The Huffington Post reported last week on President Obama’s appointment of Jesse Lee to the position of “Director of Progressive Media & Online Response” to work with new media and serve as the White House’s liaison with the online community starting this week, working on outreach, strategy and response. He’s got a shiny new social media sword with which to …
Do I Smell a Sheep? Nope, It’s the Golden Fleece Finalists!
Politics is sometimes known for its pungent smell. (Rostrafarian wits, I expect great things from the Comments section with this opening line). For 16 years, April showers have brought much more than May flowers to San Diego – they bring the San Diego County Taxpayers Association Golden Fleece Awards. Yes, there are Golden Watchdogs and Media Watchdog Awards too. But …
As the Albondigas Turn: May’s Meatball Mayoral Poll
In the previous edition of the already legendary Albondigas San Diego Meatball Poll (and who are we to argue with this assertion), Councilmember Carl DeMaio, Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, and Congressman Bob Filner were the top three picks in February for the San Diego Mayor’s race. Back when this poll took place, Charlie Sheen was still on “Two and a Half …
Rostra’s Jantz in Good Company on SDCTA’s 2011 Golden Watchdogs List
This year’s list of Golden Watchdog Award and Media Watchdog Award finalists is out from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association (full disclosure: SDCTA is one of my public relations firm’s clients). On behalf of San Diego Rostra, we congratulate all the nominees. A full list is available here. We take particular pride in one of our OWN being on …
East County Meatballs Have Their Say on Pension Reform
The National Albondigas Political Society (East County Chapter) convened today in El Cajon, also known as the Gateway to El Centro. El Cajon Mayor Mark “Meatball” Lewis lent his presence as did the likes of numerous East County councilmembers, school and water board, hospital district board members, Chamber officials, business leaders, political consultants, staff representatives of local elected officials, lobbyists …
Fool Us Once, Shame on You; Fool Us Twice and It’s Called Governing
Taxpayers in San Diego County and beyond have made their anger crystal clear over unsustainable public employee benefits and pensions that threaten to decimate municipal budgets. There can’t possibly be an elected official within cyber-shouting distance of San Diego Rostra who’s unaware of this. So when pay and benefit increases are approved without a bit of public discussion, is it …
Lock and Load: Rostrafarians Invited to Breakfast with Sheriff Bill Gore Wed, March 23
This Wednesday, Rostra readers and fellow travelers have the rare opportunity to directly address the senior law enforcement official in San Diego County, express your concerns and ask your questions. The San Diego Press Club is hosting a breakfast forum with Sheriff Bill Gore on March 23, 8 to 9:30 a.m. The event will take place at the KGTV 10 …
Welcome The New Poliwonk in Town
A fresh face among San Diego’s political wonks is always a welcome sight. So it’s a pleasure to post word that Peter Amaro has been named the new Policy Analyst at the San Diego County Taxpayers Association. Amaro’s brief bio: A native San Diegan (hooray!), Amaro received his Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center. During his time at …
EXCLUSIVE TO ROSTRA: Meatball Poll Results on Money and Moonbeams
By popular demand, the Albondigas Straw Poll (AKA the Meatball Poll) will continue as a regular feature exclusive to Rostra. This month’s edition turned to statewide issues. Albondigas San Diego members were asked to weigh in on five questions, yes or no. The results: 1. Will Governor Brown be successful in eliminating redevelopment? Yes: 41% No 59% 2. Will we …
The Opponent Bonnie Dumanis Fears Most – And It’s Not Who You Think
San Diego political insiders have been all a-Twitter today (literally) with the filing of candidacy papers for the City of San Diego Mayoral Race by District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis. Ongoing speculation including a bet between Rostra blogger Barry Jantz and San Diego County Taxpayers Association senior director Chris Cate on whether Dumanis would actually enter the race ran rampant and …
TONIGHT: So A Socialist, A Fascist, and a Reporter Walk Into a Bar…
UPDATE: YOU MAY RSVP at FACEBOOK ENTRY ______ No, this is not a Saturday night Rostra field report. It’s your invitation to the first multi/omni-partisan event welcoming Rostra’s blogging colleagues across the aisle at Two Cathedrals to the San Diego Scene, aided and abetted by the San Diego City Beat journalists who delight in bedeviling us Rostrafarians. So please join …
When Life Hands You Harry Baals, Make Lemonade!
By now there isn’t a political wag worth quoting who hasn’t weighed in on the dilemma facing the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The City asked its citizens what its new government center should be named. When former Mayor Harry Baals (yes, it’s pronounced exactly like you think) emerged as the front runner, the online poll inevitably went viral. This …
EXCLUSIVE: Meatball Poll Results on San Diego Mayor’s Race
There are plenty of polls: straw polls, tracking polls, horse race polls, push polls, exit polls. Not to be left out, San Diego Rostra debuts its exclusive Meatball Poll. This decidedly unscientific poll is conducted among attendees at the National Albondigas Political Society, San Diego Edition. This swell group of political swells gathers for meatball soup (hence the name) and …
The envelope, please…
The winner of the Rostra Caption Contest champion and the winner of a ticket to the annual San Diego County Taxpayers Golden Fleece and Golden Watchdog Award on May 25 is… Royce Sullivan, for “I’ll outgrow the shirt… But not the taxes.” The competition was clever and it was a tough call for judges Chris Cate of SDCTA, Kelly Davis …
Is That A Sheep I Smell? It Must Be Time for Golden Fleece Nominations!
The San Diego County Taxpayers Association’s annual Golden Fleece and Golden Watchdog Awards recognizing the best and worst of local government decision-making has become the poliwonk equivalent of the Consumer Electronics Show for techies, Lollapalooza for arty hipsters, or Comic-Con for… you get the idea. But the Association can’t throw a party and produce those infamous parody videos featuring your …
There’s Joy on Rostra – It’s Caption Contest Time!
THIS JUST IN (Jan 25, 9:30 p.m.): Lani Lutar and the San Diego County Taxpayers Association have kicked in a ticket to its annual “Golden Fleece Awards” dinner as the prize for the winner of this contest. We thank Lani and SDCTA for this generous donation! Value of the ticket is $150. This dinner is THE not-to-be-missed event of the …
What About Bob?
At lunch with a well-connected San Diegan this week, I heard a fascinating rumor about the Mayor’s race in the City of San Diego. It was the notion that a sizable majority of San Diego’s Jewish community does not want Congressman Bob Filner to run for Mayor, because it would lose “the highest ranking Jewish member of Congress and a …
Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Political Engines
You would think after the drubbing San Diego’s labor unions took in November over their support for various attempts on the ballot to raise taxes, they’d think twice before mixing it up with the fiscal reform crowd again. But it appears many of the same foes may tangle again sooner than expected over a referendum to overturn a so-called “big …
Don’t Mess With the Big Guy in the Red Suit
San Diego Rostra is our region’s leading political blog with several breaking news items to our credit and some swell awards, translating to an impressive growth in readership. So it’s no surprise to this member of the blogpen to learn that Santa Claus himself is one of Rostra’s loyal followers. He’s asked to sit in as a guest blogger with …
Earliest Race Returns Show Rider In Front
While San Diego’s voters won’t be casting ballots for months to come, there’s still plenty of competition among current and aspiring officeholders. In a head to head battle at the Scripps Ranch Four Mile Run last Sunday, December 12, Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher and would-be officeholder Steve Rider both finished in the top three of the 30 – 34 old mens’ …
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