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ELECTION 2024 - On Monday October 21, I attended a debate between the candidates for California Assembly District 44. With California being bled dry from years of mismanagement by perpetually incumbent Democrats, I thought it would be prudent to share the experience of watching yet another well-funded far left ideologue displaying his disdain for the middle-class homeowner and anyone else who dares to stray from the fold.
The debate was hosted by the West Toluca Lake Residents Association and was moderated by their President, Tess Taylor who, in my humble opinion, should be offered a job as a moderator by a major news network to show them how it’s done. (I’m serious….give her a job!) She was professional and unbiased to the point where I was unsure of her political leanings throughout the debate.
The candidates, Tony Rodriguez and Nick Schultz, were professional and civil throughout the debate…until one wasn’t.
Schultz, eager to be offended, responded to a comment by Rodriguez, who shared his belief in the importance of the “nuclear family.” Schultz’s response, in the form of a not so veiled insinuation that Rodriguez was racist or homophobic for saying so, went off like a nuclear lead zeppelin…and I don’t mean the band. For the record, nuclear, in this context, refers to two parents without reference to race or gender. Seeing Schultz's reaction to this innocuous comment was to say the least, enlightening.
MERIAM-WEBSTER: a family group that consists of only two parents and children
From that point forward, Schultz seemingly decided that he was in enemy territory and became outwardly unapologetic about the tenets of Sacramento’s current policy goals; allowing and encouraging males to compete in women’s sports, refusing to enforce criminal laws and the unhinged building of multi-family structures in well-established single family neighborhoods. He ads to this, the disconcerting assertion that he can force the vanishing entertainment industry to remain in California. “We won’t let them leave” Shultz passionately proclaimed during the debate. It is interesting that he thinks he has that power.
When Schultz says if elected, he will listen to “all” his constituents, he means only the fool's gold card carrying loyalists who enthusiastically push their way to the front of the Kool-Aid line. Of course, that can change with a single innocuous dissenting tweet or question that does not toe the “inclusive” California Democrat line.
Our inclination should be to vote for policies over the image or personality of a candidate. As a former Democrat and current “no party” voter, I am now free from the binary hive-mind voter syndrome that has divided families, friends and neighbors, decimated our State’s economy in the name of party loyalty and purposely obscured facts and figures. The gaslighting by the Republicrat Uni-party is becoming intolerable, showcased by California's implementation and ability to ruin just about everything.
So, my suggestion is to vote in our own interests this time. Set aside the hyperbolic rhetoric about how one side or the other will open up a black hole that will destroy everything we love, and instead use our innate common sense to recognize what is right in front of us. Schultz is a far-left Democrat and literally telling us what he will do if elected. I suggest we listen. Here are some compelling reasons to do so:
- California is 23rd in the country for education, spent the most on education and homelessness and is still insisting that trans rights issues should be top of the voter’s priorities. I'm not sure Schultz has ever been to a sporting event or how sports even work, far less attract participants and paying spectators.
(Reference: US News and World Report. There are others that that put California 42nd)
- Gavin is pushing legislation to permanently raise taxes to pay the same failed and corrupt agencies and nonprofits who are currently in charge of homelessness after spending billions and losing track of the money. Schultz wants to build State funded (that means “you” funded) housing for the homeless with no work or sobriety mandate to speak of; pay no attention to the absence of any long-term statistics on program success or effectiveness.
- California has created a well-entrenched homelessness industry and thrown any hope of transparency into a bureaucratic oubliette. Schultz is more than willing to continue in that tradition as Mayor of Burbank, where his homeless policies have attracted a large substance abusing population from other parts of the city seeking to take advantage of Schultz's programs.
- Schultz has refused to say who he supports for The LA District Attorney race. One could logically assume that he may be concerned about what certain people may think.
- Schultz has a buyback program in Burbank, using taxpayer monies to close Rifle, Pistol and ammunition businesses. The city of Burbank has already purchased and closed one such business.
- Schultz's newest '"affordable housing project" in the downtown Burbank area will have over 140 units with only 7 parking spaces. He has refused to answer the question of how many of those units are actually affordable.
Schultz is a well-funded proud representative of California Democrat's failed policies. Let’s not make him ours.
Here is a link to a highlight of the debate to help you decide for yourselves.
The full debate is here:
(Mark Dutton is a lifelong musician, music producer, and writer. He was arguing politics with his parents since he was a pre-teen. Majored in psychology and left college in his 3rd year on a 30 year magic bus trip around the world playing and writing music with some of the best in the biz. Mark is a contributor to CityWatchLA.com.)
