Home Politics Page 6

Politics

Was the (not) Adam Gray Tweet a Trial Balloon?

It’s no secret that Josh Harder’s successful campaign against Republican Congressman Jeff Denham in 2018 was a blow to Adam Gray’s political hopes. Insiders agree that Gray had planned to run against Denham in 2020, before he was termed out by the “lifetime” California term limits rule of 12 years total in office of any […]

Democracy Threatened in California Congressional District 10

All across this nation, GOP-led states are carving up and contorting congressional districts to dilute and suppress the votes of “socialist” Democrats, and, more specifically, people of color. Officially known as “redistricting,” their aim is clear — to take back control of the House of Representatives in 2022 by any means possible, even if illegal, […]

Valley Politics: (Mis)Reading the Recall

There has never been a way Gavin Newsom could win over voters in the bright red San Joaquin Valley. That’s why post-recall commentary from Valley leaders and pundits has thus far missed the mark. In assuming Newsom ever had a chance with highly partisan Valley voters, most everyone has focused on Newsom’s position on water. […]

On the Bus with Sue Zwahlen, Vito Chiesa, and Josh Harder

Just after noon on April 6, Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen, Stanislaus County Supervisor Vito Chiesa, and Congressman Josh Harder boarded one of Modesto’s zero emission buses at 1010 10th Street for a ride out to one of the city’s unincorporated “islands” near Hanshaw Middle School, just west of Crows Landing Road in Stanislaus County. They […]

Rainbow over Modesto Greets New Mayor Zwahlen

Some said the rainbow that arced over Modesto early Tuesday morning touched down at Sue Zwahlen’s residence in the city’s college district, but they must have been looking from an odd perspective. To most observers, the rainbow looked like it had one end just outside the city to the southwest, with the other end touching […]

Is David Valadao the Valley’s only Honorable Republican?

There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution. Liz Cheney Cynics are saying that when David Valadao voted to impeach Donald Trump — he was one of only ten House Republicans to do so — he was acting on a […]

Outcry Rises over Supervisor’s Seeming Sympathy with Insurrection

The day after the attempted coup of January 6, Stanislaus County Supervisor Terry Withrow published comments on his Facebook page that offered an eerie echo of Donald Trump’s now infamous remarks that there were “good people on both sides” during the demonstrations in Charlottesville. Withrow said that there were “sincere people on both sides” of […]

Sue Zwahlen Will Put Modesto Back in Business

There was little to learn from Wednesday’s debate between Sue Zwahlen and Modesto City Councilmember Doug Ridenour. Sponsored by the Modesto Bee, the debate stumbled through technical problems and distraction from the tumult in Washington DC. Neither Ridenour nor Zwahlen could muster much passion; they clearly like and respect one another. Ridenour was most animated […]

No, Mr. DeMartini, Homeless People are not Bums

There’s a lot to unpack in Stanislaus County Supervisor Jim DeMartini’s recent comments about homeless people, but let’s start with his claim that they’re “bums.” Not too long ago, most any high school senior could have recognized such an assertion as a hasty generalization, but after decades of talk show bombast and free market propaganda, […]

The Monster in Our Valley

Donald Trump spent the last days of his campaign thrashing and flailing like a feral hog trapped in a rising mire of its own turpitude. He went out in an orgy of scapegoating, blame shifting and self-pity. His post-election threats to sue and invalidate the votes of millions of the American people have been met […]