The Morning Report
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This week, readers are interested in analyzing the results of the election and a smelly problem in La Jolla, as well as urging communities to keep banding together to deal with crime.
Check out our highlighted comments:
• Jeffrey Davis on “Cynical Political Consultant Shocked by Cynicism“:
Important back story to this and to ‘DeMaio Never Had a Shot’ … The SDGOP (and U-T) had a choice back in the spring about backing conservative ideologue DeMaio or centrist Republican Nathan Fletcher. Many saw then that Krvaric/Manchester’s choice was a foolish one given the predictable contours of the general election.
(The registration numbers, even given the very conservative make-up of the Republican primary, made a dual-GOP finish almost impossible.)
Would (R) Fletcher have beaten (D) Filner in November? Hard to say for sure, but certainly what would be needed would be a modest amount of crossover Dem voters and a better showing with DTS. Realistically, it was clear in the spring that DeMaio wouldn’t receive any meaningful crossovers and that moderates would remain cool to him. DeMaio, in other words, had no chance in the general. The SDGOP, on the other hand, did. But they would need to compromise and back a moderate.
What’s interesting now is to note that the choice that the SDGOP faced in the spring mirrors what the national GOP is now confronted with in hindsight: playing to a narrow base doesn’t win presidential general elections.
• John Stevenson on “3 Key Questions (and Answers!) on Continuing 52nd District Race“:
Is it time to reconsider the process for handling mail-in ballots? It sounds like the mail-in ballot usage causes a lot of extra expense, and delays the determination of the election winners.
What if mail-in ballots had to be in the Registrar’s office five days in advance of Election Day or delivered to the voter’s precinct voting place in person on Election Day, removed from the envelope, and added to the ballot box along with the other ballots?
• Samantha Ollinger on “Why Prop. 37 Missed This Foodie; Also: Drop the Props!“:
I agree that the proposition system is very flawed. This is why we not only elected people to office but trust that they will then hire policymakers who will make effective policies to solve problems and address citizen’s concerns. At least, that is my take.
In the meantime it pains me to see how much money was spent on all the various propositions. Quite a bit could have been solved with those funds. Maybe the system needs to change in that every dollar you donate to a proposition also requires an equivalent dollar to solve a city-based problem (for us, it could be pothole issues)
I do think this sort of system puts an undue burden on already overworked and knowledge-based workers. I don’t know how I’m supposed to know all the issues when my own knowledge base is fairly specific.
• Donald Kimball on “What’s the Big Stink About La Jolla Cove?“:
I work near downtown La Jolla, and walk by the cove a few times a week. Sometimes it really stinks. We are a victim of our environmental legislative success. The area of the preserve has been increased, so the number of Kayak fisherman in the region has decreased. The kelp harvesting operation has moved to Ireland due to our higher operating costs. We have restricted access to the cliffs and caves in the area. As a result, the local fish population has increased, and there are more and more chubby pooping cormorants, pelican and sea lions on the rocks.
• Barry Pollard on “Healing 44th Street“:
I have met the McCoys and feel their pain. In my area of SE San Diego, near Euclid and Imperial, formerly known as “Ghost Town” we have been experiencing unusually high crime for the last two years and our neighbors (30 of them) organized and together with the SDPD we have reduced crime in our area by at least 50 percent. Crime will be addressed block by block, by neighbors working together as City Heights is starting to do! Stay strong, folks. Marti Emerald strongly supports your efforts and Dana is doing a great job keeping people engaged, and the work needs to be in the neighborhoods, partnering with the police. We have created an excellent rapport with the police in our area and they have responded with care and urgency. I am one of their strongest supporters. They are not perfect but they have certainly responded to our needs. Stay strong, City Heights!
Statements have been lightly edited to fix spelling errors and typos.
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Dagny Salas is the web editor at Voice of San Diego. You can contact her directly at dagny.salas@voiceofsandiego.org or 619.550.5669.
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Disclosure: Voice of San Diego members and supporters may be mentioned or have a stake in the stories we cover. For a complete list of our contributors, click here.