Among the more puzzling aspects of Ted Brandvold’s term as Mayor of Modesto is his desire to run again. He’s never seemed to like the job, and has even less aptitude for it than enthusiasm, yet there he was at the September 23 Modesto Bee Mayors’ Forum, seeking another term. The mayor was subjected to some withering criticism, with the cruelest blow coming from current City Councilmember and former ally […]
Politics
On Science, the Republican Party Plays the Doubt Card
During an era when civil discourse seems more endangered every day, Rossean Hunter manages to maintain respect for others while making a good case for science over politics. We’ve made some minor changes to her comments on a recent story by Keith Law and featured them here. We appreciate her insights and tone. Hello Friend: Perhaps you remember my husband and I. We have enjoyed working with you and know […]
The Supervisor’s Guide to Living Large by Avoiding Taxes
“I’ve had it with California. It’s the hostile business climate, the politics and high taxes,” said Stanislaus County Supervisor James R. DeMartini, explaining why he was moving to Nevada instead of running again for his board seat. If he was trying to sound like a victim, some aren’t buying it. Mr. DeMartini has been living large and will only live larger when he makes the move. Here what he has […]
Reviewing Stanislaus County Supervisors Races: Districts 1 and 5
Upcoming elections in Stanislaus County Districts 1 and 5 could result in a change of direction for a board that has lost its way since the onset of Covid-19. In District 1, Modesto City Councilmember Bill Zoslocki is running against Buck Condit, a Captain in the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District. Both candidates participated in the Modesto Bee’s taped candidate’s forum on August 31. Zoslocki distinguished himself on the issue […]
Reviewing California’s Ballot Propositions: When in Doubt, Vote “No”
Propositions are established via citizen petitions or by order of the State Legislature for an assortment of reasons. Some propositions amend the state constitution, requiring a vote of the citizens. Some proposals intend to undo decisions made by the state legislature or to circumvent the legislative process. Some propositions favor special interests. There are twelve propositions on the California ballot for the November election. Voters will need to wade through […]
Congressman Tom McClintock’s Deadly Denial of Global Warming
Bob Woodward’s new tell-all book, Rage, reveals specific evidence that Donald Trump knew about the severity of Covid-19 (C-19) before it ravaged our nation, killing nearly 200,000 and sinking our economy. Not only did Trump willfully withhold information that he knew would save lives, but he also actively lied about the virus, and continues to invite supporters to mass gatherings against all medical advice. The same is true of Republican political […]
Byrd Still Best for MID Board
Suzy Powell-Roos, a three-time Olympian and perhaps the most globally successful local athlete in recent memory, gives the Modesto Irrigation District (MID) a “B” or “B+” for its performance over the last two years. It’s the same grade assigned by incumbent board member Larry Byrd, whom Powell-Roos is challenging. With an overall good grade for the board, Powell-Roos would ordinarily need a galvanizing issue or issues to unseat an incumbent, […]
Reviewing the Races for Modesto City Council, Districts 1 and 3
We’ll be providing recaps and review on the Modesto Bee local political forums, beginning here with reviews of the taped interviews for Modesto City Council Districts 1 and 3. Though city and county elected offices are theoretically non-partisan, nothing has made the contrary more evident than the Covid pandemic, when wearing or rejecting a facemask has become a political statement. And so it is that recent Modesto Bee candidates’ forums […]
Josh Harder: The Congressman Unmasked
“The Postal Service is enshrined in our Constitution. It’s what brings America together; it’s the connective fabric of America.” We caught Josh Harder without a mask yesterday, but we had to use a zoom lens. Harder has been wearing a face mask and practicing social distancing for months. Monday, he was outside and more than six feet from the nearest person when he took off his mask for a short […]
Local Leaders to Essential Workers: “You are Expendable”
It was only a few months ago that Donald Trump thought he could ride a strong economy into a second term as President of the United States. Having avoided removal from office during an impeachment that Senator Mitch McConnell nullified before it started, Trump was confident he would cruise into the November election buoyed by a booming stock market and rising employment numbers. When news came in January that a […]