LOS ANGELES

PLATKIN ON PLANNING-On Saturday, December 2, City Watch readers are invited to attend the Resist Gentrification Action Summit. The conference, sponsored by Housing is a Human Right.org,  takes place at Audubon Junior High School, 4120-11^th Avenue, Los Angeles, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

CALIFORNIA-Why is housing in booming U.S. cities increasingly unaffordable to everyone but the wealthiest? In early September The New York Times published a provocative op-ed that answered this question from a market-oriented perspective. 

CAPITAL & MAIN REPORT--No crowds of outraged demonstrators descended on Capitol Hill chanting, “Cut Corporate Taxes! Cut Corporate Taxes!” And scathing nonpartisan analyses uniformly showed that the biggest cuts in the GOP tax plan go to the wealthy and to corporations, while many middle- and lower-income families will face increases.

BELL VIEW-I’m confused. I don’t know what to do anymore. I can’t keep up. For years, I’ve been advocating strategic thinking when it comes to elections. Hillary Clinton is better than Donald Trump – yes? Sure, she voted for the Iraq War. And sure, she was smart enough to know better. But she had a political future to think of. And – yeah – Bill Clinton had sex with an intern (an intern) when he was President of the United States – but he was so good at getting under the skin of Republicans, and, you know, winning elections. 

ALPERN AT LARGE--Today's a special day for me and my family:  after years of fighting for the Expo Line, I get to see my Overland Avenue Elementary School daughter and her whole grade walk to the local station at Westwood/Exposition to access the LA Museum of Natural History.  Ironically, those who fought the line (and prevented a rail bridge by demanding an underground line) are nowhere to be found. 

BCK FILE--I’ve written my past few columns about what seems to be a floodgate of sexual harassment victims and each week, a few more men seem to be added to the list that is already bursting at the seams. Although pundits and social media commenters try to paint this as a partisan or “Hollywood” issue, harassment occurs in every industry and town. 

PERSPECTIVE-As much as the California High Speed Rail Authority would like to hold its own version of the Golden Spike ceremony that marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, it is more likely to experience rusty nails driven into its already beleaguered and overly-optimistic business plan. 

CORRUPTION WATCH-What exactly is the “role of government?” Answer: to provide the context within which people can live their individual lives. Our government was established back when colonialists were victimized by the abuse of power exercised by England’s King George who was mentally unstable. As educated and wealthy men, American Revolutionary leaders recognized this fact and, accordingly, espoused some basic principles: 

POLITICS--Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra, D-Pacoima, announced Monday that he would not seek re-election and immediately resign from his leadership position of Assembly Whip.

FROM A TRANSIT WAR CORRESPONDENT--It was the simple act of trying to watch on television the Division Playoffs and World Series games of the Los Angeles Dodgers. From a commercial during the games I was not expecting the assault on transit which was personal because I ride transit. 

@THE GUSS REPORT-With Governor Jerry Brown recently signing a law which will soon allow some California sex offenders to be free of the requirement of having to register for rest of their lives (an idea which may have some merit depending on circumstances) Angelenos are already at greater inherent risk if today’s column is any indication. 

TRUTHDIG--“If there is a silver lining to what is happening today, it’s that people really feel and see the urgency,” said Martha Arévalo, describing the grass-roots workers at the Central American Resource Center in Los Angeles who are trying to stop President Donald Trump’s assault on immigrants. “People who haven’t been involved say, ‘Wait a minute, we are fighting for our lives.’ “ (Photo above: United Farm Workers leader Cesar Chavez in 1975.)

CONNECTING CALIFORNIA--This is a tale of two new skyscrapers—and of two cities that have more in common than they care to admit.(Photo above: Wilshire Grand tower in Downtown LA.)

ADVOCATING FOR YOU-I am often asked why people are so disengaged when it comes to their local government. And I always have a simple answer: "They hate spinning their wheels." People get involved, put their time, effort and heart into something and then feel like they’ve accomplished nothing when it’s over. In my short time within the Neighborhood Council System, I’ve seen this over and over. 

GELFAND’S WORLD--Perhaps it's coincidence that the Elysium Conservatory Theatre is opening its production of Anton Chekhov's 1901 masterpiece Three Sisters over this Thanksgiving holiday period, but of such coincidences are insights (and reviews) made. 

EASTSIDER--Did you ever start a project to find that it takes on a life of its own?  The tenants at 3212 Verdugo Road in Glassell Park (photo below right), and the owners desire to bulldoze them over into 10 small lot subdivision homes, has turned into one of those issues for me. 

RANTZ & RAVEZ---I begin this Thanksgiving edition of RantZ and RaveZ with a few RaveZ’s.

EPPERHART EXPRESS--At the final White House briefing before Thanksgiving, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders asked reporters to say what they’re grateful for prior to asking their questions. One, at least, remembered to be thankful for the First Amendment. For the most part, the reporters were good natured about Sanders’ question, responding with the usual family, friends, and so on. I don’t think anyone mentioned Donald Trump as a source of gratitude. 

CORRUPTION WATCH-The hypocrisy about sexual predators must stop -- at least in Los Angeles where it all began anew with Harvey Weinstein. For decades the Los Angeles District Attorney Office has viciously attacked the most famous victims of child rape -- Lyle and Erik Menendez. Even with the current documentaries and TV dramas, the viciously corrupt DA’s Office denies that Lyle and Erik were raped. 

ALPERN AT LARGE--Forever we'll debate the differences and similarities of men and women, and forever we'll debate whether treating women differently than men is empowering or demeaning to either gender.  But at least we're on our way as a society to one common conclusion: that treating other human beings like chattel or sexual objects is in no way acceptable or appropriate in a civilized society. 

PLATKIN ON PLANNING--For those who care about the planet’s future, it has not been a good week.  There are no shortages of public officials who have dropped the ball, despite their power and bully pulpit to do good. (Graphic above: Maps of planet earth documenting observed global warming.)