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| Torrance, CA Aerial View |
At first, I had my heart set on five candidates.
Yet following some of the answers which I have received from some, I am not as sure as I was before.
Other candidates have reached out to me, asking why I was contacting certain candidates instead of others.
Frankly, I was focused on conservative Republicans who are pro-growth, pro-business, pro-pension reform, and anti-public sector union.
Yes, I oppose public sector unions. They do not represent their members, but force them to join, force them to pay, and force them to sit and watch the union leaders spend the money on candidates and causes which they do not support. I am not the only one making this statement. Other individuals from different public unions have made the same claim.
The conflict of interest has become so glaring, that cities in California are going bankrupt, even while unions are demanding more money through taxes and service cuts.
The city of Torrance has 600 employees drawing a $100k salary. This is unsustainable, to put it mildly. Another Torrance resident told me that the city fire department still operate as though every building is made of wood. How many firefighters does a city need? How much is the current array of firefighters going to cost the city and its future residents down the line?
I am also realizing that just because a candidate has an R or a D (or neither) does not make the biggest difference, either. Still, I cannot in good conscience support Democratically-aligned candidates because I do not believe that those individuals will stand up to public sector union pressure.
When I reached out to candidate, I was initially interested in promoting the candidates whom I felt best represented the needs of the city of Torrance.
Now I am learning about insiders, outsiders, upside-downside and string-pullers, too!
Wow!
Thank you to all for reading without screeding.
This email was sent to one candidate, who in turn sent it to me:
Your judgement is seriously questionable if you think appearing on the blog of local crackpot Art Schaper makes you look good. On the contrary, it just marginalizes and makes you look desperate. Schaper isn't a "journalist"; he's a nut.
I'll be sure my Torrance folks know who not to vote for.
I guess there is a badge of honor when political opponents have to resort to name-calling. The Soviet Union took this labeling to the extreme, labelling political dissidents "crazy" then shipping them away to be "reeducated."
In the words of Maxine Waters: "This is a tough game, and you cannot be intimidate. And I am not afraid of anybody!"
Apparently, neither are the city candidates who are reaching out to me.
Anti-union tool.
ReplyDeleteI got my Tim Goodrich mailer today. It was simply disgusting. He writes about being in the US Air Force and serving 3 deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nowhere does he mention that in 2006 he stopped the SUV of General Frank as the war hero general tried to got to a campus of LAUSD. http://www.c-span.org/video/?187909-1/opposition-war-iraq-rally if you go to the 1:17 minute mark of the video you can see this Benedict Arnold in action.
ReplyDeleteArthur, years ago I was told that Torrance is like Mayberry RFD and it took me a while to understand. You can only get elected to local office if you have the support of the insiders. Who are the insiders? They are the current and former members of the city council, mayor, school board, city treasurer and those who have moved on to higher office. Just look at all the insiders supporting Goodrich even though he is simply despicable - Dee Hardisan (form mayor, 3 former city councilmen, 3 current members of the school board, lots of city commissioners, even the controller of the state who I believe is a resident of Torrance, and the fire and police unions. Four years ago we had Steve Groom run for treasurer against the assistant treasurer. Steve Groom had a degree in finance, he has a job in finance and is a member of about 3 or 4 financial boards. His opponent Dana Cortes graduated from USC with a degree in foreign affairs or something like that, she was assistant treasurer for 10 years and served on the Torrance Rose Float Committee. Which candidate would you want to see about finances - Groom with all the degrees and memberships or the Rose Float commissioner? The insiders wanted to Cortes and she won by an almost 2-1 margin. It will be interesting to see how she does when the next bubble bursts. If people want to clean house in Torrance than they should check the mailers and see who is endorsing a candidate. If the endorsements are full of the above mentioned insiders you can be sure that if they get elected it will be business as usual in Torrance for another 4 years. We will get more of "it isn't our fault' as Honda leaves and we tried to find to take over the vacant Toyota campus but we are still working on it. Just look at how long the Nissan HQ had no major tenent. Well you have made the big time. You have somebody calling you an anti-union tool. Some of us like to think of you as being an opponent of Torrance ending up in bankruptcy court behind San Bernadino. Vallejo and Stockton. I would have picked on Detroit but that bankruptcy will not be handled by a court in California. Now all you have to do is stop being a cheerleader for Alex and Heidi. They are part of the insiders and they certainly aren't true blue conservatives. Look at some other candidates like Milton Herring, Dr. John Tabakian and Charlotte Svolos. They are all capable outsiders and of that bunch nobody will shake up city hall more than Tabakian. Dankeschoen mein Freund.
Tabakian despises right wing nut jobs like huey who represent true evil in the republican party. Notice that no one is attacking Tabakian and his pension arguments. You are right that Tabakian will shake things up big time. One of my friends was at the women federated republican meeting at the Torrance Doubletree last week. Tabakian ripped Huey and all the nuts a new one. Tabakian blasted the racists in the party who hate his views on undocumented students. I respect him because he speaks the truth all the time even if it pisses people off. People go to town halls just to hear what comes out of his mouth. He called Mayor Scotto a liar at the North Torrance Homeowners city council forum....From the platform and go the entire audience! Art loves establishment Republicans who betray voters. What an idiot.
DeleteI agree with Craig Huey. His research on Tabakian shows his true colors. We do not want his students. I am not racist but mexicans and illegals in my city? I live here to be away from those kind of people. That is why Tabakian is too ethnic for me. Armenian are like mexicans both the same trouble. I heard someone say Tabakian comes from russia. Another place of crime. Vote for real Americans who are real Christians. I agree with Craig Huey. Don't vote for half baked Christians like Tabakian. He has too many mexican friends. Tim Donnelly will get rid of people like Tabakian.
DeleteArthur is a puppet of Huey. Tabakian blasted the establishment, called Mayor Scotto a liar to his face, yet the South Bay Republican party, along with Paul Nowatka's 66th AD attacks Tabakian. That explains why the Beach Cities Republicans NEVER supported Tabakian, yet they are pushing candidates who will do nothing to save our city from financial disaster. Evan Chase is a lousy leader. He let communists like Tim Goodrich attend meetings! How about reporting on that Arthur? How about reporting about your messiah Craig Huey destroying the party? How about reporting on the lack of moral character of David Hadley? I am voting for Tabakian and Paulson!
ReplyDeleteAre you nuts? I am voting for Heidi, Kurt, Rizzo and Goodrich! They support Fire and Police who keeps us safe! We need to give pay raises to all safety people and pay their pensions!
ReplyDeleteI HATE NAVARRO! HE IS AN ANTI-UNION FASCIST PIG!
DeleteThe head of AFSCME union in Torrance is backing Goodrich personally.
DeleteGod bless Tim Goodrich for standing up to the fascist George Bush. American soldiers killed babies! Lots of babies who will never live again. Tim Goodrich is going to get rid of the fascist armed forces day parade in Torrance and the fascist flag of america from all city buildings. He is brave to not salute the flag during the pledge of allegiance. I am voting for Tim Goodrich, Kurt Weideman, Mike Griffiths and Ryan Mand the chicken boy. They will bring progressive issues forward. I do not allow my daughter to say the pledge of allegiance at school because our country supports fascism, christianity and jewism. Arthur is the face of fascism.
ReplyDeleteTabakian is a moderate Republican. We need to vote for real conservatives! None of these common core, minority supporting candidates like Navarro or Tabakian. Thank you Arthur for standing up against these commie loving bastards! Craig Huey puts Tabakian, Navarro and Goodrich in one pot. They are all commie bastards!
ReplyDeleteI second that. No more electing outsiders. Electing a Mexican or Armenian to Torrance City Council? No way. They don't worship God the way Americans worship.
DeleteTrue that. I follow the Christian voting guide and then attend all of Huey's presentations. Keeping Torrance pure is godly. Even Goodrich is better than any other ethnic, because he is white. I am not a racist but we need someone who looks like america. That's why I read Arthur and agree with everything he writes. God bless you Arthur.
DeleteWhy are you being racist - and uniformed? Navarro is of Cuban descent. Wow! That is truly the most prejudiced comment I have seen yet written on this post. Too bad. Even people are racist, they show how uninformed they are.
DeleteNavarro is half Mexican! Both sides are bad! He is not a real Christian! He will not govern from the bible. Too liberal for my family. No secular fakes! Plus he is friends with the illegal student helper from russia. All illegal criminals need jail and kicked out of my country. We support Huey! He gives 3 thumbs up for Donnelley because he is a real Christian who will kick out all the other ethnics.
ReplyDeleteMein freund Craig Huey is right.
ReplyDeleteI pray Mr. Huey can get Tim Donnelly the governorship so the ethnics get deported. I printed that list and started knocking on doors, telling my neighbors to vote for good Christian folk who will push those ethnics out of God's country.
ReplyDeleteAnother racist tea bagger who spreads hate. Pushing the ultra right Tim Donnelley, Craig Huey and all their puppets: Heidi Ashcraft, Alex See, Mike Griffiths, Charlotte Svolos, Milton Herring, Aurelio Mattucci, and the one and only rat boy Tom Brewer.
ReplyDeleteAll are racist trailer trash dimwits. They spread hate. All in the name of their leader Craig Huey. David Hadley is going to lose and we are going to make that a reality. Piece of garbage who does whatever Craig Huey tells him.
DeleteI just voted for Christian candidate Tim Donnelley who is going to send all the Mexicans home! Thank you Arthur for pushing the Christian soldiers!
ReplyDelete