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Vern here. The following is how I’m gonna vote this month, where I live, on Anna Drive in East Anaheim, and also how I’d vote if I lived where YOU do. But YOU DO YOU. And remember…
PRESIDENT – SANDERS. I’m taking the leap of faith that 2020 is the year that we can have a MASS MOVEMENT that can do BOTH things – terminate this National Orange Nightmare, AND create a new, juster America (something economically along the lines of the Eisenhower-Kennedy era, but with broadband and single-payer.)
Oh. Are you a Republican? Well, sucks to be you this year. Sorry!
Next on your ballot is County Central Committee Members. As this is both least important and most complicated and controversial, I’ll stick it at the end of this piece.
U.S. Representative (Congress)
Pretty simple – all of our seven OC Democrats have been doing a bang-up job and should be re-elected. The exception of course is our old friend Lou Correa (District 46, Anaheim, Santa Ana, some GG.) He’s done some good things, to be sure. And he’s pretty much guaranteed this seat as long as he wants it. But representing the bluest, most diverse and progressive district in the county, he doesn’t NEED to be so “centrist,” so cautious, and so overly solicitous to big business and law enforcement – it’s just what he’s COMFORTABLE with. This district deserves a representative who will fight for “Medicare For All,” the Green New Deal, and more.
So I would say to vote for the Democratic protest candidate Pablo Mendioleolia or whatever it is. Except I haven’t seen any campaign from him since he came around the Club last year and introduced himself. So even as a gesture that vote would seem like a waste. You do you, but I’m going to write in Dr. Jose Moreno, although in reality we hope for him to be Anaheim’s Mayor by this time next year (after we recall Harry Sidhu.)
And I hope Lou doesn’t piss us all off this year by endorsing a bunch of shitty Republicans and making our transformation of OC that much more difficult. That would be progress for him, to at least not do that.
State Senator (if it’s on your ballot)
In North County’s Fighting 29th, it’s time for Josh Newman, who was one of our best State Senators a couple years ago, to reclaim his rightful seat from that dingbat usurper Ling-Ling Chang. I keep asking, do we Democrats really need more than a 2/3 super-majority? Do we really need a 3/4 super-super-majority? Well, when some of our “Democrats” are hybrid creatures like Umberg and Daly, and there’s a possibility to get in someone like Josh, then it is worth the fight.
On the other hand, the State Senator representing the coastal 37th is possibly California’s best Republican, John Moorlach. During his tenure he has worked hand in hand with California’s most progressive lawmakers on issues involving civil liberties, police reform, transparency, homelessness, helping SMALL businesses, and more, all while being the legislature’s pre-eminent bean-counter. Do we really need to knock off California’s best Republican, just because maybe we can?
I asked Katrina Foley this last year when she announced her challenge to him. (They are both old friends of mine.) Couldn’t she just stay and be a great Costa Mesa Mayor for a while longer, after all the work THAT took? She said that it’s been really frustrating, as Mayor, to work with Senator Moorlach: “He just never brings back the money to the district that we should have coming to us!”
When I reported that complaint to The Moorlach, he responded, “Well, she just has to worry about her City, I’m trying to look out for the fiscal health of the whole state!” And you know what? If you’re a Democrat vote for Katrina so we can hear a debate between the two over the summer and/or fall. John is not so chickenshit as most incumbents and he’ll do it. I’d buy a ticket – in fact I’ll probably be helping to organize it.
State Assembly
Again, I’d generally pick the Democrat in each race. Not because all Democrats are something to write home about, but because MOST Republican politicians are so shitty. (This blog celebrates the ones who aren’t.) Which Democrats stand out, in the Assembly races?
Fullerton’s Sharon Quirk-Silva has been great, and I’m no longer worried about her getting re-elected. Costa Mesa’s Cottie Petrie-Norris could be a little bolder in 2021-2 than she was in her first term, but she sure is an improvement from that giggly klepto-con Matt Harper.
Little Saigon, Westminster, Garden Grove, northern HB, COME OUT FOR DIEDRE NGUYEN! Because that’ll mean disappearing either Janet Nguyen or Tyler Diep, either of which eventuality would be dance-worthy joyful.
The most exciting new assembly challenger would be Irvine Councilwoman Melissa Fox (I’ve been friends with her and her husband Mike since her 2008 run for assembly – against Wagner, Choi and Sidhu, LOL!) Again, do we Dems really need a 3/4 super-super-majority? Well, again, when some of those “Dems” are hybrid creatures like Umberg and Daly, then getting in someone smart, strong, independent and progressive like Melissa is worth the fight!
Oh yeah, Tom Daly. The one Democrat Assembly incumbent we can’t in good conscience vote for, and again representing our Bluest district (Anaheim & Santa Ana’s 69th) while voting half the time like a Republican. It figures though, the Republican sacrificial lamb running against him (Jon Paul White) is a Trump lover. But I hear through the grapevine that folks are writing in me, Vern Nelson. Well, so be it then.
It’s sad about Republican incumbent Bill Brough down in the South County. The only lawmaker so far with the guts to take on the TCA (Orange County’s monstrous and corrupt toll road agency), he also apparently provided plenty of ammo (drunken fondling and campaign hink) to make the kleptos’ revenge on him child’s play. Can it really be a coincidence that his most prominent accuser, Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, is the Queen of the TCA? Well, once this whole election sorts itself out, abolition of the TCA rises to the top of our list!
County Board of Supervisors
UPDATE 2/21: Went to last night’s Feet to the Fire Debate of District 1 Supervisor candidates, and Kim Bernice Nguyen was BY FAR the most impressive; Sergio not at all. You can read some of my reasons here, but my new endorsement for District 1 Supervisor (Santa Ana, Garden Grove) is Kim Bernice Nguyen.
Democratic Supervisorial candidates Sergio (in Central County’s District 1) and Ashleigh (in that Brea-to-Irvine swath called District 3) are at least young and energetic! (Even though neither one has had the energy to return my questionnaire yet.) In fact they are so young and energetic they might even be able to wake up Supervisor Doug Chaffee! And if THAT happens,
- Doug might remember what he was thinking when he decided to run as a Democrat, and start following his new young energetic Democratic colleagues’ lead instead of just aping whatever the four Republican Supervisors do;
- The two corrupt bags of malevolence referred to as Steel and Bartlett will be isolated; and
- The County will see if Democrats can run things any better than the last time they had a chance (the 1970’s, which was not good.)
The thought of Sergio Kim and Ashleigh waking up Doug Chaffee brings forth memories of Alice in Wonderland‘s Mad Tea Party, just after Alice left in frustration and disgust – as she turns around and looks back one more time, the Mad Hatter (who actually looks like Sergio Contreras) and the March Hare (who could reasonably stand in for Ashleigh in this scenario) are trying to stuff the narcoleptic Dormouse into the teapot.
(NOTE: The race between Ashleigh and Don Wagner will NOT be a primary – whoever gets the most votes will be Supervisor for four years! The other race WILL probably be a primary unless Do or Pulido or Kim or Sergio gets over 50%, which is unlikely.)
JUDGE
Former T-Rack lackey Tony Ferrentino, about whom Greg raised good questions which remain unanswered, is running unopposed, countywide, for Superior Court Office No. 4, so those questions may never be answered. Basically, as Greg wrote, Tony was a top DA during a time that
“we are now learning there were massive and astonishing violations of the responsibility to turn over exculpatory evidence. Without making any accusation (because I’m in no position to do so) I’d like to know: Did he know about what was going on? Was he in a position where he should have known? Did he participate in any of the impropriety?”
I think I’ll be safe and write in Orange Juice friend and occasional blogger Diane Wattles Goldstein of L.E.A.P. (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.)
County Board of Education
The problem with this Board the last few years is that it’s been dominated by an EXTREME rightwing (right outta the 1950’s) 3-member majority led by crazed trustee Ken Williams. And I could go on about the crazy things the Ken Williams majority does, but the most destructive is their unquestioning approval, on principle, of ANY AND ALL CHARTER SCHOOLS.
By definition the proposed charter schools that come to this Board are APPEALING THEIR REJECTION by your locally elected school board – rejection because, like many proposed charter schools these days, they were found to be unneeded, inappropriate, wasteful. So Ken Williams’ “All Charters Welcome” Board gives ’em the green light, to hell with local control – they’ve done it a dozen times in the past couple years, for a loss of millions to our local public schools. This is a PROBLEM, and we need to get a new majority of reasonable people on this Board.
So this month, three of the seats on that Board are up for re-election, and again this is not a primary – whoever wins now has a seat for four years:
Central County’s Area 1 – BECKY GOMEZ has been great, and is up for re-election, so RE-ELECT HER ALREADY!
Area 3, a Brea-to-Irvine swath – ANDY THORBURN! I’ve been walking for Andy the last couple months and getting paid for it, and that’s my disclosure, though I’d do it for free! This Thorburn vs Ken Williams race is one of the the most black-and-white choices in the County this month.
And in North County’s Area 4 where I live, VOTE FOR DR. VICKI CALHOUN! This race is gonna be difficult, with THREE Democrats running against fairly honest charter-school loving Tim Shaw. You can see that Tim’s a heavy favorite to win, which he could do with as low as 35% – so even if Andy beat Ken in Area 3, charter worshipers could still keep a majority on the Board. (At least Tim is not so insane as Ken Williams – he probably wouldn’t try to force gay conversion therapy and prayer into public schools, or waste millions on frivolous lawsuits against the state.)
To make matters worse, two of the Democrats running are Anaheim Councilman Jordan Brandman and Fullerton political wife Paulette Chaffee. Without getting into too much detail, Anaheim Democrats seem to be coalescing around Paulette because they know how bad Jordan is but they don’t know the Chaffees; while conversely Fullerton Democrats (including Josh Newman!) are backing Jordan because they know how bad the Chaffees are but don’t know Jordan.
The only honest pro-public-education candidate, the only one supported by PEOPLE WHO KNOW HER, is Dr. Vicki Calhoun – that’s a doctorate in education, a ballot description of “at-risk youth counsellor,” and experience singing and touring with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I’m voting for Dr. Vicki and I hope you are too!
SCHOOL BONDS (State Prop 13, and various “letters” in various OC towns) – you do you, but I’m voting no. I have a problem with asking property owners (and indirectly, renters) to take out new bonds when they’re still paying off the old ones. And there are questions about how the old ones have been spent (although Anaheim UHSD has been bragging about how all their projects are finished before schedule and under budget which may be true.)
BUT YOU ONLY GET TO VOTE NO ON THESE SCHOOL BONDS if you do like me and put a lot of energy into getting signatures to put “SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES FIRST” (the long-awaited split-roll reform to 1978’s Prop 13) onto the November ballot. It’s time for the COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS who have been withholding BILLIONS A YEAR from our budget for DECADES, to pony up. That’ll be better. (The ACLU’s argument for the measure is best.)
COUNTY MEASURE A, requiring a vote of FOUR OUT OF FIVE SUPERVISORS to approve a tax before SENDING IT TO THE VOTERS FOR APPROVAL? NO, thank you, that is just more TYING OUR GOVERNMENT UP IN KNOTS.
Finally, as promised, the Central Committees.
DEMOCRATS
I start, as a starting point, from this handy “Party of the People Slate,” and then will maybe add a few other people who are running that I know and like and trust cuz we get to pick six … though I apologize that I DON’T KNOW EVERYBODY WHO’S RUNNING! So again, “You do you,” and explain yourself in the comments section please.
AD 55: Aguirre, Estrada; and I’d add LeTourneau and Cruz.
AD 65: Lewandowski, Rodriguez, Lopez, Magcalas, Ramirez; and I’d add Tutor. (Or maybe Mirvette or Ada.)
AD 68: Villa, Valencia, Sonneborn; and I’d add Honigman, Kang, and … Eugene Fields since I ignored him for Assembly!
AD 69: Jessie Lopez, Ramos, Escamilla, Moreno, Alvarez; and I’d add Martin Lopez.
AD 72: Hinks, Valladares, Rodriguez, Lathus, Iannello; and I’d add my friend Misha Houser.
AD 73: Jenson, Hammad, Farokhnia … don’t know the others.
AD 74: Inada, Amanyraoufpoor, Gillespie, Afalqa; and I’d add Johnson-Norris and Adler. Or Carter. There’s actually too many good ones here.
and the REPUBLICANS…
First, it’s hard for me to imagine any Republicans care who this blog thinks should be on their Central Committee.
Also, what does the Republican Party want to do with itself? Is it going to continue to be the Party of Trump? What happens after Trump, insh’allah, is gone?
Is there any interest in creating a truly conservative Party of small efficient government, lower taxes, streamlined regulations, that doesn’t deny science, that doesn’t hate on anybody? We need that Party.
I said to Greg, how can we even weigh in on this?
There are two ways local Republicans can be horrible – a corrupt cog of the local kleptocracy, or a Trump-worshiping hater. Most of candidates I recognize here fit into one, or BOTH, of those categories.
(On the other hand I don’t know most of the folks running, and maybe some of them are great. Have any of them denounced Trump or even disagreed with him or criticized him about anything? Please let us know in the comments section.)
I wouldn’t vote to let the following kleptocrats keep shaping my Party if I were you:
- Fred Whitaker.
- Kermit Marsh.
- Ed Sachs.
- Lisa Bartlett.
- Mike Posey.
I wouldn’t vote to let the following Trump-loving haters keep shaping my Party if I were you:
- Deborah Pauly (even tho’ she’s a bit of a friend.)
- Scott Voigts.
- Tim Whitacre (also a friend.)
- Cecilia Iglesias and her sidekick Gisela. (Although we are going to celebrate Ceci for having the guts to take on the Santa Ana cops)
- Brian Harrington.
- Jon Paul White.
- GRACEY VANDERMARK FOR CHRISSAKES!
- Brian “Make OC Great Again” Burley.
- SCOTT FREAKIN PEOTTER.
The following Trump-loving kleptocrat haters I wouldn’t get within ten feet of voting for if I were you:
(Karina Onofre and Katherine Daigle, despite Greg’s high estimation, are impossible for me to take seriously.)
But you do you.
PS. Relatively decent as far as I know:
- Tim Shaw, AD 55
- David John Shawver, AD 65
- Todd Spitzer – who’s already plenty powerful enough, AD 68
- Andrew Do, AD 72
- Greg Raths, AD 73 – I don’t love him as much as Diamond does, but he did stick up for DACA recently.
- AND, I’m sure, some others, less well known.
Comment away!
VOTE “DEMOCRATIC/REPUBLICAN”
*LOU CORREA*TOM DALY*JORDAN BRANDMAN* Endorsed By: Dr.Jekyll & Mr.Hyde
“First, it’s hard for me to imagine any Republicans care who this blog thinks should be on their Central Committee.”
There aren’t any.
Ashleigh isn’t young and she isn’t energetic. She’s a nice woman that I’ve had a couple of pleasant conversations with but she will NEVER stand up to the TCA or the OCTA or the Sheriff or the DA. Sorry. No sale. At least Wagner has a little conservative skepticism of the opaque bureaucracies. Aitken’s record on the Fair Board gives offers zero hope.
Isn’t it funny how the Lou Correas and Tom Dalys of the world humble themselves before monied interests EVEN AFTER THEY HAVE NO REASON TO KEEP KISSING THOSE RINGS.
Says a lot about character, doesn’t it?
It tells us about the formative nature of habit.
Once a courtier, always a courtier.
It’s not like getting addicted to crack or nicotine. Those tools are attracted to monied interests. That’s why people like the Clintons will always be pulled into the cash nexus. You expect it with rank and file Repuglicans. The Dem politicians are supposed to be standing up for the untermenschen. Or so the legend goes…
Vicki has not suspended her campaign! She’s on the ballot and rockin it like a Red Hot Chilipeppers’ backup singer should.
Good to hear. I’d heard she had suspended her campaign, glad to know she hasn’t. I’m in the LA County part of the 55th, so I can’t vote for her, but I think she’s great. (I feel the same way about Andy. He’d’ve been great on the Board of Supes.)
Speaking of the 55th, I don’t see any recommendations here. Can’t bring yourselves to endorse Andrew? :p
Don’t know much about him but I did say all Dems. Except Daly.
Vern keeps saying the opposite.
Vicki keeps TELLING me the opposite (last time, a couple weeks ago.) But we did see some Vicki signs in Fullerton last week. I’m gonna call her one more time. If she is really running and trying to win, I’ll put a free ad up for her here. And write a piece about her candidacy, and promote it on Facebook. She’s the only candidate in this race I would even consider voting for.
(I did change my story a little when I saw Jane’s comment.)
I really appreciate the OJB voter guide every time. Especially on the Judges. I think its a brilliant idea to write in Dianne Wattles Goldstein! I now plan to do that as well. Thanks!
I am running for Central Committee in AD 74 and hope you will consider including me in your list! Have a nice weekend.
Yes. Shit. I thought I did. I do hope you get onto council when Melissa ascends to Ascembly.
In the 37th Senate District, no mention of Dave Min. Any thoughts on him?
You should tell US what you think of Dave Min. I’ve never met him.
I remember his name when he was a faculty member running against Walters in the 45th and Porter. John Moorlach is one of the few I am not too critical of, and if you have met him before, he’s like a jolly Santa. I think Dave probably should have ran in the 68th which I would have backed him over Choi.
Shawver is not bueno my friend
Most of my Republican choices are no bueno. The question is: “mas bueno o menos?”
Every time I’ve dabbled in Stanton city politics, I’ve found nothing by “no bueno.” But (if you follow the link to my full set of Democratic endorsements only), Shawver was celebrated in a post here by the late Gus Ayer — so I’m giving Gus a voice in this one. (I’ve opposed Shawver previously, before coming to realize that the candidate I was supporting instead was a wack-a-doodle.)
I just moved from HB to SD county (Duncan Hunter’s district – arrrrrrgggggh) and miss using your wonderful blog as guidance! Is there a SD doppelganger of you guys that you can refer me to? I’m having some problems getting enough background info on some of the candidates here.
Well, I know about some of them, so ask away!
Or we coold page Jim Hesson.
Curious to hear what you dislike about Sergio now – he’s always been a super down to earth and humble leader for us in Westminster. And speaking of Westminster, it’d be nice to have your support for the recall of the corrupt Gang of Three, special election on April 7th.
I’m sure he’s done some good things on the Westminster Council in 16 years. He deserves credit for that Mendez memorial thing he did, that sounds like something that needed to be done.
When my friend Diana Carey was on that council with him, she found him impossible to work with – he refused to help her fight any big special interests, a couple of big ones of which were the 405 toll lanes which are gonna be death to Westminster businesses, and godawful Poseidon.
Poseidon is a sort of litmus test for me, even if the Board of Supes isn’t gonna have much authority over it happening or not. It shows if a politician has any brains or honesty. When the Poseidon question came up at Thursday’s debate, Kim answered no (and Pulido surprisigly gave Poseidon a REALLY thorough trashing), while Sergio sort of stammered that he’s not sure, he likes it BECAUSE OF THE JOBS, he likes it BECAUSE WE NEED WATER, he isn’t sure yet because it’s still so new (the piece of shit has been moldering for 16 years now?)
I had just learned a few days before that SERGIO WAS POSEIDON’S HAND-PICKED OCWD CANDIDATE to be appointed to take the late lamented Phil Anthony’s place. Poseidon VP Maloni and CORRUPT TEAMSTER BOSS ERNESTO MEDRANO had promised him the job, which means he was definitely chosen as a dependable booster. For some unknown reason, the Poseidon boosters already on the Board chose some other Westminster puppet instead. (Tri Ta I believe.) Now I think of it, the reason was probably Poseidon literally picking their own Water Board member was WAY too obviously corrupt. Sergio was devastated.
[Note, by the way, that Sergio is connected to CORRUPT TEAMSTER BOSS ERNESTO MEDRANO.]
A lot of my friends in Santa Ana who fight for criminal justice reform and police reform were planning to support Sergio as the most likely candidate to beat the loathed Pulido, although they looked askance at his mailers’ police worship. But after Thursday’s debate, all of them switched to Kim. Every time a question about problems with the Sheriff or jails came up, Sergio became tongue-tied and nonsensical, apparently trying not to offend any law enforcement (even though LE is solidly behind Andrew Do who seems to be having an affair with Don Barnes.)
On every question Kim showed herself to be smarter, more energetic and more progressive than any of her competitors. I realize my picks in both BOE4 (Calhoun) an BOS1 (Feel the Bernice!) are long shots, but they are the only ones I would feel clean voting for. (With my luck I’ll probably end up with another Supervisor that hates me, but that’s the cost of being a truthteller.)
Oh plus Sergio never returned my questionnaire even though he promised to. There were about 20 questions on it, but he probably got stuck on the Poseidon one.
OK, OK, I give in. (You had me at Poseidon.) I’ll change my recommendation too.
I just hope that this doesn’t elect Pulido.
“I’m sure he’s done some good things on the Westminster Council in 16 years”
Why are you sure of that? Godalmighty I’m sick of people saying that a politician has “done some good things” (think Trump) when they haven’t done one damn thing a chimp could be proud of.
Just being diplomatic with our guest Scott. I did go on to fully say what I think about Sergio vs Kim.
And yes, how can I help with the April recall? I totally support that. (Which means being on Sergio’s side I assume.)
Will there be a blog post going over the recall election for Westminster? I am in support of the recall, but I am unsure of the replacements!
Eventually — and in time to make a difference — yes. We’re all a little swamped right now.
If you’re like me, you were waiting for Dick Van Dyke to weigh in. Well, he has not disappointed:
The fact that Spitzer wants to be on a Central Committee is shocking, but not surprising. The knuckleheads who supported this preening ego maniacal peacock as preferable to Tony Racetrack will come to regret it before they come to admit the foolishness.
*Biden/Harris 2020! Buy your bumper stickers now. T-Shirts soon on the way. We voted sometime in February…..hope it counted…..We are Registered Republicans in case you
wondered. Go Joe and Jill……..the Real Americans are backing you up! To the also rans………we will miss Tulsi…..she is just so cute!
Vern, good choice on the never-ending trough known as school bonds. Only a fool would take out a second mortgage on his house to send his kid to college.
On a side note I notice with satisfaction that Bushala single-handedly kicked the crap out of J & K in districts where voters generally get fooled into supporting these.
Too bad the Bushala magic doesn’t work south of Orangethorpe, as seen in the Brandman victory of 2018.
I’ve been told he keeps one of our “No Brandman Disney Carpetbagger” signs up on the wall of his office as a trophy.
“I’ve been told he keeps one of our “No Brandman Disney Carpetbagger” signs up on the wall of his office as a trophy.”
No, but he has some really nice artwork on his office walls.
And there was nothing magical about his efforts. He designed and put up almost all his signs himself, as well as designing and composing his mailers and robocalls himself. This is the difference between somebody who makes a difference and somebody who just talks.
P.S. I think Brandman won because that other guy didn’t do much to win.
I mean BRANDMAN keeps that trophy, not TONY! I know Tony has nice artwork, and if he put up one of his own political signs it SHOULD be the classic “Bad Chi.”
Well, your pronouns lost me. Bad Chi was a classic. I remember it well. Dude barfing to symbolize Chi’s food poisoning career.
Brandman has an office? What for?
He’s got to have somewhere to meet with his handlers, doesn’t he?