San Diego County Republican Blog

Taxpayers Are From Mars, Unions Are From Venus

2010-07-28T04:57:00.000-07:00

While San Diego has some unique attributes – most notably our near-perfect weather – it’s no different than many other cities in at least one notable respect; when times were good, city politicians acquiesced to public employee labor unions’ insatiable appetite for higher salaries and ever more generous benefits for its members.

It was a pretty good deal for everyone involved – until the music stopped and revenues fell through the floor. Faced with having to confront the very labor bosses who helped get them elected in the first place, our politicians chose to intentionally underfund those generous benefits and “pass the buck” for the next set of politicians to deal with.

Local labor union bosses saw the changing of the guard coming, and invested heavily in recent elections to make sure that the next crop of politicians would be the right kind. You know the kind that would know to return the favor when push came to shove. And with the Obama wave of 2008, the unions ran the table in local elections. [article]

So as our city struggled with its budget deficit in recent years, it made all the “easy” cuts first, followed by some minor salary and pension reforms for new hires. It never dealt with the 800 pound gorilla in this equation; the overly generous lifetime pension and health care benefits that existing city employees continued to enjoy.

Over the years the city had also taken it upon itself to provide all kinds of services in-house; everything from a print shop to vehicle maintenance and dozens of other non-core services, all of which – conveniently – added to the ranks of local union members. While the rest of America had learned the benefits of outsourcing, that fell on deaf ears here.

So in 2006 mayor Jerry Sanders and councilmembers Kevin Faulconer and Carl DeMaio banded together, along with taxpayer groups and businesses, to advance a ballot measure to allow private firms to bid on city functions outside of police and fire. Voters passed it overwhelmingly (60%), despite a campaign by the unions to defeat it. [article]

Four years later, NOT ONE city function has been put out to bid as labor unions and their allies on the city council blocked implementation of the measure. In frustration, this summer councilman DeMaio advanced another initiative, this time saying the city “must” (vs. “may”) allow competitive bidding. Unfortunately, it failed to qualify for the ballot.

With the unions refusing to address pensions, health care and competitive bidding for non-core services, recent budgets have been balanced on the back of the basic core services that any self-respecting city should rightfully provide its residents; roads, neighborhood services, police and fire protection. Talk about misplaced priorities.

Which brings us to this week…

Faced with a $75 million deficit, city council president Ben Hueso is pushing a 0.5% sales tax increase to go on the November ballot which, if approved, would generate about $100 million of additional revenue to “restore basic services”. A false choice if there ever was one: “give us more money, or you will lose more police and fire protection.”

Of course, until the city gets its costs under control and deals with its massive pension and health care obligations, any additional revenue will only postpone the day of reckoning for a few more years. Desperate for the revenue, labor unions are suddenly promising to work on all those reforms; but are asking taxpayers to fork over the money first.

Republican councilmembers Kevin Faulconer [article] and Carl DeMaio [article] have laid out specific ideas to address our situation – without raising taxes – and have helped pull together a coalition of taxpayer and business groups which will defeat any sales tax increase on the November ballot under the refrain “Reform Before Revenue”.

To me, what is becoming evident is that the political battle going forward is not so much the usual “Republicans versus Democrats”, but rather it’s “Taxpayers versus Public Employee Labor Unions”. Something is wrong with a system where all of us work hard to support an ever growing public sector which is insulated from any competition.

Don’t get me wrong. Political parties will remain, but the key question is: “Which party will represent the hard working taxpayers that make this country great, and which party will represent the ultimate special interest: labor unions?”

Rest assured that the Republican Party of San Diego County will vigorously oppose any attempt to raise the sales tax in San Diego. If such a “Pension Tax” should make it on the November ballot, we will embark on an unprecedented campaign to defeat it.

There will be no doubt which political party is looking out for taxpayers in San Diego County.

I suspect there will also be no doubt which political party is looking out for the labor unions, at the expense of the very constituencies they claim to represent. Of course, I could be wrong.

But I doubt it.

MOMENTUM!

2010-05-06T22:23:00.000-07:00

Momentum! That's one way to put it!

For the first time in recent history, our annual spring fundraiser, the Lincoln-Reagan Dinner has SOLD OUT!

This is an incredible accomplishment, and a testament to our teamwork and forward momentum as Republicans.

I'd like to extend a big thanks to our generous sponsors and to those who purchased individual tickets.

Thanks to their leadership, our local party will have the resources necessary to advance our Republican ideas of smaller government, lower taxes, and fiscal responsibility - right here in San Diego County!

Republican Victory Campaign For June Kicks Off

2010-05-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

This past weekend marked the official start of the Republican Party of San Diego County's Victory Campaign, in support of its endorsed candidates and ballot measures.

The first salvo was a piece to Republicans in Chula Vista, in support of mayor Cheryl Cox. There is a lot more going on behind the scenes, but obviously we won't reveal that.

Suffice it to say we're on OFFENSE, standing up for taxpayers against the tax raisers and corrupt labor union bosses who have been gorging on our tax dollars for too long.

To view the OFFICIAL Republican Voter Guide for San Diego County, visit www.SanDiegoRepublicans.org/VoterGuide.

OFFICIAL Republican Party Voter Guide

2010-04-21T23:21:00.000-07:00

OFFICIAL Republican Voter Guide - San Diego County, 2010 Primary Election

CANDIDATES

SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Supervisor District 4: Ron Roberts
Supervisor District 5: Bill Horn
District Attorney: Bonnie Dumanis
Treasurer-Tax Collector: Dan McAllister
Assessor-Recorder: Jeff Olson

CITY OF SAN DIEGO
City Council District 2: Kevin Faulconer
City Council District 6: Lorie Zapf
City Council District 8: Adrian Vazquez

CITY OF CHULA VISTA
Mayor: Cheryl Cox
City Attorney: Glen Googins
City Council: Larry Breitfelder

CITY OF OCEANSIDE
City Council: Lloyd Prosser

SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
District C: Scott Barnett

SAN DIEGO SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES
Office No. 14: Craig A. Candelore
Office No. 20: Jim Miller, Jr.
Office No. 21: Bill Trask
Office No. 27: Harold Coleman, Jr.
Office No. 34: Larry "Jake" Kincaid

LOCAL PROPOSITIONS
San Diego County: Proposition B - VOTE NO
City of San Diego: Proposition D - VOTE YES
City of Chula Vista: Proposition G - VOTE YES
City of Del Mar: Proposition J - VOTE NO
City of Oceanside: Proposition K - VOTE YES
City of Solana Beach: Proposition L - VOTE NO

STATEWIDE PROPOSITIONS
Proposition 13 - VOTE YES
Proposition 14 - VOTE NO
Proposition 15 - VOTE NO
Proposition 16 - VOTE YES
Proposition 17 - VOTE YES

VIEW MORE INFORMATION AND A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS VOTER GUIDE

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This is the ONLY OFFICIAL Republican Party Voter Guide; authorized, vetted, and compiled by your ELECTED local Republican Party central committee members. You will no doubt receive mail from many organizations claiming to represent the Republican position, or otherwise try to trick you into following their recommendations. Do not be fooled! This is the ONLY OFFICIAL Republican Party Voter Guide.

LASTLY: JOIN OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

Calendar for TAX [R]EVOLT Week in San Diego!

2010-04-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

Last night, with more than 50 new addendees at our monthly meeting, we officially kicked off TAX [R]EVOLT week here in San Diego County!

Friends, we are (finally) witnessing a nationwide, grass roots movement of Americans of all stripes demanding a return to the core principles upon which our great country was founded: fiscal responsibility, limited government, and a strong national defense.

Politicians who fail to recognize this, do so at their own peril, whether they are Republicans or Democrats. This is not - and should not - be a partisan issue, but an American issue. Indeed, a [R]EVOLUTION is brewing, and the People are taking their country back!

View the calendar of events for TAX [R]EVOLT week in San Diego to find a tax protest / rally near where you live.

Statement Concerning Measure to Repeal Proposition 8 Failing to Qualify for the November Ballot

2010-04-12T15:54:00.000-07:00

Local Republican Party Chairman Tony Krvaric today issued the following statement regarding the measure to repeal Proposition 8 failing to qualify for the November ballot:

"Once again, efforts to change the traditional scope of marriage in California have fallen short, and the inability of opponents to qualify a measure on the November ballot shows that the popular mandate that passed Proposition 8 is still strong, and likely getting stronger.

"The Republican Party of San Diego County affirms its support for traditional marriage and urges everyone who has worked tirelessly to protect Proposition 8 to remember that the culture war is not over and that we will continue to fight for the sanctity of marriage."

San Diego Patriots in Searchlight, Nevada

2010-03-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, several local patriots made their way to Searchlight, Nevada to show Senate Leader Harry Reid just what we think of his "leadership".

Local patriot activists Phil and Donna Scott's report:

As was expected, the enthusiasm was thick enough to cut with a knife!
Impossible to accurately estimate the number of people, but we GUESS it was somewhere between 20-40,000.
We didn't notice any violence and only about 15-20 Reid supporters posted little signs in downtown Searchlight.
Noticed licenses from MANY states other than Nevada. Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico and many, many campers. Drivers came from all directions to this dusty, windy desert to voice their concerns.
Sarah Palin support was loud and strong.
Besides heavy local news coverage, we noticed FOX and CBS media in attendance.
The Kusters and Phil were interviewed by local radio and reporters.
Helicopters and small planes were visible all day long.
The signs and cartoons were priceless and so creative.

"Since Phil and I attended our first "party" last April 15th at our neighborhood post office, we have watched this grassroots movement grow into a living, moving body of American Patriots. We were so proud to be part of our nation's history today."

Local activist Sylvia Sullivan also shared her impressions, which you can check out on her own blog.

I think it's safe to say that the [R]EVOLUTION is brewing. They ain't seen nothing yet. Next set of protests will take place the week of 4/12. Stay tuned.

California Republican Party Convention Coverage Kicks Off

2010-03-12T16:07:00.000-08:00

So, for some weird reason I apparently traded the first non-rainy weekend in San Diego for a rainy weekend in Santa Clara. Go figure.

Anyway, the California Republican Party convention is this weekend, and I always enjoy attending them as they provide for great networking with fellow activists from across our state, and I always leave having learned something new.

This convention is especially exciting as there is a spirited debate going on as to who our nominees should be for California Governor, and U.S. Senator, as well as some other statewide races such as for Attorney General.

Primaries is where the fight for the heart and soul of our party takes place, and it's exciting to watch, especially since I - as a county chairman - am not able to declare a preference. That's good, the debate and battle should be among our grass roots activists and primary voters.

It's my intention to provide you with regular updates throughout the weekend as to the goings on. I will provide real time updates through Twitter via @TonyKrvaric and will sit down to write a bit longer updates from time to time when I get a moment right here on this blog.

There are campaign staff and volunteers throughout hotel, pushing for their individual candidates, and one can't walk 5 feet without someone asking if they could put a lapel sticker on you for one candidate or another.

Tonight's dinner speaker is gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman. She just concluded an hour long press conference, and it will be interesting to hear from her tonight, as well as from Mitt Romney, who will also be addressing the convention.

Alright, I'm about to enter the fray. Wish me luck. More later.

San Diego Republicans Respond to White House Health Care Summit

2010-02-25T19:31:00.001-08:00

I don't know how many of you watched the much lauded "Health Care Summit" at the White House today, but I did. I figured I'd "take one for the team" and watch the entire thing. Maybe, just maybe the president would have an open mind and be genuine about wanting to incorporate Republican ideas of how to reform our health care system. Hope springs eternal, right?

Well, I'll tell you. That's six or so hours I'll never get back. It was a total waste of time, and the outcome was predetermined, in that the president and the Democrats had the bill they wanted, and were just looking for some cover to be able to say that they "sat down with" the Republicans. Next we'll see an unprecedented push to shove this bureaucratic nightmare down our collective throats. Just wait.

I can't figure it out. The American people are clearly against the president's plan, but the Democrats just don't seem to care. They're determined to shove this through no matter what. I even saw Senator Barbara Boxer still pushing for a "public option", to lead our country towards a single-payer (i.e. government-run) health care system on the one of the nightly news shows the other day.

The Democrats ignore the will of the American people at their peril, and the blowback will be huge, as I described on KUSI earlier this week. As someone who was born and raised in Sweden, I've seen "free", single-payer, government-run health care in action, and let me tell you; it's not a pretty sight. It's not a system which treats an 82 year old with the same dignity as a 22 year old.

I am committed to doing everything I can to elect common sense, back-to-basics Republicans this year througout San Diego County, and I look forward to working with you to do that. As the year progresses, make sure that you are connected with the party through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and our email list, and please help spread the word and get others involved and connected too.

[R]EVOLUTION 2010 is coming! I can feel it! Can you?

Fake Emails

2010-02-23T07:20:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, in the brave new world of the internet, it's easy to hide behind anonymous email addresses and even impersonate other persons. As far as the Republican Party of San Diego County goes or myself as chairman, unless a post appears on, or an email arrives from SanDiegoRepublicans.org, it's not a legitimate email.

If you ever receive a suspicious email, or have a question about the authenticity of something you've read, please email me at chairman@sandiegorepublicans.org. I look forward to working with all of you on lots of Republican victories throughout San Diego County in 2010.

Republican Party of San Diego County Expels Member for Inappropriate and Harassing Behavior

2010-02-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

The Republican Party of San Diego County today announced that on Monday, February 8th, 2010, it expelled Mr. Michael Crimmins as a member of the Republican Central Committee in San Diego County.

In an action unprecedented in modern memory, all 44 members of the Republican Central Committee present and casting votes on the question voted to expel Mr. Crimmins, with only Mr. Crimmins himself voting in opposition.

Mr. Crimmins was first censured in July 2009 for "inappropriate and harassing behavior", including undermining the party on the eve of the May 19th special election - the first time an individual had been censured in over ten years.

After Mr. Crimmins was found to have continued his "inappropriate and harassing behavior", including making racial and violent remarks against a fellow committee member, the Committee decided that it had no choice but to expel Mr. Crimmins.

As a result, the Republican Party of San Diego County will not permit Mr. Crimmins to participate in - or benefit from - any of its events, functions, activities or programs from this point forward.

It is highly unfortunate when a situation like this occurs, but the Republican Party of San Diego County has ZERO tolerance for racial, threatening, harassing, or other inappropriate conduct - least of all by members of its own Central Committee.

Scott Brown West Coast HQ Celebrates Victory

2010-01-19T22:20:00.000-08:00

Today was a great day! The San Diego GOP volunteer army got started around noon, hitting the phones in support of Republican Scott Brown, and we had a steady stream of volunteers coming in throughout the day to knock a set of calls.

It was exciting to see mothers, fathers, college students, and retirees all showing up to help and be part of history. The excitement was in the air, the mood was great and everyone was cautiuosly optimistic.

As we made calls througout the day, we shared stories of folks we had talked to "over there" in Massachusetts, and the feedback was entirely positive; people said they were voting for Scott Brown, and that everyone they knew was voting for him too.

I am sure these voters had been called a couple of dozen times already, but they were very warm and gracious - especially when we told them that we were calling from all the way out in California, and how we were hoping for a "Massachusetts miracle".

All in all it was a great afternoon and evening, with lots of fun, fellowship, junk food, soda, and even some bubbly once the race was called for Scott Brown. We recruited nearly a dozen new volunteers, and we continue to build our local infrastructure in preparation for what 2010 will bring.

Thanks to all of you who helped make today happen - each in your own special way. Together we will take our country back. Judging from today, we've got the wind at our backs.

San Diego Republicans Deliver for Scott Brown

2010-01-19T14:51:00.000-08:00

The excitement here at Republican Party HQ is palpable as we hit the phones for Scott Brown in the final few hours before polls close in Massachusetts.

For the first time, we're using a high-tech phone bank where we all log in to a central database of voters. The system is new, but after a few minutes of working with it, volunteers get the hang of it.

We're all hoping for a(nother) Massachusetts miracle!

San Diego Hits the Phones for Scott Brown

2010-01-17T19:42:00.000-08:00

Join us on Tuesday 1/19 for a phone bank for Scott Brown, canddate for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts.

San Diego Republicans will help make history by getting out the vote for Scott Brown, who - when he wins - will be the 41st vote against Obamacare.

Be part of history and join us at Republican Party HQ at 5703 Oberlin Drive in San Diego. We will begin at 12 noon, and keep dialling through 5 pm when the polls close.

Everyone who has helped make phone calls can join us at 5 pm as we watch the election results come in, and history is made.

YOU BRING:
A winning attitude and your cell phone (and charger!)

WE'LL PROVIDE:
A fun atmosphere, phone lists, scripts, food and drink

Join us for at least a one-hour shift: noon-1 pm, 1-2 pm, 2-3 pm, 3-4 pm or 4-5 pm

RSVP via Facebook or via email to Misty Tienken.

We look forward to having you join us as history is made in Massachusetts once again, and we right the course of our country, and take it back!

What is the True Message of the Union Smackdown in Oceanside?

2009-12-09T00:49:00.000-08:00

Our own state party chairman - and San Diego county resident - Ron Nehring has penned a column, appearing on the FlashReport, where he lays out exactly who as behind this recall, and why, as well as what the long-term implications are of the overwhelming victory by taxpayers over the interests of public employee labor unions. Read it here: "Unions Fail In Attempt To Use Recall To Rig City Council Ahead Of Contract Talks".

Oceanside Speaks: Taxpayers 1 - Labor Unions 0

2009-12-08T23:12:00.000-08:00

The taxpayer revolt of 2010 kicks off with Oceanside election results, where the arrogant public employee labor union power grab failed by 2-to-1.

After all the Tea Parties, tax protests, outrage over government spending, and overall government intrusion in our lives, voters in San Diego county had an election today where they could speak their mind; in Oceanside - and they spoke loud and clear.

Faced with a costly, unnecessary recall election of councilman, and taxpayer advocate Jerry Kern, the residents of Oceanside today strongly rejected the blatant public employee labor union power grab by a 2-to-1 margin. Final (unofficial) results were 14,803 votes NO (63.22%) and 8,611 votes YES (36.78%).

The battle that is brewing next year is one of taxpayers versus public employee labor unions. The candidates who will stand up for hard working taxpayers will be the ones who will be victorious in 2010. The era of the tail wagging the dog is officially over.

Jerry Kern has been a tireless advocate for taxpayers in Oceanside, standing up for them, and standing up against the insatiable appetite of public employee labor unions. We are proud to have him on the Republican team, as he is an excellent example of a true public servant.

Results in Oceanside Continue to Favor Taxpayers 2-to-1

2009-12-08T21:40:00.000-08:00

With more than half the precincts counted, the winning margin of 2-to-1 continues to hold true for taxpayers. I.e. the labor union backed recall of Jerry Kern is failing, with 63.32% of voters voting NO, while the YES side is only garnering 36.68%.

The margin has held true for both VBM (Vote-by-Mail) ballots and Election Day ballots, showing a broad rejection of the blatant public employee labor union tactics, trying to manipulate elections for their own, narrow interests.

Keep checking the Registrar of Voters website for the latest results. We'll have another post as soon as the final results are in. However, you can put down a WIN for TAXPAYERS!

BREAKING! Oceanside Vote-By-Mail Results as of 8 PM

2009-12-08T20:05:00.001-08:00

First results in the Oceanside sham recall election pushed by the shameless public employee labor unions show the voters rejecting the unions! NO on the recall of Jerry Kern in the lead with 10,832 votes (63.23%) vs. the YES side with 6,299 votes (36.77%).

So far taxpayers are winning. Let's see how the "day of" ballots come in. Who had the strongest get-out-the-vote campaign? I walked for several hours today, and did poll watching too. The only other person I saw doing poll watching was another "No on the Recall" volunter. Maybe the weather was too cold for the union thugs?

Visit the Registrar of Voters' website for the latest results. Stay tuned.

Today 12/8 is "Jerry Kern" Day for all Republicans

2009-12-08T09:16:00.000-08:00

At last night's executive committee meeting, your local Republican Party hit the phones in support of Jerry Kern in Oceanside as soon as the necessary business was taken care of. Our motto: Everyone works - No one quits!

Today is election day in Oceanside, thanks to an attempted public employee labor union power grab where they are trying to recall councilmember Jerry Kern for being an advocate for hard working taxpayers in Oceanside.

Help us stop this power grab by volunteering your time today. Volunteers are encouraged to go to 3784 Mission Avenue in Oceanside all day. We will be working through 8 PM, when the polls close.

After that, we will enjoy a well-deserved rest, and celebrate having beaten back the self-serving public employee labor union hacks and their bought-and-paid for stooges on the city council! I will be there, and hope to see as many of you there as possible.

Report from 9/12 March on Washington - Part 6 (Conclusion)

2009-09-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

Latest report filed from our man-on-the-street in Washington DC:

Okay, we're on the way home and I'm reflecting upon yesterday's Tea Party/9-12 Project/Freedom events.

There is much to savor. Prodigious crowds. Great Speakers. Committed conservatives. But there is one aspect of these events that is sobering, at least to me. Participants at these rallies are true believers, which means they hammer both political parties. In fact, participants seem to have a special disdain - like a jilted lover - for Republicans who enable and facilitate liberal agendas.

One rally speaker remarked that Republicans are the Democrats of the 1980s. There was huge applause. And today's Washington Post quoted a protester who hails from Tennessee on its front page: "Nobody's standing up for us, so we need to stand up for ourselves..."

Protesters are not monolithic, that's for sure, but it's also a pretty safe bet that many don't have any brand loyalty to the GOP. It may be a mistake, therefore, for Republicans to take this dynamic movement for granted. If we want to capitalize on these events, Republicans may do well to clarify and embrace our own conservative identity.

Who are we? Why are we protesting? Can we make a difference? We are Americans who believe liberty is essential to America and we're protesting the liberal vision for our country. I believe these ongoing events will boost conservative morale, but they may provide another benefit, too. It will be difficult for politicians seeking reelection in 2010 to ignore this political freight train coming down the track...

Keith Simpson (Sunday, September 13th, 2009; flying home to SAN)

Report from 9/12 March on Washington - Part 5

2009-09-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

Latest report filed from our man-on-the-street in Washington DC:

Okay, this is a drag. We can't get close enough to see the speakers and the darn sound system isn't loud enough. But wait a second. These problems are good problems to have. After all, if the crowd were small, we could see and hear. That may not make sense, but things are kind of crazy here.

We're doing the best we can to listen and then we cheer when everyone else cheers. Nothing will dampen our enthusiasm. There is something hugely exhilarating about being in a huge crowd that believes in the same things you do. Marchers are still flowing in from Pennsylvania Avenue. The guy next to me said there was a million people here. I think he's crazy.

Someone else said the official government estimate is sixty thousand. That's crazy, too. I went walking around and tried to take it all in. When I see the masses on the hill, around the lake, and beyond in the National Mall, it looks to me there are about two or three football stadiums full of people. My official (if completely unprofessional) estimate is 150,000. But what do I know...

Who are we? Why are we protesting? Can we make a difference? We are Americans who believe liberty is essential to America and we're protesting the liberal vision for our country. As I think about it now, I'm sure this event will lift the morale of conservative Americans. Tens of thousands will take personal stories home and millions will see these events on TV. Look for the next post later, on the way home...

Keith Simpson (Saturday, September 12th, 2009; 12:43 pm; at the rally)

Report from 9/12 March on Washington - Part 4

2009-09-12T18:15:00.000-07:00

Latest report filed from our man-on-the-street in Washington DC:

We arrived at Freedom Plaza two hours early, but the music and speakers never got going. There were too many people to move freely. Spirits were high. The collective mood was like a wonderful warm family reunion.

The only problem was that, before we know it, the throng overflowed onto Pennsylvania Avenue so we joined the current flowing towards Capitol Hill. The signs were incredible. My personal favorite: "It's time to give Obama-Care End of Life Counseling..." Runner-Up: "Obama Bin Lying..."

The river of people filled the banks from side to side of the wide street and we chanted politely at periodic intervals. The Capitol grounds were nearly flooded by the time we arrived and staked out a small area under a shady Elm.

Who are we? Why are we protesting? Can we make a difference? We are Americans who believe liberty is essential to America and we're protesting against the liberal vision for America. But I'm still asking myself if these events will have an impact? Can all these posters and protests build conservative morale, stop Obama's momentum, and win the hearts and minds of most Americans? Look for the next post after the rally...

Keith Simpson (Saturday, September 12th, 2009; 10:43 am; on march)

Today's TEA Parties in San Diego a Huge Success

2009-09-12T15:43:00.001-07:00

A report from today's TEA Parties in San Diego:

Ramona kicked it off first with several hundred patriots showing up and even drew some counter protesters I understand. A great event, organized by grass roots volunteers - contrary to the continued talking points of the Administration that these are organized mobs. How insulting.

At 2 PM today the East County TEA Party kicked off out in El Cajon. No counter protesters showed up at this event. I was told "there are no liberals out here". Hilarious.

Barry Willis kicked it off with prayer and pledge and then it was off to the races with several speakers to warm up the crowd for the first 2010 race for Sheriff debate later on in the program.

However, the crowd didn't need much warming up. There must have been at least 400 patriots, all wearing patriotic gear and flags galore. Most brought home made signs featuring lots of very creative messages and slogans.

First up was Jeff Olson, candidate for San Diego County Assessor/Clerk/Recorder who spoke about the importance of protecting Proposition 13 and maintaining the 2/3 requirement in the California legislature in order to raise taxes. Electing Jeff would put an ardent taxpayer advocate in that position.

Next we heard from former east county Assemblyman Steve Baldwin who recently moved back to our fair county and he spoke about some of the outrageous encroachments of our freedoms that our out-of-control federal government is engaging in. He has a couple of projects he's working on, among them a book and a conservative think-tank.

Then we heard from Nick Popaditch, a retired Marine, author and potential candidate for the 51st congressional district (currently occupied by Bob Filner - ugh), who spoke not about politics but about the traditional, American values which are under attack by this administration and how that drove him and his wife to step up and get involved.

The crowd loved it and no doubt identified with the sentiment. Looking out at the sea of people, you could clearly see a cross-section of Americans. Not political labels or parties but just regular Americans who have had enough of our government encroaching on our freedoms with out of control spending, taxes and regulations.

Next up was Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, candidate for United States Senate against Barbara Boxer. That introduction alone won him a standing ovation. He explained that this was his sixth (!) TEA Party of the day, and that combined with yesterday's marathon legislature session, he pretty much hadn't slept for nearly 36 hours.

Chuck talked about the challenges we face in California, and the liberal Democrats' unwillingness to deal with them due to their allegiance to public employee labor unions and the radical environmental movement. He further talked about his campaign to unseat Barbara Boxer and how out of touch she is with regular Californians.

Other speakers followed, and the debate for the 2010 race for Sheriff ensued, moderated by KCBQ 1170 AM's own Rick Amato. The event was very well attended, including several elected officials and many candidates for office. Sadly I didn't see much (any?) media there. Too bad. They missed an opportunity to see ordinary San Diegans in action.

Report from 9/12 March on Washington - Part 3

2009-09-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

Latest report filed from our man-on-the-street in Washington DC:

Proceeding to Freedom Plaza: The weather is unlikely here in Washington DC, just like the events around us. It's cloudy and 65 degrees as we depart the hotel. Groups of fellow freedom-lovers fill the lobby. Some groups have red t-shirts that say: "SILENT NO MORE". Other groups are wearing blue shirts that say: "PARTY LIKE 1773". I met up with some folks from Georgia. Those guys were wearing boots, back-packs, and tents. Yeah baby! We're off to Freedom Plaza, which is near the White House.

There's going to be speeches, music, and mingling before the march begins at 11:30. We'll proceed east-bound on Pennsylvania Avenue carrying posters and waving to everyone we see. The trek will conclude on the West lawn of the Capitol building and the official rally starts at 1:00 pm. Of course, these events are non-partisan. Citizens are here to reaffirm the constitution and our founding principles. Notwithstanding the non-partisan nature of this event, it feels great to represent San Diego Republicans here in Washington DC.

Who are we? Why are we protesting? Can we make a difference? We're Americans who believe liberty is essential to America. And that also explains why we're protesting. We're not simply against certain issues. We're protesting because President Obama and liberal Democrats have a fundamentally different vision - a more totalitarian and repressive vision - for America than we do. Look for the next entry from Freedom Plaza...

Keith Simpson (Saturday, September 12th, 2009; 7:19 am)

Report from 9/12 March on Washington - Part 2

2009-09-11T22:35:00.000-07:00

Latest report filed from our man-on-the-street in Washington DC:

Okay, we landed about 3:11 pm, got our car, and checked into the hotel. We already ran into some fellow 9/12 activists on the airplane. Now we're going down to the lobby to look for more fellow Republicans, which shouldn't be too hard. Conservative protesters, it seems to me, are different than liberal protesters.

I remember during one event, I saw strange girly-men whipping each other on the National Mall. I'm pretty sure they didn't subscribe to National Review. And just last week on TV, thugs with prefab signs beat a black guy who was against Obama-care. Those guys probably didn't carry a picture of Ronald Reagan in their wallet. Yes, it's good to be a Republican.

Who are we? Why are we protesting? Can we make a difference? We are Americans who believe in freedom. Not like confused liberals who say they believe in liberty and then vote for taxes and tyranny. We believe in authentic, tangible liberty that allows us to raise our kids the way we want. That allows us to keep our wealth. And that keeps tyranny at bay. Look for the next post tomorrow morning before activities begin...

Keith Simpson (Friday, September 11th, 2009; 5:08 pm; Washington DC)