No More I Love You's

Annie Lennox really is one of my favorite music artists...
Here's a video for you to watch, and think about:



Sit back and enjoy! : )

Bushies in La-la-land

Even as Daddy Bush's consligiere, James Baker III, tries to salvage whatever dignity's left of this Administration, Dubya refuses Baker's help...
Nope, no "phased withdrawal", no "gradual pullback"...
Just more of the same "stay the course" of failure! From The Washington Post's Dan Froomkin:

Because at today's press conference in Jordan, following his abbreviated meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Bush made it abundantly clear that he is waving off the rescue attempt by longtime Bush family fixer James A. Baker III. He'd rather stay the course.

News reports this morning indicate that Baker's bipartisan Iraq Study Group will next week officially recommend a gradual pullback of American troops from Iraq.

But in Amman, Bush went out of his way to mock the notion of a "graceful exit" -- and to insist that he's in Iraq for the long haul. "This business about graceful exit just simply has no realism to it at all," Bush said.

Yep, Bush won't accept help from his daddy's friends. He won't accept offers of bipartisan cooperation from the incoming Democratic Congressional leaders. He won't accept what the American people want. Hell, he won't even acept reality...

He's in his own La-la-land...

"This business about graceful exit just simply has no realism to it at all," Bush said.

Yeah, this business about "graceful exit" has no realism to it...
And I'm the most conservative Republican you'll find on God's green earth!

If Baker can't even kick some reality back into Bush's brain, then I guess he really is hopeless! Still, we progressives need to come up with our own exit strategy soon. We need to show the American people that we're serious about bringing the troops home soon, and about developing a realistic strategy to solve the Iraq crisis. Bush might gave thrown us into this war, but he's refusing to get us out of it...
Fine, let's work to bring the troops home soon...
And Team Bush can cause more turmoil for his own party!

San Diego City Council Voted to Ban Wal-Mart Supercenters

From AP Wire:

SAN DIEGO - The City Council here voted late Tuesday to ban certain giant retail stores, dealing a blow to Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s potential to expand in the nation's eighth-largest city.

The measure, approved on a 5-3 vote, prohibits stores of more than 90,000 square feet that use 10 percent of space to sell groceries and other merchandise that is not subject to sales tax. It takes aim at Wal-Mart Supercenter stores, which average 185,000 square feet and sell groceries.

Mayor Jerry Sanders will veto the ban if the Council reaffirms it on a second vote, which will likely happen in January, said mayoral spokesman Fred Sainz. The Council can override his veto with five votes.

Thank goodness the SD City Council realizes that Wal-Mart really is bad for local business!

Councilman Tony Young, who joined the 5-3 majority, countered, "I have a vision for San Diego and that vision is about walkable, livable communities, not big, mega-structures that inhibit people's lives."

Really, Wal-Mart is no good for our local communities. It destroys local businesses, mooches off government subsidies, and treats workers like crap... What's so good about any of that?



Go to Wake Up Wal-Mart's website... They've got more info on Wal-Mart's many misdeeds. If you can, try to avoid this store... Or better yet, make sure that this type of depravity doesn't even enter into your community! If Wal-Mart can't treat its workers with dignity and respect other local businesses, then it doesn't deserve to be a part of our communities!

BREAKING: Iraq Summit Delayed

Hmmm... So Maliki backed out of a meeting for today...
Did this have something to do with this impromptu decision?(From AP Wire)

The cancellation came after the disclosure of a classified White House memo, written Nov. 8 by Hadley. In one particularly harsh section, Hadley asserted: "The reality on the streets of Baghdad suggests Maliki is either ignorant of what is going on, misrepresenting his intentions or that his capabilities are not yet sufficient to turn his good intentions into action."

Administration officials did not dispute the leaked account, saying that on balance the document was supportive of the Iraqi leader and generally portrayed him as well-meaning.

So now...

Instead of two days of talks, Bush and al-Maliki will have breakfast and a single meeting followed by a news conference on Thursday morning, the White House said.

Of course, Bush must still have the photo op, to make it look like he's actually accomplishing something there. Seriously if something is to be done in Iraq, we've got to engage more than just the Iraqi Prime Minister, because, to be honest, the Iraqi PM doesn't have much control over Iraq. The nation is in the middle of the civil war, and the Iraqi PM is mainly in power thanks to the parties affiliated with the militias.

But of course, Bush still refuses to admit that there's a civil war there.

Iraq Update: So PM Maliki Will Meet Bush After All

... And already, Muqtada al-Sadr's MPs are walking out of the government. From BBC:

US President George W Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki have arrived in Jordan for key Iraq talks.

They are expected to discuss how to improve the security situation there, following some of the worst violence since the US-led invasion in 2003.

But in protest against the meeting, the Iraqi political group loyal to Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr is suspending its participation in the government...

The political group, which has a handful of cabinet ministers, had been making the threat for some days and had called for Mr Maliki to call off the Jordan meeting...

President Bush, who arrived from the Nato summit in Latvia, is expected to give public support to Mr Maliki, but privately will be renewing pressure on him to take action against Shia militias, our correspondent says.

Yes, so Bush will chide Maliki again to "crack down" against the militias...
He just won't realize that the government pretty much IS THE MILITIAS! Maliki can't govern without their help... Thanks to our failed war and occupation, the militias have become this powerful.

Some Easy Silence, Courtesy of the Dixie Chicks

Sometimes I just feel like stopping...
And taking in a moment of easy silence.

God bless the Dixie Chicks.

Iraq Update: Daily Civilian Casualties Likely to Rise to Over 100, 5 Young Girls Just Killed by US Forces in Ramadi

I just found this on The Guardian's (London) website. Now I feel like weeping again.

Violence against Iraqi civilians, which is already taking between 60 and 100 lives a day, is likely to rise still further, Major General William Caldwell, the US military spokesman in Baghdad, conceded yesterday.

In the aftermath of last week's devastating car bomb and mortar attacks against the capital's crowded Shia district of Sadr City which killed 215 people and subsequent raids by gunmen into Sunni areas, he said: "We expect to see elevated levels of violence in the next couple of weeks."

What are we doing there? Why are we killing the people we're supposed to liberate? From the BBC:

Five young girls have been killed in Iraq during a clash between US marines and insurgents in the western city of Ramadi, the US has said.
A US military statement said militants on the roof of a house had fired on its forces, who responded with tank fire.

It said soldiers searching the building found the bodies of one man and the five girls, one of whom was an infant.

Ramadi, 115km (70 miles) west of Baghdad, is located in Anbar province, a stronghold for Sunni Arab militants.

The youngest female casualty was six-months-old and the eldest was aged 10. Another female at the scene was injured but refused treatment, the statement said.

What are we doing there? Why are we hurting these people? Why have we turned their lives into a living hell? These people are suffering, and Bush's insistence that we "stay the course" only adds to their suffering.

When will "our leaders" realize this?

Casualties of War

So is this what Bush meant when he said, "Bring 'em on!"



Well, all I have to say is... Bring 'em home!
That is, let's start working on a feasible plan to bring our troops home soon...
And by soon, I'm thinking 2007! There's no legitimate reason for our troops to remain caught in the middle of a quagmire, and there's no reason for the Iraqi people to continue to suffer under the US occupation!

Iraq: What the Fuck Are We Doing to The People?

What are the motherfucker jerks in the White House telling our soldiers to do there?



What the hell are we doing in Iraq?



"I'm a taxi car driver. That car was my livelihood."

I guess the troops don't care... I guess they were trained not to care by those FUCKING ASSHOLES in the White House! Seriously, it looks like Abu Ghraib was only the beginning. This occupation has become a REIGN OF TERROR for the Iraqi people! Between our military forces, the Shiite militias, and the Sunni militias, no wonder the Iraqis are so afraid... Who can they trust to keep them safe? Who can they trust to help them rebuild the country? Who can they trust not to kill them? Well, I guess you can mark the good ol' USA off that list!

Seriously, we need to get the hell out of Iraq soon...
Yes, the nation has fallen into civil war, but it doesn't look like the US Military is the proper tool to help solve that problem... For God's sake, send in some UN Peacekeepers! Send in some peacekeepers from other Muslim nations! But please, let's not torture the Iraqis with any more of our occupation of their country!

Earth to OC Govt: Give the Damn PC Back to Chris Prevatt!

Grrrrr! I'm sick of these stupid power plays that have been commonplace in Orange County government for way too long. Even conservative blogger Matt Cunningham agrees that Chris should have his computer back:

So why are they hanging on to his computer? It's clear Chris didn't post from work --and the county knows it. Heck, they could have figured that out without takling his computer.

Even Tan Nguyen has had his computers returned by the Attorney General's office.

Enough already. Give the man his bloody computer back!

Thank you, Mr. Cunningham, for just saying what all the rest of us have been thinking...
There's no proof that Chris ever posted from work, and it's already been two workweeks since Tom Mauk first had the computer seized...
So why not just return the damn computer to Chris, and let him get back to work?

From Chris Prevatt himself, commenting on Matt's post:

To clarify, they did give me a loaner computer, but I do not have access to the files from my previous computer. Makes it a bit difficult to complete the few projects I was working on before they yanked the thing on October 27th. At least two projects I have worked on over the last month I had to research and recreate data and information I already had.

Great use of County resources don't you think? Who nows, maybe I'll get the computer back tomorrow.

I wonder how much money these numbskulls have spent in management and IT time conducting their "investigation?."

What a waste!

Yes, what a waste, indeed!

OC 1st Supe: Carlos Bustamante Makes It Official

It's official now... Carlos "Bubba Gump" Bustamante is now running for Supervisor!

Check out here for OJ's story.

So if Republicans don't trust him...
And Democrats don't trust him...
Where will Carlos find his "base" of support?
Are Santa Ana voters REALLY grateful for all his "accomplishments"?

So he can land himself in the pages of "Bello", but can he break free from the Pulido Machine?
Can he break free from the OC GOP Machine?
Oops! That's right, Miguel Pulido and Bill Campbell are his campaign co-chairs.
How lovely. ; )

Iraq: CNN's Ware Calling It a Civil War

"Anyone who doubts this is a civil war is suffering from a luxury of distance."



Why can't we have more honest folks in the MSM?

Why can't more in the "Beltway Crowd" realize that our involvement in Iraq is, at best, not helping the situation?

Why can't we find a solution to this quagmire?

Whether we like it or not, the troops must come home soon. It's pointless for us to continue sending them to die in the midst of a civil war that's out of our hands, and out of control. Perhaps there's a diplomatic soltuion to the Iraq conundrum out there. Perhaps the UN can be of some help. Perhaps NATO, and/or our remaining "allies" in the Muslim world (I don't know how much longer we'll have allies there if we continue the occupation).

Still, we can't move on toward finding a solution on Iraq if we still don't realize the problem there... Kudos to Michael Ware at CNN for helping America realize the problem.

GOP Losing in the 'Burbs... What Does That Mean for Us in SoCal?

Remember the suburbs? Those quiet, pleasant neighborhoods... Those perfectly manicured lawns... Those white picket fences... And all those conservatives afraid of the "evil ways of the big, bad city"? Well, the neighborhoods may still be pleasant, and white picket fences are still up, but the Republicans are moving out!

In today's edition of USA Today, there's a nice article showing how the Republicans are now losing the Battle of the 'Burbs.

Democrats carried nearly 60% of the U.S. House vote in inner suburbs in the nation's 50 largest metropolitan areas, up from about 53% in 2002, according to the analysis by the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech.

They received nearly 55% of the vote in the next ring of "mature" 20- and 30-year-old suburbs, with 45% going to Republicans and third-party candidates. In 2002, the last midterm election, Democrats received 50% of the vote there.

Hmmm, looks interesting. Wonder why the suburbs, especially the older suburbs closer to town, are steadily turning blue? Perhaps because they're not as "lily white" as they used to be:

Well-established or "mature" suburbs increasingly are turning Democratic, Lang said. He said the trend probably is permanent because such suburbs have become denser and have drawn more foreign-born residents as Republicans have moved farther from urban cores.

Now the USA Today piece goes on to talk about suburban Philadelphia, but I'd like to discuss what this means for us in Southern California. Remember the bad old days of the "conservative San Fernando Valley"? Remember when LA County was a "swing county" due to all the "GOP-leaning suburbs"? All that has changed over the last few years... In fact, as of now the GOP has been almost entirely shut out of LA County, except for the far-out reaches of the Antelope Valley, east San Gabriel Valley, and Palos Verdes Peninsula... And now they're even at risk of eventually losing those areas!

Even my own Orange County is changing. For quite a while now, many of the older towns in the central and northern parts of the county have begun to trend Democratic over the last few years. Santa Ana, which was once a little "country town" 100 years ago, is now the ninth most populous city in the state, as well as the most Latino major city in the US. Irvine has a growing Asian-American population that is changing the nature of the once "lily white" master-planned suburb. Slowly but surely, Orange County is becoming a minority-majority area. It's not the "Orange Curtain" our parents were once frightened by!

Apparently, the OC Democratic Party is looking for a new field director... Good for us! We need to look at these encouraging trends, and start reaching out to all those suburban voters!

What a Weekend in Iraq

Why are we there, again?

ACTION ALERT: Contact Your Senator to Reject S 3696, The "Public Expression of Religion Act"

Please write or contact your Senators and urge them to reject this disguised attack on our religious freedom. Go ahead and read my letter below for ideas, or follow this link for more info on this issue:

In September, the House passed HR 2679, the "Public Expression of Religion Act". Apparently now, this bill is S 3696, and will be coming up for a vote in the Senate soon. Senator -----, I'm writing this to you, urging you to reject this terrible piece of legislation that chips away at our First Amendment rights. This is a disgusting piece of legislation that threatens to undo our Bill of Rights, which is why I am asking you not to allow this bill to pass during this "Lame Duck" session.

If the "Public Expression of Religion Act" becomes law, then everyone who has the courage to challenge violations of the Establishment Clause must pay for their court costs out of pocket. Even if they win, they would not be entitled to having their attorney's fees paid for by the person who had violated the Establishment Clause in the first place! For one, this is simply unfair... And, of course, this is specifically designed to scare away the trial lawyers who would otherwise provide their services to the plaintiff pro bono.

What the supporters of PERA want us to forget is that the ability to recover attorneys’ fees in these types of Establishment Clause cases is necessary to protect the religious freedom of all Americans and to ensure that government does not become entagled in religious affairs, and vice versa. How many American citizens would be able to afford the tens of thousands of dollars to take a case to court? How many attorneys are able to handle the burden of not being compensated for all the time and effort they spend on such cases? The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment protects the religious liberty of all Americans, however the supporters of PERA want to only limit the First Amendment to those who can afford to pay their own way to court.

And besides, citizens should not be required to do pay for these cases where the court finds that the government has violated their rights and the Constitution. This is nothing more than an attempt by the radical right to silence the voices of those who challenge their attempts to destroy our freedom of religion. Please, Senator --, reject this bill. Please help ensure that the Constitutional principle of religious freedom will remain strong for generations to come.

Disclosure... I Know Chris Prevatt

Chris Prevatt is a good friend of mine, and I consider him to be one of the wisest folks in Orange County. He is an amazing truthteller who is never afraid of being honest about what he sees as unethical, or what is illegal, or what is just plain wrong. I wish I had Chris' ability to just "tell it like it is". I wish we had more dedicated watchdogs, such as Chris, to keep our government accountable.

Go show Chris your support. Go to The Liberal OC and write him a comment. Write to the OC Register reporter who broke this story. Let your voice be heard... You'll make Chris proud. ; )

Back Behind the Orange Curtain: OC GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE LOCAL BLOGGER

What is this nation coming to? What is this county coming to? Whatever happened to our First Amendment right to free speech? From today's Register:

... [O]ne county worker is finding out that political blogging – or blogging for Democrats in Orange County – can also generate blowback.

County officials are investigating blogger Chris Prevatt, who works in the county's health care agency and posts commentaries at the site Liberal OC, for visiting the site during work hours.

And what is their excuse for this "investigation"?

Two weeks before this month's election, Prevatt posted an article giving County Supervisor Chris Norby the nickname of “Darth Norby.” He criticized Norby for his stance against government-funded ethnic outreach programs and even posted a photo of Norby morphed into the infamous dark lord of Star Wars fame.

Two days later, Prevatt says, health care agency supervisors came to his desk, confiscated his computer and began an investigation.

A Norby aide admits he mentioned the post to a senior county official but did not call for an investigation.

What the fuck is going on with my county government? First, they sit by idly as our "Godfather" Sheriff Carona silences Bill Hunt after he had the courage to not only blow the whistle on "The Little Sheriff", but continue running for Sheriff after Carona decided to keep his old job after all. And now, they are going after another county employee... And this time, he's not even a political appointee...
He's simply a county health care agency employee who was trying to keep our government honest.

Oh, and if they cared so much about county employees avoiding political blogging on county time, why don't they investigate former county employee Jon Fleischman's "work" on Flash Report?

County CEO Tom Mauk denies that the probe into Prevatt is politically motivated, adding that such investigations are triggered by complaints. There have not been any probes into Republican bloggers that Mauk can recall.

Yeah, right! There's no way that Jon Fleischman was able to "post while taking breaks"... If you look at all the long posts he was writing during his period in the Sheriff's Office, there's no way he could have done all those posts during his break time, which by the way, is still county time! Sorry, but I call bullshit here!

So why is the County really going after Chris Prevatt? Perhaps because he posted this scathing critique of Neal Kelley's (in)ability to conduct a proper election? Perhaps because he blew the whistle on all the federal HIV/AIDS funds that were being misused by the County Health Care Agency? Or is it just becuase he's a Democratic blogger, as opposed to the dominant Republican culture (of corruption!!) in the county government? Well, whatever it is, I refuse to stand by and allow my county government to do such a disgusting act of political payback!

Iraq Update

Oh, no... It's getting worse! Muqtada al-Sadr is now threatening that his bloc will walk out of the Baghdad government if PM al-Maliki meets with Bush...
See, already the Sadr folks are blaming us for this... Yet another reason why we need to get the heck out of Iraq! Our presence isn't helping... Perhaps a multinational NATO or UN presence can help stabilize and rebuild Iraq, but our military isn't meant to be a babysitter for these militia groups!

Not a Happy Thanksgiving in Iraq

Yesterday, I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family... Unfortunately, later last night, once I got home, I found out about what happened in Baghdad:

A series of fiery suicide car bombings killed at least 152 people and wounded 236 others Thursday in the deadliest sectarian attack in Baghdad since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

The explosions in the Shiite Muslim neighborhood of Sadr City followed a highly coordinated militant assault on the Shiite-controlled Health Ministry complex, and they were met with almost immediate reprisal attacks in Sunni Arab Muslim neighborhoods that killed at least nine people. Other bombings and shootings killed 18 people in and around the capital, making for one of the deadliest days in Iraq's sectarian war.

The sound of mortar shelling and gunfire echoed throughout the night in the capital, where an open-ended curfew was imposed. The government closed the airport, and the nation's top clerics and political leaders appealed for calm.

Yesterday was the deadliest day in Baghdad on record...
Oh yes, didn't President Bush say that "if we leave Iraq, there will be chaos"?
Well, it's kinda too late for that...
There's already chaos in Iraq, thanks to total Bush Administration incompetence!

Oh, and today, just as the funeral for the dead Baghdad residents was beginning, violence broke out in Northern Iraq:

Two bombs killed at least 22 people and wounded another 26 in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar today, police said.
The bombs, one hidden in a parked car and the other in a suicide vest worn by a pedestrian, apparently targeted civilians outside a car dealership in the city, 90 miles east of the Syrian border.

The bombings happened at around 11am (0800 BST) as funeral processions were getting under way in Baghdad for many of the more than 200 victims of attacks there yesterday.

Now remind me again why we're in Iraq? Is it for freedom? Is it to stabilize the nation? Is it to combat "radical Islam" in the Middle East? Well, it can't be for any of these reasons... None of these things are happening! If anything, our presence in Iraq is only contributing to further anger, strife, and violence. Oh, and this has been a perfect "opportunity" for al-Qaeda to recruit new potential terrorists... "Look at those American infidels, they're trying to conquer us! They're an evil empire, and we must resist..."

If we really want to reach out to the Muslim world, and give them a reason to trust us and be our friends, we must change course... We need to get out of Iraq soon! I just hope that Nancy Pelosi was telling us the truth when she said that finding an exit strategy from Iraq would be a priority in the new Congress. This current "stay the course" isn't working for the American people, and it sure as hell isn't working for the Iraqi people!

SD 34: So Correa Officially Won... Now Who Will Be Filling His Supe Seat?

OK, now! Both The OC Register AND The LA Times are reporting that Lynn Daucher plans to officially concede to Lou Correa this week. Though State Senate GOP Leader Dick Ackerman (R-Irvine) is still planning to "investigate the Otto Bade wrongdoing", his "investigation" won't change the inevitable... Lou is now going (back) to Sacramento, and all of us left behind must now pick someone to fill his seat on the OC Board of Supervisors! ; )

Already, Garden Grove Councilmembers Mark Rosen (D) and Janet Nguyen (R) have announced their intention to run. Also, Garden Grove School Board Member Trung Nguyen has just announced his intention to run. Of course, Trung Nguyen is a Van Tran protege who ran as part of the "Team Tran" Vietnamese Republican ticket this year (along with failed Congressional Candidate Tan Nguyen). Already, some Janet supporters are accusing Van Tran of using Trung as a decoy candidate (ala Otto Bade) to destroy Janet's chances of winning this seat. Oh yes, the Garden Grove drama has begun!

Yes, and I didn't even get to the Santa Ana candidates yet... Now, I am! Right now, it looks like Santa Ana Councilmember Carlos Bustamante (R? D? C4L?) is just dying to get into the fray... He's been salivating over this seat since Lou Correa first announced his run for State Senate! But could another Councilmember deny him this once-in-a-lifetime chance for a BoS seat? Already, the rumor mill has it that fellow Santa Ana Councilmember Claudia Alvarez (is she really D?) may jump into this race just for the heck of it... I don't see it happening, but if she does, expect the fireworks to really go off!

Still, the one candidate who could really excite the Democratic base in the 1st Supe District would be soon-to-be Ex-Assemblymember Tom Umberg. Of course, Umberg originally ran for SD 34 in the Democratic primary, and lost in a 60-40 landslide to Lou over allegations of an extramarital affair and fudging his record of military service... However now that those allegations are history, perhaps Mr. Umberg would like to jump back into Orange County politics by running for this open Supe seat. Especially if Umberg is able to hold onto most of the Democratic base here, he might have a large enough bloc to win the Special Election ... Apparently for the Special, no one needs a 50% +1 majority to win, and turnout probably won't be all that hot... So perhaps, this might be the formula for a Tom Umberg comeback! (Or not, if people still remember all the crap from the June primary.)

So, anyways, it's off to the races once again in Central Orange County! One race (SD 34) is ending, and another (1st Supe Special) is just beginning. As always, stay tuned here for more fun and excitement (and loads of melodrama)! ; )

SD 34: My Post Mortem

Before I begin, let me give you the final update:

STATE SENATOR, 34th District
Completed Precincts: 377 of 377
Vote Count Percentage
LOU CORREA (DEM) 56270 50.2%
LYNN DAUCHER (REP) 54968 49.0%
OTTO BADE 910 0.8%


Lou is now beating Lynn by 1,302 votes. This margin is more than the total number of votes that Otto Bade received... And this margin is large enough to where Lynn couldn't possibly win in a recount. I am genuinely thrilled that Lou Correa looks to have won this election, and that he will soon to be on his way to Sacramento to represent my community in the Legislature, I am also disappointed that the cloud of scandal may continue to linger over us here in Central Orange County. Though Lou Correa won this election fair and square, some Republicans will likely point to the actions of a few well-connected "Correa Supporters" and claim that they "stole the election from Lynn Daucher". While I disagree that the election was stolen, I must also agree that these purported "Correa Supporters" did not exactly conduct their "Californians United" independent expenditure operation in the most ethical of manners.

Now of course, the Californians United operation was behind the decoy campaign of "Conservative Write-in" candidate Otto Bade. And yes, I must agree with the critics that the folks behind the Californians United trickery did a sleazy act by convincing Otto Bade to run as the "Independent Republican/Conservative". While their Californians United trick wasn't illegal, it was definitely unethical... And if anything, they hurt Lou Correa here! They tarnished his image by inviting folks to alege that Lou was involved with their foul play (and he clearly wasn't)! They gave folks the false impression that Lou was "just another sleazy politician", who was willing to do anything to win. This is not true... My dad and I have spoken with Lou on several occasions, and we are convinced that Lou Correa will serve us well as our next State Senator.

Personally, I think that the Otto Bade trickery undermined the direct efforts of Lou's campaign to reach out to the voters in the 34th in a positive way. I had walked with many of the local students, and I was heart-warmed by their dedication to their community, as well as their dedication to helping Lou win this election. And of course, while walking I've talked to many of my neighbors in Santa Ana. Many of them supported Lou because they know that he actually cares about the well-being of our communities, and has worked hard to bring money home to keep our neighborhoods safe, make our parks beautiful again, and improve our schools. This was the message that the Correa campaign focused on spreading... Not that Otto Bade is "more conservative" than Lynn Daucher. This was the message that was nearly drowned out by the stupid scandal over who was really behind Otto Bade.

Of course, it's not as if the Republicans conducted a completely ethical campaign either! Remember, after all, that it was the Republicans who illegally switched between 100 and 500 Democratic and Independent voters to Republican. Of course, it was also the Republican Candidate in the overlapping 47th Congressional District, Tan Nguyen, who sent the infamous "Immigrants Can't Vote" intimidation letter to over 14,000 legal registered voters. Oh yes, and it was Republican Lynn Daucher who "moved" from her Brea residence to a Fullerton apartment early this year in order to claim residency in the 34th State Senate District... While Lou Correa has lived in Central Orange County for all 42 years of his life, and has been active in the community here for many years, Lynn Daucher hardly "lived" here 42 weeks before Election Day! Of course, these works of Republican trickery were not excuses for the Californians United operation... This is simply my way of putting things back into perspective here. Before the Republicans start accusing us of malfeasance, they should deal with the severely unethical (and in the cases of the voter registration scandal and the Tan Nguyen letter, truly illegal) acts in their own party.

Oh yes, and while we're speaking about illegal acts, what about failures of the Orange County Registrar of Voters and the County Government? If only to exacerbate a problematic campaign, the County could not even run the actual election properly! For starters, there were neither enough working machines nor paper ballots for all these people to vote. This was a clear violation of Section 14102 of the California Election code, which states that “for every election, the elections official shall provide a sufficient number of official ballots in each precinct to reasonably meet the needs of the voters in that precinct on election day using the precinct’s voter turnout history as the criterion, but in no case shall this number be less than 75 percent of registered voters for the precinct.”. In numerous polling places throughout Orange County, some of the eSlate voting machines had broken down... And in other polling places where all of the machines were working, they were still not enough because the polling places were serving combined precincts. However, paper ballots were not always offered when requested, since the poll workers were told not to offer paper ballots, which was because none of the precincts had enough paper ballots. So instead, these poor folks had to wait in line for hours... And remember that we're talking about working-class voters in SD 34 who couldn't afford to spend hours in line.

Oh yes, and this reminds me of another election law that was violated on the 7th, Section 14229 of the California Election Code, which states, If a precinct board is unable to furnish a ballot to a qualified voter, because there is an insufficient number of ballots at the precinct, the elections official shall deliver to the precinct additional ballots to ensure that all eligible voters can cast their ballots by 10 p.m. on election day.” I know this didn't happen, because the final voter in Santa Ana had to cast her ballot at 10:20 PM! What happened on Election Day? Why the massive machine failures? Why the lack of paper ballots? Why the long wait, simply to vote? At best, the Orange County Registrar was criminally negligent in its duty to ensure that all legal voters are able to exercise their right to vote. At worst, well, I don't even want to imagine!

While I'm glad to see that Lou Correa will be my next State Senator, I hope that the "Correa Supporters" behind the Californians United operation do not attempt to "help" him again with their dirty tricks! I hope that the Republicans will no longer resort to dirty tricks, such as illegal party switching and intimidation letters, in order to help their candidates. I really hope that the Orange County Registrar of Voters cleans up its act, and begins to work with our incoming Secretary of State, Debra Bowen, to insure that no legal voter is disenfranchised. Is it really too much to ask that next time around, we actually have legal voter registration drives, honest and ethically-run independent expenditures, letters encouraging people to vote, and a County Registrar that actually ensures that every legal voter can vote?

SD 34 Update: OK, Back to the Good News... Correa Ahead by 821

Here's today's update from the OC Registrar:

STATE SENATOR, 34th District
Completed Precincts: 377 of 377
Vote Count Percentage
LOU CORREA (DEM) 55234 50.0%
LYNN DAUCHER (REP) 54413 49.2%
OTTO BADE 899 0.8%

Thank goodness all those folks were willing to wait hours in line to vote. They took all that time out of their busy day, time that they could hardly afford to waste in line, to exercise their right to vote. They knew the high stakes in this election, and they braved the madness at the polls to vote. Thank goodness for these amazing Americans! : )

SD 34: What the F**k Happened on Election Day?

Here's a disturbing video from "Video the Vote" :



Now yes, these individuals were documenting machine meltdowns in Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, and Huntington Beach... Outside SD 34... However, others (including myself) can testify that there were similar problems WITHIN the 34th State Senate District. So why weren't there enough working machines for all these people to vote? Why weren't there enough paper ballots to give to voters once the machines broke down? Why were all these voters, especially the working-class people in SD 34 who COULDN'T AFFORD TO SPEND HOURS IN LINE, forced to do just that?

Was this just criminal negligence, or were there more sinister motives to swing the election a certain way? Check out Chris Prevatt's post on The Liberal OC to see how the Registrar may have violated election law. My goodness, whatever happened, we need new leadership there to make sure that this massive failure NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN! : (

SD 34 ALERT: Only 1,000 Ballots Left

According to Total Buzz, Neal Kelley is now saying that the Registrar's office only has about 1,000 ballots left to count... Lynn Daucher would have to win a whopping 90% of those ballots in order to overtake Lou's lead now!! So, can we now start getting used to saying "Senator Correa"?! ; )

SD 34 Update: Correa Expands His Lead!!

Now, according to the OC Registrar, Lou Correa has widened his lead to 783 votes! Wow, this will be a steep hill for Lynn Daucher to climb as the Registrar is nearly finished coutning all votes in the 34th State Senate District. Well, what can I say? I guess this wasn't as much of a "lock for Lynn" as all the right-wing bloggers were expecting!


STATE SENATOR, 34th District
Completed Precincts: 377 of 377
Vote Count Percentage
LOU CORREA (DEM) 55147 50.0%
LYNN DAUCHER (REP) 54364 49.2%
OTTO BADE 899 0.8%

SD 34 Update: Correa Now in the Lead!!!

Check out these new lovely numbers from the OC Registrar of Voters:

STATE SENATOR, 34th District
Completed Precincts: 377 of 377
Vote Count Percentage
LOU CORREA (DEM) 53834 49.7%
LYNN DAUCHER (REP) 53552 49.5%
OTTO BADE 891 0.8%

No, your eyes are not lying to you... LOU IS NOW LEADING LYNN BY 282 VOTES!! : )

I've been at the Registrar to observe the vote count with the OC Democrats, so I apologize for posting this a little late... Still, I am very heartwarmed to see that all our efforts to reach out to voters before the election finally seem to be paying off! Hopefully if this trend continues, the OC GOP will have to kiss their "one State Senate pickup" goodbye! : )

Btw: The Register's Total Buzz blog is estimating that there may be another 4,000 provisional votes left to count... We'll see if this is correct. I just hope that this trend holds.

SD 34 Update: Daucher Lead Slides Yet Again

Now Daucher is only ahead by 147 VOTES!

Here are today's numbers from the OC Registrar:

STATE SENATOR, 34th District
Completed Precincts: 377 of 377
Vote Count Percentage
LYNN DAUCHER (REP) 53019 49.7%
LOU CORREA (DEM) 52872 49.5%
OTTO BADE 886 0.8%

Hmmm... So now, "Otto the Spoiler" is finally on the map! I guess we'll have to wait and see as to how much Bade affects the final outcome. Just who voted for Otto? Were they "Pro-life Latino Democrats" who would have voted for Lou otherwise... Or were they "True Red Conservative Republicans" who could not hold their noses to vote for the (at least somewhat) pro-choice Lynn?

FURTHER UPDATE: The Register's Martin Wisckol spoke with OC Registrar Neal Kelley about the remaining SD 34 ballots to count. He's now estimating a few hundred more absentees to count, as well as about 6,000 provisionals. We'll see if Kelley's numbers prove to be right.

Oh, the fun continues as the ballot counts keep trickling in!

Election 2008: Here's Why Rudy Giuliani Won't Win the GOP Nomination

For all you Dems who are worried about "moderate Rudy" winning the GOP nomination, and winning the Presidency in a landslide in November 2008:



So, are you still worried about "President Rudy"?

[Still, I think the video's hilarious! ; ) ]

My Thoughts on Democratic Candidates

A post-mortem on 2006, as well as looking forward to 2008:

While I prefer to work with local progressive candidates and support national progressive candidates, I will not simply put up a fit and withhold support for the winning Dem candidate if that candidate is notthe progressive that I supported. While I do think we need to continue bringing the Democratic Party back to its original Democratic values, I also think that this does us no good if we end up only running underfunded "sacrificial lambs" in all Congressional districts. Of course, we also need to work with the thinking moderates in our party (DO NOT READ capitulate to the DLC) if we want to have a winning, governing coalition.

We need to be practical in implementing our progressive goals. While I'd love to see Bush impeached, I'm not expecting it. Personally, I've been thinking about it... And I've realized that it might be better for now if we focus on raising the minimum wage, making college more affordable for families like mine, finding a common-sense solution on immigration, and (MOST IMPORTANTLY!) put together a plan to GET OUT OF IRAQ! By actually getting things done instead of just holding impeachment hearings, we'll prove to our fellow Americans that we progressives are actually MAKING PROGRESS in moving this nation forward!

Sure, I'd love to see Russ Feingold or Dennis Kucinich as our next Presidential nominee... But no, I won't hold my breath until that happens! If we can get someone like Clark or Edwards (or especially Gore!!), I'll be happy.

SD 34 Update: Daucher Lead Sildes to 302!

This may just be the BEGINNING OF THE END of the "GOP Takeover" of Central Orange County! After the counting of damaged absentee ballots that had to be duplicated and rerun through the machines, Lou Correa continued to catch up with Lynn Daucher... Here are the latest tabs from the OC Registrar of Voters:

STATE SENATOR, 34th District
Completed Precincts: 377 of 377
Vote Count Percentage
LYNN DAUCHER (REP) 51736 50.1%
LOU CORREA (DEM) 51434 49.9%

EdVoice's Paul Mitchell has more analysis on what we can expect (via Red County/OC Blog):

Correa gained back 59 votes on Daucher, placing the gap at 302. In today’s counting, he led her by a margin of 51.1% to 49.9%. Correa needs to win the remaining ballots by a margin of 52/48 in order to prevail. There are still 12,260 absentees outstanding county-wide. Using previous counts, it can be assumed that this means there are 1,500 absentees to be counted in the 34th. The registrar has increased the likely number of Provisionals outstanding to 5-6,000 in the 34th, meaning that 25%+ of the provisionals were from this district, even though it is only 18% of the registration in the county, and about 14% of the votes on Election Day. The registrar also suggested that only half of these 5-6,000 would ultimately count. This is a much lower rate than in 2004 when only 16% of ballots were rejected. Even though there are two wildly different ways of approximating the number of provisionals to be counted, both methods get you to about 2,500. With a projected 1,500 absentees and 2,500 provisionals to count, it can be expected that we have 4,000 more votes to tally...
The Correa campaign has suggested all along that they will perform very well in the provisional ballots – something that is supported by previous elections. If Correa wins the remaining provisionals and absentees by the same percentage as his election day counts, he will win by 62 votes.

Now I'm not planning to take this as Gospel, just as much as I didn't cry on my bed when another local blogger declared Daucher to be the outright winner on Saturday. I'm simply suggesting that we ALL take a deep breath, and wait for the final results next week. I remain hopeful that Lou can overtake the now very-slim Lynn lead, but I'm NOT EXPECTING ANYTHING!

This is truly the unresolved race that will not end! ; )

SD 34: So Much for Daucher's Victory "in the Bag"!

Here's the total number of ballots left to count:

Total estimated number of ballots to count: 386,558
Total estimated number of ballots counted: 332,144

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total estimated number of ballots left to count: 54,414


It looks like the Registrar's office still has 32,499 absentee ballots left to be counted... I suspect the bulk of these were turned into the polling place on Election Day. Also, they still have 21,915 provisional ballots left to count. I suspect that this means that the count will continue to tighten... And this could still very well flip to Correa in the very end! OOOOH, this race is far from over! : )

SD 34 Update: Daucher Lead Cut in Half (In Just One Day!!)

Yes, you heard me right...

Democrat Lou Correa is ON THE REBOUND as the OC Registrar of Voters continues to count ballots in what has turned out to be the closest race in California.

STATE SENATOR, 34th District
Completed Precincts: 377 of 377
Vote Count Percentage
LYNN DAUCHER (REP) 50433 50.2%
LOU CORREA (DEM) 50072 49.8%

Now apparently this morning (according to the Register), there were still 53,000 ballots left to count... And it doesn't look like they've completed the count. I guess tomorrow we'll see how much further Correa leaps... Will it be enough for us to hold onto this seat? Darn, I hope so!

Democratic Values ARE Working Class Values

You know what's irking me today? The GOP's still trying to spin this election as a "conservative win" with these supposed "conservative Democrats" winning last week, and they're still trying to portray us as "out of touch liberal elite" who want to destroy America. Well, guess what I have to say back to them?

Stop projecting your problems on us! This year, voters throughout the country kicked the GOP out of Congress because they are sick of the culture wars, and want real action in ussues such as raising the minimum wage. This year, Democrats talked with voters on serious issues such as the minimum wage, making health care more affordable, and making college more affordable for working families. This year, the Democrats won because we gave them a breath of fresh air from the stale old culture wars, and promised real solutions to real problems facing real American families.

The GOP, on the other hand, simply pulled off stupid election-year stunts by trying to reignite the culture wars. They tried to push the ridiculous marriage amendment, did a lot of grandstanding on the flag-burning amendment, and pushed through worthless resolutions "supporting the troops" while the troops are dying with inadequate body armor... Oh, and while trying to fend off a civil war that was begun by this Administration in a failed attempt to assert its geopolitical muscle in the Middle East.

Yeah, and it's "us Democrats" who are talking down to working class voters...
Yeah, right!

The Dem Priority of the New Congress: A Phased Withdrawal from Iraq

On one of the most violent days in Iraq yesterday, the Congressional Democratic leadership talked about one of the top priorities for them when the new Congress convenes: A phased withdrawal from Iraq.

In today's LA Times, they discuss the Democratic Senate leadership uniting behind a proposal for phased withdrawal:

Senior military officials have recently voiced increasing concern that the security benefits of keeping large numbers of troops in Iraq are outweighed by significant downsides to the heavy U.S. presence. Among them are a perceived reluctance by Iraqis to take the lead in stemming the violence as long as U.S. forces are there.

"We have to tell the Iraqis that the open-ended commitment is over and that we're going to begin to have a phased withdrawal in four to six months," said [Sen. Carl] Levin [D-MI], who also appeared on "This Week."

Levin was joined in his call for a phased pullout by Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), who is in line to become chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader in the Senate, told NBC's "Meet the Press" that decisions on drawdowns should rest with U.S. military officers in Iraq. Still, Reid said that "we need to redeploy" and that a withdrawal should start within several months.

Now we probably won't see any concrete proposals until the Baker-Hamilton Commission releases its suggestions on Iraq. At the same time, Bush & Co. still refuse to consider any withdrawal of troops until there is "victory in Iraq". Of course, Bush still doesn't quite define what "victory in Iraq" means. Is it a stable government? A democratic government? An American-style republic? Bush is still promising to block any legislation calling for a withdrawal, but what if that's what the commission recommends (though I'm not counting on it)? What if that's what the American people want (it already is)? What if that's what the Iraqi people want (it already is)?

If only we had an Administration that cares about more than its own desires, and the desires of their corporate sugar-daddies.

Lou Sheldon's Helped Cover Up Haggard-gate

Lou Sheldon, one of Orange County's own home-grown hatemongers, is now in trouble for helping to hide Ted Haggard's dirty little secrets.

From New York's Jewish Week:

Then, as if things could not get worse, there was the disgrace of Sheldon's own friend and colleague, Rev. Ted Haggard, the Colorado mega-church leader and president of the National Association of Evangelicals, an even bigger pillar of Republican support on the Christian right. Sheldon disclosed that he and "a lot" of others knew about Haggard's homosexuality "for awhile ... but we weren't sure just how to deal with it."

Months before a male prostitute publicly revealed Haggard's secret relationship with him, and the reverend's drug use as well, "Ted and I had a discussion," explained Sheldon, who said Haggard gave him a telltale signal then: "He said homosexuality is genetic. I said, no it isn't. But I just knew he was covering up. They need to say that."

Ah, yes... Lou Sheldon...
The same person who spewed out this crap:

Gays are like Hitler and Gestapo

"The Rev. Lou Sheldon, president of the Traditional Values Coalition, said the 'hate crime' designation is increasingly going to be applied against those who believe homosexuality is wrong. 'What Hitler began to build against the Jews is now being built against people of faith who believe the Scriptures are valid for today and their injunctions against certain sexual behaviors is correct,' he said. Several years ago, homosexual activists disrupted a similar conference of his in Sacramento, he said, 'but I didn't have the finances to get a lawyer. For a long time we were the target of their wrath. Now other people are surfacing against them, thank God. If you don't agree with [homosexual activists], they use Gestapo tactics to stop you.' - Washington Times, Tuesday, October 27, 1998, Page A2

Sheldon for quarantining AIDS patients

"Reverend Louis Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition has come out in favor of quarantining AIDS patients in what he calls 'cities of refuge.' " - Mark E. Pietrzyk, News-Telegraph, March 10, 1995.

Gays are amoral extremists

"If the Ameircan people are shocked by all of the same-sex smooching that is on television, wait until they see an American president kissing up to the wealthiest extremists of the amoral left." Andrea Sheldon, quoted by People for the American Way, "Hostile Climate," 1988, p.9.

So Sheldon helped his secret gay friend hide in the closet? How precious! I wonder how Haggard liked being compared to a Nazi! Is he really that self-loathing?! And does one need any more evidence that Lou Sheldon is a HYPOCRITICAL BIGOT?!

Thank goodness we finally took back Congress... I don't think I can survive any more of the crap that's coming from the GOP's best friends in the Religious Right!

(PS- Thanks, dogemperor, for the great DKos diary!)

Now for National News: Rumsfeld Finally Resigns, and Dems Look to Take Both Houses of Congress

Yes! Finally, a change of leadership at the Pentagon... Perhaps the White House finally got the message last night? The Washington Post has more on this... If confirmed by the Senate, it looks like ex-CIA Director Robert Gates will be the new Defense Secretary... Thank goodness Bush didn't choose Lieberman! : )

Also, NBC News is now projecting that Jon Tester will be the next Senator from Montana... YES! Montana Dems rock!

Now according to MSNBC, we've got 234 seats in the House and 50 in the Senate...
We're just waiting on Virginia, but I'm confident that we've won that one as well. ; )

"The Reagan Revolution" is now officially over... "The Progressive Revolution" is just beginning!

"Daucher leads Correa by 13 votes in state Senate race"

Yep, that's the headline of this morning's Register story on the race that won't end in my home district.

The hottest state Senate race ended at a virtual deadlock early Wednesday morning, with late absentee ballots and provisional ballots expected to determine the outcome when counted in the days ahead.

Republican Lynn Daucher led Democrat Lou Correa by just 13 votes all precincts had been counted. Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said it was not yet known how many absentee and provisional ballots remained to be tallied.

"I can't believe this," Correa said. "We're going to have to wait until the last vote is counted."

Daucher concurred.

"I said all along it would be really close," she said. "But I didn't think it would be this close."

The narrow margin could mean a recount following the final tally, which could be done by the end of this week or early next week.

Yep, you heard Martin Wisckol right... We'll have to wait until the end of the week AT LEAST to discover any clue as to how this race will end.

Nevertheless, I'm still hopeful. I know that all those folks in Santa Ana weren't just waiting foir anything... Many were motivated by Lou and the Correa campaign to go out and exercise their All-American right to vote. I think Lou can ultimately win... We just may have to wait a while as every last vote is still being counted.

SD 34: Still Too Close to Call

With all regular ballots counted, this race is as close to a statistical tie as humanly possible...
Republican Lynn Daucher leads by ONLY 13 VOTES...

I'm not kidding! Here's the last update from the Registrar of Voters:

STATE SENATOR, 34th District
Completed Precincts: 377 of 377
Vote Count Percentage
LYNN DAUCHER (REP) 38679 50.0%
LOU CORREA (DEM) 38666 50.0%

Oh, and we still have to wait for ALL the provisional ballots to be counted, as well as ALL the absentee ballots that were handed in yesterday... Oh, and I hadn't even figured into account the lawsuits yet! We were warned that this race would be close, and now the real fight to the bitter end begins.

This May Be My Last Post Before the Polls Close...

So if you haven't done so already, PLEASE VOTE!

Oh, and if you're going to the OC Democrats party at the IBEW, the CYD party on Bush St, and/or Lou Correa's HQ, I may bump into you later tonight...

In the mean time, happy voting!

Guest Blogger on Why Ed Royce (CA-40) Needs to Go Today

From Gary, a concerned voter in the 40th CD:

Hi... friends of liberty,

As you know and have reason to know, I am a lot more
concerned for my country than I am any such political
party. So, with that statement, I'm including a Guest
Editorial/Letter To The Editor I had submitted to the
OC Register for your enjoyment as I don't believe they
had any inclination to publish it.

Good luck with the voter turn-out!

Gary

Aren't We Lucky?

Being an interested person living in the 40th
Congressional District has its rewards. Take for
example our 'safe seat' congressman, the one and only
Honorable Ed Royce. A modest, middle class kind of
guy with a deafening quietness to his demeanor has not
been debated, much less, taken to task with a hard
foght battle to keep his job as our public servant.
In short, we're not having to endure the bare knuckles
fights as so many of Honorable Ed's fellow 'red ink
rubber-stampers' are facing. Aren't we lucky?

Looking this way and that way, I notice that red ink
Ed is not touching any of his own millions taking out
sleazy ads bashing the Democratic candidate... he's
not even moved enough to spend a ten bucks of his
money blasting the Libertarians... Oh my, Honorable Ed
is not even resorting to free ads in the Penny Saver
leveling pot shots at the Green Party. Aren't we
lucky?

While, scant news leaks seep through the nation's
'controlled' mass media to offer one whispers and
fleeting glimpses of the thundering political
revolution roaring across the land, right here in the
40th congressional district, we have Honorable Ed
'sitting pretty' with his taxpayer funded hand
sanitizer to clean all of that nasty red ink off his
hands after a busy, busy day rubber-stamping George W.
Bush's ongoing war on reasoning and everything else
the "decider" desires for himself. Aren't we lucky?

In fact, honorable Ed is not even having to hide his
rubber stamp behind his back and bash his own homeboy
party to save his honor, dignity and integrity.
Honorable Ed hasn't even been nudged to explain what
the $5,000 "donation" (we'll call it) from Jack
Abramoff was all about. Frankly, I am unable to say
whether or not Honorable Ed had even considered giving
that money back to Jack or some other worthy charity--
because he has neither been asked nor inclined to say.
Aren't we lucky?

I ask, "Is this a little odd?" Here we have a guy, a
quiet middle class millionaire who has his hands
soaked in red ink to rubber stamp virtually 100% of
George W. Bush's dirty politics as horrid policy
agenda, yet has not stepped into the light to tell me
a single thing he has done for the benefit of his safe
seat district, or the oath of safe seat office he will
again take in honor and defense of the Constitution of
the United States of America. Aren't we lucky?

My friends, let's face it... it's more than obvious
that with each passing day, the terribly misguided
invasion of Iraq is an issue that will haunt and
plague this once-great nation for decades to come. In
fact, decades from now, my infant grandchildren may be
shipped off to Iraq to 'stay the course' we need to do
to defend, uh... whatever we're defending at the time
with all that red ink dripping from our 'safe seat'
congressman's hands... Oh my, that's not red ink?
Aren't we lucky?

Maybe, just maybe by then, there will be enough
'interested persons' left around to muster up enough
sanity to ask 'safe seat' Ed for a little more than
buying his own bottle of hand sanitizer to wash away
the blood of our children. Aren't we lucky?

As I vote on Tuesday, I hope that everyone stops, like
I will do, and seriously consider, the price we're all
paying for 'safe seats' and a lot of hand sanitizer.
Aren't we lucky?

Election Night Parties

California Young Democrats' Party
1800 N. Bush St #102
Santa Ana, CA
830pm - ??
Refreshments and Returns…
RSVP to
949.735.2353

The Official OC Democratic Party
Election Night Party @ IBEW

Party with Democrats on Election Night!
When: Starting at 8:30 PM
Where: IBEW Hall - 309 N. Rampart
Orange, CA
What: Party with the Democrats in Orange County
Cost: FREE!
To find out more: email info@ocdemocrats.org

Steve Young (CA-48 Dem Candidate) Campaign Party in Irvine

Who: Steve Young, Democratic candidate for the California 48th District Congressional seat
What: Election Night Watch Party & Celebration
When: Tues. Nov. 7, 8:30-11:30pm
Where: Doubletree Spectrum Hotel, 90 Pacifica, Irvine
For more info: Call (949) 640-4400

Jim Brandt (CA-46 Dem Candidate) Campaign Party in Huntington Beach

Join
Jim Brandt
for a celebration
of democracy

Election Night
Tuesday, Nov. 7th
8:30 pm (after the polls close!) to ???

5402 Bolsa Avenue, Huntington Beach
IAM Union Hall, 2nd Floor

For information, email
campaign@brandtforcongress.org

714-594-5244 | 562-472-0381 | 310-579-2288

Live music by
The Fallen Stars

Food & Fun
Live election results!
Thank you for your continued support!
Brandt for Congress Team



And finally...

After the other Election Night parties wrap up,
come celebrate Democratic victories at…

L A S T T A L L Y

The last and best party of the evening!

Tuesday, November 7, 2006
9:30 P.M. - ?

Proof
215 N. Broadway, Artists Village, Santa Ana
OCTA Routes: 53, 55, 64

Admission is free,
But the drinks will cost you.

Local, State and National results
will be shown on multiple screens.

And for Those of You Who Want to Help the Out-of-State Races...

There are MoveOn Call for Change parties happening TODAY! When I wasn't walking for Lou over this last weekend, I was calling folks in Nevada and Maryland, urging them to vote for Tessa Hafen (Dem Congressional Candidate in NV) and Ben Cardin (Dem Senate Candidate in MD). I'm sure they will calling other crucial races today...
Go to http://www.moveon.org to find out more.

Today's the Day!!

Yes, today is my favorite day of the year: ELECTION DAY!

If you haven't done so already, go to your polling place today and VOTE!
If you need to find your polling place, or you have any other questions about the election, click here if you are in Orange County. For everyone else in California, click here.

Now for those of you who need something to do today, please consider helping any of our fine campaigns get out the progressive vote in Orange County.

Lou Correa (D), running for 34th Senate District: (714) 972-9276, http://www.loucorrea.com

Loretta Sanchez (D), incumbent in the 47th Congressional District: (714) 839-4431, http://www.loretta.org

Florice Hoffman (D), running in the 40th Congressional District: (714) 282-1179, http://www.hoffman2006.org

Jim Brandt, running in the 46th Congressional District: (714) 594-5244, http://www.brandtforcongress.org

Steve Young, running in the 48th Congressional District: (949) 640-4400, http://www.steveyoungforcongress.org

Sometimes the Enemy of Our Enemy Can Be Such a Good Friend!

On the Register's Orange Punch commentary blog, Steven Greenhut just slammed Lynn Daucher (and husband Don), for being a "liberal RINO" who's been lying about her history on eminent domain, as well as higher taxes. Though I disagree with Greenhut on much of his "libertarian conservative" platform, I at least appreciate his intellectual honesty... And I've got to appreciate his attack on Lynn's campaign on this very crucial last day!

Here's a nice excerpt from Greenhut's full-throttle attack on Daucher:

... You would think, though, that the Dauchers would let it go, given that the Republican Party has let go of the fact that Lynn Daucher has voted like a liberal, supporting eminent domain, regulatory takings, abortion on demand, some of the loonier parts of the gay-rights agenda, higher taxes and so forth. On the Brea council, Daucher sent an infamous letter to the Legislature opposing the repeal of the car tax.

Hey, you've got to love Greenhut's timing. Right when Lynn would like to rally the GOP base behind her, Greenhut reminds these GOPers that Lynn is not their "chosen one". Though I wouldn't exactly call Lynn a friend of women and the LGBT community, I guess she still isn't extreme enough for the firebreathing radical right...
But wait! It gets better...

Daucher is the ultimate Republican In Name Only, and even though she is getting party support, her husband wants the Republican Party to use its resources to attack a conservative running for the Brea City Council. Imagine what happens if she wins. She will drag the Republican Party far to the left. That's why conservatives ought to hope that moderate Democrat Lou Correa wins the Senate seat instead. Sometimes it's better to lose a seat to the Democrats than to win one with Republicans like these.

Wow! Greenhut is so mad over Daucher's flip-flops over eminent domain and tax issues that he's`supporting Lou. Now how often do Steven Greenhut and I agree on a candidate? Well, let me answer that: HARDLY EVER!!

However those of us on the left, on the right, and at all points inbetween agree:
Lynn Daucher is THE WRONG FIT for our communities in Central OC. If you have any libertarian and/or conservative friends, let them know how real conservatives like Greenhut feel about Lynn Daucher.

Perhaps they'll think twice before voting for her as well.

My Vote Isn't a Secret

Go ahead and check out how I voted in Santa Ana:

Statewide Offices

Governor: Phil Angelides
Lt. Governor: John Garamendi
Secretary of State: Debra Bowen
Controller: John Chiang
Treasurer: Bill Lockyer
Attorney General: Jerry Brown
Insurnace Commissioner: Cruz Bustamante

Federal Offices

US Senate: Dianne Feinstein
US Representative, District 47: Loretta Sanchez


State Legislature

Senate District 34: Lou Correa
Assembly District 69: Jose Solorio

Board of Equalization

District 3: Mary Christian-Heising

Local Offices

Orange County Superior Court Judge- Office 4: Sheila Hanson
Rancho Santiago Community College District, Trustee Area 2: John Hanna
Santa Ana Unified School District, Board Members: John Palacio and Cecilia Aguinaga
Santa Ana Mayor: Write-in
Santa Ana City Council, Ward 2: Michele Martinez
Santa Ana City Council, Ward 4: Nelida Yanez
Santa Ana City Council, Ward 6: Sal Tinajero

State Propostitions

1A: YES
1B: YES
1C: YES
1D: YES
1E: YES
83: NO
84: YES
85: NO
86: YES
87: YES
88: NO
89: YES
90: NO

Local Measures

M: YES
O: YES
AA: YES
BB: YES
CC: YES
DD: YES
EE: YES

These are my own convictions, based on my take on national, state, and local affairs. If you'd like more information on voting tomorrow, please go to http://www.vote-smart.org .

SD 34: GOTV for Lou Correa

Though I understand that not everyone in Southern California is very enthusiastic about this election, I AM. Perhaps this is because I live in the 34th State Senate District. Of course, we in the 34th Senate District have the chance to elect a real community leader who's lived in Central OC his whole life, and someone who has been proven to be an effective advocate for our diverse working-class communities in Central OC. And of course, this individual is DEMOCRAT LOU CORREA!


And yes, I am also disappointed with the Sacramento Democratic Leadership for resorting to dirty tactics to try to swing this election. Personally, I think it undermines the direct efforts of Lou's campaign to reach out to the voters in the 34th in a POSITIVE way. I've walked with many of the local students, and I have been quite heart-warmed by their dedication to their community, as well as their dedication to helping Lou win this election. I've also walked with other community activists whose first concern is that of their neighbors in Central Orange County. And of course, while walking I've talked to many of my neighbors in Santa Ana. Many of them support Lou because they know that he actually cares about the well-being of our communities, and has worked hard to bring money home to keep our neighborhoods safe, make our parks beautiful again, and improve our schools.

I really think it says something that neighborhoods throughout Santa Ana are filled with Lou Correa signs, while I still have not found EVEN ONE Lynn Daucher sign in front of any house around here. Personally, I think this is because the voters here are not stupid. They know that Lou has been a part of our community for 42 YEARS, while Lynn Daucher has only "lived" here (her Fullerton apartment is only one of MULTIPLE residences) for 42 WEEKS, and only in order to hold onto power in Sacramento.

Personally, this is why I'm hopeful about this campaign in my hometown. I've talked to so many fellow Santa Ana and Garden Grove residents who are more than happy to vote for Lou. Can Lynn's camp say the same thing?

OK, Now for Another Bizarre Campaign Event!

Ok, I think I've gotten too serious again...

But don't fear, George Allen's nutty supporters are here!

Check out this lovely "macaca moment":



Hmmm... Are the Allen folks now getting campaign advice from TAN NGUYEN?



I dunno... They're both falling off the deep end! : )

The Official Release from New Life Church

Courtesy of Colorado Confidential

November 4, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Life Church
Colorado Springs, Colorado

We, the Overseer Board of New Life Church, have concluded our deliberations concerning the moral failings of Pastor Ted Haggard. Our investigation and Pastor Haggard's public statements have proven without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct.

The language of our church bylaws state that as Overseers we must decide in cases where the Senior Pastor has "demonstrated immoral conduct" whether we must "remove the pastor from his position or to discipline him in any way they deem necessary."

In consultation with leading evangelicals and experts familiar with the type of behavior Pastor Haggard has demonstrated, we have decided that the most positive and productive direction for our church is his dismissal and removal. In addition, the Overseers will continue to explore the depth of Pastor Haggard's offense so that a plan of healing and restoration can begin.

Pastor Haggard and his wife have been informed of this decision. They have agreed as well that he should be dismissed and that a new pastor for New Life Church should be selected according to the rules of replacement in the bylaws.

That process will begin immediately in hopes that a new pastor can be confirmed by the end of the year 2006. In the interim, Ross Parsley will function as the leader of the church with full support of the Overseers.

A letter of explanation and apology by Pastor Haggard as well as a word of encouragement from Gayle Haggard will be read in the 9:00 and 11:00 service of New Life Church.

Well, here ya go! The church has now officially dropped Haggard.

How sad for all those people who actually thought of him as their spiritual leader. This must be devastating for them. How sad for Gayle and the kids. No family should have to endure this turmoil. How sad for the fundies. They just can't find any one who actually practices what they preach.

How sad.

Haggard Dismissed as New Life Pastor

This just in from the AP Wire:

The Rev. Ted Haggard was dismissed Saturday as leader of the megachurch he founded after a board determined the influential evangelist had committed "sexually immoral conduct," the church said Saturday.

Haggard had resigned two days earlier as president of the National Association of Evangelicals, where he held sway in Washington and condemned homosexuality, after a Denver man named Mike Jones claimed to have had drug-fueled trysts with him. He also had placed himself on administrative leave from the New Life Church, but its Overseer Board took the stronger action Saturday.

"Our investigation and Pastor Haggard's public statements have proven without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct," the independent board said in a statement.

Haggard was "informed of this decision," the statement said, and he "agreed as well that he should be dismissed."

So apparently, the Church Overseer Board isn't buying the "I bought meth, but never used it... Oh, and I got a massage, but never had sex" story from Haggard.

Good for them!

Haggard is yet another religious right hypocrite who refuses to practice what he preaches. What gave him the right to call queer people like me "sinners" who "need to repent", while he was secretly enjoying all these "sinful acts"? Hey, at least I've been faithful to my partner! At least my friends have never cheated on their partners! Oh, and I can honestly say that I've NEVER used an illegal drug in my life!

How is it that many of us "heathen" progressives actually live more "wholesome, moral" lives than these "values conservatives" who say one thing and do another?

This just always boggles me.

CA Election: NO on Prop 85

Check out this video... It explains quite well why Prop 85 is SOOOO SCARY!



Now we all agree that parents should be involved in their teenagers' lives, and fortunately most are, especially when it comes to serious matters like an unwanted pregnancy...

But about those teen girls who CAN'T talk to their parents because they're afraid of horrid repercussions...
What about those girls in abusive homes? What about those girls who are afraid of being kicked out of home?

These girls need to talk to professional counselors, NOT TO JUDGES AND COURT OFFICIALS! These girls should be receiving proper medical attention, and NOT BE FORCED TO TRY TO NAVIGATE THROUGH OUR CRAZY LEGAL MAZE! These girls need proper care, NOT INAPPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT!

Prop 85 tries to force families to communicate, but it won't succeed...
It's another radical religious-right attempt to force government into family matters and private medical affairs, and all that it would end up doing is in putting teen girls at risk!

Next Tuesday, please vote NO ON PROP 85!

Haggard's Saying He Just Got "Massages", But Mike Jones Says Otherwise

Here's Mike on MSNBC:

Watch it here.

So now, Mr. Haggard's admitting to a "massage", and to buying meth...
But he never used the meth, and he never had sex...
Yeah, and I'm the straightest man on earth! Gimme a break!

Ya know, it would be so much easier for him if he just coughs out the truth!
He's probably devastated his family, and for sure he threw his own church into the middle of a train wreck. Don't these fundies pay attention to what the Bible says:
"The truth shall set you free."

OC Election: Sheila Hanson for Judge!

OK, here's a welcome break from Haggard-gate and the national scandals...
Right now, I'd like to discuss a VERY IMPORTANT race on our local ballots in Orange County:

Next Tuesday, we in Orange County will be choosing who will be our next Superior Court judge. Since no one received 50% in the June election, we must now face a runoff between Deputy District Attorney Sheila Hanson and court commissioner Lyle Robertson. Now Hanson did come awfully close to winning ouright in June; in fact, she recieved 49.4%. Also, Hanson has received the endorsement of over FIFTY regional judges, and she is very highly regarded in the legal community. Robertson, in comparison, seems to be a legal "lightweight".

So why isn't this a cakewalk for Sheila Hanson?
Oh yeah, she's a ... (Drum roll, please.)

DEMOCRAT!

Here's an excerpt from today's OC Register:

To many attorneys and law-enforcement officials, Sheila Hanson is more qualified than Lyle Robertson in Tuesday's election for Orange County Superior Court judge.

Hanson, a senior deputy district attorney, has spent 17 years prosecuting sex offenders and other high-profile suspects. She has participated in 80 jury trials and has never had a case overturned on appeal. She is endorsed by more than 50 area judges and has received the highest possible rating from the Orange County Bar Association.

Robertson, on the other hand, has spent 15 years as a court commissioner, a position similar to a judge but without as much authority. He has overseen drunken-driving charges, small claims and personal-injury cases. He declined a review by the bar association and is endorsed by about 25 judges.

Unfortunately, most of the OC GOP party machine is lining up behind Robertson, simply because he's a Republican and Hanson's a Democrat. Yeah, let's forget about who has more legal experience. Let's forget which one received THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATING from the Bar Association. Let's forget about who's more fit to uphold the law...

Yeah, we've got more important things to consider, LIKE WHO'S BEEN A MORE LOYAL REPUBLICAN... More from the Register:

"If you've got a choice between a registered Democrat and a registered Republican," said Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, who endorsed Robertson, "that's a bit of a sign for a partisan such as myself."

While I wouldn't expect otherwise from wingnut Chuck DeVore, I hope that more thoughtful Republicans remember this:

Hanson has prosecuted some of Orange County's biggest cases: Ronald Kline, the judge accused of child molestation; the Rev. Gerardo Tanilong, the Catholic priest convicted of fondling a 15-year girl; Trenton Veches, the former supervisor of a youth program who liked to suck little boys' toes.

The county bar association rated her "highly qualified" for the job.

And what has Robertson done for the last fifteen years? Oh, that's right...
He oversaw drunk-driving, personal injury, and small claims cases.

So, there you have it! We, the Orange County voters, can either elect an effective prosecutor and sharp legal expert for judge...
Or we can choose a partisan Republican.

If you care about having effective local judges, please join me in voting for Sheila Hanson for Superior Court Judge!

"The Scarlet Letter H" and Colorado Elections

Could the Ted Haggard gay sex scandal affect the two initiatives on the Colorado ballot this year (respectively) banning same-sex marriage and offering domosetic partnership benefits to same-sex couples? An article in this morning's Denver Post suggests that Haggard-gate could possibly alter the dynamics here, mainly because of one "h-word":

From the Denver Post:

The allegations regarding Haggard, a key member of the coalition that drafted Amendment 43, raise what Smith called "the H-question: hypocrisy."

"I'm not sure how that plays out in ballot issues, but as one of the proponents and drafters, it's the scarlet letter H that can affect that campaign," said Smith, who tracks ballot issues nationwide.

"The story will have legs carrying it through the election and, whether the allegations are born out or not, it will have the effect of moving attention away from that ballot issue," he added.

So can this scandal really shock fundamentalists into staying at home on Tuesday? Is this yet another terrible omen for the Republicans? Well, the Washington Post is presenting this scenario as a real possibility:

Although he has avoided endorsing political candidates, Haggard has been a staunch ally of the Bush administration. Some political observers said his resignation was more bad news for Republicans trying to rally their conservative Christian base to turn out for the midterm elections.

"This is one more factor that could increase the disillusionment of evangelicals with prominent leaders on the Christian right and with the political process as a whole, and some may conclude that perhaps their forebears were wise to be wary about politics," said William Martin, a professor of religion and public policy at Rice University and a biographer of the Rev. Billy Graham.

Oh, and getting back to how this will affect the Colorado vote, the WaPo even suggests that this could affect the competitive House races going on in the state:

"Haggard is a very important political figure in Colorado, and there are tight races there as well as ballot questions that could be affected," he said, citing in particular the embattled reelection efforts of Reps. Marilyn Musgrave and Tom Tancredo, both Republicans. "I think there's less of an implication for what evangelicals might do nationwide, because outside of Colorado he's not directly involved in voter turnout efforts and is seen as more of a religious leader than a political one."

Yep, this is just what the GOP needs: ANOTHER EMBARRASSING SCANDAL!!

Haggard-gate: Explosive New Evidence & Allegations

Was Ted Haggard asking for help in obtaining meth in a voicemail for gay escort Mike Jones? So did the two really have a relationship? Are we really surprised that a salacious scandal like this WOULDN'T be a major story on GMA?

Go ahead and watch the video for yourself.



Also, Denver's NBC affiliate interviewed a voice expert who confirmed that the person leaving Mike Jones a voicemail is the same individual (Ted Haggard) who spoke with the TV station Wednesday night. Here's the video.

BREAKING: Haggard Resigns as Evangelical Leader

This just in from Denver's NBC affiliate:

TED HAGGARD RESIGNS AS PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS...
And he is now on leave from his own New Life Church.

From the Denver Post:

Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals and founder and leader of the Colorado Springs-based New Life Church, stepped down Thursday following allegations that he has had a three-year homosexual affair with a male prostitute.

Mike Jones, a self-professed male escort, talked publicly of the affair Wednesday morning on KHOW radio. Haggard denied the affair Wednesday night to KUSA Channel 9News.

But today, Haggard stated he could "not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations made on Denver talk radio..."

After consulting with his spiritual counsel and the church's board of overseers, Haggard said, "I am voluntarily stepping aside from leadership so that the overseer process can be allowed to proceed with integrity. I hope to be able to discuss this matter in more detail at a later date."

What great, "godly" leadership the fundie movement has...
I wonder what Haggard's friends Jim Dobson, Marilyn Musgrave, and George W. Bush think about this!

Fundie Watch: Is Ted Haggard Gay?

Here's the scoop (which I first noticed at AmericaBlog):

Pastor Ted Haggard of Colorado Springs, President of the National Association of Evangelicals (and rabidly homophobic), is being accused of having an affair with a Denver gay escort. This could be a big blow to the fundies' effort to get Colorado to pass a Constitutional Amendement banning same-sex marriage... I mean, one of their own leaders has been caught with his pants down... AND IN A BED WITH ANOTHER MAN!

Apparently Mike Jones, the Denver gay man who used to be an escort, is now claiming to have had a three-year relationship with Haggard... And he claims to have proof:

Jones also said during his appearance with Boyles that he was paid money by Haggard, who made frequent trips to Denver for sexual liaisons, that he has recorded voicemails and a letter from Haggard, and that he had also witnessed Haggard use methamphetamine.

How nice. Here's yet another hypocritical radical-right wingnut who preaches one thing... And does another!

I'll keep you updated on this new doozie.

AZ Senate: Can Jim Pederson Pull Off An Upset?

According to the DSCC, YES HE CAN!



(Perhaps all the bad news from Iraq is finally catching up with Kyl... After all, he has agreed with Bush that we need to "stay the course" of failure.)

In fact, the Democrats are so awestruck by early voting patterns that they're buying up all the available ad time they can find in Arizona! This is an amazing late development in the Arizona Senate Race... Just when all of us expected Jon Kyl to coast to an easy reelection, Pederson enjoys a late bouce in the polls...
And LEADS IN EARLY VOTING!

Arizona could very well end up being the "Wild Card" race next Tuesday if Pederson does well enough that we start talking about an upset.

If you have family and/or friends in Arizona, direct them to Jim Pederson's website so they can figure out how they can help him defeat Rubber-stamp Republican Kyl.

OC Sheriff: Carona Demotes Hunt While No One Else Is Looking

From today's LA Times:

The lieutenant who took on Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona in this year's heated primary election should be demoted for statements he made during the campaign and other allegedly unprofessional conduct, according to a letter he received Tuesday.

Lt. Bill Hunt, who has been suspended from his job as the sheriff's chief of police services in San Clemente for more than four months, was summoned to department headquarters to pick up the Notice of Proposed Discipline.

So Mike Carona is trying to dump Lt. Bill Hunt just at the time when all of us are focusing on the election...
And he thinks he can get away with this bullshit?
HELL, NO!

First, Mikey Boy recruits Hunt to run in his place because he thinks he's on his way to higher office...
Then, as scandals begin to be revealed at the Sheriff's Department, Carona decides to stay and run for another term as OC Sheriff afterall.

Next, Carona engages in a bloddy battle for reelection. He tells Republicans that he's a loyal Republican, and gets his friend Mike Schroeder to twist the arm of the OC GOP Central Committee into endorsing him. However at the same time, Carona cozies up to certain prominent Democrats, pulling out some surprising endorsements. Given all the talk by both parties about ethics, how could various leaders in both parties endorse the most corrupt Sheriff in Orange County history?

However, Carona still has the problem of the OC Weekly investigations into the Sheriff's office, revealing some of the most disgusting illegal acts this County has ever seen... Well, at least until the Tan Nguyen scandal!

But anyways, Mike Carona barely squeaked by to reelection this past June... And the first thing he did after winning was putting Lt. Hunt on administrative leave. This was clearly an act of petty political retribution... Mikey Boy felt threatened when Hunt seemed to pose a serious threat to his reelection bid... Carona came extremely close to being forced into a November runoff with Hunt, a runoff he could have very well lost as the bad news has kept flowing out of the Sheriff's Department.

Now I know that a few brave souls are not about to let Carona get away with these high crimes and misdemeanors...
Here's for hoping that they succeed in holding Carona accountable for this disgustingly slimy act!