Seth in CA (for the summer)

More letters to the editor

From the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin:

Warner best Democrat choice for 26th District

I concur with the Daily Bulletin’s endorsement of Russ Warner as the best Democratic choice for the 26th District.

I have had the privilege of meeting Mr. Warner and he offers the voters of the district a refreshing breath of fresh air. He offers the people of this district a person who is genuine and someone who understands the everyday problems that families face in today’s world.

It is time that we end the partisan bickering of career politicians and elect Mr. Warner so that we may have a congressman who can look to real solutions for real problems.

It is time for a change of direction in our country and it is time to work together as Americans.

Mr. Warner offers his life experience at a time when our middle class is under attack.

Our present congressman, Republican David Dreier, is a career politician who has lost touch with the people of his district and has become a rubber stamp for this administration. He has lost any independence that he may have had. He has been in office for 26 years and that is long enough. Mr. Dreier has become very skilled at saying one thing and doing another.

Mr. Warner understands on a very personal level what it is like to have had a son serve in Iraq. He tells the story of what it was like to call his son one day and hear explosions in the background.

As a parent myself I cannot imagine what Russ must have felt wondering if his son was OK. We need Mr. Warner who understands the reality of what we as Americans face each and every day, to represent we the people.

We need to retire Mr. Dreier, a politician who only understands the ins and outs of Washington.

– GAR BYRUM, Claremont

Phonebank for Busby!

Want to set the stage for a Democratic takeover of Congress this November? Sign-up to phonebank with MoveOn.org for Francine Busby. They’re only asking for an hour of your time, and trust me, phonebanking is painless (and fun too, if you don’t mind cranky voters).

Why is this race so important? CA-50, home to disgraced and convicted former Congressman Duke Cunningham, is a red district, yet Busby is well-positioned to win. She’s run a smart campaign on ethics reform against a Republican Party bitterly divided by immigration. Sound familiar? A Busby win will dictate the conventional wisdom heading into November, and it’ll certainly give a boost to similar races (like Dreier/Warner!)

Friday abstract art blogging

I made this one myself:

[Hat tip, Scot Hacker]

David Dreier’s Real Record on Education

This is the cover of a recent Dreier mailing (teenage millionaire?):

Inside, you’ll find some interesting claims about David Dreier’s commitment to education. (See extended entry for copies of the next two pages). But here’s all you really need to know:

David Dreier favors vouchers and school prayer. The National Parent Teacher Association gave Dreier a 0% rating in 2003-2004. The National Education Association gave Dreier a 0% rating in 2005.

That’s pretty bad. Here’s some more:

2005 Representative Dreier supported the interests of the National Association for College Admission Counseling 25 percent in 2005.

…
2003-2004 Representative Dreier supported the interests of the National School Boards Association 20 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 Representative Dreier supported the interests of the National Education Association 22 percent in 2003-2004.

2003 Representative Dreier supported the interests of the National Education Association 20 percent in 2003.

2003 Representative Dreier supported the interests of the National School Boards Association 10 percent in 2003.

2002 Representative Dreier supported the interests of the National Education Association 0 percent in 2002.

2001-2002 Representative Dreier supported the interests of the National Parent Teacher Association 50 percent in 2001-2002.

2001 Representative Dreier supported the interests of the National Education Association 33 percent in 2001.

2001 On the votes that the English First considered to be the most important in 2001, Representative Dreier voted their preferred position 0 percent of the time.

2000 Representative Dreier supported the interests of the National Education Association 33 percent in 2000.

1999-2000 Representative Dreier supported the interests of the National Parent Teacher Association 29 percent in 1999-2000.

Continue reading David Dreier’s Real Record on Education…

They write letters

From the Pasadena Star-News:

I wish to comment on the article titled “Bush’s Medicare deadline backed” by Lisa Friedman that appeared in your newspaper.

In the article, Rep. David Dreier was quoted as saying, “The only people asking for an extension are people who violently oppose the Medicare prescription drug bill.”

Last Thursday, 35 nonviolent and respectful people demonstrated and left a petition with more than 300 signatures at Dreier’s office in Glendora. Our message was simple.

At this point, 14 million seniors have not yet signed up for the program, because it is costly, controlling and confusing.

Also, if they were not enrolled by the May 15 deadline, they may face permanent and heavy penalties, which amount to a seniors’ tax.

We simply requested that Rep. Dreier take some action to extend the deadline so that this matter can be addressed.

We also asked why he received over $130,000 from drug company lobbyists.

Gary A. Wolff

Arcadia

People who “violently oppose” Plan D? Did Dreier really say that? He sure did (this is a link to the Google cache which will probably disappear soon, so I’ve copied the entire article for posterity in the extended entry.)

“Deadlines are set for a reason,” said Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, echoing Bush’s assertion at a Florida retirement community last week that deadlines “are important.”

…

Dreier said he has encouraged senior citizens in his district to sign up and described the Democratic calls for an extension as disingenuous.

“The only people asking for an extension are people who violently oppose the Medicare prescription drug bill,” he said.

Continue reading They write letters…

Immigration, immigration, immigration

Now this sounds like a really effective advertisement from the Busby campaign:

Think lobbyist Brian Bilbray’s a conservative when it comes to immigration? Think again. You see, even lobbyist Bilbray’s conservative opponent stated that Bilbray “failed to pass any laws to stop illegal immigration during his 12 years as a career politician and lobbyist.” Bilbray flip-flopped on a guest worker program. And Bilbray missed the vote for more border patrol agents – because he was on a vacation in Australia – paid for by lobbyists. Lobbyist Bilbray isn’t the candidate to secure our borders. You have a choice. Independent William Griffith is endorsed by the San Diego Minutemen and San Diego Border Alert because he opposes guest worker programs, amnesty and the hiring of illegal immigrants. Francine Busby supports John McCain’s position on immigration – stronger enforcement at the border, better support for border agents, and no amnesty. When it comes to immigration, don’t expect lobbyist Brian Bilbray to fix Washington, or fix our borders. I’m Francine Busby, candidate for Congress, and I approve this message. Paid for by Francine Busby for Congress.

Could something similar be used effectively in the 26th? Two days ago, McCain canceled his appearance at a fundraiser for Bilbray because of Bilbray’s position on immigration:

In an e-mail sent to the Bilbray campaign, McCain spokesman Craig Goldman acknowledged that McCain and Bilbray “disagree on some of the issues related to immigration reform.” He said McCain did not want his appearance to distract from Bilbray’s campaign.The e-mail reiterated McCain’s endorsement of Bilbray, and said the senator’s Straight Talk America political action committee would make the maximum allowable contribution of $5,000 to Bilbray’s campaign. Goldman did not return phone and e-mail messages left seeking comment.

Bilbray, a former San Diego-area congressman who worked as a lobbyist for an anti-illegal immigration group, has repeatedly attacked Busby for supporting the immigration bill passed last Thursday in the Senate.

Who did they find to replace McCain at the fundraiser? Why, none other than David Dreier (and Rep. Duncan Hunter). As I blogged earlier, Dreier’s got a lot of immigration-related baggage. More on Dreier’s appearance here.

Dreier Refuses to “Vote Smart”

What does Dreier not want us to know?

REPRESENTATIVE DAVID T. DREIER HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY RESPONSES TO CITIZENS ON ISSUES THROUGH THE 2006 NATIONAL POLITICAL AWARENESS TEST.

REPRESENTATIVE DAVID T. DREIER REFUSED TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION WHEN ASKED TO DO SO ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS BY:

John McCain, Republican Senator
Geraldine Ferraro, Former Democratic Congresswoman
Michael Dukakis, Former Democratic Governor
Bill Frenzel, Former Republican Congressman
Richard Kimball, Project Vote Smart President

THIS CANDIDATE WILL BE ASKED AGAIN TO PROVIDE RESPONSES DURING THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Urge Representative David T. Dreier to fill out the NPAT

Campaign EMail Address:
info@daviddreier.org
Campaign Web Address:
http://www.daviddreier.org/
Washington DC Web Address:
http://dreier.house.gov/welcome.htm
Washington DC Web Mail Address:
http://dreier.house.gov/talkto.htm
What is the NPAT?

To be fair, few incumbents in California (and around the country) bothered to fill out the NPAT, but Russ Warner filled out his as did Republican Melvin C. (Mel) Milton, who hasn’t raised any money but is convinced that the “gargantuan flow of illegal aliens and drugs from Mexico to the United States is tantamount to war”.