Open Thread for Tuesday
Two views on "clean money" from the Daily News:The article leaves the reader believing that publicly financed, or "clean money," elections represent only a minor change in the election process. In fact, they change entirely the way individuals can qualify, run and win without having a personal fortune or accepting huge contributions from special-interest groups. Voters can judge candidates by their ideas and not the money they raise.
Clean-money elections cost only a minuscule share of the budget of a city or state. They do not require a special tax. Once started, they will soon save huge amounts from the money candidates have been spending to run for office. They do require complete disclosure of campaign contributions and independent expenditures. They will virtually eliminate the effectiveness of lobbyists and the Jack Abramoffs of politics.
Martin W. Early
Northridge
The $9 million possible cost of "clean money" campaigning may be disconcerting and appear expensive. But in comparison with current costs, it might be a bargain.
The proposed billion-dollar bond for "affordable housing" will be like a pot of gold for candidates looking for campaign contributions. Meanwhile, the bond would make housing for all homeowners less affordable, and merchandise prices in Los Angeles will have to rise to cover increased property taxes on commercial property. Unfortunately, that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Victor N. Viereck
Valley Village
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 7/18/2006 12:00:00 AM
21 Comments:
Clean Money? No such thing exists.
There will always be loopholes that will be exploited, and money to grease the wheels. Ask the phony John McCain.
No publicly funded campaigns. Only caps on campaign fundrasing, and no independent expenditures.
The winner would be whoever is able to most effectibly manage their own money, and the candidate who can turn out the most volunteers.
End of story.
WHAT A BUNCH OF CROOKS....ADV and Huggy..The California Correctional Peace Officers Assn.(guards)....gave $124,000 to Hertzberg-controlled fundraising committees and $134,000 to Villaraigosa.
Villaraigosa was speaker in 1998 when lawmakers approved an 11% pay increase for the guards. Hertzberg was speaker in 2002 when lawmakers approved a five-year contract, which authorized a raise of up to 37%.
Energy companies also gave to the politicians.
Villaraigosa voted for the 1996 legislation that helped deregulate California's energy market. Committees he controlled accepted $258,000 from power companies, including $18,000 from Enron Corp., the now-bankrupt energy trader blamed for market manipulation that led to shortages in 2000 and 2001.
So after taking my Prozac this morning i heard mayor hahn on KABC. I like how one staffer after the other came on and asked mayor hahn questions like they were undecided voters. Scott Street, was first, then the fat guy that follows the mayor wherever he goes with big hahn signs was second. It was pathetic but a real sign of how his supporters are all fake and won't come to this mayor's side.
That said, interesting game of communication jiu-jitsu yesterday by Hahn's communication team -- Councilmember Villaraigosa and Mr Weiss find $10 million to actually pay for 90 real police officers. Hahn's deputy mayor slowdoanelui hasitly said that Hahn would add more in his city budget to be released in April.
When asked how -- he didn't have a specific answer, but when does anyone on the mayor's staff have an answer to anything. They do have an answer for stress, its called alcohol, and they drink a lot of it.
SO let's do some math now,
Villaraigosa and colleagues find money for over 360 cops --
Mayor Hahn 4 years as mayor - 87
But whatever, why let facts get in the way of a perfectly good election.
Fly on the wall would love to know what Hahn is annoucning at 10am -- he so remembers 4 years ago when the Women Who Hate Hahn trailed him wherever he went last time. I suppose he doesn't want to see their faces again.
Mr Hahn...they are lurking behind the bushes again - lookout!
blog away dum-dums
The most interesting article today is about Hertzberg spinning the dross of political relationships into cold hard cash. Renting out his relationship with Molina? Intervening to keep state regulators off of a sleazy auto-repair chain? And Mayer Brown is still paying him $25K a month. For what?
New nickname: Bob the Bilker.
"Can he fix it?" Well, no, but lets keep paying him anyway.
Where's the criminal investigation -- oh yeah they are sifting through Shannon Murphy's e-mails right now. So maybe they don't have the time to find all the crimes you think are there.
blog away dum-dum
Hey previous poster on the ACLU stuff what do you mean? I know Antonio sued I think it was LAPD. Please elaborate. Well at least the LAT isn't holding back. Shocked they printed 2 stories about their boys but then from what I heard they were from reporters in Sacramento not here in tabloid LA. Hope they continue
It's not news that Tony doesn't like being a councilmember.
He only ran for Council to set up his run for Mayor.
An interesting letter, but it includes some erronous information.
For example, you claim that AV takes credit for solving the MTA strike which is not due him. Here's an LA Times head and subhead from a couple days after the strike was resolved:
Villaraigosa Is Praised for Getting MTA Talks on Track
Both sides agree that the former labor organizer played an important role in ending the strike.
Los Angeles Times
November 28, 2003
Also you chide Villaraigosa for not having the support of labor in this election, but belittle his opposition to LAX expansion and Playa Vista. Those two votes were among the strongest reasons that AV lost the COPE endorsement. You can't have it both ways.
AV has consistenly worked with the community to mitigate Playa Vista, including securing tens of millions of dollars to preserve large portions of the site as open space. That's why the Sierra Club and LCV endorse Villaraigosa.
And as for Bob's effectiveness, I would ask you to look at both of their Speakerships. Villaraigosa receive extensive bi-partisan praise for bringing people together and forging important compromises that moved our state forward.
Bob's speakership was a mess. The closing session where much of the years work gets done, collapsed into complete chaos as Bob manuevered with utility industry lobbyists to secure a multi-billion taxpayer and ratepayer bailout of Edison.
Consumer advocates still call him "Bail Out Bob."
Not surprising, Bob founded the Business Dem Caucus in the legislature, dedicated to working with corporate interests to kill and forstall pro-consumer legislation.
And Laura Chick did not withdraw her endorsement of Hahn when Hertzberg entered the race. She did it when Antonio entered the race.
Mayor Hahn? Woah! Remember that, way back when?
You bet. We call them "the good ole days"...back when Hahn was mayor.
Vic's right.
I resent the additional tax attached to the "Clean Money" bill, but I'll probably vote for it. Otherwise, we're going to keep getting the same crooks over and over again.
We need new crooks.
Is this blog stuck in a time warp??
Who wants to replay this crap from a year or two ago?
What is going on here? Have the CD 14ers finally snapped your mind?
Walter if Mayor Sam isn't around you should delete all this crap whoever the CD14 person is posting all these posts. Some of us who didn't support Antonio don't want to be blamed for this bullshit this person obviously is sprewing a year later. Who cares? He's mayor. get over it or do something about it!!!
School is out due to another Snow Job.
Hot off the presses, “Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez of Los Angeles, transplant from San Diego, has taken away the legitimacy of Assemblyperson Jackie Goldberg’s scheduled meetings for the Assembly Education Committee Conference Hearings that were to be held on July 25,26 & 27.”
If they do take place they will be downgraded to Town Hall Meetings, whose testimony will not be part of the official public record. This is not just a Snow Job it’s a Dirty Snow Job.
It is obvious that Goldberg will not go against her own party’s leadership and fight that they be legitimized again.
The real question is why? The answer lies in doing away with the Inspector General’s Independent oversight of LAUSD budgets. As it stands now, the Inspector General is able to independently investigate waste, fraud and misuse of taxpayer’s money. Under the Mayor’s plan the Inspector General will loose its independence. The Superintendent, who is currently appointed by the school board, will be appointed by the Mayor and his political cronies who will then appoint the Inspector General. This is something that current Superintendent Romer has been trying to do for years with Fabian Nunez’s assistance under Bill #2425. If this happens the public will lose their right and democratic authority to control the public school system.
Let’s go further and find out why this is so important. When the newest Bond Issue is passed the Los Angeles Unified School District budget will be $20.667 Billion Dollars. A free for all for the Mayor and all his developer friends who helped put him in office.
Those paying the bill will be the taxpayer’s who will have less of a voice in government. The taxpayers will lose the ability to choose an independent Inspector General who can go after all those who line their pockets illegitimately.
If you are concerned about the improper use of the LAUSD budget and the loss of your voice and choice in education sign up to attend one of the Mayor’s Town Hall Meetings and don’t allow the moderator to silence you. Speak up and confront the Mayor about this issue. You are a taxpaying citizen who needs to have your taxes spent well. You can sign up at: http://ga1.org/fightforourschools/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=2235096
And where there is Fabian...there is Kevin waiting to take Jackie's place in the Assembly. WAKE UP! DO NOT VOTE for this man...he's part of it. Hell, I would rather vote for the other candidate even if she is a Republican. At least she's clean.
Republicans like Tom DeLay knows alot about clean money right Walter? Oh wait, DeLay was charged with Money Laundering. Sorry.
whatever...let the wannabees get in the ring and see who taps out first.
The school bond will never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, pass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Archie, it's the simplest thing in the world to institute clean money. Go to their website and look at it.
If there were 10 candidates who wanted to run for CD 1, they would have one year to get 1000 signatures at $5 a piece. The forms are triplicates and all money goes to the "Clean Money Campaign". When the candidates have proven to have done their work, the campaign begins. If candidate #1 gets a mailer, then numbers 2-10 get the same amount of money. If candidate #6 wants a television commercial, then the other 9 candidates also get a commercial.
If you opt out of being a clean money candidate, the public will have figured it out. It will take a couple of years after being enacted for it to work.
Nothing more important to the City of LA.
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