential candidate John McCain rally when a man declared he “was scared of Barack Obama becoming president.”

McCain responded (to boos over the mere mentioning): “I have to tell you he is a decent person and a person you don’t have to be scared as president of the United States.” Then another attendee claimed she couldn’t trust Obama because “he’s an Arab,” to which Senator replied:

“No, ma’am, he’s a decent family man (and a) citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues.” That’s genuine “class” not often shown in political events or, certainly, debates.

President “Bone Spur” Trump’s tariffs and their effects are under scrutiny at this writing by the Federal Reserve Bank. Already, last month, four economists at the Federal Reserve have concluded that American businesses and their families suffer almost 90% of “Bone Spur’s” tariffs’ consequences – notwithstanding his efforts to reassure Americans that foreign nations will finance the costs The Wall Street Journal opined on Feb. 20. The economy has been as bright as it is in the face of tariffs – luckily.

Meanwhile, the FBI reported in January that murder rates declined by 20% nationally – the biggest reduction in FBI history! Crime arrests increased by 100%, four of the 10 most wanted accused criminals were arrested (as in 2024), about 1800 gangs were broken up (210 more than in 2024) and some 4,400 pounds of fentanyl were seized – which could’ve supplied over one-third of our nation’s population. The FBI considers 2024 its more “productive” year.

The American Legion Magazine informed readers last month that a Harvard Graduate School of Education 2024 survey blamed technology as the most significant factor to blame for loneliness and that the “amount of time people spend pursuing activities in the company of others has been trending downward.” Maybe more people should rally for political candidates this year with June and November elections.

I shouldn’t have been surprised to observe State Sen. Scott Wiener, candidate for Nancy Pelosi’s House of Representatives seat, turn tail on his fellow Jews and Israel last month. He joined other Anti-Semites in labeling the Gaza War a genocide. In 2023, however, he opposed that inaccurate description of Israel’s actions after the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of Jews by Hamas. Weiner is one of California’s most intellectually dishonest public officeholders.

I was delighted on Feb. 19 to join ex-Mayor Art Agnos and former Board of Supervisors leader Aaron Peskin in publicly endorsing Supervisor Connie Chan for such Congressional office. While Wiener was absent in our successful effort to recall Joe Engardio, the author of legislation closing the Upper Great Highway to motor vehicles; from public office, Supervisor Chan opposed the closure and tried to stop it. Sheand is a hard-working servant of the the people, not a puppet for home-builders and other wealthy destroyers of the Sunset and Richmond for financial gain and political favor under the rubric of “upzoning.” Get behind Connie Chan, a servant of her constituents, not special interests.

Also, a candidate is Marie Hurabiell, an attorney and founder of Connected SF and Save Our Outer Richmond. She is a democratic maven who fought for restoration of motor vehicles on the Great Highway and the recall of then-Supervisor Joel Engardio. Marie sounds worthy of strong consideration.

I also recommend Gus Mattammal for California Superintendent of Public Instruction, replacing Tony Thurmond, the Richmond Democrat who’s termed out, and Holly Thier, a Democrat for the 12th Assembly District which comprises San Francisco’s Marina District, Marin and Sonoma Counties. It’s now represented by a Democrat named Damon Connoly whom I’ve never heard of. He’s “termed out” in 2034. Get rid of him now!

As an Independent, I’m also pleased to recommend Lori Brooke District 2 (Marina and Cow Hollow) supervisor. She’s Cow Hollow Association president and co-founder of Rescue SF which advocates cost-effective common-sense solutions to homelessness and Neighborhoods United SF which opposes upzoning.

I recommend for Insurance Commissioner Jane Kim, a Democrat (so, what else is new in California?) former SF supervisor and Korean American leader. Even though House of Representatives member Mike Thompson represents Napa and Sonoma counties (and not S.F.), I strongly recommend voting for Mike if you’re registered to vote in that congressional district. He served in the U.S. Army for four years during the Vietnam War and later was my colleague in the State Senate from 1990 to 1998.

The governor’s race is wide open with eight Democrats and two competitive Republicans. Amazingly, a February poll demonstrated that the top two Republican candidates lead most of the eight Democratic standard-bearers. Former Fox News Commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco are both beating Democrats. Former Congresswoman Katie Porter of Orange County, a consumer attorney who likes to challenge corporation executives, current Congressman Eric Swalwell a one-time county prosecutor from Castro Valley and billionaire Tom Steyer, whose ads dominate television, are the leading Democratic candidates, with Swalwell the leader at 14% of likely voters, but behind the two Republicans. No other Democrat had more than 10% support. That includes my choice, former State Senator and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaragosa, former Attorney-General Xavier Becerra, former state Controller Betty Yee from San Francisco, Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond, former Assemblyman Ian Calderon and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.

Returning to antics of our fearless White House leader – who did fear military service – a former Washington, D.C., Kennedy Center trustee, Republican Tom Foley, wants to close the Kennedy Center altogether instead of adding Trump’s name to it. He points out the idea of a national cultural center was actually advanced during the Great Depression of the 1930s as a creator of jobs. In 1958, then President Dwight Eisenhower approved the bill creating it. In 1964 after President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, it was named after him. So that wasn’t JFK’s idea, as I’ve always thought. The Center opened in 1971 and is government-funded, meaning we taxpayers finance it, unlike most cultural centers like Juilliard, Grand Ole Opry, USC School of Cinematic Arts, Lincoln Center and other big city performing arts centers which are all privately funded. Closing it would prevent Trump from usurping the Kennedy Center’s name and save taxpayers money

At public universities, courses have begun which present studies of the beginning of the American republic. Those are fully integrated into colleges or universities with their own professors and programs. They provide courses on the history of democracy, the American Revolution, the Constitution, significant U.S. Supreme Court decisions and profiles of America’s leaders since our founding. Last year Ohio began five centers of “intellectual diversity” at Ohio State University, Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, the University of Toledo, Cleveland State and Wright State. Such centers are also planned in Iowa, South Carolina and West Virginia. Civic knowledge is lacking in too many college students. That foretells future governance problems worthy of “Bone Spur” Trump who displayed sickening disrespect for Chief Justice John Roberts of the U.S. Supreme Court last month after the court’s decision reiterating Congress’s role in creating tariffs and immediately began plotting more tariffs unilaterally!

Trump on Friday, Feb.20 declared the U.S. Supreme Court decision holding his unilateral imposition of tariffs (which constitute taxes) on foreign export into the U.S. as “incorrect.” These foreign countries, (almost half the tariffs were paid by Canada, China, and Mexico) are now entitled to refund of such tariffs, which are really taxes to sell products in the U.S.A. Congress must approve any tariffs. Bonta labeled in the U.S. Supreme Court decision as “another humiliating loss for Trump.”

Let’s conclude the Ides of March enterprise with Henry Gilmer’s “First Law for Political Success”: “A political leader, if he would succeed, must regularly look over his shoulder to see if anyone is following.” Gilmer’s second law for political success: “If no one is following, find out where the people want to go, and get out in front of them.”

“Why did the chicken cross the road?” Answer: “To get away from all those jokes I tell about him!”

Quentin Kopp is a former San Francisco supervisor, state senator, SF Ethics Commission member, president of the California High Speed Rail Authority governing board and retired Superior Court judge.