To Those Still Reading

To my utter shock, I find that there are still occasionally people who read this blog--and not for a bit; I've seen views of 20-30 minutes or more. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to keep things up here, but then again, it's not like there's been a whole lot to do. St. Ron has absolutely lived down to my scraping the bottom of the barrel expectations and there's no reason to think he won't continue to do so. That the same benighted constituencies that pushed his candidacy (see J. Allen whatever his name is at the fish wrap cum toilet paper Berkeley Daily Planet for some particularly maladroit praising with non-damns) is making a concerted effort to ignore the fact that St. Ron is ignoring his job and basically drawing an increased check for sitting around is hardly surprising. The only question is how long it will take those whose liberalism is as unthinking as Bush's backer's conservatism ever was to figure this out.

St. Thin Skinned Starting To Show

Unfortunately, there's yet more evidence that the new Dellums administration is basically playing off the playbook that several of us in the blogosphere (V Smoothe and Oakland Native as well as myself) predicted he would. St. Ron's notoriously think skin with regard to the press and critics is rearing its head remarkably early; earlier than I must say even I expected. As EBX's Will Harper notes, Dellums martyr complex with respect to the press hasn't been mellowed a bit by his years working in the corporate world. And with word that Dellums wants to put an initiative on the ballot to give the mayor veto power over City Council votes, this plot is unfolding all too sadly and all too predictably. Apparently, the transparency in government that Dellums ran on extends to those who genuflect first and ask non-questions later.

Dellums' First News Conference: One Positive Sign, Several Worrisome Ones

In his first official news conference as Mayor elect, Ron Dellums outlined, in bare terms, what his coming administration will set out to achieve. Here's a quick run down of the one positive note, along with the more worrisome ones.

1. His proposal for a genaral audit of the city finances is a good one. There's no harm in finding out where the money is going, so long as all departments and expenditures are held under scrutiny. Let's hope this includes Gay Cobb's little fiefdom, aka Private Industry Council, which rakes in millions of taxpayer dollars a year and takes roughly 11K a year to train one inddividual for what is basically an entry level job. Let's also hope that Desley Brooks and her financial legerdemain with her staff funds is looked into. If Dellums truly opens all of the books, then this could only be applauded.

2. On the other hand, his criticism of the recent staffing moves by Police Chief Tucker (to flood East and West Oakland with officers) is very disturbing. Maintainng the autonomy and authority of the Chief of Police was an explicit part of Dellums' campaign platform; Not only that, this policy of Chief Tucker's has the added virtue of actually having been proved to work in Compton. Dellums slavish fealty to community policing (something he shares with virtually everyone in this city) is something that should be examined. As I noted in an earlier post, there is considerable doubt among professional criminologists and law enforcement experts that community policing actually reduces crime. This could well be one of those times when what seems like the answer turns out wrong. In fact, the evidence from New York is that it's precisely the kinds of rapid flooding of problem areas with police that actually do the most to stop crime. Community policing makes people feel safe, but that's not the same as actually making them safe.

3. Dellums' bold move of convening task forces to study problems is definitely worrisome, and, I hate to say, completed predicted by me. This is such a standard and stale move from politicians that I sincerely hope that before long, Oaklanders demand less study, more reliance on what's already been studied, and more action. Plus the idea that "[We're] going to awaken one morning and brilliant ideas are going to come forward," is so naively polyanish that it's almost embarrassing. Didn't Dellums supporters vote for him because he already had the ideas?

In sum, things are playing out almost exactly as I predicted, and that's not the greatest sign in the world for our city.

Run Off In Oakland: What We'll See If Dellums Wins

Sorry for no posts in a while, but professional and family duties (enjoyable of course) called. Well, it looks like there's going to be a run off in November for the mayor's race. Since so many Oakland voters appear unaware of the true Ron Dellums vision of Oakland, I suggest they cast their eyes a bit to the north, where Dellums actually has lived and frowm which he's drawn inspiration and support, for a glimpse of his vision. Why, it's nothing other than our fair neighbor (and my alma mater) Berkeley. Check out this article in the EBX for a glimpse of the Dellums' idea of a 21st century model city--where the future is not only not left to the whims of the free market (God forbid!), but where the free market is first brought to heel, then chased out of town!.

The Full Case Against Ron Dellums

Fellow concerned Oaklanders and bloggers V Smoothe and Oakland Native have come up with about the most complete catalogue of the almost uncountable reasons to keep lobbyist Ron Dellums from being elected mayor of Oakland. Please read it!

St. Ron Refuses To Talk To Yet Another Media Outlet

Further cementing his already well deserved reputation as George W. Bush's leftist soul mate with respect to relations with the free press, Ron Dellums has refused to talk with another media outlet: NBC 11, the local NBC affiliate. How do you think this man would treat the press in office if, in the middle of a heated campaign, he can't bring himself to speak with a major affiliate? Was it because they refused to let him handpick the interviewer? When St. Ron isn't granted the deference which he feels is his due, he's known to get quite testy. What a hero!

A True Local Hero Endorses Ignacio De La Fuente

In the Berkeley Dialy Planet, a true local hero, Patrick McCullough writes to endorse Ignacio De La Fuente. When someone who has literally put his life on the line and almost single handedly rescued a neighborhood talks, I think anyone concerned with crime and safety should listen. I'll quote the passage below:

IGNACIO
Editors, Daily Planet:

Ron Dellums’ great vision for Oakland is identical to that of the person I hope will be our next mayor, Ignacio De LaFuente. I’ve wondered just what we’ve missed that, now, it’s said, it requires our long absent/retired former representative to stop lobbying for private interests, show us the way, and save us.

Who’s missed that education, healthcare, economic progress, and criminality are inextricably intertwined? Oakland’s City Council, led by De LaFuente, regularly wrestles with the relationship in debates ranging from the school system to sideshows to the Port of Oakland. Ignacio’s led and encouraged collaboration among residents, NGOs, government agencies, and city departments notably the federal, state, regional and county agencies dealing with crime, education, and transportation.

Who’s missed seeing that all residents have a stake and say in what happens in our future, and why government inefficiency can be tolerated no more than corporate welfare or criminal violence? We who’ve lived in Oakland the past decade, braving the street crooks and the boardroom crooks, know that Ignacio has worked diligently to overcome the cards we’ve been dealt and effect the “better world” vision we share.

It’ll become more obvious that the best candidate for Mayor is the guy who’s been here living with and working for us, and that the only thing we’ve missed is the sleight of hand pushing voters to another messiah.

Patrick K. McCullough

Two-fer From The Oakland School Board

In a feat that would make Euclid smile, the Oakland School board has managed inadvertantly to make two points in one fell swoop with an elegance rarely seen. The Oakland School board voted 4-2 to to grant diplomas to students who have failed the state exit exam but who have passed all other high school graduation requirements. What Dan Siegel and his fellow incompetents have managed to show, in robbing the diplomas of 1352 students of any meaning to socially promote 140 students who can't master 8th grade math after numerous tries, is something about themselves, and something about lobbyist turned panderer extraordinaire Ron Dellums.

1. The Oakland School board, by passing what was wisely rejected in Richmond and San Francisco, are completely unqualified to manage a bake sale, let alone a school district. The only thing that has kept them from returning to their days of Ebonics promoting laughing stock, is the fact that they have no real authority.

2. Ron Dellums, in insisting that the Oakland School board be reinvested with power and in reinjecting himself in the exit exam strategy as a last minute ploy to save his dying mayoral bid, deserves no more responsibilities than he already as a lobbyist.

Would that that the Oakland school board were this devestatingly concise in all its dealings.