April Newsletter

Table of Contents
Events
President's Column
Newsletter Editor Column

Events

Please Join us for our May Membership Meeting
Wednesday, May 14, 7-9PM
Julie's Supper Club at 1123 Folsom St (at 7th St) in SF.

President's View

Luke Klipp
President, SFYD

Much has been made of the continued battle between Senators Clinton and Obama as the knock-em-out, drag-em-out Democratic Presidential Primary continues on to Pennsylvania on April 22. Senator Obama, despite losing the popular vote in the most recent major primaries of Ohio and Texas, has racked up wins in an impressive number of states and holds a slim lead in total votes cast and a lead in delegates.

In the past month, we’ve seen controversies swirl around Obama and his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and around Clinton and her repeated assertions that she took on sniper fire on her photo-op excursion to Bosnia. The Democrats have been beating each other up with no end in sight, as Clinton asserts she’s in this until the convention in August and Obama states that he has no intention of asking Clinton to leave, even as she trails by every single measure.

Meanwhile, the GOP nominee, John McCain, has been flying off to the Middle East, talking all Presidential, and getting a free pass from the media as some “maverick” despite his absolute pandering to his party’s base and his complete lack of innovative ideas on anything. He has been making almost entirely unnoticed, incredible screw-ups on really important details, like what’s happening in Iraq, but the media is instead breathlessly bringing us Obama’s unfortunate bowling score.

So while the Democrats take the gloves off and tear each other to shreds, McCain coasts. Is this really going to serve us well come November?

I don’t think so.

Two years ago, here in California, we had a severely-damaged incumbent Governor who was seen as an easy pick-off by the Democrats. We had two major contenders, Angelides and Westly, and they proceeded to beat each other up. By the time a very uninspired primary electorate had voted and Angelides barely emerged as the victor, the general election was already out of reach for the Democrats.

And so it is that, at a time when the incumbent President has some of the lowest approval ratings for any President ever, and his presumed successor essentially wants more of the same policies, we have an incredible opportunity in the Democratic Party to finally take back the White House that was stolen from us in 2000. And what do we do? We tear each other apart.

I support Barack Obama, but if the tables were turned and all the numbers were on Hillary Clinton’s side, I would ask Obama to step down for the sake of the party and our chances in November. And, as the numbers are entirely on Obama’s side, even if closely so, I believe it is time for Hillary Clinton to suspend her campaign. It is the right thing to do for the party, and it is the right thing to do for her own dignity. She has decided in the past month that the only thing she can offer is a campaign designed to undermine Obama at the potential expense of the Democratic Party’s chances for victory in November.

This is unacceptable.

Hillary Clinton, please end your campaign.

And Barack Obama, please reach out immediately afterward to Clinton’s numerous supporters and offer them a home in your campaign. It is the right thing to do. Ultimately, we Democrats have way more in common than we do not, and the continued bitterness of this primary is making it harder for us to see and understand that. We have been fighting through this primary for more than a year, with over 3 months of voting, and what the primary has shown is that one candidate is more organized, better-funded, and leads by all counts.

And that candidate is Barack Obama.

The primary has vetted our candidates and we have a winner. It’s time for the Democratic Party to rally around Barack Obama, embrace his message of hope, and gird ourselves for the fight to win in November.

Newsletter Editor's Opinion

Michael Seville

Got an Extra dollar?? How about $300 million??

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” That’s right, its budget season in San Francisco and this year has all the makings of a knock-down, drag-out scrum to determine who is tougher, more politically savvy, and down right ready to get their hands dirty (or bloody!).

Okay, let’s cover the basics. There is a purported $338 million dollar deficit. There is a category 3 political hurricane which has engulfed the second floor of City Hall where any single day can deliver a whopper of a punch to the nose (or, a cheap shot to the kidney). There is continued blood in the water and revenge in the air over Susan Leal + Olympic Torch Disappearing Act + Cosco Buscan Oil Spill + Chris Daly (he always seems to be ruffling someone’s feathers) + DCCC fight this summer + Commission Appointments + Control of the soul of the Board of Supervisors after the November Elections + ……

But here is the problem. The deficit is not the result of plunging revenue, as is the case in many other public agencies, including the State of California. In fact, the latest projection I have seen calls for an increase in revenue of more than 5 percent, which means the Rainy Day Reserve Fund will kick in. This means that despite the housing bubble, $100 dollar a barrel oil, and everything else that seems to be going wrong with the economy, this City’s annual income is growing by more than 5 percent. So why is there such a large deficit?

The Mayor and his budget people claim this is the work of those powerful unions. Yes, it’s the nurses and fire fighters and janitors and police persons and engineers (yes, engineers have a union too) and managers (even the managers have an employees association). If it weren’t for all these powerful power brokers we wouldn’t be in this mess!!! Right??? And its because of Proposition A which took $25 million out of the General Fund and gave it to MUNI (which will probably also be in some serious red ink this coming year despite the cool $25 mil).

And no, it is not because the Mayor has surrounded himself with people who make six figures. Neither is it because he included flat screen televisions on the list of necessary office furnishing. And, it has absolutely nothing to do with the Mayors Office because he is not responsible for making sure the City lives within its means.

It is also not because the Board of Supervisors decided (against the warnings of the Mayor) to spend a sizable year end balance last year on a laundry list of wishes. Oh, and it is certainly not due to any other reason you have heard about, read about, or even dreamt up.

Well, what is one to do???

I would venture that we need to change the way we talk about the problem. We need to begin having a serious discussion about taxes. This country seems to have an innate aversion to taxes and yet we demand so much from out government. Since Proposition 13 and the Governator’s repeal of the Vehicle Licensing Fee, the states ability to raise sufficient funds have been severely hampered. Now I am not a tax and spend democrat (who really is anyway???) but our government is in a unique position to deliver services in efficient ways and we as a population need to realize that if we want universal healthcare, public transit, a clean environment, the citizens of this country must help cover the burden. What could be more patriotic?

I think the City should seriously consider raising the Hotel Occupancy Tax (the dollar is so weak right now that a modest increase is not going to drive away the increasing amount of international tourists) and also look at reconstructing the payroll tax.

Also, Proposition 13 should be revisited and the VLF should be reinstated.

(These are just a start. Nationally, the Dem’s (when they take the White House and keep Congress) should repeal the Bush tax cuts and stop corporate tax incentives for industries like oil and military research.)

The two little local moves would not solve the entire problem, but they would move us in the right direction of stepping up and funding the services of this great City.

Hey, got an extra dollar?