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Hedrick Rocks pt 1 (introduction; the "Manifold Failings of Ken Calvert"; introducing Republican primary challenger Chris Riggs;
and meeting Bill's family)
OCP: ... All right, would you like to talk about any LOCAL issues in the 44th District, that you would address differently from Mr. Calvert?
Hedrick: Well, there are tons of local issues in both counties [Riverside and South OC.] Let's see...
For one thing, Mr. Calvert has been a strong proponent of the toll roads in South Orange County. He supported the route through San Onofre State Beach and the Don O'Neill Conservancy. That plan was dead but the extension seems to be coming back to life. I certainly think the first plan was disastrous, and I'm opposed to that extension. Any extension of the road at all needs to be done closely in concert with the environmental community as well as the residents, and all of the options examined. But frankly, I think more can be done with the 5, and that's what we need to be looking at. I don't think it's a really viable plan to go after the Marine Corps to try to do a land swap, because that's got a new set of problems that will be attached to it. So that's an issue that we'd like to hold off on, and look for better solutions than the extension.
Let's see... Mr. Calvert proposed offshore drilling as a solution to our energy problems. That was markedly unpopular in San Clemente and other areas in Orange County, as well as certain segments in the rest of the state. I think that that was a mistake and it's very damaging to the local interests there, and we would not go down that road. What I would do is have substantially more investment in alternative energy; certainly the Inland Empire ought to be a natural area for both manufacturing as well as a market for that. We're situated to take off in that regard, and I would certainly follow that forcefully.
Okay, in the city of Riverside, the issue of grade separation is huge. Essentially, that's the railroads that rumble through this city. We need to have underpasses constructed, or overpasses. But mostly... if you can imagine a two-mile train coming to a slow stop, tying up, basically splitting the city. And if you're in an ambulance on one side and the hospital is on the other side, you've got a problem. Trains are going to become longer and they're going to be in greater frequency. So I would certainly do everything I could to access the transportation dollars necessary to complete the projects that the city of Riverside needs in order to ensure safety of the local citizens as well as the free flow of traffic.
Those, I know, are substantial issues in this community. And...
OCP: I was just hearing about the terrible unemployment in this county [Riverside]
Hedrick: Yeah, I was just going to bring that up - unemployment is huge here. There are pockets in the 44th District where it's certainly at least 15% and probably approaching 20%; that's as currently calculated...
OCP: And of course you have to double that...
Hedrick: Yeah, seriously, that's not including those who've given up, or grossly underemployed. Well, what we need is... honestly, I would support tax credits for small businesses who are creating jobs here. As a last resort, I believe that the... well, we need to work harder at stimulating the local economy, that's the bottom line. But there are other mechanisms that I believe could be used in a last resort, in terms of the Federal Government providing programs that include direct employment. If the private sector cannot, at this point, provide employment, what we've found is that people are not too picky about where their paycheck is coming from, they want a job and they want a paycheck, they want to make the house payment or pay their rent. And, so while it's preferable if they're private-sector jobs, I think the Federal Government may need to step in, in some areas of the country, and really provide employment opportunities for people.
Challenges of This Campaign
OCP: Well, you came so close in 2008, but that year there was all the excitement over Obama, the hope, the change, that brought everyone out, which this year we probably won't have so much. The common wisdom is this will be a real tough year for Democrats. How are you going to compensate for that?
Hedrick: Well, the fact of the matter is that the mid-term elections are notorious for having a lower turnout. However. There are some independent factors here that are in play which I think level the playing field. Really, this is not so much about the national picture, but whether I can persuade the voters that I can do a better job for the majority of this district than Mr. Calvert.
And I think that we can make a compelling case that our Congressman is out of touch. He has neglected this disicttr for years, and is trying to make up for years of neglect with a truly huge barrage of mail, phone,
OCP: Government-funded glossy mailers...
Hedrick: Yes. That's the truth. And I don't think that it's going to work.
OCP: My own Dana Rohrabacher does that every time an election's coming up. But this is Ken's first time?
Hedrick: We get something in the mail every couple of weeks. And that's been going on now for about six months. But, I don't think that it's going to matter, because there's a strong and correct perception that Mr. Calvert has lost touch with the constituents here.
You know, we equalized the campaign last time; although the district has a Republican tip, we did quite well, and about 40% of our endorsers were Republicans, disenchanted Republicans. And we anticipate the same thing will occur. Okay, what I was going to say is we equalized it with a very large volunteer base. Our volunteer base will be even larger this time, we had nearly a hundred people turn out today here. I think we're gonna be able to mobilize a really strong volunteer base in both Riverside and Orange County.
OCP: I sent money to William "Cold Cash" Jefferson's Republican challenger [Anh Cao] because I felt that such a corrupt guy was an embarrassment to my Democratic Party, so it makes sense to me that conversely a lot of Republicans would be glad to get rid of Ken Calvert.
OCP: (laughs) So we can afford to take the high road.
Hedrick: Well, Ken is wrong on the issues. And if we can convey that effectively, he will lose. So we're obviously... we don't have to match him dollar for dollar, but we certainly have to raise enough money to get a message out. But it will be, again, a
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grass-roots campaign. And it will be comprehensive - we're not gonna concede one city, whether it's Coto de Caza which has a very low Democratic registration, or Rubidoux which has a very high one. We're going to work in every city and every town in the district, and he will know that he's been in a campaign.
OCP: I hope he'll know more than that.
Update: Developments Since this (late January) Interview
An early February poll showed that, if the election were held today, only 38% of likely voters in the 44th would vote for incumbent Calvert, while 41% would vote for Hedrick - a remarkable result at this point in the game.
Oh, jeez. DesertXpress is claiming construction will start next March. Remember DesertXpress, the boondoggle in the making that would connect Las Vegas to Victorville? Yes, you heard me right... The train would start in Victorville.
Well, at least we're starting to see more details. They're saying they're in talks with California High-Speed Rail about building a spur to connect Victorville to the state network stop in Palmdale, and maybe even allowing the DesertXpress to use the state rail to go all the way down to LA and Anaheim. We'll see.
If something actually materializes out of these "talks", color me pleasantly surprised. But in the mean time, I just don't see very many people either driving all the way to Victorville to take a train to Vegas or riding up on a bus to Victorville and change from the bus to the train. Yes, that's really the interim plan.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm NOT opposed to rail. I just want to see it done right.The Anaheim to Las Vegas Maglev plan just seems to make more business sense, especially over the long term. But even if we want to go forward with conventional rail, put forward a workable plan! I don't like how DesertXpress claims "we may work something out with CA High-Speed Rail" or "we may one day talk with Arizona officials". Either put up or shut up! Come forward with a detailed plan to make DesertXpress work or don't come to us the taxpayers and expect a bailout when we can just go forward with Maglev and their real, sensible plan.
This is truly one of the best, if not THE BEST, single programs included in the federal stimulus package. The CARS, or "Cash for Clunkers", program has been wildly successful as people have raced to their nearest car dealerships to turn in old duds for new, fuel-efficient vehicles.
Heavy demand is already leading to scattered shortages of some hot-selling vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius, Ford Focus and Dodge Caliber. Chrysler Group and General Motors Co., which shut down many of their factories for several weeks this summer to save money and reduce inventories, have been particularly affected.
"Business had slowed so much that a lot of dealers had reduced their inventories because it was expensive to hold on to," said Jerry Key, general manager at Capistrano Ford. "But now that we've had this surge in business, there's going to be holes in the inventory."
The prospect of $3,500 to $4,500 in government cash to trade in a gas guzzler for a more fuel-efficient vehicle has had customers jamming showrooms in Southern California and nationwide since the program began July 24. Now, the Obama administration said, the money should last through Labor Day. [...]
"This is the first piece of legislation Congress has hit out of the park in terms of something that can help the average person like us," said Evin Grant, a 32-year-old filmmaker who was doing a clunker deal at Toyota of Hollywood as the Senate vote was tallied.
"It's a triple threat: It helps out the economy, it helps consumers like us get into a vehicle we wanted but had no easy path to earlier, and it helps the environment by getting horrible gas guzzlers off the road," Grant said.
Thank goodness! This is what the stimulus is supposed to be: a timely infusion of cash to help improve consumer demand. I'm quite glad that this program can continue.
And even better, this also serves another purpose. This also helps consumers in buying more fuel-efficient cars that are better for the environment. And not only are we saving green, but we're being more green as well. Now this is a real "win-win" that we can be thankful for.
Now I know the corporate media haven't been talking about it lately, but just because they're not talking about it doesn't mean it's not happening. Rather, it's quite dangerous that it's falling under the radar. Believe it or not, the climate crisis is getting worse.
Late last week, we found out that Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) wants to delay her committee's vote on the Senate climate & energy bill and move it to September. And furthermore, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) supports this move as he'll have more time to round up votes. However, we don't really know if this is good news or bad news.
The delay bodes ill for passing a climate bill this year. It shows leaders are not confident they would have enough votes to pass the bill and want as much time as possible to rally support. Boxer also noted that many key senators with a role in crafting climate policy are also leading the debate over health care, another major congressional priority for this year.
[...] Several environmental groups have written in to say that they think today's announcement is good news for climate legislation.
"We don't think that this is a problem at all," said Josh Dorner, spokesman for Sierra Club. "In fact, we think it's a good thing. It's a huge organizing opportunity, both here in D.C. and in the field. It also shows they are taking the time to make some meaningful, positive changes to the bill."
Environmental Defense Fund was equally optimistic. "From our perspective, this is the right decision," said Tony Kreindler, media director for climate at EDF. "It gives senators more time to review and understand the historic bill just passed by the House. It signals a serious intent to seek agreements on key issues going forward. And it gives Boxer and her colleagues on both sides of the aisle more time to reach those agreements. After all, the chairman has the ability to move forward today if the goal were simply to push any bill through."
Honestly, I don't mind the delay that much... So long as this delay results in a stronger bill with more votes in time for the international climate change summit in Copenhagen this December. Let me explain my thoughts some more down below.
New Orleans may sink into the sea by 2100. Much of Florida may also be underwater by then. Drought will likely become the norm out West, meaning California could no longer provide the food we depend upon. Las Vegas may become downright inhabitable.
No, I'm not fabricating any of this. These will be the consequences of inaction if we continue to delay implementing the solutions we need to solve the coming climate crisis. But for some reason, may of our supposedly wise lawmakers in Capitol Hill are either willfully ignorant of the facts or downright lying about our future.
In case you forgot, HR 2454, also known as the "American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009", is coming up for a final vote tonight. This is the "global warming bill" that everyone's anticipating. Honestly, it's not perfect. It doesn't go as far in combating the climate crisis as it should.
Still, it's better than nothing and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-West LA) has allowed some great improvements to the bill. So on that note, here's a note from CDP Chair John Burton urging passage.
Dear OCProgressive.com Reader,
The House is about to vote in the next hour on our clean energy future!!
Can you please take 2 minutes to make a quick call to Congress to tell them to support the bill?
The American Clean Energy and Security Act is a visionary step toward developing a clean energy economy, promoting energy security, and preserving our planet.
Call the capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and urge your representative to vote YES.
Compared with the period from 1960 through 1979, temperatures in the Southwest are expected to rise 4 to 10 degrees by the end of the century.
The chance for longer-lasting heat waves could force the region's residents to use more air conditioning, which would increase the risk of blackouts as electricity supplies become depleted.
The report also warned that the region, already suffering an extended drought as evidenced by declines in Colorado River flow and spring snowpack, should be prepared to face large reductions in spring precipitation by the end of the century. With that, combined with temperature increases and rapid population growth, the Southwest can expect increased competition for water.
The rising temperatures will also lead to more wildfires, and the loss of wetlands will cause more flooding along rivers. Also, ski resort areas will have less snow, cutting recreational opportunities.
While all of this sounds like a doomsday movie script, it is being presented to the public in all seriousness by many of the country's top scientists.
The Las Vegas Sun mentioned this brutal reality today in a hard-hitting editorial on the need for real action on the climate crisis. The whole world is threatened, but we're especially at risk here in The American Southwest. We already have little water, but climate change may end up taking away the little water we have left.
So what can we do? We need to change. We need to rethink the way we interact with this planet.
This follow up was in response to Daily Kos but it's important here too.
Yesterday I wrote a diary entitled, The Unbearable Weight of Being Obese and was overwhelmed by the response. I want to follow it up with some important points I think that are relevant to not only a community diary but to the progressive political movement that many of us here at Daily Kos support.
With the emergence of recent books such as Pollan's, The Omnivores Dilemma and his other book, In Defense of Food we've seen a growing movement for how we relate to our food, it's impact on our environment and the questioning of large AG Business and Corporate influence on our food choices.
To be fair, I'm letting you know about this message I just got from Jerry Brown... Yes, our current AG who's running for Governor but doesn't want you to realize it yet. You know, he's known for more than just dating Linda Ronstadt over 30 years ago. Jerry actually has a long history of environmental progress!
EPA to Adopt California Emission Standards
Dear Friends:
After years of battling the Bush Administration and the car companies, we are on the eve of a major victory. California and President Obama have reached an agreement with the auto companies -- they will drop their lawsuits and embrace new Federal emissions standards based on California's historic legislation curbing greenhouse gas vehicle emissions.
This is an historic agreement that will lead to a fleet wide vehicle standard of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, four years earlier than Federal law requires.
This agreement will lead to a 30% reduction in motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions nationwide and will end a seven year legal battle, with the automakers finally accepting that their future depends on cleaner and more efficient vehicles.
Go to www.jerrybrown.org to get the latest on this breaking news.
I thought I was going to get a tour of the facility. But after donning a plastic apron, garden gloves, a breathing mask and goggles, I started to think we weren't just getting a tour, and I was right.
We were sorting garbage at Rainbow Disposal's Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).
It was part of Huntington Beach's Centennial Earth Day celebration at Rainbow, which provides garbage and recycling services to a half-dozen or so Orange County cities.
Grist.org, a environmental website with a sense of humor, gave cover to the seldom well meaning OC Register in an article entitled, "Is Earth Day's green glow growing paler?"
The Register has had a long history of anti-environmentalism and is a bastion of climate change deniers. Environmental fights in Orange County are sometimes won despite the best efforts of the editorial board of the OC Register. Helping them in their anti-environmental agenda to get hits on Grist's website is a little beyond the pale.
A Grist staffer tells the Register:
"It has become a little bit trivialized and commercialized," said Grist marketing manager Brendan Smyth. "Many corporations and individuals and governments come out for one day a year to tout minor changes they have done. It has become a P.R. opportunity."
Thanks Brendan, I just came back from watching hundreds perform backbreaking work planting 1000 plants at the Bolsa Chica Mesa to have you join with the Register in questioning whether we did any good or not.
This past week, Long Beach State researchers found fresh evidence that the restoration project at Bolsa Chica, finished in 2006, is attracting large populations of marine life.
This coastal treasure was once slated to be a marina with thousands of homes, but Huntington Beach families stood up thirty years ago and along the way became activists, politicians and biologists in the long battle to save Bolsa Chica. Now the wetlands are teeming with life again.
At least a half dozen species of sharks and rays have traveled through the inlet that runs beneath Pacific Coast Highway, says Christopher Lowe, the CSULB biologist and zoologist who is leading the on-going study...
...“The fact that we’re seeing big predators (which pose no threat to humans) is a great sign, and they appear to be foraging for food,” says Lowe, whose team was co-led by graduate students Mario Espinoza and Thomas Farrugia.
“We’re also seeing eel grass growing, and that grass gives invertebrates places to live and to hide,” Lowe says. “This is changing the structure of the area; life is expanding beyond the mud flats. It’s possible that these wetlands could become a breeding area for sharks. We might see their pups. We even expect to see green sea turtles showing up there.”
Previously in this series:
For one thing, Mr. Calvert has been a strong proponent of the toll roads in South Orange County. He supported the route through San Onofre State Beach and the Don O'Neill Conservancy. That plan was dead but the extension seems to be coming back to life. I certainly think the first plan was disastrous, and I'm opposed to that extension. Any extension of the road at all needs to be done closely in concert with the environmental community as well as the residents, and all of the options examined. But frankly, I think more can be done with the 5, and that's what we need to be looking at. I don't think it's a really viable plan to go after the Marine Corps to try to do a land swap, because that's got a new set of problems that will be attached to it. So that's an issue that we'd like to hold off on, and look for better solutions than the extension.
the issue of grade separation is huge. Essentially, that's the railroads that rumble through this city. We need to have underpasses constructed, or overpasses. But mostly... if you can imagine a two-mile train coming to a slow stop, tying up, basically splitting the city. And if you're in an ambulance on one side and the hospital is on the other side, you've got a problem. Trains are going to become longer and they're going to be in greater frequency. So I would certainly do everything I could to access the transportation dollars necessary to complete the projects that the city of Riverside needs in order to ensure safety of the local citizens as well as the free flow of traffic.
And I think that we can make a compelling case that our Congressman is out of touch. He has neglected this disicttr for years, and is trying to make up for years of neglect with a truly huge barrage of mail, phone,
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