Opinion | Contra Costa Herald

Writer blames Frazier for gas tax increase, supports Romero for Assembly

November 3, 2018 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Dear Editor:

AB-1, Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (The Gas Tax Increase) was introduced by Assemblyman Jim Frazier (District 11). His press release stated, “My commitment to passing a comprehensive funding plan that addresses California’s failing transportation system will not waiver.” He was right in identifying California’s system as failing, but how could he expect that more of the same failed treatment would help?

California is rated 46 comparing all states for pavement condition and congestion. While Caltrans spends 4.7 times as much per mile as average of 49 other states, why did Mr. Frazier plan a tax increase? If he had worked to decrease the ludicrous waste of Caltrans, no tax increase would be necessary.

The people knew better so the legislature panicked and developed Prop 69 to improve their image. If you believe that is a cure, I want to sell you my bridge in Brooklyn. Be aware that it directs fuel tax not to only roads but to any form of public transportation. It forces 50% to cities which is good because cities will spend it wisely, but where will the other 50% go? Will bridges and broken pavement be improved? Taxpayer advocates have offered an alternative solution to fix our roads without a tax hike – the Road Repair Accountability Initiative.

Why didn’t Mr. Frazier’s Transportation Committee research the absurd waste of Caltrans? If Caltrans is unable to become 400% more efficient, why not outsource road repairs or experiment with turnpikes? Some states outsource 50-85% of their work, California does 10%. A contractor under competitive bidding will provide quality roads and control maintenance cost for fear of losing his contract.

Mr. Frazier is graded letter “F” by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers. Is it not time to get a legislator who understands business principles. Elect Lisa Romero. See www.electlisaromero.com.

Earl Heal

Vacaville

OP-ED: 2018 test scores show need for charter schools

October 9, 2018 By Publisher Leave a Comment

By John Crowder

Last week the California Department of Education released the 2018 test scores in English and math for all districts and schools in the state. This is the fourth year of data from this latest testing scheme, the Smarter Balanced Assessment Test (SBAT), meant to align with the Common Core teaching standards and methods. Students completing the test are placed into four broad categories in the subjects tested. These are, Standards Not Met, Standard Nearly Met, Standard Met, and Standard Exceeded. By combining the percentages from the latter two categories, we can compare how well schools and districts are doing in preparing students to, at a minimum, meet basic standards.

As has been the case since California began using this test in 2015, the results are not good for the Antioch Unified School District (AUSD). AUSD students have the lowest scores of all eighteen school districts in Contra Costa County (See table below). Further, the results for AUSD have remained, essentially, unchanged for the last four years. In 2015, the percentage of students achieving success in English was 30%, while it is currently 31%. In math it was 19% in 2015, and it now stands at 18%.

It is this low performance, combined with a lack of progress, that led hundreds of Antioch parents to sign the petitions and to turn out to the hearings held over the last couple of years to support bringing new charter schools, the Rocketship Elementary School and the Tech Academy Middle and High Schools, to Antioch.

The Charter School Act of 1992 was passed by the California legislature to address exactly the situation we find in Antioch. Public charter schools, with longer school days, more interventions, and proven programs, bring hope to parents who want their children to have a good education, but who can’t obtain it from the district schools they find their children assigned to.

Parents only have one chance at ensuring their students learn the skills they need to be prepared for college and the job market. They can’t afford to wait years, or decades, for change, especially when progress toward positive outcomes is nonexistent. Each year of delay is another year lost.

Establishing high-quality, public charter schools in districts where students are not being adequately educated is imperative for communities where students are being failed by the education establishment when the district schools can’t, or won’t, change.

English Language Arts – Contra Costa County School Districts

Rank District % Meet/Exceed

1 Orinda Union Elementary 88

2 Lafayette Elementary 85

2 Moraga Elementary 85

4 Acalanes Union High 82

4 San Ramon Valley Unified 82

6 Walnut Creek Elementary 73

7 Canyon Elementary 67

8 Brentwood Union Elementary 60

9 Liberty Union High 58

10 Byron Union Elementary 56

11 Martinez Unified 53

12 Mt. Diablo Unified 51

13 Knightsen Elementary 43

14 Oakley Union Elementary 39

15 John Swett Unified 37

16 Pittsburg Unified 34

16 West Contra Costa Unified 34

18 Antioch Unified 31

Source: https://caaspp.cde.ca.gov/sb2018/Search

Mathematics – Contra Costa County School Districts

Rank District % Meet/Exceed

1 Orinda Union Elementary 85

2 Lafayette Elementary 82

3 Moraga Elementary 79

4 San Ramon Valley Unified 77

5 Walnut Creek Elementary 71

6 Acalanes Union High 69

7 Canyon Elementary 65

8 Brentwood Union Elementary 50

9 Byron Union Elementary 47

10 Martinez Unified 42

11 Mt. Diablo Unified 39

12 Knightsen Elementary 38

13 Liberty Union High 31

14 Oakley Union Elementary 27

15 John Swett Unified 26

16 West Contra Costa Unified 23

17 Pittsburg Unified 20

18 Antioch Unified 18

Source: https://caaspp.cde.ca.gov/sb2018/Search

Crowder is a candidate for Contra Costa County School Board, Area 4

Writer offers alternative solution to illegal immigration from illegal immigrants

July 16, 2018 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Dear Editor:

As we celebrate the 242nd anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year, I find myself writing to my fellow Americans in a rebuttal to Supervisor Federal Glover’s saddening attempt to smear our country.

As a former (for now) civil servant to a sitting public servant, I must vocally protest!

Mr. Glover, whenever I am confronted with liberal slanderous and ignorant platitudes. I must surmise which of two camps the offender stands in.

The first is the “forgive them for they know not what they do” populace that has yet to verify all the misinformation that has been pumped into their heads since grade school through college and even now through pop culture. Vladimir Lenin’s coined description as “useful idiots”.

The second and more insidious camp lies in the viperous pit of knowing perfectly well that misinformation and deceit is an acceptable means to an end.

“To make an omelet one must break a few eggs.” – Karl Marx

I will leave your dubious stance to the court of public opinion.

This new diatribe from liberals about the Trump administration’s positions and stands on major issues are “an affront to our America values,” is, in fact, an affront to the public’s collective intelligence, as it mocks us by being cute, by half.

Whos American values, sir? The liberal Socialist’s values? well, then you would be right!

This sad attempt to conquer by division is contrary to the very concept of America’s value.

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr’s values of unification not division. where he declared at the Lincoln Memorial:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

There is but only one race, the human race. In all my journeys I have met albino Norwegians, yet they are not white. I have grown up around very dark-skinned brothers, yet they are not black. There is no such thing as a black or white person.

We are all flesh toned humans that bleed red, cry wet and dream in multi colors. Not until and when we unlearn this “adult” fairytale and embrace this self-evident reality, will we ever see the true color blind promised land.

We cannot be sliced and diced by way of sexual or psychological preferences.

That cannot be what separates us, that is very private and personal.

Not a tool to use as leverage for destruction, alienation, and kindling for an unsustainable ideology that feed off human subjugation and misery.

We cannot continue to be divided by economic class, age, sex, religion, thought nor skin color. For on this Independence Day:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain un-a-lienable Rights, (as in no man can take it from you, nor can you give it away.)

Which brings me to a more important point. Thomas Jefferson’s original draft stated:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain un-a-lienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of property.”

For his goal was to abolish slavery at the genesis of our independence. however due to immense pressure from the liberal southern factions. and the need to not fight a revolutionary war on two fronts. One being the world power of England as well as the slave colonies. But be unanimously united. He had to relent but not without a stern warning that the blood of this unattended injustice will be paid down the road in a tragic civil war.

We must not cower in the face of injustice especially not on this 4th of July.

As it has been said many times, if we do not learn the lessons of history we will be doomed to repeat it.

We are now faced with a new “slave race” that of the plight of the illegal alien.

For many amongst us are truly not free on this Independence Day.

For political gain, they have been exploited or decades on purpose and like some sick case of national Munchausen by proxy.

This ends now!

I present to you my fellow Americans a new Declaration of Independence.

Before you is a document created in the Spring of 2006 by Hispanic illegal youths as a written solution from their point of view. For too long the immigration conversation has been an A, B so “C” you later.

This one developed and drafted by the illegal community on how to constitutionally and fairly reboot the broken American Immigration system. not by pitting one group against another. but by locking arm in arm to fix it together.

Don’t believe the mouthpieces that ‘represent’ the illegal community. They do not. Ask them, for they live this unnecessary existence every day.

I give you “La Patria Declaration”.

Fernando Navarro

Antioch

LA PATRIA DECLARATION

The signed original La Patria Declaration.

In Peace and Justice… and Being of Good Courage…

We the people of the United States and of the whole AMERICA….

Declare on this (two thousand and six years) our intent of Union and

Support of the Constitution Of the United States, and our commitment to her peoples and her Laws……to take up our task, through our shed blood and drained tears, make fertile freedoms roots!

WHEREAS We ADOPT…

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Right to the pursuit of Happiness..”

WHEREAS We EMBRACE…

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

WHEREAS We DECLARE…

“FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST …..THANK GOD ALMIGHTY WE ARE FREE AT LAST”… AND THAT NO MAN BE JUDGED BY THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, BUT BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER.”

WHEREAS We DOCUMENT ………

“NO MAN BE PROSECUTED OR BLAMED FOR THE CRIMES AND ACTS OF OUR PREDECESSORS

BUT BY THE FACTUAL ACTS AFTER ONE’s BIRTH…LET THE PAST BE!!!!

WHEREAS We SUPPORT ………

“TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY!!”

NOW, THEREFORE………

Our battle cry:

BORDERS. LANGUAGE. CULTURE.

********************** BORDERS **********************

WHEREAS … We recognize our status as “illegal”

We the signatories declare our desire to totally secure and close the southern border and frontiers…To support AMERICA’S SOVEREIGNTY … Protect Her people and her laws in the post-September 11th era.

“It is our mothers and daughters, sisters and brothers that are perishing in the wilderness.”

We also Declare that the legal portals be justly open and properly filtered to allow eager Immigrants to process orderly and be documented!

“Let us be “REBORN” legally under liberty’s watch.”

“For an attack of Mass Destruction does not discriminate LEGAL from ILLEGAL”

WHEREAS We DO NOT support an amnesty, but reform the immigration process!!!

WHEREAS we declare our union to STOP the black market of HUMAN, NARCOTICS and TERRORIST traffickers….AND Support all patriots that wish to aid on America’s domestic frontline.

********************** LANGUAGE **********************

We the signatories Declare that We come together to accept and adopt English as the official Language of the United States of America.

We also declare that our natural language, not be a burden on America, but that We take the burden upon ourselves to speak her tongue.

“He who knows MORE than one language is capable of more than one MAN.”

********************** CULTURE **********************

WHEREAS…

“TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY” is ours

The signatories Declare that they come together to embrace America’s mission of excellence and doing things right…TO NOT CUT CORNERS..

WHEREAS We embrace PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY….to accept and RECTIFY our discrepancies.

“FREEDOM IS NOT FREE, IT IS NOT FREE FROM ITS CONSEQUENCES.”

WE DECLARE OUR DESIRE TO MELT INTO THE FABRIC OF “OLD GLORY’S” THREADS…

Due to design or by OVERT CONSEQUENCES …We have been DENIED OUR OPPORTUNITY for the pursuit of happiness. And thus declare in good FAITH our commitment to PEACEFULLY and ORDERLY process our status into the sunlight.

Inspect our background, DOCUMENT our Genesis and invite us into the AMERICAN FOLD!!

WHEREAS We are a conservative people that SHARES AMERICAS VALUES. GOD, FAMILY and PATRIOTISM thusly…

WHEREAS We embrace the American concept of owning one’s actions and consequences and the concept of fairness of getting in line.

THUSLY To offset our influx we propose and endorse the following platforms:

WHEREAS We support VOTER I.D. Reform.

WHEREAS We support a FAIR TAX

WHEREAS We support School VOUCHERS.

AMERICA IS UNDER ASSAULT FROM ANTI-AMERICAN FORCES AND THAT CANCER MUST BE

CHALANGED……..WE ARE HERE TO HELP HER ….BUILD HER UP AND WAVE HER FLAG

….OUR FLAG TO THE ENTIRE WORLD.

This is our projection and timeline!

“BORON Y CUENTA NUEVA”

LET US START A-NEW………. We Propose the following GOALS

Immediately closure of the southern Border, be it by a physical structure or by a manned presence (military or federal, civilian)

Open the legal Gates…

We Propose processing facilities such as FORT ISLAS ANGELES,… FORT NOGALES,… FORT LAREDO AND POINT ELLIS.

Let us the “illegal” Immigrants process… go to these new “ANGEL” and “ELLIS Island” ports and DECLARE ourselves… Document us, To establish our official I.D.’s, to take our fingerprints.

“Let us be “REBORN” Legally and above board… become taxpayers.

Let us Prove ourselves to the American People.

Let us PAY as we GO.

“THE EGALITARIAN and AMERICAN SOLUTION!”

Let us own and earn our remedy!

Present us with two options.

1) If our goal is ultimately the American dream of becoming U.S. citizenship, they our penalty is for us to leave the country and get in line.

2) If our goal is only residencie then our penalty and path will be to BE PERMANENTLY BARRED from U.S. citizenship. Report to an immigration processing and orientation center.

A} Document and Start as a EXPLORE level migrant worker “ he who wishes to

work here after processing wishes to come and go, pays taxes but is not

eligible for any social assistance …no welfare, etc.

B} After 7 years an EXPLORE class immigrant can apply for a ENDEAVOR level Status “he who wishes to become a resident” can qualify for residency if migrant has kept his or her criminal record clean and learns English. They are now eligible for public assistance but cannot vote…

C} For illegal immigrants who opted for the goal of citizenship and have left the country and After 7 years an immigrant can apply for a ENTERPRISE level status “he who wishes to become a citizen” can qualify for citizenship if said migrant has still kept his/her criminal record clean. And must pass a thorough civil entrance exam.

“IT IS URBAN LEGEND THAT ALL MIGRANTS SEEK CITIZENSHIP… SOME JUST WANT TO WORK.”

********************** TIMELINE **********************

OPERATION “STAR FIELD”

The rebooting and reformation of the immigration process will take 1-2 years to complete.

DAY ONE. – Full deployment of national guard/ military to augment border patrols and to fully cover the Northern and southern borders.

DAY TWO – Start full construction of the double security fence with manned watchtowers from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.

DAY THREE – Announcement in advance of the NEW documentation process for undocumented/illegal alien migrants is to start. (orderly processing and documentation/filtering at the NEW border processing stations) Full public dissemination THAT THERE WILL BE A 1-2 YEAR opportunity TO DOCUMENT, That after that 1-2 year window, ALL IMMIGRATION LAWS WILL BE EXTREMELY ENFORCED AND APPLIED. “Anyone still holding out must have ulterior motivations to not come clean!”

DAY FOUR – THROUGH END OF DOCUMENTATION PERIOD… Migrants checking in at the border will be processed for criminal records, health screening, I.D. processing and RE-documentation. DEBRIEFING OF THE AMERICAN experience AND THE EXPLANATION OF RULES OF their STATUS.

WE NOW HAVE A SECURE BORDER. A DOCUMENTED POPULATION,(BIOMETRIC NATIONAL I.D.)… A REVERSE “MAGNETIC POLARITY” OR “SOURING OF THE MILK” FOR ANY ONE WHO IS STILL HERE ILLIGEALY… AND A CHECK VALVE AT THE BORDER. ANY ONE COMING TO THE U.S. TO WORK WILL WANT TO COME THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR AND IF ANY ONE PULLS OFF GETTING IN ILLEGALY (GETTING THROUGH THE U.S. PRESENCE) WILL FIND THEMSELVES BEING REPELLED NATURALY BY THE SYSTEM (NO NATIONAL I.D.). LET GRAVITY DO ITS JOB.
THIS IS OUR PLAN

THIS IS OUR COMMITMENT

THIS IS OUR SOLUTION

VIVA AMERICA……….. GOD BLESS AMERICA

Brief says state policymakers should make pro-jobs policies a priority, turn over more responsibility to private charities that turn lives around

July 6, 2018 By Publisher Leave a Comment

By Kerry Jackson, Fellow, Pacific Research Institute Center for California Reform

California policymakers should reform government anti-poverty programs to remove incentives against work while expanding job opportunities in the state’s poorest communities, according to a new issue brief released today by the non-partisan California-based think tank, the Pacific Research Institute.

Click here to download a copy of “Good Intentions: How California’s Anti-Poverty Programs Aren’t Delivering and How the Private Sector Can Lift More People Out of Poverty.”

“When Americans think about poverty, they think of the destitution and despair of Appalachia. Shockingly, wealthy California has serious poverty problem, with 8 million people – and nearly one in five children – living in poverty,” said Kerry Jackson, author of the brief and fellow with PRI’s Center for California Reform. “Poverty is a statewide tragedy that should be a top priority for California policymakers in 2018. This important issue brief evaluates state anti-poverty programs, offers recommendations for reform, and profiles private charities and nonprofits that are making a difference in lifting people out of poverty.”

Click here to listen to this week’s episode of PRI’s podcast, featuring an interview on California’s poverty crisis with Michele Steeb, CEO of St. John’s Program for Real Change in Sacramento.

Among the findings of “Good Intentions”:

Causes of California’s unacceptably-high poverty rate include the perverse incentives of government anti-poverty programs that dis-incentivize work, the state’s ongoing housing crisis, and anti-business climate.
Lawmakers should look to examples of successful reforms in Wisconsin, Virginia, Michigan, and other states as they evaluate and consider much-needed reforms to California’s current government programs to improve effectiveness and reduce taxpayer costs.
Programs like St. John’s Program for Real Change in Sacramento, Solutions for Change in Vista, Working Wardrobes in Orange County, and Father Joe’s Villages in San Diego are examples of real-life private charities that policymakers should consider replicating across the state.
One of the most critical things lawmakers can do to reduce poverty is encourage more job opportunities and economic growth statewide, especially in poor communities.

Kerry Jackson is an independent journalist and opinion writer with extensive experience covering politics and public policy. As a fellow with PRI’s Center for California Reform, he writes weekly op-eds and blog posts on statewide issues and occasional policy papers for PRI. In 2017, he wrote Unaffordable, an issue brief exploring California’s housing crisis which won bipartisan praise.

This July 4th on America’s 242nd birthday we have much to celebrate

July 4, 2018 By Publisher Leave a Comment

By Allen Payton

This year’s Independence Day on Wednesday, July 4th marks the 242nd birthday of our nation. It was on this date in 1776 that our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence sending a message to England that we would no longer be ruled by their king, and that we would be a sovereign nation and each of our citizens sovereign people, as well.

As we celebrate, we have so much to appreciate this year, about our country. Things have been turning around with a growing economy, and the lowest unemployment rate since 2000 down to 3.8% in May. That’s directly due to the repatriation of billions of dollars that have been held offshore by U.S. corporations, which along with most Americans are benefitting by the $1.5 trillion federal tax cut approved, late last year.

The future looks bright and we can celebrate our freedoms enumerated in the Bill of Rights, and which now have more protections thanks to recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Enjoy celebrating and remember to thank God for the freedoms we get to exercise and experience each day in our country.

Happy Independence Day and may God continue to bless the United States of America. Freedom!

Supervisor Glover offers a July 4th message – Reviving the American Dream

July 3, 2018 By Publisher 3 Comments

Federal Glover from his Facebook page.

By Federal Glover

As we celebrate July 4th, 2018, Americans stand at a crossroads: do we stand up for those ideals our founding fathers put before us in the Constitution or do we our head down a path that continues to erode the institutions and values that Americans have held for 242 years.

Over the past 18 months, our country has been undergoing a sea change that is remaking the way the world sees us and – more importantly — the way we see ourselves.

This Fourth of July, I almost don’t recognize this country anymore.

The America I knew growing up in Pittsburg was a land of opportunity that allowed a laborer from Mississippi to find a well-paying, blue collar job in the steel mill, buy a car and home and allowed our family to live in relative comfort and security. There was opportunity here. There was hope. We dreamed about a better country and the possibility of Martin Luther King’s Dream of worshipping and living in a land and time when we were judged by the content of our character – not by the color of our skin.

I was fortunate enough to go to school in a city where I had classmates from all around the globe.

We were not isolated from the events that were happening in other parts of the United States. We kept tabs of what was happening in Selma, in Memphis and other parts of the South. Many African American families in town still had relatives in those far away places where history was being written.

Still, those events seemed far away. My best friend was Italian American. We grew up eating at the New Mecca Restaurant, pizza from Carlos’ Pizzeria and hamburgers from The Pirate drive-in. We expanded our taste buds to include lumpia and adobo cooked by our Filipino friends’ mothers and grandmothers. We bought groceries from the market a few blocks away which was owned by a Chinese American family.

As a member of the Pittsburg High School football team, my teammates were made up of a multitude of nationalities from families that had roots in Italy, Greece, Great Britain, the Philippines, Ireland, Mexico and, of course, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana.

Even when a major retailer was picketed in downtown Pittsburg for not hiring African Americans and King’s shocking assassination broke the peace and calm of our city, the residents and political leaders came together to examine the city and how it could weather the violence that hit other U.S. cities.

Even with the civil rights battle at our doorstep, our community found a way. Change was in the air. It didn’t happen overnight and we had obstacles to overcome, but we had hope. Our dreams – our common dreams — were still intact.

Today, that hope is withering away. Our dreams seem to be fading away. The gains and progress made over the last 60 years is in serious danger. The foundations that made our country strong is more fragile and the beacon of freedom and light for people throughout the world has grown dim.

Refugees who believed in the Statue of Liberty’s “send me your tired, your poor, your wretched refuse,” are being treated like criminals; the needs of our planet seem to taking second place to need for profit; more obstacles are being placed in front of voters; corporate profits are not trickling down to the workers who toil for 20^th Century wages shrinking our great middle class; home ownership –- a critical part of the American Dream – is out of reach for most people; the unregulated proliferation of guns has made our streets more dangerous; and the re-emergence of blatant racism threatens to destroy our civil society.

Most disheartening, our Congress, instead of acting as balance to the extreme policies coming from the current administration, has succumbed to the fear of losing an election instead of standing on principle.

For those who might want to give up hope and let cynicism replace our dreams, there are signs that that the American Dream is still alive.

I am heartened by the renewed vigor and interest being displayed by our neighbors, local leaders and government representatives. Instead of giving up, they are injecting new energy and new blood into our communities.

The marches and demonstrations in behalf of women, science, LGBTQ, truth, immigrants and against racism have inspired a new generation of activism that we haven’t seen since the 1960s.

Young people – inspired by high schoolers who have seen their classmates gunned down on campus – have launched a movement to hopefully not only make their campuses safer, but to make our greater society safer and saner. As they grow into adulthood and assume their place in our society, there is hope.

People are not content with speeches and marches in the streets, they are taking their principles into the voting booth and into the halls of our capitols and city council chambers.

Ordinary people who were once content to let the status quo play itself out, are snapping out of their lethargy and are stepping up to the plate. New community groups are springing up made up or our neighbors, who might not want to run for public office, but are willing to make the phone calls, send the e-mails and knock on doors and are creating a wellspring of change in our cities and county.

I’ve seen the first stirrings of renewed activism myself when a group of middle-schoolers in Bay Point went up against the political might and influence of the alcohol lobby to limit sales of alcoholic beverages in their community. We saw it again on June 5 when Bay Area voters passed a measure to improve our transportation system and San Francisco voters spurned the lies and misleading commercials of the tobacco industry to pass a measure limiting tobacco sales in their city.

The words of Bob Dylan, “The times, they are a-changing!” suddenly have found a new audience. People are beginning to believe they can make a difference again. As stated by that great statesman Abraham Lincoln: That “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” This is the American Dream.

Happy July Fourth! Celebrate in safety and give thanks that we live in this great country where the possible is … well, possible … for everybody.

Glover represents District 5 on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.

OPINION: Republicans in California – The perpetual race for second place

June 4, 2018 By Publisher Leave a Comment

An argument in favor of Travis Allen for Governor

By Brenda Higgins

This commentary originally appeared on OCPolitical.com on June 2, 2018. Republished at the author’s request.

Travis Allen

Polls are not hard to understand. The science of polling, even with the basic college level understanding of how the math behind it works, is also easily understood to be not just subjective, but fully within the manipulation of the pollster.

It doesn’t take a scientific poll to see and comprehend what has happened in elections in the U.S. and around the world in the past three U.S. election cycles. People with a real power to vote, have done so. And, they have done so in outright rebellion to those in power who have told them what to do and how to vote. In spite of the effort of this ruling class of politicians and pollsters and pundits, people have rejected their group-think advisements to vote as they are being told to vote, and they are voting, with a level of enthusiasm and fervor, that we have not seen in our lifetime.

People have, in massive numbers, rejected what they have been told, and voted for candidates that experts said could not win. My opinion is based upon my own very unscientific polling. I knocked on people’s doors and talked to them about things like health insurance and abortion. I called them on the phone and talked to them about unions and school bonds. I knocked on their doors to remind them to vote or show up to their caucus. I have done this many thousands of times in the past few election cycles.

They want to talk about things that aren’t in the polls. In 2014 in Arkansas, people expressed angry reflexive passion to vote for any candidate with an “R” by their name. In 2015 there was fury over more special elections and efforts to create more special taxes to fix things they thought were already paying taxes for. In Nevada in 2016 they only wanted to talk about Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders and had no interest in hearing anything else. In 2018, as I talk to people on phones and at their front door, about the down-ticket, they want to talk about Travis Allen.

The politicians and pollsters and pundits, have told people in the past three election cycles that whatever they are feeling or thinking as an individual, sitting in their living room in front of their TV or behind their computer screen, the way that they should think because a lot of people think that way, and this is who you should vote for because all the other people are going to vote that way. The American public has rejected that instruction out of hand and have become inherently distrustful of the media and of ‘establishment’ politicians. Funny thing it, the media is now telling them that this has happened because of Donald Trump. The media misses it again. The rebellion is not ‘because’ of Donald Trump. Donald Trump is because of the rebellion.

So, it is in 2018, California.

Here’s a poll. How many Democrat governors have we had in California since 1959? That is more than a half century. Think about that, because in the past three election cycles, Democrats, Republicans, pollsters and media pundits, continue to tell Californians that they can only have a Democrat governor.

In the past 59 years, we have had three Democrat Governors. Brown, Brown, Davis, and Brown again. Three. And one, Grey Davis, was kicked out of office by the rulers of California, the California people. In the same time period, we have had four Republicans, Schwarzenegger, Wilson, Deukmejian, and Reagan.

Reagan’s two terms were after the two terms of Edmund G. Brown. and before two terms of his son, Jerry Brown. Jerry Brown had ANOTHER two terms, after Schwartzenegger ousted Grey Davis. The last time we had a one term Governor was Culbert Olson in 1938. He was a Democrat. Before Culbert Olson, sequential Republicans held the office for nearly 50 years. You have to look back to 1894 to find another Democrat Governor. My point is, there is not a long or strong history of support for Democrat Governors in this state, and in the last three election cycles, voters in every other state have rejected Democrat governors by wide margins. Republicans are Governors in 33 states. In 32 states, Republicans control BOTH houses of the legislature. In 2010, Republicans controlled ONLY FOURTEEN STATES. 14, in 2010.

The tide has changed, and California citizens are missing the benefit of conservative ideals.

In the past three election cycles, the pollsters and pundits and party leaders (in both parties actually) are telling the voting public to sit down and be quiet, that there may never be a republican Governor in California again. In keeping with their pearl clutching and hand wringing, over their polls, and research and infinite wisdom, they have given us, Meg Whitman and Neel Kashkari in the past two races for Governor. There was a bizarre victory lap when Neal Kashkari lost by less than expected in 2014. These two were barely Republicans, they were wealthy people who spent their own money and the party rejoiced in that. Kashkari, who had never held public office and supported Obama in 2008, was outspent by something like 10 to 1, so he got more votes per dollar than Meg Whitman. The party leaders bizarrely counted in a victory and called on Tim Donnelly to step down because (by default) Kashkari was the party ‘standard bearer’.

Now we have another non-Californian, rich guy, and they are asking the voters to do the same. Take one for the team, vote this way because we are telling you that everyone else is going to vote this way, and we need to have a candidate at the “top of the ticket”.

Gone is any language about reclaiming the governor’s mansion at any time in the future, the strategy is simply to get someone bland enough, lack luster enough in policies, and rich enough to pay for some TV commercials, but not to win.

There is no strategy to re-take the governor’s mansion or find and promote a conservative candidate for governor in California.

Donald Trump did not have a path to 270. There is a scientific poll. The historic fact however, is that he far exceeded that necessary 270.

In 59 years, a member of the Brown family has held the governor’s office for 24 years, six terms. There are no more members of the Brown dynasty, but the professionals are telling us that it is time for the Newsom/Pelosi dynasty to be coronated. There is nothing you can do about it, we have given you this proper second place finisher, please just sit down and let us tell you how to vote. Ruling, establishment, elitism, but in their tone deafness, they miss, that THIS is precisely what the rebellion has been aimed at.

Remember, this is what they told us about Hillary. It was her turn. She had the money, the experience, she was the most “qualified” and that Donald Trump was a joke. The coronation of the next ruling member of the Clinton dynasty had arrived. Sit down Peasants. The pollsters always leave out one thing.

The ruling class are not rulers, and the people are still in charge, and their not buying this.

Cox is a big government advocate still. No matter what he tries to do to distance himself from his own ideas. His only voting record, is his vote for Pro-Choice, Open Borders, Libertarian, Gary Johnson. Cox has never won a race. That makes him a perfect choice for the second place strategy.

Travis Allen has never lost a race, and was never expected to be in office. The pollsters, pundits and ruling class have counted him out, and told him to sit down and wait his turn for the entirety of his political career.

Historically, it is time for the Governor’s Mansion to be turned back to the Republicans. Someone needs to tell the leadership of the Republican party, they dont know it yet. There is no justification for rolling over and paying dead with a second-place candidate. Californians, just like Americans across the country in the past three elections, have risen up to remind you, who is in charge, and they seem to be pretty tired of Second Place.

Higgins practiced family law for 17 years prior to becoming a pro-life activist. She is currently the Executive Director of Stanton Healthcare SoCal, a non-profit medical center for women who’s mission is to replace Planned Parenthood with life affirming medical care. She writes for both OCPolitical and The127Activist.

Editor’s Note: Opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Herald, or it’s publisher and editor.

Congressional candidate responds to accusations of anti-Semitism

June 2, 2018 By Publisher Leave a Comment

John Fitzgerald

Editor:

I find it interesting that simply pointing out the fact that Jews played a predominant role in the African Slave Trade https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7VkQSb7JlI&feature=youtu.be along with questioning Israel and challenging their control over U.S. foreign-policy, consequently gets me labeled an anti-Semite and NAZI by Former Republican Chairman, Ron Nehring. I will bet that he has NEVER taken the time to read the numerous and informative links I have provided on my website that substantiate my claims. Does Mr. Nehring find it interesting that the ONLY historical issue that lands people in prison– in eighteen countries and counting– is the holocaust? This is a fact! Why is this and why do so many people get imprisoned under Orwellian Hate-Speech laws, simply for challenging any aspect of it outside the “official narrative?” Please read:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/05/08/nazi-grandma-ursula-haverbeck-who-denies-holocaust-taken-jail/589613002/

Also, watch this video of Monika Schaefer, who is also serving time in prison for apologizing to her mom’s spirit in a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0_BZphQ7Qo. Isn’t debate good to rule out falsehoods, etc. and to glean fact? So why is the holocaust off-limits but no other issue? Also, why did South Carolina recently pass a similar Hate-Speech law strictly focusing on Israel and anti-Semitism in public schools and college campuses. Please read: https://www.reuters.com/…/south-carolina-passes-bill-to-fig….

Now Tennessee is soon doing the same and a federal law was just introduced last week in Congess to cover all 50 states for a similar anti-Semitism bill: https://www.thefire.org/new-federal-anti-semitism-act-same…/. I find this remarkable and, even moreso, troubling! No matter the issue, taboo or not, why is our 1st amendment (free-speech) being eroded and only for questioning Israel and/or Jewish interests and no other country or people? We supposedly live in a free and civilized society, yet how free are we if we cannot express contrary opinions without fear of being deemed afoul of the law? Also, isn’t this a slippery slope that may lead to more draconian laws and/or measures in the future? After all, shouldn’t one’s opinion– no matter how offensive it may be to some– along with what’s deemed “truth” stand on its own merit when scrutinized? I think so.

I challenge people to go to my website and find any information that I post that is incorrect or anti-Semitic. I research every issue extensively and take what I claim very seriously and I hope you will do the same. I am not an anti-Semite by any means, but only a person of strong values, morals and character who has the courage to challenge controversial and, what many people perceive to be “taboo” subjects that a certain sect of society try to suppress and/or, subsequently, deem off-limits. Thank you and please remember to vote June 5^th. Here is my website: http://johnfitzgeraldforcongress.com/

John Fitzgerald

Candidate for Congress, CA District 11

Editorial: Graves is the clear choice for Contra Costa District Attorney

May 31, 2018 By Publisher 3 Comments

Paul Graves

By Allen Payton, Publisher & Editor

In the race for District Attorney there is one candidate who has the experience to be the top prosecutor we need in Contra Costa County. That’s Senior Deputy District Attorney Paul Graves.

Unlike his current boss, Interim D.A. Diana Becton, who was appointed on a 3-2 vote of the Board of Supervisors, last year, Graves has 22 years of experience prosecuting crime in our county. She has never prosecuted a single case. Yes, Becton served for 30 years as a judge, but that’s not the same thing.

Also, Graves was the first candidate to declare and was willing to run against his former boss, Mark Peterson, who had not yet resigned following a controversy regarding lack of disclosure of loans to himself from his campaign funds.

Becton only entered the appointment process after Peterson’s resignation, which doesn’t show me a serious interest or commitment to the position.

Although accused of being part of the problem, Graves was not part of Peterson’s inner circle. He’s running to restore integrity to the office. Becton on the other hand, admitted to plagiarizing large portions of her application for the position. Yet, three supervisors still voted to appoint her.

The third candidate in the race, businessman and attorney Lawrence Strauss, is opposed to the death penalty – even for cop killers. That to me is an immediate disqualification. If you’re going to be the top prosecutor in the county, you need to be willing to follow and enforce all laws in our state, whether you agree with them or not.

Another thing to look at is who is backing the candidates. Graves has the support of all the Deputy District Attorneys, as well as all of the police officer associations, in the county. Those who enforce the law know Graves is the one candidate who will do the same.

Becton’s backers include the ultraliberal, former San Francisco D.A. and now U.S. Senator Kamala Harris and worse, the soft-on-crime billionaire George Soros. Why are they interfering in our county’s law enforcement? Do we really want to model our D.A.’s office after San Francisco’s? Of course not.

Worst of all, Becton is missing too many days from the office for a job that pays her more than $250,000 per year.

We need a prosecutor who will restore leadership and integrity to the Contra Costa D.A.’s office. Voting for Paul Graves will accomplish that.

OPINION: Latest vile anti-Semite running for Congress is from Contra Costa County

May 31, 2018 By Publisher 2 Comments

By Ron Nehring

Originally published on Flash Report. Republished with permission.

It’s happened before: Some vile racist or anti-Semite runs for an office they have no chance of winning in the hopes of drawing attention to themselves, or their cause. This is exactly what happened earlier this year when Holocaust denier Arthur Jones ran for Congress as a Republican in the heavily Democratic 3rd Congressional District of Illinois. He has been denounced by the Republican Party but will still appear on the November ballot as a result of winning the uncontested GOP primary in the district.

John Fitzgerald is using is campaign website to peddle anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and falsehoods. Image source: Facebook.

Well, now we have another one of these guys. This time it’s here in California. Today’s vile anti-Semite is John Fitzgerald, who is running for Congress in the heavily Democratic 11th Congressional District in Contra Costa County. The district, in which Hillary Clinton won 71.% of the vote in 2016, is currently represented by Democrat Mark DeSaulnier.

Fitzgerald has zero chance of winning this seat, yet he currently has the official endorsement of the California Republican Party by virtue of being the only Republican running for the office. Under rules adopted by the party following the passage of California’s deeply flawed top-two primary system, the party endorsement goes to any Republican running for state legislature or Congress when they are the only party member running. The Board of Directors may take an affirmative step to reverse the endorsement, which of course should happen immediately.

Screen shots above and below from John Fitzgerald’s campaign website, taken May 26, 2018 at 3:24 PM PT.

In a post on his campaign website that went up on May 23rd, Fitzgerald peddles numerous anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. He asserts as “truth” that Jews “played a prominent role in the African slave trade,” linking to an article that further peddles this conspiracy theory. He goes on at length peddling numerous other anti-Semitic claims and theories. I won’t link to his website or post because I have no interest in driving up his search results, but you can Google this guy yourself.

So, what should be done about this?

First and foremost, absolutely no one should vote for this guy. Unfortunately, the state party website lists Fitzgerald as the endorsed party candidate, and since many Republicans rely on the site for guidance when voting, combined with his being the only Republican candidate, he will get an unfortunate number of votes. But certainly all that should come to a screeching halt now.

Second, the state party Board of Directors, which is entirely composed of good people I know personally, needs to reverse Fitzgerald’s default endorsement.

And third, Republicans should speak out against Fitzgerald and candidacy for his blatant anti-Semitism. Let’s not wait and see if this gets traction and only then condemn this vile individual who has soiled the good name of our party – we should affirmatively reject both his candidacy and his ideas because they offend our principles.

The Republican Party was founded on the most noble of causes – the abolition of slavery. Just over 100 years later, people of both parties came together in support of the civil rights movement and the abolition of segregation. Racism and anti-Semitism have no place in our country, and good people of both parties have the responsibility to condemn it regardless of the source.

Nehring is the former Chairman of the California Republican Party.