Inland Empire Progressive

Now that the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has purchased the election for Rep. Gary Miller, what is next for the housing market here in the Inland Empire? My feeling is that we should contact NAR since Rep. Gary Miller will vote the way they tell them him to. The city of San Bernardino is being sold wholesale to investors, increasing blight and absentee slumlords from Orange and Los Angeles counties. Over half of the houses in San Bernardino are now renter occupied. How is this a recipe for local control? Rep. Gary Miller could care less, as long as the campaign contribution keep rolling in form the National Association of Realtors.

As Ezra Klien points out, the Ryan Budget (which Rep. Gary Miller voted for) is a radical document that balances the budget in 10 years on the backs of middle and working class folks. Mr. Miller's states that he doesn't want to raise taxes on middle income and low income folks. No, he wants to cut the programs that they are currently relying on to help make ends meet, while asking the higher income folks for little sacrifice. Mr. Miller's also states that other budgets raise taxes on middle and low income folks. This is a lie. The Progressive Caucus Budget, the most liberal of all the budgets creates 5 tax brackets on high income folks, while holding middle and low income folks harmless. Mr. Miller is so elite and out of touch that he thinks folks in the North End of Rancho Cucamonga are low income. Hey, Mr. Miller try living in San Bernardino on minimum wage and see what real  poverty feels like. 

When times are good some folks on the city council don't want to cut Public Safety, the city might lose officers to other cities. When times are bad, some folks on the city council don't want to cut Public safety because of fears that the crime rate goes up. Damned if you and damned if you don't. Either way your damned. What baffles me is why we aren't using a comprehenisve approach to Public Saftey. Gathering Churches, Non-Profits, Local Businesses, and the City Government staff to canvass the afflicted neighborhoods trying to figure out the symptoms of the chronic crime seems like the most logical thing we can do to reduce crime. Supposedly, Operation Pheonix was a good program, but once the funding ran dry it was dead. We need something that is inexpensive, but lasting. I think actually canvassing these neighborhoods and surveying the needs would be step in the right direction.  

According to some residents, the city of San Bernardino is a populated by pimps, prostitutes, and panhandlers. But as I walk through the city, it's not as bad as people make it out to be. We are a tough, yet proud people that hustle hard just to rub two nickles together. Sometimes I think this bad mouthing is political. I know why outsiders would bad mouth us, it's because it will economically benefit them if our citizens increase their sales tax revenues. These elitist cities would economically vulturize our community for their own gain. But our own folk? Where's the end game? I just don't see the benefit.

The Perspective of Rich and Poor Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as the flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. James 1: 9-11 You would think that being a ranking member of the Financial Services Committee, that he would use his subpoena power to have Wall Street hauled before the man to demand justice for the financial devistation. Or at the very least, light a fire under Attorney General Eric Holder's ass to be more aggressive in going after Wall Street crimes. But sadly, no. He defends Wall Street tooth and nail, while Main Street withers.

The problem with the 31st Congressional District is that there is no natural leadership. There is no candidate that really excites on the Democratic side. I mean look at Riverside's Rep. Mark Takano, a Proud Progressive. Now that's a person who inspires volunteers to fight the good fight. Why is San Bernarino County so late to the party all of the time? It would be nice to be first for once. Anyway, I guess we'll just have to settle. It's too bad Justin Kim is sitting this one out . It's no secret that Rep. Gary Miller's seat is a prime pickup opportunity for the Dems. The curious thing is that even though Mr. Miller knows he is a target, he hasn't shifted any of his policy positions to the left. He makes nice sounds, but no real movement.  I think a certain fatalism has taken hold of him, like the captain of the Titanic. He would rather go down with the sinking ship than vote with the Dems on anything. At least the Blue Curs (Dogs) side with Reps now a...

San Bernardino has a shortage of professional class employees and entrepreneurs that is keeping our city from improving upon our median income. I watched this video and give full throated support for the need of more programmers as well as engineers and other STEM folks. In addition, in most cases it's free to learn to code! We just have to apply ourselves and make a dedicated effort in this area because it is not easy. However, this is not to disparage our need for blue collar folks, but we need to get them out of the construction trade. We need more mechanics, truckers, and electricians for people who feel college is not the right fit for them.

What I would like to see in San Bernardino mayor is someone who will tell it like it is, and then make the decisions necessary to lead us in a foundational direction. A balance budget, safe maintained streets, and economic localism would be a start. I really do think some sections of the population are getting shafted and used as a political punching bag (mainly the young) and others are not being brought into the fold and celebrated. Have we ever had a Cinco de Mayo parade? Or celebrated the Chinese New Year? We don't celebrate our diversity like we should.  In addition, I don't like public safety charity. They feel like handouts, when what we really need is a hand up. It's nice to have new sewing machines, lighted baseball fields, or some park benches, but will that really heal our budget woes in which a large percentage is Public Safety.  Public Safety: We need your property taxes and sales taxes! We need you to live here! When our so called heroes don't ...

Aww Spring, out with the old and in with new. Well for San Bernardino that out with old sometimes means abandoned mattresses, mattress boxes, couches, and sofas. My street (Pumalo St) is a favorite dumping ground because it's relatively isolated. Because of our highly mobile population (renters are like 49% of the population), this can happen.  I has an idea to start a mattress recycling biz, because I think we have a market for it. In the meantime, San Bernardino residents (including those in unincorporated areas, Highland, Rialto, Redlands, and Colton) our city is not a dumping ground, no matter what you might think. Thank You.

Imagine what it take to leave you country to move to a foriegn land because the opportunities there are so much greater than your home. On a local level, I think about it all the time. San Bernardino is not the safest city, public meeting places (third spaces) are few and far between, there are not that many job prospects for a person of any skill set. Yet, I choose to stay here because I want to fight make this city a better place. It would be hard for me to leave Now imagine again what it takes for someone from Jalisco, Juarez, or even Mexico City to pick up, travel to the border, pay a coyote (someone who smuggles a person across the border), and risk being abandoned or killed in the process. It is a great sacrifice. The person might be the sole bread winner in the household. And when they get here the propects aren't that great, but they are greatful because they can send money back home to feed their extended families. In addition, they do jobs that most Americans will ...