Whistleblower hotline: (213) 785-6098
mayorsam@mayorsam.org

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Tuesday



Los Angeles elected officials would love to lure major manufacturing plants to the region, especially anything that has the "green" tag attached to it but it's business climate is so hostile to business the big factories may take a look but are going elsewhere.  The latest hit is Coda Motors, an upstart electric car company that is picking the East Bay town of Benicia in Northern California for it's assembly facility.  The Bay Area has succesfully attracted the technology industry to center there, particularly in very business friendly Santa Clara County while LA only attracts taco trucks.

There's more...


Daniel Kroop writing at Los Angeles and First gives a good primer on the upcoming city elections in Los Angeles.  Contrasting that with the last mid-term election in 2007 - if history repeats itself - turnout will be low, few if any incumbents are challenged and none are forced to run-off.  But perhaps, thanks to the efforts of some, history may not repeat itself.  Fun takeaway: Kroop refers to staffers seeking to replace retiring incumbents - such as CD12's Mitch Englander - as "incumbents lite."  Apt reference to Englander some of his opponents might say.

If nothing more speaks to the coming train wreck for the California Democratic Party this fall (besides recent bad news poll results) it's Steve Lopez (not a Republican) chronicling the bizarre circus that was Governor Moonbeam's important event at the LA Cathedral where Jerry promised an announcement that turned out to be a non-announcement.  Lopez says the event started out with a pep rally for Democratic legislators who eagerly took their bows (despite the fact as Lopez mentions any wise candidate for Governor might want to keep arms length from the current legislature).  Following this was San Francisco Mayor and now Lt. Governor candidate Gavin Newsom of whom Lopez says is "now groveling for a job so irrelevant, the last headline out of the office was when Cruz Bustamante went on a diet." And finally,showing that he perhaps now what photo ops NOT to show up, Mayor Villaraigosa may have wisely skipped Brother Jerry's Traveling Salvation Show.

But wait Jerry gets more bizarre.  Last week Brown's opponent, Republican Meg Whitman, aired a spot that features a clip from the 1992 Democratic Presidential campaign in which then Governor Bill Clinton accused Jerry Brown of raising taxes when Governor of California.  Clinton was citing a CNN report that CNN has apparently since retracted.  That being said even though it's a nearly 20 year old clip Brown on Sunday attacked Clinton and accusing of him of lying about Brown's record on behalf of Clinton.  Brown even went as far to refer to the whole Monica Lewinsky debacle.  Later an aide must have reminded Jerry this is 2010 and not 1992 and Governor Moonbeam issued an apology to President Clinton and called his Presidency "excellent." Jerry thanks for reminding us how fun you are!

The Valley Industry and Commerce Association - helmed by Stuart Waldman, the man Jack Humphreville referred to as "rotund" plans to start its own PAC to elect "business friendly candidates." However the VICA PAC probably will not support any candidates in the 2011 election and apparently won't go after any incumbents.  Business leadership in the San Fernando Valley has been horribly lacking for years, despite some very nice people who are involved, and pales by comparison to what we see in other parts of California or even locally such as in the Santa Clarita Valley. VICA may want to press the gas however on their PAC before the Clean Sweep Movement gains further steam, or perhaps, even consider some sort of alliance.  By the way Stuart you should try my diet - it works! (or you can try Cruz Bustamante's, whatever works.)

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said:

An EPIC FAIL for Jerry Brown.

No, it's not because Joe (The Bully) Barrett is "working" for Jerry Brown.

It's because Jerry is such a stupid, out of touch loudmouth, that he thought he was being effective and clever by reminding people about Bill Clinton's sexual scandal.


So now, instead of campaigning, he is publicly apologizing for his bad judgement and insult to the former prez, who happens to be his party's biggest fundraiser ever.

Jerry Brown would work more effectively with the state legislature. YEAH RIGHT! If I didn't know better, I'd have mistaken Joe B(ully)'s poor judgement to be that of Phil Jennerjahn.

Score this morning:

Phil Jennerjahn: 1
Joe B(ully): 0

September 14, 2010 7:23 AM  

Anonymous trojan2002 said:

Michael do you think VICA will do a great job in being a leader for businesses in the valley?
The Valley needs people who are leaders NOT organizations.
I've met Stuart a couple times and he's a nice guy, and he's done a good job turning around VICA, but I still think he wants to run for office again. So the question is, could VICA fill the leadership role if it's current leader one day will run for office?

September 14, 2010 8:06 AM  

Anonymous trojan2002 said:

Also, Michael you pick on LAist.com more than I do but you keep missing the mad man love Zach has for Eric Garcetti.
Zach really has a huge crush Garcetti.

September 14, 2010 8:10 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Scott Johnson and Jose Aguilar trying to look important at a Meg Whitman event. Caption: Here they come! Hide the sandwiches!

September 14, 2010 8:26 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

My friend Jose Aguilar finally made it. As a prop for a Meg Whitman photo opportunity. Usually Central Casting pays you for that type of thing.

September 14, 2010 10:15 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Why does Joe B. never respond when other commentors post things that prove Joe's bullying theories to be flawed?

Why doesn't Joe B. chime in on Jerry Brown's flub about Bill "Bent Penis" Clinton?

Joe sure loves to crow when things go right, but he is awfully quiet at times like these.

September 14, 2010 11:58 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Clinton just endorsed Brown.
Move along wackos, nothing to see here.

September 14, 2010 1:34 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

1:34 is not telling the whole story.

To gloss over the sexual insult of brown is to be a liar. LIAR!

September 14, 2010 1:41 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Hi Y'all,

Villaraigosa, the CHIEF DICKHEAD Democrat in the city has now ruined all freebie tickets for the other SCUMBAG Dems in the city.

Great going Antonio, you DEMOCRAT PIECE OF SHIT! FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU! And fuck all democrat scum in city hall!

September 14, 2010 2:11 PM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

Oh did you have some inkling that he was going to endorse Meg?

Loser.

September 14, 2010 2:47 PM  

Anonymous g said:

god help this state if meg and carly win. "GOD FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO!" OPENING THE DOOR TO CORPORATIONS AT THIS TIME IS A COMPLETE DISASTER FOR EVERYONE. DON'T GET THE IDEA I'M AGAINST BUSINESS, I'M NOT. I'M AGAINST CONTROL BY THESE BUSINESS OF THE MEDIA AND POLITICAL PROCESS. READ "CITIZENS VS FEDERAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION". OPENING THE DOOR TO FORMER CEO'S IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. but hay! the evil always win.

September 14, 2010 4:38 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home

Advertisement

Advertisement