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Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Mr. Villaraigosa Goes To Washington . . . Again

The L.A. Times reports that, in the year since Villaraigosa was elected, he has travelled to Washington "more than half a dozen times, ostensibly to lobby for local issues . . . ." Villaraigosa has likewise made frequent trips to Sacramento during the same period, supposedly for the same purpose.

Don't we already pay tax dollars for other people to do that? What are they called again? Oh yeah! Congressmen, Senators and Assemblymen. Are they not already "lobbying" on behalf of their constituents? Or is the idea that he is so wildly charismatic, so completely convincing, that he's going to get better results than the army of politicians already deployed in Washington D.C. and Sacramento on our behalf?

21 Comments:

Blogger Mitch Glaser said:

Congressmen, Senators, and Assemblymen are elected and paid to represent defined geographical districts that aren't usually conterminous with city boundaries. We can't assume that the interests of politicans elected at the federal and state level are the same as the interests of politicans elected at the local level. The Mayor is speaking for the City of Los Angeles, a polyglot conglomeration of local communities that straddle additional political boundaries too numerous to mention.

For better or worse, Mayor Villaraigosa is "so wildly charismatic, so completely convinving, that he's going to get better results" than most other politicians. He's become a national celebrity, infiltrating such national pop culture pastimes as "American Idol". If America loves Antonio (which it does), then people in Sacramento and Washington D.C. will have a hard time saying no to him and incurring his wrath. The City of Los Angeles, which happens to include Westchester, stands to benefit.

I am worried that the Mayor's political activities hint at grander ambitions. Having encouraged the city to "dream with him," it would be terrible for him to pack up and move on to more prominent jobs without having made some real improvements in Los Angeles. We should hold the Mayor to the high standard of public service he claims to represent.

Looking to 2009, it would be helpful for you to explain how trips to Sacramento and Washington, D.C. are unnecessary and how the Mayor of the second largest city doesn't need political connections at the state and federal level in order to succeed. You want us to vote for you, don't you?

May 17, 2006 8:38 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

AV Dictionary:
Government service:
(gov er ment serv US) Employment in political office to further one's own ambition as well as to meet the needs of your big money donors.

May 17, 2006 8:53 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Another indication that Walter doesn't know what the f&*% he's talking about.

Yes, dumbo, if you have a popular, persuasive mayor with good contacts and influence in Washington and Sacramento, you want him to do what he can to make sure his city is better taken care of by federal and state officials. If that means showing up in person every so often for a day or two, then that's what it means. You can't just "phone it in" all the time.

Besides, the mayor leaves the city in good hands, doesn't he? Walter's still here keeping an eye on things...

May 18, 2006 4:29 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I hope AV decides to run for higher office. Maybe even President. He'll find out how racist he is, and how racist America is.
Hopefully, he'll be humbled and realize that he's not "the man". Unfortunately, he'll already have been a two-term Mayor of Los Angeles. Unless he follows his own tradition and doesn't complete a full term.

May 18, 2006 5:10 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Another good reason NOT to get LA Times. They have an opinion puff piece on the "shimmering" mayor. They do state he hasn't done crap for LA but people seem to like him. What amazes me is how ignorant people can be? The only reason the trash tax hike passed through council is because they know whoever would have voted NO would have to deal with Antonio's wrath. Great way to run city government.

May 18, 2006 8:12 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Don't be naive. America doesn't "love" AV; America doesn't know AV. He may be the shiny new Latino face that the MSM loves to profile, but if he ever runs for national office his affiliations with the Mechas and his histrionics in front of a half-million illegal aliens will turn off the majority of Americans. He can't hide his roots forever. If the Senate guest worker/amnesty bill passes however, all bets are off.

May 18, 2006 8:21 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

"If America loves Antonio (which it does), then people in Sacramento and Washington D.C. will have a hard time saying no to him and incurring his wrath."

I believe this premise is fundamentally wrong.

Schwartzenegger hasn't been able to translate personality to money even though he is actually in the party in power. Antonio's trips are all about his building alliances for his next office.

Show me the money!

May 18, 2006 10:22 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

AV will not resonate with voters in the South or Northeast. He only "plays" on the West coast and as far east as Texas.
Believe it or not, this country is still divided by race (sorry Ward Connerly fans). As a veteran of many national campaigns, I can tell you for sure that America is not ready for a minority President. Hell, Hillary Clinton will be President before AV.
I'd pay money to see AV vs. John Edwards in a debate where the topics include: poverty, US History, AIDS, Foreign Policy, Labor and Immigration.
My money is on the Huero.

May 18, 2006 11:22 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Did they pronounce it right?
Franklin Avenue caught Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's appearance on "American Idol" last night, telling finalist Katherine McPhee that she was to sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." She's the first Angeleno to go this far on the show—so the first Valleyite too, from Sherman Oaks

May 18, 2006 11:50 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

VOTE HIT MAYOR ON TAKEOVER-DNews
A week after Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa snubbed City Councilman Alex Padilla by endorsing his state Senate opponent, Padilla retaliated Wednesday by exposing the fragility of the council's support for Villaraigosa's school-takeover plan.....Padilla introduced a last-minute motion noting that the plan contains "no allocation for any changes in governance in the Los Angeles Unified School District."

While the motion would not have torpedoed the mayor's efforts - and money still could have been made available for school issues - it garnered a split 7-7 vote when it was introduced Tuesday..tie prompted the council to revisit the issue Wednesday, when it voted 8-6 against the resolution..."Can we say `politics'?" political consultant Rick Taylor said about Padilla's resolution.

"It's kind of smacking the mayor - not in a mean, hard way, but Padilla took a stand finally. Getting an 8-6 vote is impressive, and it made the mayor sweat it out for a day."

GOOD FOR PADILLA HAVING THE GUTS TO TAKE A STAND. TOO BAD THE OTHER KISS BUTTS WERE AFRAID ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE SAID BEHIND CLOSED DOORS THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THE MAYOR ON TAKEOVER BUT CAN'T COME OUT PUBLICLY.

May 18, 2006 2:30 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

as we all know AV will go wherever the cameras go. He spends more time away from the City than in his office actually learning about the real problems and running the City. He was elected to serve the citizens, not the illegal aliens which seems to be taking up most of his time. Too bad most haven't seen through the phony facade yet.

May 18, 2006 3:38 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I have no idea who Mitch Glaser is, nor do I care, but I find his post to be the most odious, obnoxious piece of crapola on the planet. What a bootlicker!

In fact, anyone who finds the current occupant in the mayor's office to be charasmatic in any way, needs their head examined.

If anyone saw Lou Dobbs reduce him to the size of a frijole bean the other night, you saw the real Tony Villar....the thug, the liar, the uneducated, the phoney, the mexico lover, the ruthless, the guy who is trying to be Mr. Cool, but can't pull it off. His roots are ALWAYS showing. He looks much better in his CHE tee shirt, with his bullhorn, at all the Mechista rallies. Just like the march on March 25. We clean your toilets....We are all Americans!
Viva Mexico!!!

Mr. Glaser may not be aware of the reality in this city. Unless you are an illegal, a builder, or other special interest group, NO ONE supports Tony Villar. In fact, I have never seen or heard more outrage from the public in the last 40 years. The economy is going to collapse sooner rather than later, and anyone who voted for the mexican jumping bean will rue the day.

He is just being used by dems to get the mexican vote. Politics 101. After the shamnesty scheme fails, they will drop Tony Villar faster than you can say Taco Bell.

One word of advice, lie down with dogs...and you will rise with fleas. I have lots of flea powder on tap at all times.

I guarantee you, America doesn't love him! Only the illegals of the country. Those that can read or speak English, that is. He doesn't fit in with real Americans.
"Make no mistake about that".

May 18, 2006 5:26 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Don't worry, folks! Help is on the way. It's called the voting box. For all of those who didn't learn their lesson last time, they will have another chance to straighten out the record. If I get my way, this man will never have another chance to destroy this city.

For the past year, I have been compiling massive amounts of data for a book that I am writing,in an attempt to expose the truth about this man. It is my civic duty to inform the unsuspecting public.

I was a young faculty member at UCLA in the 70's, at the same time this man was causing trouble on campus. I have many tales to tell and, even in those days, I knew that he would continue his efforts to undermine our country. I am sorry to say that I was not incorrect in my assessment of him.

I have followed his path over the years, a path which has led to the crisis we are now confronting in this city. My intention in writing this book is to inform the rest of the country. To be forearmed is to be forewarned.

This man must be stopped on all levels. Unfortunately, we are living in a world that is anesthetizing our young people... an American Idol type of world. Ipods and cell phones, my space and the internet, a non-existent education system, and a lethal dose of illegal immigration.

The idea of turning over the keys to this city to a man who has such an unsavory background is a recipe for disaster. I plan to do my part to change this recipe.

Stay tuned...my book hopefully will be finished by the end of the year. Just in time to save us from going over the cliff!

,

May 18, 2006 6:26 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Maybe Villaraigosa ought to stop wasting his time trying to find money to hire more police to protect the racist white folks spewing drivel on this blog about him. They deserve some home invasions, what with the sorry-ass, nativist attitudes they put on display.

Stop pandering to these a-holes and their holier-than-thou, afraid-of-the-future sniveling, Mr. Mayor. You've spent the last few years kissing up to them and they're still ingrates. Forget it, and them!

May 18, 2006 8:56 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

And this is what the taxpayers are paying for. I never would have voted for him, but I bet everyone else is sorry they did.

But he is committing political suicide because every time he finds a camera, it goes against him. The mexicans might love him, but Americans hate him. He is too stupid to realize this. Not only is he shifty eyed and sweaty on camera, his lack of education is showing. He looks like the deer in the headlights. He is scared. He knows he's way over his head. And now the rest of the country can see him for what he is. I guess he doesn't feel the temperature of the American public....we don't want Mexicans around. He's so used to the cesspool in LA, he thinks the rest of the country is like LA>

Wise up, Tony Villar, the rest of the country is scared to death that their state might turn out like LA. The last thing in the world they want is someone like you in their government. You are the enemy. Get it? I hope so.

May 18, 2006 9:01 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I miss Jim Hahn.

May 19, 2006 2:09 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Me too.

May 19, 2006 8:04 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I wasn't an Antonio supporter but was going to give him time to show me he had it in him. It takes more then a smile and suit to be a great leader. Looking back the last 9 months what has he accomplished? Yes, I'll give him the trash fee hike but what else? If he would put the energy he has in front of cameras to "real" work he would be a great leader, but he's not. I can hardly wait for that book to come out. You will make a fortune and most likely a movie deal. Antonio will probably try to sue you but there is freedom of speech. Good luck

May 19, 2006 8:05 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

L.A. City Mayor Villaraigosa Fails to Raise Matching Funds to Save 350 Poor Families in South Central Los Angeles From Brentwood Developer

For the last three years, 350 families have been fighting to preserve the largest contiguous piece of open green space in South Central Los Angeles. On April 22nd 2006, Trust for Public had negotiated a 30 day buy option that depended on the city matching 5 Million put up by a private foundation. It appears that the City of LA and the Mayor's office will not match the money and the land will fall to Brentwood Developer.

WHEN: Friday, May 19th, 2006 @ 9:00 a.m.

WHO: South Central Farmers

WHAT: Protest and Press Conference

In the week of May 15 2006, the community was informed that, "Mayor Villaraigosa and his office would not be able to raise the matching 5 Million that he had promised to the community," stated Tezozomoc, elected representative of the South Central Farmers. "The community is in shock. Everyone thought that it was a done deal and now families face a bleak future with the possible destruction of the community farm," stated Albert Tlatoa, farmer. According to the Los Angeles Superior Court Brentwood real estate developer has already acquired the legal right to deploy the Los Angeles Sheriffs department to remove 350 families from the largest urban farm in the U.S. This could happen as soon as May 24th, 2006.

There will be only 3 days to Save the Farm!


WHERE: Location Changed! We will now be demonstrating at the intersection of S. Figueroa St. and W. Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles


WHY: This is a unique opportunity to eliminate park poverty in this highly urbanized, blighted and semi-industrial neighborhood. This site is a singular opportunity to make permanent and public the community and cultural benefits of the green oasis created by 360 families over the years as they continue to grow healthy fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants to supplement their food budgets. This urban garden, once purchased, will remain open space for generations to come.

http://www.southcentralfarmers.com

Known as the largest urban farm in the country, South Central Farm provides food and sustenance to some of the most underserved residents in Los Angeles.

http://www.southcentralfarmers.com

May 19, 2006 9:58 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Jim Hahn would have found a way to save the farmers.

May 19, 2006 4:48 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Wow!! A HOME INVASION THREAT!!!!

FROM 8:56......

You must be one of those mexican gangbangers who goes around raping, robbing, and doing home invasions.

I would LOVE to have you invade my home! I've got a big surprise waiting for you. Even your machetes won't save you.

Check the web for LA's Most Wanted ....ALL MEXICANS!!!
And ditto for the rest of the country.

Get the fuck out of our country and go back to your cesspool where you belong! We don't want you here.

Assholes...frijole beaners....

This IS NOT your country.

COMPRENDE? VAMANOS, PRONTO!

May 20, 2006 10:46 AM  

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