Inland Empire Progressive

Does Rep. Gary Miller think the 14th Amendment is a legal loophole? I think he does. Here is his stance on Immigration from his website: "Congress must continue efforts to strengthen enforcement along the southwest border, remove loopholes in current law that invites manipulation of our laws , and shut down the job magnet that encourages individuals to enter our country illegally." Here is the 14th Amendment: All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Rep. Gary Miller’s euphemistic language on Immigration are just dog whistle politics to extremist conservatives  who consider persons born of undocumented immigrants “anchor babies”. This is why Rep. Gary Miller is dangerous for the 31st Congressional District. With Mexican immigrants making up more than a plurality of the district, Rep. Gary Miller’s policies will be anti-immigrant in nature and u...

Contributor Name Amount AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION $2,500 BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION PAC $5,000 JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. FEDERAL PAC $4,000 THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP, INC. PAC $5,000 An overview of Rep. Gary Miller’s financial records has shown that some of the Too Big Too Fail (TBTF) Banks have backed him to the maximum extent possible. These banks have made it known that they oppose the weak Frank-Dodd regulator framework or any legislation that will will make the financial sector more stable and secure.  While Rep. Gary Miller supports minimal transparency requirements of Wall St. He will not have the TBTF banks submit to the rule of law. Why does Rep. Gary Miller supports strict financial discipline on backs of poor in the district while letting wealthy banksters do as they please? Yet, he and other Conservatives claim there is no class warfare going on. Please... I ask the residents of the 31st Congressional District this: How many banksters went to jail for...

It’s hard to believe that Sen. Bob Dutton ever ran a business let alone was successful in politics. As I listened to You Tube, floor speeches, and other web content, I was kept thinking: “This guy is the guy who wants to represent us to develop 21st Century policies for the Inland Empire?” I think when it comes to government and business policies the elitist good ole boy network has seriously made him lazy and weak. His campaign his had no original thought or creativity and I don’t expect his policies in Congress will be any different. He will not express any creativity and will certainly follow the party line. He might have lived in the 31st Congressional District for 30 yrs., but his policies and thinking are from 30 years ago. But I guess a daft congressman is better than an extremist.  

While Rep. Gary Miller and Sen. Bob Dutton haven’t talked about it much, there have been events over the course of the last four years that have affected the gay community. From the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, to President Obama’s evolution on the issue, and the non-enforcement of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the gay community has achieved more policy progress than either Immigration or Climate change. On the federal level and on the state level these two conservative candidates haven’t evolved in any way on the gay rights issue in a fundamental way. They still possess an early 20th Century mentality on the issue, even though their party has a caucus of gay conservatives (the Log Cabin Republicans). Most conservative gay candidates have to be closeted in order to run for any local office. Just look what happened to Bill Postmus here in the Inland Empire to find out what happens to gay conservatives in the Republican Party. No wonder so many of them vote Libertarian! As...

This Proposition has many things that I like to see in a good Progressive governmental structure: Two-Year Budget cycle. CHECK Permits Governor to cut budget unilaterally during fiscal emergencies if Legislature can't get its shit together. CHECK Requires performance reviews of all state programs. CHECK Requires performance goals in state and local budgets. CHECK Requires publication of bills 3 days prior to legislative vote. CHECK However, Prop. 31 is a poison pill. This measure will create policy uncertainty during these already uncertain times. I do like the shift to a more local control approach provides but the costs to the state budget are just to large to justify at this time. In addition, we are not sure that all the local governmental agencies can coordinate services in a way that benefits thier residents. I can foresee funding battles across all levels of local government further eroding the sacred trust between citizens and their government. Furthermore, hams...

Source: San Bernardino Unified School District Annual Financial Report This was a very hard decision for me to make. But as I dug through the documents, it became more apprent to me that $230M dollars and the interest service payments required was just too step a price a pay for San Bernardino residents. A $140M+ bond measure was approved by in 2004 and the voters are still servicing that debt. The 2004 bond was used to build schools and remove asbestos. That is the very same thing that Measure N would do in addition to providing additional security measures and equipment upgrades. This is why it was hard for me to vote no on Measure N. SBUSD kids need help: Our Math Skill Proficiency is at 60% 37%, our API is dropping, and more cuts are coming if Prop. 30 doesn't pass. This is trifecta of trouble! However,  I point to the chart above which is pulled from SBUSD financial statements. The total debt owed is $403,803,838 dollars! If...

I listened to the whole hour of his lecture to folks at the Immanuel Church and he so mangles political documents and religious scripture that this clip from Billy Madison kept coming into my mind.

San Bernardino could use a little sprucing up to say the least. My city has been kick while its down. Hard luck even in good times. Even some its most active citizens talk about it or hide it like some bastard step child. But I’m here to tell you folks its not that bad… in some parts its like you stepped into another world. Like E St. and I want to say 17th, but I can’t recall the cross street. Its shaded and shadowed by trees on both sides. The houses are in the Spanish style that is most beloved architecture here in the Inland Empire. But you wouldn’t believe that a just a couple of blocks north or south you enter rundown apartment complexes with mix-matched colors. Its like two different socio-economies squeezed into a small space. I say this because I do think we need more estate zoning. That means McMansion lot sizes with grand and beautiful Spanish houses filling those lots. I think it will give our city a much need touch of hope and balance.

I think that zoning plays a big part in how cities are prosperous or stagnant. San Bernardino should be building a city that can withstand recession because we did not go with the whims or fashions of the day. We should be a city that works for the long term and that can be distinct and competitive with our neighbors. We have a template now that can be leveraged to provide maximum benefit to our residents. Three corridors are zoned as commercial but we have yet to maximized the potential of that leverage. Highland Ave, Baseline Ave, and E St. are the commercial corridors that need to be developed into their full potential. Highland Ave. and Baseline Ave. are already built out. However, not all the stores are filled. Especially on the east end. Where it kind of dies out after Del Rosa Ave. then picks up on Sterling Ave. Baseline Ave. is built out as well. But these two corridors can use some TLC to be spruced up for provide less of a run down feel and more of an up and coming feel. ...

San Bernardino stands for small business! Whether it be from national chains like McDonalds, which started in San Bernardino, to long time restaurants like The Mexico, Alfredos, or Miltas, San Bernardino has not been hostile to folks who want to take risks. However, I do see some problems as far as retention is concerned. The inability to keep businesses here after they have grown to a certain size is a sad reality for a city that is full of promise. Starbucks bought Evolution fresh and moved it to Rancho Cucamonga. IEHP is moving to Rancho Cucamonga. We have to stem the tide before its too late. Here is a list of the major contributors to the inability to retain businesses: Weak Chamber of Commerce Our local chamber of commerce is lackluster at best. The communication and business recruitment strategy is nonexistent. They are not utilizing social media effectively to bring in younger and minority demographic businesses. I feel that the current Chamber has largely written off our...

I have respected Mr. Warner since I first met him at the Inland Valley Democratic Club. He is a solid pragmatic Progressive on the issues of the day. He will represent and defend the Inland Empire well. Compared to Asm. Mike Morrell, it should be a given to throw your support Mr. Warner. Mr. Morrell has been extreme in the legislature and unproductive. Mr. Morrell takes Hard Conservative stands in this increasingly moderate district. Finally, he has no political courage to stand up to the base of his party and do what needs to do to benefit families in the Inland Empire. Here are some good reasons to support Mr. Warner: Compromise In politics compromise is the political currency that gets things done. Mr. Warner can comprise to bring much needed funding ( for education, infrastructure, etc.) and jobs to the area in exchange for tough political votes. I point the Republican Sen. Bob Dutton example, that in exchange for his vote he b...

I despise ballot box budgeting, however since I will be personally affected (Cal State Student) if this prop fails I am compelled to vote for it. I was 49% in favor of not voting for it. The primary reason is becasue they cut funding for the Ralph M. Brown Act. I am afraid local governments will use the cut as an excuse to reduce transparency even though we live in the digital age and costs for posting agendas, budgets, etc. online are minimal. However, this gives them some political cover. The bulk of the reductions will be from schools, which would make sense on its face education make up the majority of the General Fund budget. But Prop. 30 still feels like a hostage negotiation that if doesn't pass we will cut funding to children and young adults. If Prop. 30 does pass, Democrats in the legislature need to seriously gather the intestinal fortitude necessary to bring about a stablized and ...

It's hard to believe that with less than 30 days until the election Rep. Gary Miller has yet to outline ANY housing policy in community gatherings or even on the Issues Page of his website. You have to understand that the congressman lives and breathes housing: A strong supporter of the MITD (Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction) with no caps for high income earners, he sits on the Insurance, Housing, and Community Opportunity Subcommittee, and hell, he even started a small business in the housing industry. He loves housing so much you would think he was Paul Bunyan!!! This is in addition to the National Association of Realtors and Mr. Miller's Wall Street allies having dumped $1M+ into his "re-election" campaign. Inland Empire residents have to ask: What gives? Here are some of the current options that have been floating around the past 4 years: 1) Eminent Domain (Govt. siezing loans and selling them to private investors.) 2) Bulk Buying (...

I was listening to the Political Hour podcast hosted by Mark Westwood the other day, but (for those interested) can as well listen to the program on the radio Tuesday's at KCAA 1050 on the AM dial. Mr. Westwood was interviewing the Inland Empire regional director for the Obama for America campaign. She was commenting on how different walks of life come to support the President in his reelection efforts by paticipating in phonebanking or taking road trips to battleground states. However one thing in particular stuck out. She said that Democrats from normally Conservative parts of Riverside County have been excited to hear from a fellow Democrat. They were excited because they thought they were the only ones who were Democrats in the area and were glad to here from someone with the same values contacting them. I laughed because that is way some Democrats felt in San Bernardino...

Progressive Democrats (myself included) are not happy about the choices they have in November. The prospects of living under Republican governance for the next two years is met with a glumness. MoveOn.org publishes a ballot guide asking local voters their ballot choices. As you can see from the statements below, that glumness is palpable. The most laughable statement is that he is the more moderate of the two candidates. I would say his recent comments against a pathway to citizens for Mexican immigrants beg to differ. Both Rep. Gary Miller and Sen. Bob Dutton are Conservative extremists in moderate clothing, twisting their principles to try and comform with a nonexistant moderation. Some of the top rated reasons for supporting Mr. Dutton are to vote against Gary Miller. There is much resignation in the ranks of Democrats that a plum seat has been lost in the short term. In 2014, wh...

 Source: Center for the Continuing Study of the California Economy   During the candidate forum, Mr. Morrell told a Texas tale. This tale was how Texas was an economic miracle. Gov. Rick Perry sends a crafted Walnut box with the governors seal to every California CEO. Inside the box is a cell phone with one number: a direct line to the Mr. Perry himself! The CEO calls Mr. Perry up, and Mr. Perry tries to persuade the CEO to move his business to Texas: The land of no taxes and little regulation.  It's a mantra amongst conservatives to decry the business climate in California. This incessant bedwetting points to their deminished political power in the state. High taxes, excessive regulation, and an anti-business climate are to blame, they say.  However, as many economists have pointed out: California has been creating jobs at rapid clip, keeping pace or even exceeding those states ...

This forum sponsored by the Rancho Cucamonga Chamber of Commerce shows that Russ Warner has what it takes to represent the Inland Empire in the 40th Assembly District. This debate was mostly about economic growth, climate, and ideas. Mr. Warner spoke on reducing our dependence on Los Angeles county, by hammering home the theme of local control. He said Ontario can create upwards of 9,000 jobs if Los Angeles County would release its iron grip from the Inland Empire. In addition, he said a County Chamber of Commerce should be created so that city chambers can reduce the economic poaching the most certainly occurs between cities and focus on fostering regional growth. Also, he spoke on maintaining a balance economic growth and environmental protection. I would use Rialto as an example here. How much government money has been spent to clean up the percholrate left there? We can have economic growth and environmental protection, they are not mutually exclusive. Finally, he spok...

  The simple math of 4 Dems and 2 Republicans placed the Dems in a statistical disadvantage from the beginning. Of the Dems 1 was a carpetbagger (Rita Ramirez-Dean) but being a female Latina and a strong advocate of education was sure to syphon some votes. Renea Wickman ran for the assembly in 2010 and lost, but wanted a bigger prize in the congressional race. I thought she was the clear frontrunner, but our fundraising was minimal and the candidate was not as inspiring as she was in 2010. Justin Kim was a surprise. He ran a very progressive and grassroots campaign which got the youth vote, Asians, and educated voters very excited. He also has a fundraising base in Loma Linda where he is from. I will most definitely be supporting him if he decides to run in 2014. Pete Aguilar was not ready for prime time. He has a donor base, but it is uncertain if they will return to the fold in 2014. In addition, as I inspected his background more and more I found he was a DINO that had ties...