Heard on the Tom/Toms
Stephen Frank, Exclusive to the California Political News and Views, 6/21/23 www.capoliticalreview.com
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: “If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”–George Washington
Has Andy Gimmeekandy decided to take a page out of the Democrat playbook? Hide your candidate so you don’t have to defend his flaws?
Shortly after Gimmeekandy announced Steve Garvey’s candidacy, Emmerson College released a preference poll of California U.S. Senate candidates —six Democrats, five Republicans and one Independent. What was the biggest shock of the poll? Not that almost half were undecided. No, it was that the 10-time All-Star MVP was not listed.
Yesterday RHH, a national political blog, mentioned a “massively” self-funding Democrat jumping into California’s U.S. Senate race. The usual suspects on the Democrat side were listed. The four-time Golden Glove winner? Missing. Former AG candidate Eric Early gets a mention all by himself as “best-known” Republican.
RHH-6/20/23: CA-Sen: Google executive and investor Lexi Reese (D) is considering a run for the seat of retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D). Reese has been assembling a campaign team and would likely massively self-fund her bid. Three major Democrats are in the race, Reps. Adam Schiff (D), Katie Porter (D), and Barbara Lee (D), with 2022 AG candidate Eric Early (R) the best-known of the Republicans in the contest.
Andy, is Steve Garvey campaigning from his basement? It worked for Sleepy Joe. Or is the two-time NCLS MVP on the “Uncle” Fetterman path to the United States Senate?
Inquiring minds want to know.
- Assemblyman Jim Patterson is termed out in AD 8. Happy to report that my good friend, former Congressman George Radanovich, is running for the seat. George would have been a GOP State Senator had not GOP Senate leader at the time, Scott Wilk, had not used GOP donor money to get a Democrat elected to that Republican seat—Wilk won and the GOP lost. Now that can be corrected and Radonovich, long time local businessman, childrens advocate and conservative policy leader, be elected to the Assembly.
- California is a Sanctuary State. Los Angeles just declared itself a Sanctuary City. So, Florida is doing what the Marxist Mayor Bass and Governor Ne3wsom want—sent them illegal aliens to use up tax dollars on criminals. Congrats to Newsom and Bass—another campaign promise they have fulfilled.
L.A. Latinos welcome 42 migrants bused from Texas as ‘brothers and sisters’ — A month and a half ago, Miguel Ángel got off a bus in Los Angeles. He had been detained in an immigration center since January, after Border Patrol officers caught him and the four other people he was traveling with in the Sonoran Desert. Mariana Duran in the Los Angeles Times$ — 6/18/23
3. Not mentioned in this article is that theater goers have to step over the homeless, the mental ill and drug dealers. Then they have a crime wave in the area. It is not finances, but crime and a corrupt government that is causing the closing of the Mark Taper Forum in downtown L.A.
Shocking closure at L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum reflects a crisis at regional theaters nationwide — The titan of L.A. theater, Center Theatre Group, is shutting down the Mark Taper Forum for at least a year to save money. Will other theaters follow? Jessica Gelt in the Los Angeles Times$ — 6/19/23
- Yes, BART has a $92 million deficit—and getting worse. That is not stopping them from expanding their services—to go further in debt. Oh, they have LOST 68% of their riders—and each month it gets worse.
“With commuters staying home, transit agencies try to reinvent themselves,” by The New York Times’ Soumya Karlamangla: “Weekday ridership on BART is down to 32 percent of what it was before the pandemic began, punctuating a desperate moment for San Francisco. Without daily foot traffic, major retailers are abandoning downtown, and analysts believe the city core has yet to bottom out. Homeless encampments and open drug use have further discouraged visitors, while passengers have complained about safety and a lack of cleanliness.”
(Periodically the California Political News and Views will publish tidbits of political news, to keep you in the loop of what the pooh bahs know. The phrase “tom/tom’s” comes from my mentor, Lorelei Kinder who never passed a rumor, just called to tell me what she heard on the “TomTom’s”. This column is named in her honor.)
