Monthly Archives : August 2014

From the ‘What was he thinking?’ Department…


Political candidates can be so entertaining.  The latest example is Milpitas City Council Candidate Garry Barbadillo who prominently posted a photo on his website of himself posing with suspended State Senator Leland Yee.  Yee, you may remember, was arrested last spring on charges of political corruption and gun trafficking (automatic firearms and shoulder launched missiles), allegedly associated with an extremist…

Inspiration of Quiet Heroes Lives On


This has been a terrible summer from the violence in the Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, to Ferguson, Missouri and murders here in San Jose.  Oh I understand each one is different and perhaps the gravity and complexity of the issues involved with each should not allow them to be lumped together. But with the onslaught of violence in…

Work and Worth


What someone is paid has little or no relationship to what their work is worth to society. Does anyone seriously believe hedge-fund mogul Steven A. Cohen is worth the $2.3 billion he raked in last year, despite being slapped with a $1.8 billion fine after his firm pleaded guilty to insider trading? On the other hand, what’s the worth to…

Madison Nguyen Job Hunting in All the Wrong Places


Now that Vice Mayor Madison Nguyen is soon to be out of a job in San Jose City government, she’s looking around for her next gig.  After coming in  third in the race for San Jose Mayor, rumor has it that she’s eyeing the District 3 Board of Supervisors seat, which is currently held by Dave Cortese.  Never mind that…

Earned Sick Leave an Ethical, Factual and Political No-Brainer


Some political debates have two equally valid sides.  More often than not, however, the evidence is significantly more one-sided than journalists and pundits suggest.  AB 1522, a bill that currently sits on the California Senate’s Committee on Appropriations on its Suspense File for consideration on August 14, is an example of legislation for which there is no ethical, intellectually honest opposition.  Three related lenses…

City Council Seat? Let Me Write a Check For That


Now that campaign finance reports are out for the end of the Primary season, we can see just what kinds of games candidates are playing to make themselves look successful. Take the case of San Jose City Council District One candidate Charles “Chappie” Jones.  Campaign reports show that Jones loaned his campaign $19,356 last spring.  At the time, his opponent…

Madison’s Coattails Are Not Just Short, They’re Non-Existent


Given that they share a conservative voting record on the City Council, Madison Nguyen’s endorsement of Sam Liccardo for Mayor comes as no surprise.  They are both to blame for the current public safety crisis and endorsing Dave Cortese would be a tacit admission that the city has crumbled under their leadership. But if Liccardo is counting on Nguyen’s coattails consider this: The San…

Special Public Safety Tax Proposal Designed To Fool Voters


UPDATE:  It looks like there will be NO public safety tax proposal on the November ballot, and NO general sales tax proposal.  The good guys on the council were able to thwart the sham of a “public safety” tax proposal and the Mayor and  his allies defeated the general sales tax plan which actually could have done some good.  Back…

Policy Watch: Your weekly tip sheet for what’s going on in your community


Santa Clara County Unaccompanied Minor Immigrants Now that we’re out of July vacations, we have a lot more to talk about on Policy Watch. Let’s start with the most dramatic, controversial and needed:  Santa Clara County Supervisors developing a “host family” program to provide temporary housing for unaccompanied immigrant children.  Thousands of children have been streaming across the southern U.S.…

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