Richmond, California voters elected a member of the Green Party to be Mayor, on November 7. Unlike many cities in California, the voters directly choose their Mayor by a direct election (the more normal California pattern is for the city council to choose one of its own to be Mayor). The election, like all city and county elections in California, is non-partisan. However, the winning Green is well-known for being a member of the Green Party. She has been on the city council since 2002. She is Gayle McLaughlin, who won a 3-person race with 37.2% of the vote. The defeated incumbent, Irma Anderson, polled 36.1%, and a third candidate, Gary Bell, received 26.1%. The remaining .6% was cast for write-in candidates.
One of our dearest friends and supporters and long term allies has been Green legend Napa [Weekly] Sentinel owner Harry Martin and
Mister Martin has run letters and articles ‘ad infinitum’ on veterans abuse for at least a decade. He personally counselled Veterans Home of California – Yountville abused patient Richard Oliver Sewell (died 2001 at Veterans Home of California – Barstow) in the early 1990s.
Recently we visited the Napa Sentinel staff on a 5000 Kilometers [3600 Miles] Mexico to Canada and back political road tour. We did not stop long as we figured as a standing City Council Member whom has given and given and given to the community, he was bound to win re-election in a cake walk.
Like his bid for Mayor in 2004, he did not win the latest popularity contest in 2006. One of the ‘winning’ candidates this time, literally bought, out right paid for, his endorsement by local law enforcement.
Harry Martin would have been the longest serving Council Member in Napa municipal history had he been re-elected and completely served out his FOURTH consecutive term. Like the mayor’s election, the rank and file ‘little’ people whom Harry has stood up for since his days on the Napa [Daily] Record did not return the favor.
Like the 2004 mayor’s race, tons of anti populist pro corporate money, much less historic grudges held by the Record came into the last days of the election.
We think Napa City and County do not deserve a public servant of Martin’s caliber. You did not fail your community, Harry Martin. The every day, myoptic, distracted average citizen of Napa failed you.
We are not in love with Albert Gore [Junior] and Fake Independent [Gulf War Joe] Lieberman or John Kerry [George W. Kissing Cousin] Kerry and Go Along John Edwards. But we see the 2000, 2002, and 2004 Red states and counties as the 21st Century Red Neck states and counties.
This type of voter apathy is the meat and potatoes of fascists like the NeoCons. This type of voter apathy was the reason, along with the lack of the Democrats truly being a viable ‘Loyal Opposition’, for the national and regional public administration disasters of the recent past.