So it turns out we’re having a Double-Secret Primary out here, not to be confused with the last Primary we had with all those other states on February 5th.
Voter turnout for this one should finally put the opening weekend of “Speed Racer” into a better light, but nonetheless I’ve felt compelled since November 2000 to pay attention to every election in which I’m asked to do my duty as a citizen.
A lot of this ballot is simple stuff but a few items jump out as requiring more careful examination. I’ll lay out the options presented and share my thoughts as best I can. If I’m unsure of a choice I’ll say so and ask for suggestions, trusting my readership to have worthwhile input even if our agendas vary a bit.
Here goes:
UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE 30th DISTRICT
(8) Henry Waxman, incumbent Dem, running unopposed with good reason.
I love Henry Waxman. He’s always on the front lines demanding impeachment and answers of the creeps at the top. My dad once said something to the effect that Waxman had a rep on The Hill as a needlessly aggressive opponent to the GOP, but I think history has vindicated him and then some. Henry Waxman on the side of the Angels from the City of. Re-elect him!
STATE SENATOR 23rd District
Our choices are either:
(11) Educator/Environmental Consultant Fran Pavley
Or
(12) Member of the State Assembly Lloyd Levine.
So far Pavely has the edge in PR, having done two pretty decent mailers. She’s a huge environmentalist, former Mayor of Agoura Hills, and gets kudos from Al Gore, the Sierra Club, the Audubon Society, Scientific American Magazine, Heal the Bay and the League of Conservation Voters. According to the Internets “Pavley is currently campaigning for the 2008 California State Senate race, to replace State Senator Sheila Kuehl in the 23rd State Senate District when Kuehl’s term limit is reached. Pavley has been endorsed by US Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, Attorney General Jerry Brown, and Sheila Kuehl.” She’s 60 years old and is a former middle school teacher (history), as is her husband.
Mr. Levine on the other hand seems like a perfectly nice Dem, but he’s a lot younger (39) and has just completed his work for a Masters in Public Policy and Administration at CSU Sacramento. He’s also been the subject of at least one attack mailer so far.
That Fran Pavely got “bank!” Not bad for a tree-hugger. Anyone know where the bucks are coming from?
I’ll give the edge in experience to Pavley and vote for her even though I did not see the words “Printed on Recycled Paper” on her mailers.
MEMBER OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY 42nd DISTRICT
(15) Mike Feuer running unopposed for re-election. Mike’s a Harvard lawyer and current career pol who seems to be doing some good stuff. Definitely one to keep your eye on in the next few years. I’ll vote for him with no worries.
PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE, 42nd ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
(Only Dems Allowed to Vote on These)
I love how My Beloved Dems have a group that sounds like either a frat house clique or a Soviet front.
Okay, we Loyal Party Members are being asked to “Vote for no more than Seven” of the 17 candidates listed. I’m going to Google every one of them but my knee jerk impulse is to re-elect the incumbents plus anyone who lists their profession as “Teacher.”
Also, I would skip anyone listing their profession(s) as Educator, Consultant, Student, Writer/Producer, Musician, Organizer, Businessman, or Retired Military Aviator.
I’m kind of on the fence with the guy who says he’s an Attorney. That’s one that can go either way.
I’ll list my knee-jerk reaction first and follow it up with Google results.
Will also try to ascertain exactly what the CCC does.
UPDATE: Found it. It’s important. Here’s a blurb from their site: “The Los Angeles County Democratic Party (Central Committee) is the official governing body of the Democratic Party in the County of Los Angeles.”
Here’s a link for more info: http://www.lacdp.org/
Let it suffice to say that electing the best people to this Committee is Very Important. It’s big league and we can’t just throw it to whoever’s got the best machine in an off-cycle election.
With that in mind, here we go:
(28) Noah Edelson, Writer/Producer. NO.
Very little presence on-line but for his profile on Smartvoter.org. He seems to have good priorities but nothing that convinces me he can make them happen. Still a NO.
(29) Dante A. Atkins, Research Consultant. NO.
Well now, hold up. The kid’s a 25 year-old blogger using the name “Hekebolos.” He’s a UCLA grad with degrees in Latin and Greek. Definitely upgraded to MAYBE.
Update: He’s a YES. He was home-schooled and was one of the smartest kids at UCLA when he was only FIFTEEN. This is the kind of brain-power we need in public life. BIG YES on Atkins.
(30) Elena Ong, Public Policy Faculty. Where? NO.
She appears to have a background in Dem activism, which is good, but I still don’t see a specific faculty listed. Also, the Dems she’s invested in most heavily were Carole Moseley Braun and Hillary. Where one places one’s bets says something about one’s potential effectiveness. I like good intentions as much as anyone but I don’t see a background of major results coming from Ms. Ong. Still a NO.
(31) Brad Parker, Political Organizer/Musician. Get real. NO.
According to Linkedin.com Brad had two tears of college back in 68-70 at UT-Austin. He’s politically active in the Valley and seems to have done better than most at the music biz. That doesn’t say “Oust an incumbent” to me. Still NO.
(32) Diana Plotkin, Incumbent CCC Member. OK.
Hmmm, not much on her first page of Google except a big sloppy kiss to developer Rick “Da Grove!” Caruso. She’s also the President of the Beverly Wilshire Homes Association who, oddly enough, is hacked off at Councilman Jack Weiss for being too chummy with developers even though she appreciates “everything Jack has done for Israel.” My head’s exploding. This lady is fanning her skirts at Rick Caruso on his website but she’s mad about traffic on Beverly just North of the frikkin’ Grove?! And why should an LA City Councilman even be thinking about Israel? What, things are so perfect in South LA we gotta start spreading our wisdom/energies to the middle east?
I’m suddenly thinking I’ve found the first incumbent to be voted off the island. WEAK MAYBE.
(33) Jeffrey Prang, Member, City Council of West Hollywood. Fabulous! I’ll think about it.
Okay, thought about it and this guy looks like a definite YES. He’s actually the Mayor of WeHo and if you’ve ever compared WeHo to LA you’ll have to concede they do a better job up there than we do. The guy’s got a substantial resume and a far less enigmatic web presence than some of our contenders. YES to some proven competence in the public sector.
(34) Andrew B. Lachman, Educator/Technology Counsel. NO.
Okay, Andrew B. seems to have some accessible info. He’s been active, but appears young having received a Young Democratic Leadership Award for being the Prez of the the Valley YDs in 2004. He’s endorsed by the LA Dems for Israel, the Stonewall Dem Club and the Valley Dems. That said he got his undergrad from American U (party school!) which sort of cancels out his JD from GW. Hell, I’ll say MAYBE for now. Some of these CCC Incumbents fail to thrill.
(35) Dennis Mark Stratton, Retired Military Aviator. At ease. NO.
Outside of a picture on a Long Beach Real Estate website and a few ballot listings this guy does not exist. “Spidey-sense… tingling!” DIS-MISSED!
(36) Kenneth R. Silk, Incumbent CCC Member. OK.
No, not OK. This is another CCC Incumbent who leaves barely a footprint on the WWW, even when you type in the words “Kenneth R. Silk democratic county central committee.” He appears to have been endorsed by the Stonewall Dems but beyond that he may as well be rooming with Dennis Mark Stratton. At best this says he’s not doing much. I say we can do better. NO.
(37) Richard L. MacMinn, Businessman. What business? NO.
He appears to be the owner of a business that sells expensive pens and desk accessories on Mulholland Drive. He was also the President of a neighborhood committee back in 2001. Beyond that he is a phantom. NO.
(38) Christopher D. Kachel, Student. Where? In what? Do you shave? NO.
Oh, this is too creepy. The kid’s another on-line ghost. The top result for his name is a 23 year-old kid from Utah who disappeared in 2006. I sorta hope it’s the same kid and he’s alive and well enough to attempt a career in politics. Otherwise, do your homework, student. NONONO.
(39) Paul Koretz, Incumbent CCC Member. I recognize the name. OK.
Wow. This Koretz guy is my kinda Dem: Aces high on gay rights, gun control, and impeaching Bush/Cheney. Very active, very effective. And he’s good friends with George Takei! An enthusiastic OK!
(40) Paul Kujawsky, Teacher. Not an “Educator?” Cool. I’ll think about it.
Mr. Kujawsky appears to have been a one-time member of the CCC as well as holding the offices of both President and Vice-President of Dems for Israel. He is currently a 5th grade teacher and sometime blogger with a decidedly unconditional support of Israel. While not discounting the historical contributions of the Jewish community to My Beloved Dems, Israel is pretty far down the list of things LA County needs to focus on. Seriously, as soon as all America is a paradise with health care, universal literacy, renewable energy and ponies, we should be happy to address the notion of That Great Invisible Real Estate Agent in the Sky. Until then I think the Dems need someone more focused on LA, CA, USA. Today’s vocabulary word is “NO.”
(41) Alton Reed, Incumbent CCC Member. OK.
Alton appears to be the Legislative/Political Chair of Communications Workers of America Local 9503. He endorses Paul Koretz, which is good and he’s a member of an important traditional Dem constituency. Labor Unions = Good. Not a lot on Alton elsewhere but from the CWA website it looks as though he’s a Worker. I’ll say OK.
(42) Joyce M. Rubin, Incumbent CCC Member. OK.
I got nuthin’. Good or bad. Nuthin’. Another Google-Ghost. Again, what does the CCC actually do anyway? Call it a weak MAYBE?
(43) Jack Goodchild, Attorney. I can’t trust a lawyer with that name. It’s like “Reverend Ernest Clearheart” or something else a depression-era bible salesman might have called himself. NO.
Okay, keep in mind this is from his firm’s website: “The Law Offices of Goodchild & Duffy is a five attorney law firm with more than 30 years of experience helping injured employees in all types of industries and professions. Two attorneys, Jack Goodchild and Patrick Duffy, are Certified Specialists in Workers’ Compensation Law by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California.”
Ambulance-Chaser and his partner is Bobby Ewing. And he’s not even the son of a mill-worker. “NOLO.”
(44) Laurence S. Zakson, Incumbent CCC Member. OK. He’s a lawyer, partner in an LA firm who specializes in labor and election law. Degrees from Columbia and UC. Speaks Spanish and is the LA Dem party’s general counsel. Sounds like a grown-up to me. He gets a YES.
Okay, summarizing: I find five solid candidates to carry the Dem banner in whatever it is the CCC does. These five are:
Dante A. Atkins
Jeffrey Prang
Paul Koretz
Alton Reed
Laurence S. Zakson
My remaining two votes go to the two candidates I find least hinky. They are:
Diana Plotkin
Andrew B. Lachman
If anyone can make an up or down argument on any of these guys please let me know. The election isn’t until June 3rd and I’m very open-minded.
Moving on to:
NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL, JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT
Okay, judges matter as we learned to our sorrow in 2000. Even though six of these seventeen positions have candidates running unopposed I’m gonna eyeball ‘em just to be sure I shouldn’t write in “Judge Dredd” or “Perry Mason.” We cannot let wing-nuts get another talon into the judiciary on any level. These guys do harm in this world.
UPDATE (Hours later):
Okay, most of these calls aren’t too hard to make but I had to do a lot of “compare & contrast” from several different sources. I’m providing links for anyone who wants to investigate on their own.
Los Angeles Times Endorsements
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/elections/la-ed-endorsements21apr21,0,1044370.story
Long Beach Press Telegram Endorsements
http://www.presstelegram.com/opinions/ci_9185077
Metropolitan News-Enterprise Endorsements
http://www.metnews.com/endorse.htm
Los Angeles County Democratic Party Endorsements
(also known as the LA County Central Committee)
http://www.lacdp.org/
There is a lot of agreement among these four, mostly on the easy calls. There are a few candidates who are so evenly qualified that one could flip a coin or, as I did, go with your gut.
To save you some time I’ll say up front that the most useful source of information was the Metropolitan News-Enterprise. It’s by lawyers, for lawyers, and it provides well-written dish for those of us who delight in such stuff.
The LACDP (or LACCC) was the least informative, simply giving the names of its preferred candidates without any comments. Thanks guys. This is why I’m voting some of you out.
To business. The first thing I’m going to get out of the way by simply cut-and-pasting a summary from the LA Times. They lay it out more perfectly than I could hope to.
“The Times makes the following endorsements for Superior Court judge:
Offices No. 3, 35, 41, 55, 101 and 102: We take these together because all six come to the ballot for the same reason. Ronald C. Tan, a Carson minister, is trying to recruit lawyers to unseat these judges. Tan alleges that he is concerned about appellate rulings in religious-rights cases on subjects such as abortion, same-sex marriage and evolution, but he produces no evidence that these judges are part of that concern. Instead, he has targeted six jurists, all of them Latino men. All deserve to be retained against this pointless campaign.
The Times endorses: Daniel P. Ramirez for Office No. 3; Juan Carlos Dominguez for Office No. 35; Michael Villalobos for Office No. 41; Hector M. Guzman for Office No. 55; Daniel S. Lopez for Office No. 101; and Jose Sandoval for Office No. 102.”
Okay, are we all clear?
Crazy, racist preacher man hates Latino guys because Latino guys are too gay-friendly and perform abortions while teaching Darwinism. You see why it’s important to vote in off-cycle elections?
Back to business:
OFFICE NO. 3
Daniel P. Ramirez. Currently Judge of the Superior Court, running unopposed, except by crazy, racist preacher man and his write-in minions.
OFFICE NO. 4
Sydnee R. Singer is trying to unseat incumbent Judge Ralph W. Dau. Judge Ralph has unanimous endorsements from all four sites I checked, despite having a reputation for being a Huge Dick. (I’m paraphrasing here.) Basically, even the people who don’t like Judge Ralph personally, i.e. Everyone, acknowledge his professional superiority over Ms. Singer, who seems to be as huge a ditz as Judge Ralph is a dick. On the advice of counsel I’m voting for Judge Ralph W. Dau. (Learn some people skills, dude.)
OFFICE NO. 35
Juan Carlos Dominguez. Currently Judge of the Superior Court, running unopposed, except by crazy, racist preacher man and his write-in minions.
OFFICE NO. 41
Michael Villalobos. Currently Judge of the Superior Court, running unopposed, except by crazy, racist preacher man and his write-in minions.
OFFICE NO. 55
Hector M. Guzman. Currently Judge of the Superior Court, running unopposed, except by crazy, racist preacher man and his write-in minions.
OFFICE NO. 69
Harvey A. Silberman is the choice of the LA Dem CCC.
Serena Raquel Murillo is the choice of the LA Times, Long Beach Press-Telegram, the Metropolitan News-Enterprise, and me. She’s got wide-ranging support, unlike her opponent, Silberman, who tried to get out of jury duty in 2006 by claiming he was out of his head on drugs. (Again, paraphrasing.)
OFFICE NO. 72
Steven A. Simons is a Tarzana consumer rights attorney. He is endorsed by none of the four entities mentioned previously but he has a number of other endorsements listed here. His campaign website is www.friendsofstevesimons.org
Hilleri Grossman Merritt is a criminal trial prosecutor is prepared to spend $50,000 of her and her husband’s own money, plus a $150,000 loan from her dad on the race. She is endorsed by the LA Times and the CCC. The LB Press-Telegram basically said it’s a coin toss between her and ….
Marc Alain Chomel, a Supervising Criminal Prosecutor, age 47, endorsed by the Metropolitan News-Enterprise, who foresees spending no more than 20 grand on this thing and wants to run a grass-roots campaign.
I’m giving the edge to the highly qualified guy who isn’t trying to buy his way to the top: Chomel’s my choice.
OFFICE NO. 82
Mark Lee is a deputy district attorney who has been described as “nice, but going nowhere.” He is endorsed by no one.
Cynthia Loo is a superior court referee endorsed by the CCC and LA Times, but she has also applied for promotion three times in eight years and never made the cut. She’s described as “emotional, lenient to a fault and unable to manage her calendar.” I don’t think I want Judge Ally MacBeal, thank-you.
Thomas Rubinson is a criminal prosecutor endorsed by the LB Press-Telegram and the MetNew-Ent. (Sorry, it’s late and I’m trying to get this done quickly). Basically he stands pretty clearly above the pack so I’m voting for him unless I find out he rapes puppies.
OFFICE NO. 84
Okay, this is a four-person race that really boils down to two.
Write off John “Johnny” Gutierrez because he’s unqualified. He’s a workman’s comp judge who doesn’t know anything else.
Write off Bob Henry, because even the wordsmiths as MetNew-Ent were running out of euphemisms for “lazy bastard.”
The contenders here are Pat Connolly, a prosecutor with anger issues and Lori-Ann C. Jones, a superior court commissioner who apparently had some growing pains in her last promotion.
Pat Connolly is endorsed by the LA Times and the LB Press-Telegram.
Lori-Ann C. Jones is endorsed by the CCC, the MetNew-Ent, and me.
Basically, I chose between the agreeable person who was growing into the job over the other guy described as “disputatious in the extreme. On the bench, he would, predictably, be a terror.”
Folks, do we really need another Ralph W. Dau?
I’m voting for Jones.
OFFICE NO. 94
This one’s pretty easy.
Eduard R. Abele is a deputy district attorney endorsed by no one. He has a website and is tainted by some sort of gossip about espousing “views” he denies ever espousing. Wish I knew what they were. Anybody? Anyway, he’s one to skip.
Michael J. O’Gara is a genial deputy DA who is endorsed by everyone but the CCC.
C. Edward Mack is a public defender who keeps coming in last in every election he enters. He also padded his resume claiming five years practicing civil law even though 3.5 years of that time he was a courtroom clerk. He is endorsed by the CCC. Yet another reason to vote some brains into that organization.
I’m voting for O’Gara.
OFFICE NO. 95
This is either a coin-flip or a gut-check or a chance to use your brain better than I’ve managed so far. Both candidates are crazy qualified. I’ll mention that Patricia Nieto is endorsed by the CCC and the LA Times and that Lance E. Winters is endorsed by the LB Press-Telegram and the MetNew-Ent. Then I’m just going to cut and paste the bit from the MetNew-Ent:
“Winters and Nieto are both of unquestionable fitness for service on the Superior Court. Not only the Times and this newspaper found the decision of whom to endorse a tough one, so did the committee whose recommendations were adopted by the Democratic County Central Committee. It said: “The Committee notes that this was a difficult choice and that both are qualified.” It made no such comment in connection with any of the other races. (Its support went to Nieto.)
Those who support Nieto have good reason for doing so. The candidate, who was in law practice for 25 years, is a highly regarded judicial officer. Nieto became a part-time referee in 2001, hearing dependency cases, and a commissioner last year, presiding in a family law courtroom. She is articulate, caring, down to earth, and skilled.
A member of the Attorney General’s Office for 15 years, and at the supervisory level for the last decade, Winters has argued five times before the California Supreme Court and handled more than 250 appeals. He is known for his keen analytical abilities.
As to either candidate, no concern emerges as to temperament or industriousness.
In the end, our endorsement goes to Winters because we view his potential as so high as to transcend service on the Superior Court.”
I think I’m voting for Winters but, hell, talk to me. Am I missing anything?
It’s good to have such difficult choices as these.
OFFICE NO. 101
Daniel S. Lopez. Currently Judge of the Superior Court, running unopposed, except by crazy, racist preacher man and his write-in minions.
OFFICE NO. 102
Jose Sandoval. Currently Judge of the Superior Court, running unopposed, except by crazy, racist preacher man and his write-in minions.
OFFICE NO. 119
An easy one. Jared D. Moses is a deputy DA who is endorsed by everyone except his opponents. I’d let it go at that but these guys are too awesome not to mention. They are:
Pattricia Vienna, a flight attendant with a law degree, so help me God! She’s real nice but has no business being a judge.
Douglas Weitzman, an area realtor accused by an insurance company of operating a “staged accident ring!”
Robert Davenport, who describes himself as a “retired Lieutenant Colonel” who secured a disability pension from the Navy based on having developed a foot fungus. He has a law license and two masters degrees and …. Jesus, do they even have Colonels in the Navy?!?
You need to read this guy’s story on MetNew-Ent. Then get him and the other two runners-up into the next “Big Brother” house. I would watch religiously….
OFFICE NO. 123
Another easy one with hilarious alternatives. Here we go:
Kathleen Blanchard is a deputy DA, magna cum laude from Cornell and law degree from UCLA. She is endorsed enthusiastically by Everyone. She rocks and I’m voting for her.
The Freak Show this time includes:
Allan A. Nadir (swear to God) is a 20-year deputy LA city attorney described by some as a “non-entity.” He was also known 20 years ago for making ethnic wisecracks, a habit he appears to have retained.
How is this guy not a red state congressman?
Is he not gay enough?
Richard A. Nixon (again, so help me Jesus, son of Mary!) is a North Hills attorney who tries running for judgeships without talking to the press, the Bar Association, or the League of Women Voters.
Richard A. Nixon “practices out of his home.”
I kind of love this guy a little.
(Okay, a lot, in a way that transcends mere gayness.)
But I’m voting for Ms. Blanchard.
OFFICE NO. 125
Okay, you thought nothing could top that last one right?
How could anything be easier or more obvious than voting against a scowling legal hermit named “Richard Nixon?”
You only ask this because you have yet to encounter the race for Judicial Office No. 125 between Superior Court Commissioner James N. Bianco and “International Corporate Lawyer” Bill Johnson who wants to PURGE NON-WHITES FROM THE UNITED STATES!!!!
Vote your conscience, kids.
(I would vote for Mr. Bianco even if he had 100 dead hookers in barrels of heroin underneath his al-Qaeda safehouse…)
OFFICE NO. 154
Okay, a bit of thinking may be required here. The candidates are:
Michael V. Jesic is a 39 year-old deputy DA who is endorsed by the LA Times, the MetNew-Ent, and the LB Press-Telegram.
Paul “Pablo” Bruguera is a deputy attorney-general making his second run at the black robe, this time billing himself as “Pablo” in a pretty lame attempt at playing the race card. He is endorsed by no one.
Rocky L. Crabb is a 53 year-old superior court commissioner with more legal experience than Mr. Jesic and has drawn the praise of his colleagues and the endorsement of the CCC. I’m voting for him because it appears to me he brings more to the table than Mr. Jesic and I thought this particular MetNew-Ent endorsement seemed not as well supported as others. They seemed to acknowledge Crabb as the more qualified candidate but gave their support to Jesic because of his innate wonderfulness?
Perhaps I’m missing some information or maybe I just love the sound of “Judge Rocky Crabb”, but that’s who I’m voting for.
(Wow, I am so feeling like a good citizen right now. Home stretch…)
COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
The candidates are:
(165) Steve Cooley, incumbent. Okay, he enjoys a lot of support from a lot of different people. He’s considered a shoo-in despite Phil Spector and Robert Blake getting away with murder and some bad cops and bad priests getting too easy a time. He’s also a hypocrite for blasting his predecessor Gil Garcetti for seeking a third term much like… Ooops. Well, with Steve it’s different, that’s all.
Snark aside, Cooley does seem to be a decent public servant and he’s achieved a lot, in spite of LA being an urban Hydra of difficulty. Unless his competition has a lot to offer I’d re-elect him.
(166) Steve Ipsen, county criminal prosecutor. Ipsen is a 20-year prosecuter and the President of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys. He’s running on the idea that Cooley is soft on crime, an approach I usually equate with promises, explicit or implied, of public hangings and no parole. It’s for wankers who want to kid themselves that the only thing government does perfectly is convict (and hopefully kill) the guilty.
Ipsen is throwing a lot of red meat around, all of it along the same sensationalistic line. “Paris Hilton got off too easy.” “The Duke Rape Case was bad.” “Nobody in my office likes Cooley! Honest, it’s what all my underlings tell me when I ask!”
Not impressed with Steve Ipsen.
(167) Albert Robles, constitutional attorney/professor at “a local community college.” Oh this guy is just screwed. He’s got the same name as a former Mayor of South Gate, CA who went to federal prison for corruption. That’s a lot to overcome.
That said he graduated UC Berkley Law with honors so he’s no dummy.
He says he will basically do what a DA is supposed to do: Be fair, fight evil, etc. He also says he will return the $55,000 pay raise Cooley got for the DA’s job in January if he gets the job. Competitive pricing. Gotta love it!
Okay, relevant points:
1. Yeah, when the state is broke it’s in poor taste to get your salary bumped up to almost 300K. That said, living in LA costs insane amounts of money. Depending on where he lives Cooley might need it just for gas. Good DAs are like anything else. They ain’t cheap.
2. Yeah, the Blake and Spector juries were idiots. No DA can raise the IQ of an LA jury pool. I’ve seen this up close twice now. Be glad if you never do.
3. Our jails are full and we need to either build more or let non-violent criminals out to make room for the real Freaks. I wish Paris Hilton had stayed in longer but I can live with her making room for the Silverlake Slasher or whoever I really ought to want off the street.
4. I don’t trust politicians who play the “tough on crime” game. Too often it’s “tough on poor shmucks who can’t afford Phil Spector’s lawyers.”
I think I’m sticking with Cooley, if only so he can get Spector on his next trial.
And finally:
STATE MEASURES 98 & 99
Otherwise known as a choice between abolishing rent control forever and me and my family being priced out of everyplace in LA that’s not a meth lab.
Or not.
Vote NO on Prop 98.
http://www.lao.ca.gov/ballot/2008/98_06_2008.aspx
Vote YES! on Prop 99.
http://www.lao.ca.gov/ballot/2008/99_06_2008.aspx
Otherwise me and my family will be homeless and we’ll come to live with you. And we’ll bring all my struggling artist friends!
That’s the ballot as best I understand it. If I’ve missed anything please let me know before June 3rd.
Thank-you.
