Quotation

Scott Peters announces Bilbray challenge

October 17, 2011 by Calitics

Second high-profile Democrat enters race against Bilbray

There's been speculation for a while, but today Port Commissioner and former San Diego City Council President Scott Peters officially entered the race for the (new) 52nd Congressional District, challenging Brian Bilbray. He becomes the second high-profile Democrat in the race, joining former Assemblywoman Lori Saldana in the race.

From the Peters release:

"Some of our Representatives have worked within the Washington D.C. Beltway for so long, they've forgotten they work for the people back home," said Peters. "I will bring an independent, problem-solving approach to Washington to help end the gridlock that's hamstrung our current Congress."

"The American people, especially San Diegans, don't care as much about party politics as they care about their jobs, quality of life and their children's futures. They are embarrassed and worried that our national representatives can't put personal politics aside and put the people they represent first," he added.

"The unrelenting partisanship in Congress has put our economy at even greater risk at a time when families already face unemployment and uncertainty at levels most have never experienced" he said.

Democrat Evelyn Madrid Erhard Rallies Supporters in Quest for CD 2 Seat

October 17, 2011 by Democracy for N...

Contributing writer Stephen Jones checks in with more on-the-ground coverage from Southern New Mexico.

10/17: ABQ City Councilor Rey Garduño to Intro Proclamation Supporting We Are 99%-Occupy Wall Street Movement

October 16, 2011 by Democracy for N...

Albuquerque City Councilor Rey Garduño (District 6) has announced that he will be introducing a proclamation (pdf) at the Albuquerque City Council meeting that starts at 5:00 PM on Monday, October 17, at One Civic Plaza. The document states that the governing body of the City of Albuquerque recognizes "We Are The 99%," and stands with the Occupy Wall Street movement, listing the reasons why.

In the video clip above, taken at Satuday's demonstration on Central Avenue in the Nob Hill area, Councilor Garduño discusses the proclamation and his reasons for presenting it to the City Council.

The Republican chaos engine

October 14, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

The thing to keep in mind when dealing with modern Republicans is that they depend heavily on two tactics: One of those tactics can best be described as a sophisticated version of the childhood retort: "I know you are, but what am I?" That's the effective GOP response when, for example, critics accurately note that Republican administrations tend to run high deficits and enact tax giveaways for special interests that make those deficits worse.

The second tactic, which is really just a psychological means of dealing with their own hypocrisy, is when Republicans project their own behaviors and motives onto the opposition. In short, Republicans are willful dissemblers but also, deeper down, in denial of their own dysfunction and inadequacy -- and quite willing to fantasize that it's always the other guy's fault. Projection increasingly is the psycho-glue that holds their fractured party and ideology together.