GregDewar.com

This might be interesting: Dr. Howard Dean, chair of the Democratic National Committee is in town on Friday the 13th (!) for an executive board meeting of the state's party. The folks at Calitics cover this in WAY more depth than I.

It was only 3 years ago that Dr. Dean was running for Chair of the Party, and there were all sorts of dire warnings if he won. Three years later, and Dean's plan to actually work in all 50 states has paid off somewhat. And much of the internet/grassroots organizing of Dean evolved into what would later become Sen. Obama's campaign.

If you're a registered Democrat and want to stop by the proceedings, you can stop by the Westin SFO, located at 1 Old Bayshore Highway, in Millbrae, just off of 101, and not too far from the BART/Caltrain station. They ask for a $20 donation if you're not an e-board member, but remember, that's just what they ask. Unless you're doing something really outlandish, they don't mind Democrats watching the oh-so-thrilling proceedings.

Posted by Greg Dewar at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Plenty of geniuses can do all the political post mortems on how Carole Migden and her Sacramento crew invented a new way to lose a sure-win re-elect. For me, I have but one question: will the people who stole my photos of frakking Flickr at least have the courage to reveal themselves, and buy me a case of Schlitz Beer for stealing my photos?

Come on. You stole an image from me, and didn't have the courage to post an email address or any contact info on your website. The election is over, Leno won, now come clean. It's good for your karma, and I'll happily forgive as a good Christian, but I can't do so unless you 'fess up.

Posted by Greg Dewar at 6:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While reading up on the results of last nights sort-of election here in the Bay Area, I wanted to see how things turned out in some San Mateo County races, and I was struck by two things:

1. San Mateo's elections site is easily the best one out there. While all the other counties have some long boring URL, San Mateo's URL is shapethefuture.org, and they even name brand their (excellent) results section as "RaceTracker."

Beyond that, if you've ever had to deal with San Mateo County's combined Assesor/Clerk/Record/Elections department, you know that this is easily one of the few citizen-friendly, efficient operations out there. Warren Slocum has long been recognized as a leader in applying innovation and technology to improve the elections process, and the function of the departments he controls, with amazing results.

While we in San Francisco continue to plod along with an Elections and Ethics system that's half-assed, San Mateo has a model of honest, efficient government. In other words, how it's supposed to work. Can we vote to get annexed by San Mateo County, or pay the brainiacs at the stem cell council to clone the awesome Warren Slocum? Pleeeease?

2. Anyone running in an open primary in most races really didn't need a lot of votes out of the eligible voter ranks to win. Check out the results for the Assembly seat down south - the winner only needed 10,000 votes to win! So few people bothered to show up (as there was no presidential contest or statewide contest on the ballot) that really, only a handful of people voted at all, and the winner, who will now probably coast for three terms, got off pretty lucky.

It's kind of funny to think for all the money the outside interests spent to support or oppose the candidates, the cost-per-vote must be huge. But those trees were gonna die anyway, so I guess they died for a good cause.

Posted by Greg Dewar at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Whilst reading the breaking news that John Edwards finally endorse Barack Obama (AFTER the North Carolina primary), I have to say I was more than a bit surprised to read this:

Democrat John Edwards is endorsing former rival Barack Obama, fresh signs of the party establishment embracing the likely nominee even as Hillary Rodham Clinton refuses to give up her long-shot candidacy.

Now, mind you, I was never one to simply assume Mrs. Clinton had this thing pwned from the beginning, but many other people did, and made their choices as appropriate. Now, Bill and Hillary are personally in debt, have $20 million in general election campaign money they can't spend, and have pulled out all the stops to block Barry, all to no avail. Up against a guy who most people hadn't even heard of just a few years ago.

Go figure. That's almost as baffling as the state Senate incumbent with a warchest full of cash and an array of Sacramento insiders running the show, now running third in a three way race. Strange how a year changes things.

Posted by Greg Dewar at 3:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Many people don't realize that there's an honest to goodness Special Election on April 8th. There's been some campaign activity, to be sure, but even with all the nice pieces of mail from the Elections Department, et al, it's easy to forget. Heck, I forgot to apply for an absentee ballot this time around, and now have to go vote in person!

As I noted on my way more popular blog on all things MUNI, right now we don't have anyone in Congress representing the 12th CD (which includes part of San Francisco and San Mateo County) due to the death of longtime Rep. Tom Lantos. Now, if 50%+1 of the good people of the 12th CD vote for Jackie Speier, we can send her to Congress immediately (she doesn't have to pass "GO" and doesn't need to collect $200), and we can have one of the most effective members of the Legislature (yes, we've had a few and she was one of them) be representing us on some pretty important issues right now.

If, however, we don't vote, and she doesn't make the threshold, there'll be a "Special General" election, that will coincide with the June Primary. However, she'll win that one for sure, but we will not have anyone in Congress representing us. Besides, put it to you another way - how many of the current crop of candidates kicked ass on privacy issues and have a train named after them? Hint: Just one, and isn't some hippie-dippie Green candidate.

Today (Sunday, April 6th) there's an event for Jackie at the Machinists Hall down in Burlingame. For a mere $10 donation, you can enjoy a fine spaghetti dinner and meet the candidate and her many supporters. It's an easy commute for those of you in San Francisco - you can take BART or Caltrain to Millbrae, and walk a few blocks to the union hall.

Whatever you do today, be sure to vote on April 8th! We can all talk big in San Francisco, but now it's time to do something about all that big talk, and send an effective legislator to Congress who can shake things up. Go Jackie!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thank God for term limits, loopholes in term limits, and a perpetual budget "crisis" in Sacramento, for it allows California's well paid lawmakers to invent new and improved ways to to invent half-assed ideas and "solutions" that just create more problems.

We saw it last year when the state Assembly voted to gut MUNI funding (and funding for every mass transit agency in the state), all the while cooing "green" to the cameras. Today, we have the strange case of Assemblyman Charles Calderon, who's eager to tax America's #1 music retailer, iTunes (and apparently all those little dollar gifts on Facebook as well).

To do so, however wants to avoid the 2/3 vote in the Legislature, because well, he'd need some Republicans to vote for it. So instead, he's trying to get some wording changed in the code that governs sales taxes, which mandate that to levy a sales tax on something, it has to be something tangible, in Our World, as opposed to the virtual world. (i.e. that rubber ducky you bought your high school friend on Facebook should be taxed the same as if you bought one at the dollar store.) The advantage to this back-door approach is that you only need a simple majority to rewrite code language. Clever, but not particularly honest, since the effect would be to, um, levy new taxes on consumers.

First, let's tackle the politics of this little gem. Ya see, the state of California's budget system is a joke, hepped up on mandated spending (courtesy of the voters) and mandated debt (all those *@#$! bonds, also voted on by the voters), and the usual Dumb Things Legislators and Governors do. We've heard big talk from Gov. Doofinator for years, but after all this time he's done nothing besides pile on bond debt like crazy. The revolving door of legislators, term limited (thanks, voters!) doesn't help much either - everyone's so busy looking ahead to the next job, they really don't do anything productive to get past the BS and find some honest solutions.

Continue reading "State Lawmaker Wants to Tax Facebook Gifts, and iTunes Music? OMGWTF?" »

Posted by Greg Dewar at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Normally, I'd be headed to a state Democratic Convention in Northern California, because just as artistic folks go to Burning Man, and my comics/anime/film friends go to Comic-Con, folks like me go to these things because you can get your political geek on, in the company of friends and strangers and not feel weird.

In fact, when I re-launched my blog in 2006 I did so armed with a press pass at the CDP convention, which was rather fun (and cheap - Sacramento affords many hotel deals, it seems) and went to the 2003 and 2004 conventions as well

This time around, I didn't think I was going to be in town this weekend so I didn't make any plans, but had a trip pushed back at the last minute. By then, any decent rates on hotels were not to be found, and I couldn't get a press pass in time. Ah well. Probably for the best, as I have tons of other work to do, both for work and for my 15 minutes of Internet fame thanks to the awesome folks at io9.com. (Note to self: never allow yourself to be filmed unless you're dressed to impress, you never know where that video might end up, along with your improv skillz).

However, if you're looking for blogger coverage, fret not, for many of San Francisco's "A-List" Bloggers&trade will be on the case. The gang from Calitics.com will be there, as will Sweet Melissa and Beth Spotswood, and plenty of others (whom I'll add to the list as I discover 'em online). The party itself will stream live video at their site, but as we all know the real fun and drama goes on in the many caucuses, after hours parties, and whatnot at these things.

The funniest thing about this convention is the lack of drama in the Presidential race since we had this stupid idea that moving our primary "ahead" would make us more "relevant" and whatnot. Oddly enough, if California had simply kept all its primaries in June as God and Man Intended, California would literally be the king-maker in the race as one of the last primaries with a sizeable cache of delegates, super or not.

As it stands, most of the drama will be in races for state Assembly and Senate where term limits have created open seats, and of course there's the Migden/Leno/Nation drama-fest as well. Not nearly as much fun as having a host of presidential show up at your convention, but for us Political Nerds it'll be fun.

Or something.

Posted by Greg Dewar at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wow. That was fast. The jury in the ongoing litigation between the Bay Guardian and Village Voice Media came to a rather sudden end as a jury awarded the Guardian $15 million and sided with its claim that its competitor, SF Weekly, was selling ads below cost in an attempt to put the paper out of business.

There has been an endless amount of spin from each side at their respective "blogs," and the personalized vitriol between the Guardian's management and the VVM management has been a bit over the top. More importantly, I, as the reader of local media, have not had an objective voice report on this trial, so it's really hard to know who was telling the truth, and who was lying.

Re-reading some of the "blog" postings by Tim Redmond and Andy Van De Voorde, it was hard to believe each "reporter" was even talking about the same trial - it was spin spin spin. This is the mainstream journalism I'm supposed to fear the demise of, thanks to Evil Blogs and The Internet? Hmm.

Now, while they're popping champagne corks over on Portero Hill, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that VVM will appeal said verdict. But let's pretend for a moment that said appeal fails and VVM writes the BG that oversized Publisher's Clearing House check. Here are some (real) suggestions on what to do with the money:

Continue reading "Some Suggestions For the Guardian Now That They "Won" $15 Million...." »

Posted by Greg Dewar at 3:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Obama Poster at the BART Station
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Posted by Greg Dewar at 5:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UPDATE: The LA Times does an analysis of the deals and finds that the campaign disinfo and reality part ways. Check it out.

One of the unintended consequences of having our Presidential primary in February is the onslaught of Yet More F*cking Ballot Initiatives, at the state and local level. In particular, anyone who's even sort of registered to vote has been assaulted by countless ads promoting the expansion of slot machines for just four wealthy Indian tribes in Southern California (aka Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97).

There are plenty of reasons to vote "no" on these stupid things...here's a few in random order:

-Most of the promises about revenue sharing are phony. The tribes get to decide how much and when to pay the state money, and the state has no legal ability to demand the money should they decide to go back on the deal. They keep repeating a $9 billion figure but that's over 20+ years, and there's no third party to assure that everyone's living up to the deal.

-There is virtually no gaming enforcement in California now - and now they want to add 15,000 MORE slot machines to a virtually unregulated market. Compare this to Nevada, which has strict gaming laws, armed agents, and a tested enforcement mechanism to keep crime and dishonest payouts away from the customer. (BTW, did you know that Indian casinos in California refuse to disclose their payout rates, whereas in Nevada it's required by law? The Indian casinos in SoCal don't want you to know that at best their payout rates are 70%. In Nevada, it's 90+%)

-Most Indians won't benefit from all the money that will come pouring in. The 4 tribes that are putting up these deals have tiny memberships and make sure to keep as many people out as possible so they can keep all the money. Oh, and they keep saying how much they help "surrounding communities?" Unless all those desert towns are full of political consultants, lobbyists, lawyers, and advertising people, I don't see that as the case. They sure don't like letting unions organize their workers, and they don't mind dumping their low wage workers onto county health systems so you and I pay their health care costs. WTF?

-Democrats in particular have no reason to support these initiatives - in 2006 when the tribes didn't get every single thing they wanted from the Legislature, they immediately pumped out millions of dollars in dead-tree junk mail slamming anyone with a "D" next to their name, purely out of spite. Well, at least some white political consultants got their payday, right?

People supported the original Indian gaming measures as a way to allow tribes to try and build a financial base to support ongoing governmental and social services. I don't know that this was necessarily a great deal to begin with - an Indian candidate for Congress I worked for years ago once said that he felt like the reliance on gaming and alcohol/tobacco sales was akin to that scene in "It's a Wonderful Life" when Jimmy Stewart sees his hometown had he not been born.

That said, as a member of a tribe with Indian Gaming (in Wisconsin, where my cousin was tribal chair in the 90s), there were not a lot of options and most people wanted to do the right thing. Since then, however there has been a tremendous amount of money spent in politics, electing legislators and Governors and the like, there's been plenty of money to spend on all sorts of unsustainable developments in a desert, and absolutely no way to enforce gaming laws to protect both the casinos and the customers, I just can't vote for these things anymore.

It's especially difficult when you see a few wealthy small groups of people do nothing for the many folks who could use real help in getting out of the cycle of poverty. But then again, poor Indians around the state aren't lobbyists or political consultants, so I suppose in the eyes of the Sycuan, Agua Caliente, Pechanga and Morongo, those Indians "got what they deserved."

Whatever. After years of being pro-Indian gaming, I'm voting "no" this time around....it's not an easy decision but when something is so transparently bad a deal, I just can't vote "yes" for some vague notion of "liberal guilt" popular in San Francisco, especially when I know plenty of Indians who are telling me it's a bad deal for everyone.

Posted by Greg Dewar at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have been a big fan of Jackie Speier since I can remember, and have campaign buttons, mementos, and more from her many runs for office throughout the years. I have a campaign button collection that spans decades, but mostly includes rockin' politicians such as Jackie. Heck, when I worked at the Big Company one of the jobs I got to work on was a cool mail piece for Jackie in her last run for State Senate - ironically enough against a world-class douchebag I had the displeasure of attending junior high with.

Oh but enough nostalgia. Go check out Melissa's awesome writeup of the kickoff I missed because despite my Speier-supporting, I suck.

Anyway.

Check it out , and be sure to vote for Jackie Speier in the primary if you're in Our Fair District!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 9:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ronpa, L'r onpaulR o npaul ro npaulr onp aulron pa ulron pa Ulronp Aul ro npaulro npaul ron paul ronpaul ronp au lro npaulr, Dr. Ron Paul.

Ron Pau'l ron pa ulron, P au lron paul ronepau lron pau lronp-aulron paulr, onp aul Ronpa, ul ro npaulr Onpaulronp aul ronpaulr onpaulro np aulronp aulronpaul ron paulr, on paulron pau lronpau lro npa ulronpa ulronp aul ronpaulr onpa ulronpau lr onpa ul ronpau lron pa ulr onpaulron paul ronp.

Ro np, au'l ro npaulronp aulr onpa Ul. Ronp, Aul. Ronpa Ulron, pa ulr onp au l ronpau lr onpaulro npaulronpa* ulronpaul ronpaulronp, ualr onp aulronpa ul ron pau lron p aulronpaul.

R on Paulr onpa Ul. Ronp au lronp au lron paulronp aulron paul lronpaulron pau lronpau lron paul ronpa ulronp aulr onp aulron pau lronpau lronpa ulr onpaulr.

Ronp aul ronpaulronp aulr onpaulron paulro npaulronp, aulr on pau lro npaulr "Onp au Lronpaul" ron-pau lronpaulro npau lronpa ulro, n paulron paulron pa ulr onp.

Ro, npau lron, paulr O npaulro N'p aulr o npaulr onpau lronpau, lro-npaulronp-Au. Lro npa ulr onpau lr onpa ulronpau lr onp aulro "Ron Paul" ro npa ulro npaulro np au Lronpa ulronpa. Ulr'o npaul ro , npaulr - O npau lronp aul ronp aulr on PAUL ronp au lro np aul Ronpaulronp aulronpau, lro N paul ronp a ulron pa Lron pau Lronpaulr (ron paul ro Np Aulro npa Ulronpaul ro Npau!) lronpaul ronpaulronp, aulro npau lr on pau lr Onpaulro/Npaul ronpaulro npa ulronpa.

Ulron pau lro, npa ulronpau - Ron Paul!

*ron pau'r onpaul Ronp Aulro np AULR!

Translation after the jump - please read before flaming!

Continue reading "Ron Paul, Ronpaulr Onpaul? Ronpau Lronpa Ul, Ronpaul!" »

Posted by Greg Dewar at 1:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Folks, I'm not a millionaire like say, Don Fisher or Gavin Newsom, so I can't do what I'd like for our citizens in the struggle in Southern California. But I can do this - if you buy an "Adama for President" shirt right now I'll donate the markup (I only make 3.50 on these things) on all shirts sold from now through the end of the year to a suitable charity that will help our fellow Californians in their time of need. Would we want our fellow citizens to the south crapping on us when the Big One hits? NO.

While we in San Francisco are enjoying this lovely 80 degree warm weather and clear skies, our fellow citizens to the south are going through a literal Hell with these wildfires which are so bad, the firefighters are at something like 0% containment and almost a million people are now displaced from their homes.

And yet, in a tragedy of this of Katrina/1989 Quake/OMG We're FRAKKED proportions, jackasses on line and in the mainstream media (i.e. CNN) find a way to take a tragedy and make literal sh*t out of it....all for their petty, stupid, rotten little agendas.

Idiotic Jerkoff Glenn Beck made snide remarks about how the people whose homes are burning are people who "hate America." (And CNN backs it up! How "liberal.")

Now, putting aside the fact that Glenn Beck's inherent stupidity keeps him from saying anything relevant (um, DUH Glenn, San Diego and Imperial County and that whole area are super-Republican and home to MANY MANY SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN), um, WTF? Why, in the middle of a horrid tragedy would ANYONE SAY SOMETHING THIS F*CKING RETARDED???

Now, I should not be surprised given that people paid to be assholes, such as "commentators" and "news analysts" have to come up with new and improved way to be a jerk to "get ratings" and "make a story" but please. This is just wrong. Now, if the so-called "progressives" like MoveOn.Org had a brain, they'd broadcast these bs remarks all around the TV sets of southern california and pressure CNN to show this guy what real pain is like, but of course instead their idiot consultants come up with crap like that General Betray-Us ad (dhut dhut dhut get it?) Oh well, betting on the idiocy of MoveOn and Glenn Beck is a sure fire winner any way you cut it.

Oh, but then there's the sewer pipe known as the SFGate comments on their "stories." Once again, the pretext of "commenting on a story" is hijacked by people who have to serve their own agenda. Don't like "bad" mortgage holders? Stick it to 'em. Don't like people in Southern California? Stick it to 'em. Wanna just sh*t on people who are going through a terrible time in their lives? STICK IT TO 'EM.

Yeah, that's right. Let's take out our own crappy day on people who have had a truly crappy day. Class act, SFGate commenters.

There's just one problem. One day we are going to have one FRAK of an earthquake here. How will you feel when the losers who take time from talk radio to spam out a comment at the San Diego Tribune or whatever sh*t on you for "getting what you deserve" when your loved ones die or your home is ruined in the Next Big One?

Time for a lot of people to take a shot of Shut-The-Fuck-Up with a chaser of Be-A-Human-Being-And-Not-An-Asshole. Maybe, just maybe, the Chronicle can redeem itself. Glenn Beck's been a worthless shit for years. This won't change a thing. All I know is if I lived in San Diego I'd be telling Comcast or whoever that they can take their CNN and send it to Iran where it belongs with all the OTHER America-haters.

Posted by Greg Dewar at 5:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Despite NBC's catfight with Apple, resulting in the removal of new NBC shows on iTunes, you can catch many of the pilots for NBC on Comcast OnDemand. Last night I had a chance to watch the Bionic Woman remake, Journeyman, and Life.

I'd mentioned Journeyman earlier here when I did a roundup of all those TV shows set in San Francisco. As an added bonus, it turns out Bionic Woman is also sort-of-set in San Francisco - at least in the opening scenes, we're told that Jamie Sommers is a bartender in San Francsico (but like the other project David Eick co-produces, Battlestar Galactica, it is primariliy filmed in Vancouver, BC).

I won't rehash the long chatter about why all those much ballyhooed "tax credits" the politicians promote have failed so miserably (read the old article for that little lecture) but instead just marvel how, especially in the case of Journeyman, they did a pretty impressive job of making the mix of location and L.A. shots pretty seamless.

In an article on SciFi.com, executive producer Kevin Falls talked about how he was "new" to doing scifi on TV and the challenges he faced as he was new to the genre.

Mr. Falls need not worry, for Journeyman is truly a good piece of science fiction. Yes, the time travel thing and whatnot is obvious, but there are other elements spotted in the pilot that make this truly a piece of science fiction:

-Our Hero is a reporter for a newspaper called The San Francisco Register and apparently makes enough to afford both a huge victorian and a fancy Mustang, which he wrecks.

-Our Hero does actual investigative pieces as a reporter for a big daily in SF about the Mayor, and apparently spends time following up with multiple sources, which delays his finished piece by a day.

-Said newspaper is full of reporters and editors in a huge office downtown, working on multiple investigative pieces and doing their own work at any moment. The editor does not beat any one up, nor does he fire most of the staff to save money. Instead he cracks the whip and makes everyone turn in their work on time, and demands they check sources. He frowns on blogs, but not in "that way."

-In this alternate reality, MUNI buses drive fast enough on Taylor Street to knock a guy into the solar system and back. They also run an "18 Columbus" bus on Market Street for our friends in North Beach. It's not a smelly diesel one either.

-MUNI also runs on time,all the time, and F-Market streetcars are fast enough to potentially mow down a hapless dude in 1987.

-Also, the SFPD has a huge main headquarters where Our Hero's brother is a detective. This alternate reality has detectives using a faux Google on iPhones to solve crimes. Oh, and yeah, they really do solve a lot of crimes, and no doubt with Our Hero's new ability, he can help brother detective solve all those murders and stuff.

-No word yet on whether this version of Earth has a San Francisco D.A. that fights crime effectively, but the writers and producers have to be careful. If they pile up too many unbelieveable premises all at once, the "suspension of disbelief" starts to falter.

And so on. You get the idea. Go watch it and see what you think!

PS: The Bionic Woman is not without its own scifi:

- bartenders in San Francisco who can afford huge flats for themselves and their younger sister, apparently sans rent control? - now that is science fiction!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reason #3,572,893 Why Newspapers Suck
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Since it will be sometime around the Apocalypse, I'm sure you'll be wanting to get in touch anyway. KTHXBAI.

Posted by Greg Dewar at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While reading some coverage of the California Democratic Convention this weekend, I caught this article in the Chronicle by Carla Marinucci about the role of "bloggers" at the convention.

I would love to attended since this is probably going to be one of the few "good" conventions to attend, but I just couldn't justify the expense when I've got more important things to do than run around with political types who chatter on about how "great" their candidate is.

However, Marinucci's article was notable for one thing -it exposed just how terrified poltical consultants are of emerging media and technology. When we get to the point where smart, articulate people can put together on their own the media you used to have to spend thousands of dollars on expensive political consultants with lots of specialized equipment and personnel, that's about the time people start to wonder why it is we need "political consultants" in the first place.

Plus, when you consider the vast difference in sophistication, execution, design, and concept of advertising by mainstream American companies vs. the dull, cheap-looking ads of political campaigns, you start to wonder - why are people paying for advice that's so 1980s?

That's why "consultants" have to do what they can (just like mainstream media) to malign and stereotype citizen media. They, like the newspapers, are desperately trying to protect a monopoly-driven marketplace that has only a few people in control, and regard you as nothing more than a consumer of what they decide is best for you. For an example of this kind of nonsense, check out this quote from Ms. Marinucci's story:

But one key state Democratic strategist, speaking on the condition of anonymitybecause of concern for riling the netroots crowd, warns that such efforts are potentially positive and negative. Netroots commentary can frequently be intensely personal, even "totally mean and irrational," the strategist said, with some bloggers finding power in their ability "to assassinate political characters online." "It's amplified by the anonymity, and it can be scary that it's so irresponsible," the insider said. "And it's pulling the mainstream media in that direction."

In other words, this "consultant" is engaging in the kinds of things he alleges "all" bloggers do. Even though most people of any repute sign their names, and there is genuine anger and distrust of the media, the Highly Paid Democrat Consultant Way of Doing Things, and more that people want to talk about . Plus, how is it any better when political consultants get their clients to raise millions of special interest dollars for negative hit pieces and tv spots? Hmmm?

It's nothing new - these conversations have gone on for years. Now, people can talk to others around the world and organize themselves and succeed. And THAT has the well-paid, 20th Century political class scared, because they have no idea what to do, besides, well use the cover of anonymity to engage in character assassination!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 8:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last year I kicked off this site at the California Democratic Party Convention in Sacramento. I wanted to go to the big convention in San Diego this year (which will feature many presidential candidates) but work commitments won't allow it.

So here's your chance to help me cover the convention on the ground for me while I cover it on the webcast. I'm looking for a few committed folks who are attending the convention willing to post "live from the floor " dispatches. In exchange, I'll get you a press pass so you'll have full access to the convetion.

Email me and tell me why you'd like to be a correspondent and if you're picked, I'll ensure you get a press pass! Thanks and I look forward to your interest!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 9:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reading the news from Insurance Commissioner Steve Poinzer's office, you've got to wonder if consumer "advocate" Harvey Rosenfield is having the worst case of buyer's remorse in California political history.

That's because Ponizer is appointing a guy from the insurance industry to help regulate the industry. True, he said he'd be "non partisan" and "independent" and used all kinds of well crafted buzzwords to convince California voters (and Harvey Rosenfield) he was better than Cruz "Lose Weight Ask Me How" Bustamante.

Thus, consumer "advocate" and Proposition 103 author Harvey Rosenfield drank the Kool-Aid and endorsed this guy over Bustamante. The endorsement was considered a coup for Poinzer's campaign, and while many could understand why Rosenfield would not endorse the terminally lame Cruz, many were stunned he'd endorse Poinzer.

Today, he reaped the benefit of his work with today's news. You can bet the author of Proposition 103 and a lifetime consumer advocate is having that moment of clarity many have when they realize the've not only been duped - but that they've helped elevate something they've fought their entire career.

On behalf of all of us who are paying way too much for insurance and getting way too little in the way of service, we'd like to thank all involved for their part in this little drama. We'll happily sign away more of our paychecks for lousy car and health insurance, and sleep well knowing that Steve Poinzer and his friends in the insurance industry are well taken care of. Thanks to all who helped.

Posted by Greg Dewar at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Note: This entry will be updated as I get more mail. New mail is featured at the bottom of this entry! Today's additions: Jane Kim, Marin Healthcare Board, and more!

As promised, here is the first installment of the Fall 2006 Disinfo Rehab Mail Archive. Unlike television ads, which bloggers and media folks can easily dissect because they're on TV, YouTube, candidate websites, and the like, mail is a "below the radar" medium. You know it is out there, but unless you're on the targeted mailing list, you won't see it.

Which is why it makes for a great way to send distinct messages to distinct groups of people - and a great way to attack someone and get away with it. By the time anyone notices it, it's too late to do much about it, and the press usually isn't sent copies of hit pieces by candidates!

Since I personally do not live in a district with an angrily contested Supervisorial race, I'm interested in submissions from readers who might have something they've received in the mail in the Daly/Black/SF Republican Party brouhaha, and the mega-money festival that is the District 4 battle to replace Fiona Ma, now that she's been elected to a 6 year term in the Assembly. Oh and if anyone has any "freaky" mail from way out in Distrct 8, send it over!

As always, if you submit a big pile o' mail, I'll buy you a drink/coffee/whatever once this nutty election is over. Email me and tell me what you have and I'll make arrangements to pick it up, or you can simply scan them in yourself and send them in as JPEGs.

Please note that all pieces that appear on this page were sent to actual voters, who in turn gave the pieces to me for inclusion in this fall's archive. (To protect their privacy from identity thieves, their names and addresses have been Photoshopped out)

A mail piece's appearance here does not indicate I'm endorsing or not endorsing a particular candidate, and it does not indicate that campaign endorses this site, its views, or anything at all. Conspiracy theorists, please put down the crack pipe and find something else to worry about.

Update: A loyal reader tipped me off to a similar project being done by the East Bay Express, entitled Fun with Misleading Mailers. Short and to the point, the additional coverage of the myriad of pieces hitting the mailbox is great for voters

And now, for the fun, after the jump!

Continue reading "Disinfo Rehab Mail Archive - Fall 2006" »

Posted by Greg Dewar at 2:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Everyone's been asking me if I'm supporting the so-called Clean Money Proposition 89 given my past views on political reform, and experience in campaign finance. I always say, without skipping a beat, that I support this proposition with no reservations at all.

Now that's the "loud: part. The "quiet" part is "But not for the reasons the authors and supporters intend, since I just want a full employment act for political hacks." Waitaminit! Did I say the loud part quiet and the quiet part loud? D'oh!

No really, listen! Now, of course the inevitable fight between Sort Of Funded Good People and the representatives of the Forces of Doom With More Money will wage some sort of battle. The state's Big Important Paper will weigh in, as will its fine columnists on the relative merits. And they'll all be as fun to read about as that whole debate over the Paint Drying On A Hot Day initiative.

That is, if the public is even reading. (No one seems to realize Stargate SG-1 is back on the air, and Lost and Battlestar Galactica and a ton of movies are coming out this fall. Do Cylons dream of electric political reform bills?)

Whee! Now, the funny thing about these kinds of initiatives is that they're taking a hybrid idea from other states (Maine, Arizona, Massachusetts) and declaring that Their Way Is The Only Way to "clean up" politics. As I've said time and again, these reform efforts usually have more to do with gutting The Other Guys' say in politics, coupled with a naive hope that the outcome of the people's votes can be gamed to favor Their Guys. (IRV Minions, I'm looking at you....)

But let's put aside the many Unintended Consequences we'll be paving the Road to Hell with, and find out why I'm supporting this wild proposition. It's simple - any time you have a system of matching funds, public funding, whatever, you change the marketplace for political products. Instead of lopsided spending by The Guy With All The Support and The Guy With No Money or Hope In Hell, thus creating a single marketplace in a given district for product, suddenly we'll have more customers for the same products!

Think about it. Every robocall vendor, every direct mail vendor, heck every button-maker and tchotchke maker from Yreka to the Mexican Border will suddenly have lots of new people to sell stuff too. Every political hack that wants to avoid law school for another year can instead take a year off and work on the campaign of any Joe Sixpack or Sally Hempcoat running for office anywhere in the state - no matter how hopeless it is for a hippie socialist to win in "The OC" or a right wing neo-fascist to win in Berkeley, CA!

JobCorps, SchmobCorps, if politicians want to create more jobs right away, they'll jump on board. It's easy, and the taxpayers foot the bill!

Sure, there's that whole issue with that pesky Constitution of the United States, and sure there's also no guarantee that experienced people who do things as they're done now will suddenly lose and give way to the wide-eyed hopeful dreamers who want to pass that whole "No Kitten Left Behind" bill that gets stalled in committee by the special interests, but I say, who cares?

There are a lot of robocalls and brochures I need to sell if I'm ever going to get enough money to go into real estate or the olive oil business. So quit your bitchin' and say "Yes" to Proposition 89. I am sure my future kids will thank you when they're getting braces, iPods, and Harvard educations. I know I will!

Pardon the gap in postings. Unlike professional bloggers who sideline as consultants, I, as a consultant who sidelines as a blogger, sometimes have to do real work during an election! More fun is coming soon though. Really!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 5:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wasn't that just a wonderful primary election?

We had the a record low voter turnout statewide, and we had a record number of mail ballots that were held until the last minute, simply because people either didn't know who to vote for, or who to vote against. We had some of the nastiest campaigns, funded by all sorts of well funded interests, and Democrats in particular are left with a slate of candidates most people still don't know a lot about, at a time when we're facing Real Problems.

Whose fault is it? Oh, it depends on who you ask. It's the Democrats' fault. It's the Republicans' fault. It's the consultants' fault. It's the special interest groups' fault. It's the fault of people who wear those rectangle glasses. It's the fault of someone's husband. It's the "progressives'" fault. It's the "conservatives'" fault. It's the know-it-all bloggers' fault. It's the fault of Someone Else.

Oh, and don't forget it's Money's Fault. Bet you didn't know inanimate representations of currency could be at fault. But to some it is.

"So," you ask, "whose fault is it really?" you ask. Good question - thanks for asking!

It would be easy for me to take the Official Snarky Knowitall Position that it's everyone I just mentioned's fault but that would be a bit too easy, and a bit overdone. Instead I'm going to suggest another idea: that we in California had a Perfect Storm of Unintended Consequences, from all the so-called "reforms" that self-styled "reformers" have pushed on us for the last several decades.

Continue reading "California Primary 2006: The Death Rattle of So-Called "Reform"" »

Posted by Greg Dewar at 7:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you haven't already mailed in your ballot, get it to a polling place now! If you haven't voted yet, go vote now! It's easy, it's fun, and you can mess with The Man on his dime and time!

The only big predictions I have are that with so many mail ballots being returned in person today or late in the mail, we won't know the results of any close race for a while. The only other thing I can predict safely is that if Steve Westly wins the nomination, he is going to have a lot of fence-mending and foot-kissing to get back in the good graces of many high ranking Democrats he's pissed on. But we'll see.

Meanwhile, here's a fun note my brother sent to me. It seems last night's episode of the Simpsons in reruns featured our own Mr. Anglides. Check it out! Meanwhile, don't forget to vote and be sure to check out the election parties for free stuff later tonight!

Art Imitates Life Dept. - Official Savors Simpsons Role

February 29th, 2000 -- Sacramento Bee
"The Simpsons" cartoon show has waded into California politics. The latest episode featured a bar-tending contest with the winner getting his photo on a beer calendar. A photographer stepped forward to snap the winner's picture -- a photographer identified as, "Phil Angelides, Duff Beer vice president for calendars and fake ID's."

The character looked only a little like the state treasurer and Sacramento developer by the same name. "Nobody looks good on 'The Simpsons,' but I'll take it as an endorsement," Angelides said. "If I ever run for office again, I'll say I'm the vice president for calendars and fake IDs. That should be worth some votes." The mention was more than a coincidence. Angelides said "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening is a friend. Good thing he's not a relative ...

Posted by Greg Dewar at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Don't forget to check out the Direct Mail Disinfo Rehab Archive before you vote!

If you are like many people in this state, you asked for a mail ballot this year. And, if you're like most people in this state, you still haven't returned it yet.

Don't feel bad - just about everyone else is in the same boat you are. Return rates in key counties in California are abysmally low, owing to the fact that there are so many candidates, most of whom no one has heard of, running for so many offices. Every campaign I've worked on this cycle is seeing record rates of non return of ballots statewide.

So, beat those election blues, and print out a copy of my patented All-Star Guide to the California Primary. You can easily fill out your ballot, and you get a dose of snark just for laughs!

The Big Races
Note: If people are running unopposed, I'm not including them here since there's nothing to choose!

U.S. Senate: Whatever you think of Dianne Feinstein (some folks love her, some folks hate her, some folks don't know) know this: Dianne Feinstein is going to win the Democratic Primary in a landslide Vin Diesel would envy, and is going to be re-elected. Oh yeah, there's some token resistance but you might as well cast at least one vote for a winning candidate.

Since the balloting is so easy for California, may I suggest you send a 20 or a 50 dollar bill to the campaign of Jon Tester for US Senate instead?. Jon is the kind of Democrat we need in Washington DC, who can win in a place like Montana. He's a no-BS guy who represents the best the West has to offer - and he's going to have a chance to knock out Sen. Conrad Burns, who is so deep in scandal it isn't funny. Besides if he wins he can help DiFi be a committee chair, so it's a twofer.

California Governor: It does not take a genius to figure out that I am not a fan of Governor Doofinator, and his constant lying, "reinventing" of himself, and the tomfoolery that was the Credit Card Bond. So, who then, can send this guy back to his magic ticket and his restaurant in Santa Monica?

I'm telling folks to vote for Phil Angelides. Yeah, I know, I know. But the usual math doesn't apply here. Angelides has been consistently opposing Gov. Doofinator from Day One, he didn't monkey around in the recall or support the Credit Card Bond, and he's straight with voters on what he'll do if elected. Republicans who chortle at the follies of the primary take note: Democrats chortled at your follies when they had Congress and the Presidency in 1994 - and look at what happened to them.

Lt. Governor:Tough one for me, as I met John Garamendi (albeit over the phone) while working for the Insurance Commissioner for the State of Washington. Nice guy. But I've always been a supporter of Sen. Jackie Speier throughout her career. What to do? Flip a coin? Waffle? I can't vote for both!

I'm gonna vote for Speier, since I think she would do more with the office. Garamendi is a great guy, but I wish he'd run for something else so I wouldn't have to make this kind of choice. Besides, she's the hometown hero!

Secretary of State:This one is easy - Easy choice : State Sen. Deborah Bowen. Not only was she one of the few candidates to get an endorsement at the Democratic Convention, she is also the only candidate who actually worked on any of the issues a Secretary of State faces (i.e. voting machines, political reform, etc.) and she was my State Senator when I lived in Venice.

Attorney General: Another difficult choice. I've been supporting Jerry Brown for years. Back in Santa Cruz I organized a rally with him during his Presidential bid that got on CNN and CSPAN, and later when I worked at a tech company, ended up explaining our RealAudio technology to him when he had the radio show. It's hard not to support him, but Rocky Delgadillo isn't such a bad guy either. So vote for Jerry Brown but let's hope we see Delgadillo run for something else someday.

State Controller: Don't you just love that title? Sounds like one is running for Cylon Overlord for California or something. Here's a chance for you to give someone a promotion who actually deserves it: vote for Sen. Joe Dunn. This guy really did stand up to Enron and their BS during the power crisis, and beyond, and he'll bring that integrity to the Controller's office. Unlike people like Sen. Sheila Kuehl, who voted for giving away the state to greedy speculators, Joe Dunn was the guy who remembered job 1 for him is serving the citizens. Go Joe!

State Senate, District 8: This is a tough one for me - Lou Papan was a real hero in supporting the special ed program at my old high school, where my mom works. But Mike Nevin's wife also worked at my old high school and knew my mom too. Oh yeah, there's current Assemblyman Leland Yee running a strong campaign too. So who do I vote for? Calgon, take me away!

In the end I voted for Lou Papan, but not as part of some plot to deny Nevin votes but more due to a coin toss between two guys from San Mateo County, and because he was such a good guy in the Assembly when it came to special education. But the battle seems to be between Yee and Nevin so if you want to vote for someone who's more likely to win, then go ahead and vote for Mike Nevin.

State Assembly, District 12 - SF: Ok, like you had to ask. I'm telling everyone to vote for Janet Reilly. and regular readers know I've written about when she kicked off her campaign, when she campaigned with John Kerry, and about the only debate she had with Ms. Ma..

People ask me why and the answer is simple. There are people in the local and state Democratic Party who view the Party and those in it as part of an exclusive club, and that club likes things predictable, safe, and for the benefit of their club membership, since after all, they have the best interests of The People at heart. Anyone questioning that is cast out as a pariah.

Janet's campaign has never been one on the "inside" and as such is a lot more welcoming to citizen input, and isn't as beholden to the club mentality that really disdains volunteers, Internet activists, and anyone not Already In The Club. They really don't like you, and don't like the fact they have to ask you to vote for them because They're Just That Good. Plus, when you see the nonsense being tossed at Janet, you figure she can't be that bad. Vote for Janet and piss off the Man.

Propositions

Proposition 81 - Library Bonds - vote NO: How can anyone be against library bonds? That means more money for libraries right? And I like libraries so I should support it, right? NO!

This is Yet Another Bond Issue that gets on the ballot because it "gives money" to good causes. But you see, it doesn't "give money" - it sells debt that we have to pay billions in interest on later. That blows out the budget in future years. So many bonds are passed by voters that it is killing our state's ability to make budget decisions. Vote no, and tell them to raise taxes or cut something first.

Proposition 82 - Preschool for All - Vote YES: This proposition isn't perfect, nor is it a cure all. But it doesn't use bonds, and it does take a step towards doing what we should be doing to at least not have as many screw ups in the public school system. Besides, Rob Reiner isn't that bad of a guy.

San Francisco Propositions A, B, C, D: Sometimes there's such a thing as too much democracy and voting, and the fact we're even voting on some of this stuff, which should either be passed by the Board of Supervisor and voted up or down by the Mayor, or perhaps addressed elsewhere, is a sign. But since we do have them, here's an easy way to vote:

If you like Mayor Gavin Newsom, and allied interests, and do not like the Board of Supervisors and their allied interests, go ahead and vote "no" on everything. Sure, there is that issue of violent homeless people being put in the old folks home at Laguna Honda, but so what? Gavin's got a tough re-election in 2007, possibly, and the last thing he needs some ballot measures to give him guff.

If you do not like Mayor Gavin Newsom and allied interest, and like the Board of SUpervisors, and their allied interests, go ahead and vote "yes" on everything. Sure, that whole Ellis Act notification thing probably won't stop a desperate home-buyer from running over Grandma to get that TIC, but so what? Gavin's got a tough re-election in 2007, possibly, and perhaps these ballot measures (some of which were put on the ballot by Supervisor Daly) might be able to give him some guff.

Other Offices:

San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee: Ok, pop quiz: what is the one job people run for, spend money to get elected to, that most people have not even heard of much less know what they do?

That would be the Democratic Party Central Committee. Ya see, each county has a "Central Commitee" for each party. These are partisan positions within the parties themselves - they are not funded by the state or anything like that. These might seem like ceremonial posts, but how the people on this committee vote determine all sorts of party business at the local and state level. So in a way it matters, but not always in an immediately understandable way.

The problem is you have to vote for so many people out of a pack of like, a zillion, and (thank GOD) "Ranked Choice Voting" has no place in these races. I'm going to recommend the two people I actually have met and known: Boe Hayward in the 12th Assembly District and Tim Paulson in the 13th.

Both are good guys - I helped out Boe with his postcards this year, and Tim Paulson is the director of the San Francisco Labor Council and all around good guy. There's two endorsements - figure out the rest of the slots on the ballot after casting your ballot for these guys.

That's it! Enjoy the fireworks on June 6th!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Special Note: Don't forget to check out the Direct Mail Disinfo Rehab Archive with mail from the 2006 primary election, recently featured at SF's Usual Suspects website!

Whenever you pass a political money reform bill, the road to Hell gets a new paving of unintended consequences. Take Proposition 34, which was supposedly going to limit "big money" in elections for state office.

We passed "limits" which were designed to keep "big money" out of elections, and it did have the effect of limiting large unlimited contributions, which are apparently evil in and of themselves, out of campaigns by candidates for office. One problem: no one found a legal, Constitutional way to limit efforts "independent" of candidates by those "big money" folks to speak loudly, carry big sticks, and have an incredible amount of influence in an election.

We've gone through 3 cycles under the new regime, and as both a manager and observer of Assembly races, I have to say that the influence of outside groups has increased ten-fold, as backers of previous reforms had hoped. Now, when a candidate runs for office, he or she has to pray to the God of their choice that assorted interest groups not only support them, but will spend untold bucks on their behalf, and pray that they'll do something that's helpful to their campaigns.

In 2002, we saw trial lawyers, eager to take a posthumous hit at then Assemblyman Lou Papan, spend uncounted millions on behalf of Gene Mullin, to "punish" the daughter of Lou Papan for not toeing the line enough in his time in office. While Gene Mullin's campaign claimed it was "all them" when they won, the fact was if it was not for untold spending by outside groups, we may or may not have had a different result.

Likewise, in 2006, we have the political gang war that is the 12th Assembly district primary. No less than 11 allied "independent expenditure" committees (who oddly enough seem to have the same candid photos in their ads as the candidate does) are picking on Janet Reilly, for reasons obvious and not so obvious. For all the "experience" people talk about, it seems strange that the only thing people helping a candidate can do is to pump out mail that is more about hype than substance.

There is, however, a simple cure for this disease, one that does not require demolishing the First Amendment, passage of new Road to Hell legislation, or even taxpayer funding of politician's races. It relies solely on common sense, and a candidate's values.

Continue reading "A Modest Proposal Ridding Us of So-Called Independent Expenditures" »

Posted by Greg Dewar at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

The first step of our Disinfo Rehab project is up and online! Thanks to good friends on the Peninsula and in San Francisco, as well as some trusty campaign volunteers, I've posted the first of what will be many entries into a Political Direct Mail Web Archive that you, the citizen, can review in advance of California's Primary Election on June 6th. (Temporarily, PDF files submitted to the arcive are featured here while we get Flickr to cooperate!)

Currently the archive features entries from State Senate Candidate Mike Nevin , who has some of the most novel mail pieces, evoking an earlier era in campaign themes, as well as a piece I picked up at a street fair last weekend from the campaign of Fiona Ma, who is running in Assembly District 12.

More from our gubernatorial candidates, our friends in high and low places, and those running for other offices will be featured as the days go by. You may also make submissions by email by sending me an email with your reasonably sized JPEGs or PDFs of stuff you find.

Oddly enough, because I recently re-registered only a few months ago into the new house I moved into, I'm not getting the volume of doubleplusungoodmail I usually get. So, if you're looking at that steaming pile of dead trees, and thinking of junking it, think again!

I'm offering a drink bounty to voters for new and unusual pieces of mail, in particular those sent out by special interests influencing the outcome of many of the Legislative elections in California, where so many people are running for ever so many offices.

Enjoy the archive and keep coming back as more images (and more commentary) are added to the new disinfobabble and artistic licenses issued by today's politickers. Consultants are also welcome to submit pieces they are proud of, as well.

UPDATE: Big updates coming this weekend. Meanwhile, check this article out discussing the increasingly flat out false mail going out to the public.

UPDATE 2 - May 28th: More pieces have been added from the Reilly/Ma race and the Yee/Nevin/Papan race....anyone wishing to submit pieces they've received should email me with their entries...thanks!

Oh and some advice for the volunteers eager to tell us about their candidates - the moment you put a handout or a piece of unauthorized crap in a mailbox, not only do you earn bad karma, but you are also committing a federal crime. Just last night I found two piecesfor a candidate for DCCC shoved in my mailbox at home in the Inner Sunset. Not smart. Kids, learn the rules and play it safe, ok?

Posted by Greg Dewar at 11:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (3)

Much is made when a personally wealthy candidate runs for office about how, by the miracle of “spending lots of money,” they can automatically win office. Steve Westly’s campaign not only benefits from this conventional “wisdom” – it’s an active part of the campaign’s message.

What pundits, politickers, and the like tend to forget is that part of winning a campaign is having the money to pay for what you need to win – but that the other part is how you spend your money. And in the case of Steve Westly, our multi-millionaire Richie Cunningham running for class president, it's becoming clear that the how of his campaign is starting to kill whatever advantage, cash-wise, this guy had.

Last night I caught the latest spat of ads from Westly on TV, and they were laughable at best, pathetic at worst. We are less than three weeks away from a pretty significant primary election, and what is the Westly campaign blowing tons of cash on? Ads about whether Phil Angelides is running a "negative campaign." (Don't try looking here for them - I guess they don't mind putting them on the air, but they sure didn't put them on their own site.)

So,umm, let me get this straight. This is the big issue millions of Californians are concerned about in this year's gubernatorial election? I guess that whole affordable housing/jobs/economy/environment/education/taxes thing isn't the main issue at the kitchen table this season.

No, it's whether "Mean Old Phil" is playing by some imaginary Marquess de Queensbury rules, and rather than move on and just tell people about why he's the better candidate, he's spending money talking about something no real voters give a crap about and tosses in a lie about Angelides' tax plan that's patently false. Hmm. Sounds like someone broke his own promise about those Queensbury rules.

Putting aside for a moment whether Phil or Steve is the bestest Democrat boy running, there's a bigger issue here. If Steve Westly can't handle a random, unscripted question from the peanut gallery, or a few jabs from a fellow Democrat, how the Hell is he going to handle going up against Gov. Doofinator and his huge team of spinmeisters, politickers and a massive state funded disinfo ops team, much less the many millions in independent expenditures from allied right wing groups that will toss out crap far worse than he's ever had to deal with?

No wonder this guy barely beat McClintock in 2002. Perhaps after the election, Westly and Senator Huffington, President Perot, Governor Checchi, and the rest of the rich geniuses can get together and have a beer about those Queensbury rules.

Don't forget to send in your political junk mail so we can do some disinfo rehab prior to the election! Send me a note and we'll get it on Flickr ASAP!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 8:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last weekend, mail ballots in the California Primary were mailed out to voters, which means the first wave in what is going to be an avalanche of political junk mail is starting to make its way through the US Postal System. A primary such as the one we have now, where just about every term-limited politician is running for every other office on the ballot, makes it even more ominous.

This is also a chance to observe the power of dead trees vs. television. That's because TV ads are seen by "everyone." Heck, you can go on YouTube.com and see ads by the ever telegenic Steve Westly, the humorous Phil Angelides and more. You can even scrutinize the oh-so-clever ad by Fiona Ma, driving around town in a shiny new Prius! How enviro-friendly! (I wonder if she actually owns a PC-Prius or if they just rented it....frankly I'd be more impressed to see a candidate slog through the district on the N Judah, in a TV ad, complete with weirdos and stalled trains, but I digress).

Now here's the thing about TV ads - the reason it's so easy for snarky bloggers, politicos and the local press to pick apart these little gems is because they are so accessible. Direct mail, however, is not. Everyone is getting different pieces of mail depending on where they live, and what their past voter history (if any) is. More to the point, by the time anyone in the press sees anything earth-shattering or nasty, the election's over.

This time, however, you can help particpate in a good old fashioned Disinformation Rehab for the Primary. If you start to get a nice big pile of steaming junk mail, don't recycle it. Instead, send me an email and tell me what you've received in the mail.

If it is something I do not already have, you put it in the mail and send it to me, and I buy you a coffee or other beverage of some sort somehow. I'll scan in the best of the bunch and post a gallery on Flickr, and we can all give these guys and gals a once-over they don't usually get.

And besides, it'll be fun! Really!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 3:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was wondering why watching Phil Angelides andSteve Westly seemed so familiar.

At first I thought it was because I remembered meeting Steve Westly when in 1989 he ran against Gov. Jerry Brown for Democratic Party Chairman (he lost that race in 1989, and backed Phil's opponent when Jerry quit). Or maybe it was because smilin' Phil was in all those house party videos in 1992 when Democrats stopped losing in California.

Then I realized what it was - both men are channeling the spirit of former Governor Mike Dukakis in their campaigns. Now, unlike some, I don't say this to be mean, but more as an observation. It's not a bad thing to me, but I don't know if it's the winning plan for beating Gov. Doofinator in California in 2006.

Continue reading "Channeling Mike Dukakis in the Race For Governor" »

Posted by Greg Dewar at 10:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)