Sunday, November 02, 2008

Why I Won't Vote for ANY California Democrat


California is going for Democrat Barack Obama 55% to 33% according to a Field Poll released Thursday before the election. If this holds up, it will be the biggest California landslide by any candidate (including Californian Ronald Reagan) since World War II.

Cynthia
GP Candidate Cynthia McKinney with Alex Walker in Chicago

Very well. My "Brotha" Barack does not need my vote, and since pumping up Dem totals only encourages my local scoundrels, I won't vote for any Democrat in California.

All politics is local.

Surf the Internet and you'll find thousands of posts about Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, China, Russia, India, Israel, and Palestine. Across the political spectrum, intellectuals obsess over world affairs.

Want to know how the U.S.A. got into this mess? Want to know how we were overwhelmed by cynicism, divisiveness, demagoguery, "Pay-To-Play" governance, and sleaze? It didn't start in that mythical "Washington." It started in places like little Wasilla, Alaska... and big Los Angeles.



I could write a long book about this. Today, I'll be brief, and just list the Dem screw-ups. One great thing about the Internet is that you don't have to take my word for it. Click the hyperlinks below and read the MSM stories for yourself.

One-Party Democratic Los Angeles County
Democrats presided over all of these screw-ups. Many of the scoundrels are people of color. My wife and I have lived all over this country and nowhere have I seen so many political hacks who are Black like me.

The Three "Playboy" Mayors

No essay about ethically-challenged politicians would be complete without a special salute to California's "Playboy" mayors. They've worked hard holding up the Bill Clinton Tradition.

Our "Great" 2-Party System in My Neighborhood

In 2006 in my 33rd congressional district, Democrat Diane Watson received 100% of the vote. Across the street and down the hill, the 35th congressional district was a comparative hotbed of democracy -- Democrat Maxine Waters garnered "only" 83.7% against candidates for the Libertarian and American Independent Parties. My representative to the California state assembly from the 47th assembly district, Democrat Karen Bass, actually had to run against a bona fide Republican.

Here's the message that Republican Jeffers M. Dodge, self-described "tall white fair-haired male political activist," sent to me and my neighbors:

Jeffers MacArthur Dodge

"I have said this many times, Get off drugs, go back to school, stay married, love your children, go to church, get a job and take responsibilities for your actions."

Wow! Like we really needed a Republican "angry white man" to instruct us to love our children. Two years ago voters in law-abiding, tax-paying, working families in my neighborhood reacted to Mr. Dodge exactly the same as voters in law-abiding, tax-paying, working families in any city, suburb, small town or rural county to a stream of insults -- casting 84.87% of their votes for Democrat Karen Bass.

My Dems

Democrats: (left to right): 33rd District Congresswoman Diane Watson, 47th District Assemblywoman Karen Bass, and 35th District Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

The 2008 presidential election may be the most important in modern U.S. history. This year that other "major party" in our sacred 2-party system, is running candidates for all 3 seats.

Republican David Crowley is running against Watson; Republican Lady Cage-Barile is challenging Bass; and Republican Ted Hayes is trying to oust Waters. If you visit their official web sites, you'll find nothing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; nothing about an economic crisis; and next to nothing about education or health care. You will find, however, that all three are strongly opposed to abortion, same-sex love, and "illegal aliens" from Mexico. On national television Mr. Hayes has said that "illegal immigration is the worst thing for blacks since slavery." Ms. Cage-Barile sends this high-minded message on her official web site:

"For more than a decade, California politics has been led by an Ultra Liberal Controlled Legislation, which has managed to alienate Conservative Americans, Religious Americans and Patriotic Americans from the decision making process... California is left with the low education ranking of 47th in the nation, the largest influx of illegal immigrants ever, a campaign to make men effeminate, irresponsible spending of our tax dollars, constant raising of taxes. . ."
Leave it to Republicans to "reach out" to my African-American community by red-baiting, race-baiting, and homophobia.

Karen Bass has been elected the first African-American woman in history to serve as speaker of a state assembly. Maxine Walters, top-aide to Mayor Tom Bradley in the '70s, Jesse Jackson gal in the '80s, and a legendary liberal in Congress -- co-founding the "Out of Iraq Caucus" -- is a legend. The 3 Democratic incumbents are not worried.

My GOP

Republicans: (left to right): 33rd CD candidate David Crowley, 47th AD candidate Lady Cage-Barile, and 35th CD candidate Ted Hayes.

I mean, look at 'em!

Tell me we don't need the Green Party because I have the "choice" to support these Republican wingnuts and you are telling me, in effect, I need no choice at all.

See below an authentic expression of the heart of the California GOP circulated by a Republican club in San Bernardino County.

Obama Bucks

Hence our dilemma: one-party Democratic regimes are incompetent and corrupt, but the mean, angry, hateful racist Republicans are not an option.

There is a "hole" in U.S. politics. There is an empty space -- a vacuum -- where there ought to be an intelligent, grown-up, no-nonsense opposition to what big city Democrats are doing. The old fashioned politics they represent is as unsustainable in the 21st Century as the old politics of the Bushies.

The Green Party is the second party and the next phase of our struggle begins November 4th.



4 comments:

Wes said...

Great post, Alex. I left a comment that references / links to it on Paul Loeb's "No Time for Nader" post at Huffington. We will see if it gets moderated out.

Anonymous said...

Your post is quite interesting. However, the problem with voting Green is that in the vast majority of cases the candidates have no chance of winning.

I've worked on a lot of political campaigns and the key is money. Going door to door isn't enough. Nor is hanging out in front of shopping malls and handing out flyers.

You have to advertise the candidate with mailings, campaigns ads and other literature. If you don't, the candidate really has no chance of winning.

And yes, you can run grassroots campaigns but the reality is that most go nowhere. I know this from personal experience. Years ago, I ran for city council in San Jose. At the time, I was young and idealistic and I thought I could bring a new type of politics to the city. I wanted to establish a civilian review board and strengthen protections for tenants and mobile home residents.

I had a lot of students and activists involved in my campaign. We passed out flyers everywhere and we walked my district. However, that wasn't enough to combat the lack of money. The major campaign had more than 20 times what I had for money. There was no way I could compete. So I lost.

Since that campaign, I've learned a lot over the years. If you don't have money, there's almost no way you can win. And the problem with the Green party is that you don't have money. The candidates can't compete with mainstream Democrat and Republican candidates.

Until this changes, I will continue to vote Democrat. I know the system isn't perfect but Democrats represent my ideals.

I concur with you regarding your presentation of corrupt politicians within the Democrat Party. However, I would speculate that if the Green Party had a major stronghold in politics the same probably would happen. Humans are imperfect and people do things that they shouldn't do for a variety of reasons.

Good luck on reigniting the Green Party.

Wes said...

We will, and we will have the money. Check out Green Change and then come back to the Green Party where you belong.

Unknown said...

Happy election day!

Stop by Green Change’s election party tonight to check results from hot Green races, share your thoughts, connect with friendly people and maybe even plant some seeds for future action. It’ll take a minute to sign up, but tonight’s events will be worth every second: http://network.greenchange.org/groups/election08