On Governor Candidates and Chris Daly, Ground Zero

Me and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom when he was lighter and I was heavier.

To be or not to be is no longer the question.

Not here in San Francisco, at least. Seems ‘twas nobler for Mayor Gavin Newsom to gracefully bow out early from the race for the next governor of California.

Alas! Poor Gavin. Newsom had to have been told by his higher political powers to get out. Step aside. After all, he’s not known for running his own political career.

Gav now finds himself the weakest link in an incestuous chain of political appointments. Newsom, whose aunt married Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s brother-in-law, was appointed to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1997 by then Mayor Willie Brown. Pelosi’s father was a U.S. Congressman for Maryland and former Mayor of Baltimore.

Newsom’s appointment to the Board replaced Kevin Shelley after Shelley was elected to the California State Assembly. Shelley was a former staff member to both the late Congressman Phillip Burton and Burton’s late wife Sala, who took her husband’s seat upon his death in 1983. Phillip Burton also once replaced Shelley’s father in the U.S. House of Representatives when Shelley’s father resigned to serve as Mayor of San Francisco in 1964.

Side note. You might also remember Kevin Shelley as the Secretary of State who resigned in 2005 amid allegations he received laundered campaign funds. His resignation led to the certification of paperless DRE voting machines under Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. But that’s a whole other story.

Congresswoman Sala Galante Burton
(Photo courtesy of U.S. Congress Biographical Directory)

Congresswoman Sala Burton died of cancer in 1987. On her death bed, she anointed Nancy Pelosi as her successor in Congress. Pelosi won the seat in a special election.

Got all that? We’ve come full circle. Basically, Brown appoints Newsom, Pelosi’s nephew by marriage, to a seat vacated by Shelley, a former staff member of Sala Burton, who crowned Pelosi her successor in Congress and whose husband once succeeded in the California Assembly the former staff member Newsom replaced so that former staff member could serve as Mayor of San Francisco.

Suffice it to say, neither a borrower nor a lender be. Newsom is indebted to powerful political figures and when they say jump, he jumps. They trotted out Bill Clinton to save Newsom’s ass during his first run for Mayor and again last month in an attempt to bolster interest in Newsom’s campaign for governor. So, they’ve done all they can but just can’t save Gavin from Jerry Brown.

By the way, lest you think the incest stops at Pelosi, think again. Phillip Burton’s brother John succeeded him in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1975. Now John Burton is the Chairman of the California Democratic Party. Fiona Ma, current California State Assembly Majority Whip, is a former John Burton staff member.

Senator Dianne Feinstein and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
(Photo courtesy of the Senator's official web site)

Newsom’s departure from the Governor’s race makes way for Senator Dianne Feinstein to potentially run. Willie Brown has been threatening Newsom with this for months. And it makes sense. Newsom would only stop fundraising this early in the game to allow a candidate with the same base, i.e. Feinstein, to begin fundraising.

And, no, Newsom is not in a position to bargain for Feinstein’s senate seat this time around. There are others in line bearing gifts of incense and myrrh. You don’t think State Senator Mark Leno gave away state park land at Candlestick Point to Newsom’s former treasurer and Speaker Pelosi’s “real” blood nephew Laurence Pelosi’s former employer Lennar for nothing, do you?

Attorney General and leading "uncandidate" for Governor Jerry Brown
with DCCC Member Jane Morrison in San Francisco last month

Don’t worry, Jerry Brown. Some believe Feinstein would easily take the Democratic nomination over Brown should either declare they’re actually candidates for Governor. Feinstein is not unbeatable. Be certain to remind voters of her lack of leadership on the undeclared “wars” going on in Iraq and Afghanistan and the enormous deficit our country is stuck with as a result. I know I will.

Plus, why vote for a Democrat that even Willie Brown believes has the self-serving capacity to send a Republican to the senate. Brown floated the idea Feinstein should run and be elected Lieutenant Governor. Arnold Schwarzenegger could then resign as governor so Feinstein could succeed him then reward Arnold by appointing him to her vacated senate seat. Don’t think it couldn’t happen. Feinstein has endorsed Republicans before. Even Republicans should be upset at the idea. Arnold didn’t have to pass Republican muster for a primary race for governor and would avoid Republican voter scrutiny again if appointed to the senate.

Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom:
Find common ground or slap fight like march hares?

Hey, stay tuned. Locally, this may get interesting. Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom are definitely not BFFs. Newsom doesn’t seem to have been inclusive enough for the constantly meddling Brown. No BFD, Gavin, Willie Brown thinks he’s the center of all politics, even complaining Obama didn’t call him about Van Jones.

With Mayor Newsom out of the race for governor and gone rogue on Willie Brown who appointed him to the Board of Supes, these two need to find common ground to kiss and make up. San Francisco is a small town.

What more fitting common ground than seeking revenge on a common whistleblower?

San Francisco District 6 Supervisor Chris Daly and City Attorney Dennis Herrera

You guessed it. Three things in San Francisco are certain: death, taxes, and any sliver of common ground for Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom culminates at District 6 Supervisor Chris Daly, ground zero. Brown’s never going to forgive Daly’s SF PUC appointments in 2003 and the Newsom/Daly rivalry is too bulky to share only one link. Just google it.

Will the last chance games begin as Daly’s final term nears an end? Is the play the thing wherein we glimpse the conscience of the king?

Keep ‘em honest, Chris, as long as you can.

It's the Content, Stupid

Photo courtesy of emilylt at flickr.com

Ooooooh!! Aaaaaaaaah. Fancy! Shiny!

Is it the Fourth of July?

Nope. Just the new glossy pages of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Literally.

Frank Vega, publisher of the declining San Francisco Chronicle, announced today the Chron will now print some pages on glossy paper. The move comes less than two weeks after the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported circulation of the San Francisco Chronicle nose-dived 25.8%, more than any other major urban newspaper.

The paper’s initial response to the report was that such a decline had been expected following the change from a business plan relying on advertising revenue to a focus on revenue from individual subscribers. Subscription rates have nearly doubled in the last year and a half.

Apparently, part of that Wile E. genius master plan involves mesmerizing potential readers with spine-tingling glossy paper. As if the breathtaking beauty of glossy paper fanciness will distract readers from a serious lack of substantive content.

Rather than spend that increased subscriber revenue on glossy paper, a more prudent and effective business decision would be to hire back some investigative reporters.

The Chron laid off investigative reporters earlier this year and took Rachel Gordon off the City Hall beat where she was one of the more analytical and interesting writers.

As long as the Chron continues to be a propaganda machine for wealthy politicians and developers, all the gloss in the world won’t save it.

It’s the content, stupid.

Step Aside, Boys.....

Don't you think the only reason San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom would drop out of the race for California Governor so early would be if Senator Dianne Feinstein were about to announce her own candidacy?

Have a scary Halloween!!!!

Photo courtesy of bbaltimore on flickr.com.

Accelerating the Bomb

War Memorial in Lafayette, CA

Photo courtesy of Miss Bliss 55 on flickr.com

As we begin our ninth year of the “military action” mess in Afghanistan, I can’t help but think about the name given by the Bush administration to the unofficially declared war.

Remember?

Operation Enduring Freedom.

Wow. Those warlords must think that name as clever as George W. joking about looking for terrorists under white house furniture.

I remember wondering if people had gone crazy, supporting an oil family’s attack in the Middle East without a thorough explanation and plan. I wondered the same thing many times in the last eight years. After Congress had apparently sniffed some glue and behaved like unattended grade-schoolers chanting “Freedom Fries,” how could they make reasonable decisions in that frame of mind?

Now, looking back, I realize they were hiding in plain sight just how long they expected this “action” to last or, you know, endure.

The afternoon of the first attack on Afghanistan, Bush told us, “We are supported by the collective will of the world.”

And, “We will not waver; we will not tire; we will not falter; and we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail. Thank you. May God continue to bless America.”

Well, we do not have world support. And experts are questioning our ability to “not fail.” And America’s blessing has been the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression over 70 years ago.

Bush also said, “Our military action is also designed to clear the way for sustained, comprehensive and relentless operations to drive them out and bring them to justice.”

That one word, “sustained,” really makes many more stomachs turn now. Enduring.

Tonight, rumor has it McDonnell Douglas was awarded a $51.9 million dollar contract to speed production of a bunker-busting bomb called a Massive Ordnance Penetrator. This is a 30,000 lbs. bomb designed to hit targets 200 feet underground. Reports are it’s a perfect bomb for use in Iran just as talk heats up on Iran aiding Afghanistan.

Accelerate the bomb.

How will those words sound eight years from tonight?

Pattern and Practice: Meg Whitman and Big Business

John McCain endorses Meg Whitman
Photo courtesy megwhitman.com

Political pundit buzz for the last week has been Meg Whitman’s response to basically never voting for her whole life but now seeking elected office. Billionaire Whitman is a Republican candidate for California governor.

While shamelessly asking severely economically struggling Californians to take a few minutes out of their own busy lives and vote for her, Whitman’s response to her dismal (aka nonexistent) voting record was:

“I was focused on raising a family, on my husband's career, and we moved many, many times.”

Seems she also had plenty of time for her own career and making as much money as possible for the companies where she worked. In the 1980’s she was a management consultant for investment firm Bain & Co. She’s worked for Stride Rite, Procter & Gamble, Hasbro, Disney, and, most famously, e-Bay.

Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with creating successful businesses. But, don’t we need a more well-rounded governor?

Whether or not her excuse for failing to vote is insulting to the thousands of busy American women who take time out to vote, one thing is certain. Meg Whitman has shown a complete lack of interest in civil issues, issues important to the average citizen, and policy decisions made for the state of California.

Meg Whitman has a pattern and practice of making time for nothing but BIG BUSINESS. I suspect, if she is elected governor, the only benefactors will be big business.

Milk Club Opposes Leno Land Transfer to Lennar

POWER'S Jaron Browne (standing) urges the Milk Club to oppose SB 792

as green panel speakers Eric Smith and John Rizzo look on

with club President Rafael Mandelman

San Francisco’s politically progressive Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club voted this week to officially oppose Senator Mark Leno’s SB 792, a bill seeking to allow the state to sell 42 acres of pristine public parkland at Candlestick Point to the politically connected Lennar Corporation for private condominium development. The motion to oppose passed nearly unanimously, with only one club member abstaining.

Green area represents the state park and dark orange area
represents section Leno wants to make available for Lennar

Passage of the Leno bill would unnecessarily privatize close to one third of the state park, resulting in the already underserved Bayview-Hunters Point community losing use of much of its only clean land space. According to Jaron Browne, Bayview Project Organizer for the environmental and racial justice group People Organized to Win Employment Rights (POWER), the park is used daily by community members and families, including one senior walking group.

Lennar, a Miami based corporate developer, already purchased 700 acres in the area from the city of San Francisco for a total price of one dollar.

“The key thing is this is additional. Lennar has already been given access to over 700 acres of development land in the shipyard and Candlestick Point,” explained Jaron Browne. “SB 792 is an example of greed, really, because there’s no need for them to take an additional 42 acres for their development. All of their development can be accommodated in the 700 acres they already have. They want to take this land because it’s some of the most beautiful land there.”

Bayview-Hunters Point is home to the notoriously contaminated Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. The shipyard was once a nuclear facility where the nuclear bomb used against Japan was constructed. A nuclear testing lab buried test animals at the site and contaminated ships were cleaned there. It’s no surprise the area is one of the few communities in San Francisco with inadequate sanitary outdoor recreation space. It is predominantly populated by people of color with 50% of residents being African American, 20% Chinese, and 10% Latino. Average income in the area is $18,500 per year.

John Rizzo speaks on the environmental justice and green jobs panel at the Milk Club

“This is an environmental racist bill,” said John Rizzo, Community College Board Trustee and former Chair of the Sierra Club Bay Chapter. “If this were 42 acres of Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, or any other park in the city, this would not happen. If they wanted to build 15 story luxury condos in Golden Gate Park, it wouldn’t even be discussed. But, because this is the Bayview, and a lot of people don’t go there, it’s ok.”

Senator Leno anticipated the issue of SB 792 arising at the Milk Club meeting because an environmental justice and green jobs panel was on the agenda. Leno’s office contacted Milk Club President Rafael Mandelman the day of the meeting, requesting no official stand be adopted by the club until he had an opportunity to make his own presentation.

Debra Walker , Milk Club member and Treasurer of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee, disagreed, “This issue has been going on for quite a while. We’ve heard about this issue from POWER before. We’ve discussed it and I think it’s time to give some public statement.”

“We do need to take action,” Rizzo, one of the evening’s green panel presenters, told the group. “The bill allows the state to sell the park to the city and then the city gives it to Lennar. This is an incredibly dangerous precedent. This would be the first time the state would enable a state park to be sold off for development.”

SB 792 is scheduled for vote on August 19th, prior to the release this fall of three Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) analyzing the development at the shipyard and Candlestick Point, and well before the opportunity for public comment on those reports.

Senator Mark Leno introduced SB 792 shown with SF Mayor Gavin Newsom
(photo courtesy of Mark Leno for State Senate)

Many Milk Club members expressed deep concern that Leno, a Democrat, would introduce a bill with such broad negative impact, including limiting equal access to healthy parks and open space for low income families and people of color and decimating livable space for the 150 species of wildlife identified at the site.

Rizzo echoed their unease. “This is being done by a Democrat,” he said. “What happens when the Republicans start saying, ‘Hey, we can raise money, just give out all these other state parks. Let’s do it. Hey, we voted for your Democrat selling your state park so you have to vote for ours.’ ”

The Milk Club joins a growing number of political and environmental justice groups opposing the bill including the Sierra Club and the Potrero Hill Democratic Club.

Supervisors Chris Daly and John Avalos recently introduced a resolution proposing San Francisco officially oppose SB 792.

POWER expects more controversy over the development later this year including the issues of early transfer and capping. Early transfer allows the Navy to transfer land before completing the toxic cleanup and provide the city with estimated rather than actual completion costs, leaving no incentive for the Navy to clean thoroughly. Capping is the process of paving over the polluted area and leaving the contaminates underneath rather than cleaning, a process requiring the constant elimination of burrowing animals in the area.

A Little Less Conversation

Matt Haney, far right, rolls up his Little Idea notes in favor of a beer and conversation with his mom, Kris Calvin, and Eric Smith of BeyondChron

As the economy deteriorates and severe government budget cuts kick in, most of us will be forced to make do with less.

Yes, normally, this is unwelcome news.

Last month, though, organizers of The Little Idea lecture series demonstrated less can be more. They successfully combined the short attention span of a modern audience with that audience’s newly honed belt-tightening skills. Little Idea events feature one speaker who has only ten minutes to get a point across. No Q&A session is allowed.

If your thoughts turn swiftly toward recommending this ten minute rule to certain San Francisco elected officials, then, yes, I must agree with you and would be remiss not to advise you send the suggestion to that politician asap. You know who they are.

Little Idea inaugural speaker Matt Haney at 111 Minna Gallery

Matt Haney was Little Idea’s excellent choice for the series opener, devoting his ten minutes to "The Principles of Organizing in the Age of Obama." Haney’s known for his techie political organizing and people skills. He was active extra early in President Obama’s campaign, and served as the Stanford for Obama Campus Director, the Northern California Student Coordinator, and New Mexico Youth Vote Director. He’s currently interning in Washington D.C. with the Office of the White House Counsel during summer break from Stanford Law School.

His easy-going manner and positive attitude made Haney’s discussion feel more like friendly advice than a heavy lecture or speech. He focused on contemporary organizing through political activism, community participation, and online social networking, all of which are goals of the organizing group he co-founded, Citizen Hope. Emphasizing that the people you try to recruit should have fun, he advised beginning by creating a campaign that generates excitement and makes people want to volunteer.

The Little Idea SF inaugural audience

The crowd at 111 Minna Gallery was an interesting mixture of the usual political suspects, campaign staffers, and fresh young faces still exploring San Francisco’s winding political maze.

Matt Haney and Debra Walker, candidate for District 6 Supervisor, at The Little Idea SF

Open source voting guru Brent Turner and me enjoying The Little Idea SF event

Michael Goldstein, DCCC member, with Micah Jamal Allen (center) and Eric Smith at Little Idea SF

Erin Haney and Kris Calvin provide family support at The Little Idea SF

Haney's sister, Erin and his mother, Kris Calvin, were on hand to lend support. Politics runs in the family - Kris Calvin is runing for South Pasadena City Council.

Eric Smith and Debra Walker in da' house (always!)

Matt Haney relaxes with his mom, Kris Calvin, after facing the grueling ten minute spotlight

Gary Gartner, Campaign Manager for John Garamendi, with Debra Walker at The Little Idea

The Little Idea originates from New York and is a fun addition with potential here in San Francisco. There are several speakers I’d find interesting for future Little Idea events.

Eric Smith

Eric Smith, Director of Green Depot, would be enlightening on biodiesel and alternative fuels.

Stuart Milk, nephew of former San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, has insightful, though disheartening, stats on the lack of legislation punishing hate crimes committed against LGBT citizens in the United States.

Speaking of Harvey Milk, Barbara Taylor, KCBS Radio journalist, is an expert on covering local government. If you don’t know her connection to the story of Supe Milk, well, then, her future talk will be all that much more interesting.

Another suggestion is Matt Gonzalez, former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, on campaigning or the art of negotiating legislation. Laugh, groan, or cry, - simultaneously, even - if you want. When you’re done, considered Gonzalez wrote an op-ed article for Wednesday’s Examiner.

The article is well done, providing not only a straight forward explanation of the complicated taxi medallion controversy but also a potential path toward resolution. Anyone checked the Department of Elections for declared mayoral candidacies lately? No, that’s not crazy. Recall what happened last time he appeared unexpectedly in BeyondChron, criticizing then presidential candidate Obama. He ran for Vice President of the United States.

I was so curious about a potential Gonzalez run for office, I made inquiries of a few politically connected people at a friend’s birthday party last night. No one had considered it. Imagine my interest upon receiving today’s e-mail from the League of Pissed Off Voters radio show announcing Gonzalez as a guest this evening. An answer may be just around the corner. Will there be a Newsom-Gonzalez governor showdown?

Hope Johnson

Anyway, the point is, I’d enjoy seeing a few more Little Idea events.

And, hey, Mr. Haney, while you’re out there in D.C., could you speak to Barack about starting his limit on Wall Street salaries with taxpayer owned GM’s new chair “golden parachute” Ed Whitacre, who recently received a $158 million retirement package from AT&T? Thanks, dude.