A lot of issues on the ballot are being driven by political ideologues and organizations that have a narrow point of view. There is betrayal, the violation of ethical and moral standards, public giveaways and poison pills.
After reading the October issues of the Richmond Review and Sunset Beacon newspapers and seeing multiple columnists sharing their voting recommendations that seem to skew to the right, I asked the editor if I could submit a progressive’s point of view of the issues. Thankfully, he was open to sharing my perspective.
It has been observed: “How do you know when a politician is lying?” The answer is: “When he (or she) opens his (or her) mouth!”
In June, Proposition A, the Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond, lost by just one and a half percentage points. As former San Francisco District 1 Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer wrote in these pages back in July, it was a “wake up call” for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). I agree with her. Moments like this are a good time to reflect on and adjust our approach.
The City’s political clubs offer the average citizen an opportunity to engage with San Francisco’s often-lively elections. The 35-year-old Richmond District Democratic Club is among the oldest and most respected of these clubs. Before every election, candidates and representatives for ballot propositions make their case to club membership, hoping to earn a coveted endorsement.
Progressives are on the far left ideological spectrum, bordering on socialism where city policy dictates what’s best for everyone and it’s their way or the highway. The progressives got organized in the late ’90s and took control of the DCCC, which gives the official endorsements for Democratic Party and supplies money to its candidates and propositions. That, coupled with district elections and the abomination that is ranked-choice voting, gave us what we have – a mayor and a majority of supervisors who couldn’t find their way out of a corn maze.
It is time for new, big, bold ideas to solve the issues that have only gotten worse while worn out, old ideas fail again and again. We need to start thinking outside of four-year electoral terms and look to real long-term solutions and root causes.
The California legislature adjourned Sept. 30, but the condescending SF Board of Supervisors reconvened after Labor Day, ready to repudiate good government at taxpayer expense and act imperialistically with its six-figure annual salary plus pension and medical benefits.
Interim DA Demotes City’s First Cantonese-Speaking Head of Victim Services By Julie Pitta Interim District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has made lots of headlines since being sworn in on July 8. Unfortunately, very […]
The race to represent the Sunset District at City Hall is in full sprint mode, with incumbent Gordon Mar hoping to fend off challenger Joel Engardio in the Nov. 8 election.
This November, San Francisco voters will have the opportunity to vote on two housing measures: Propositions D and E.
I think it’s timely to recommend (as I traditionally have done since my first year on the Board of Supervisors in 1972), ballot measure votes and candidate elections.
Lately, newsracks that used to carry numerous newspapers and magazines have been removed from city streets – putting a serious dent in the distribution of those publications, including the Richmond Review and Sunset Beacon newspapers.
I am shocked that there has not been more outrage at what has befallen Laguna Honda Hospital and the 681 patients that call Laguna Honda Hospital home.
Following my last musing about the deplorable results of such ward elections and their rise under threat of California Voting Rights Act litigation in such small cities as Millbrae, San Bruno, South San Francisco, Foster City and Redwood City, I discovered a possible silver lining.
Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon 