WHAT HAPPENED IN LOCAL ELECTIONS ???

Election Analysis:

San Diego -- Young voters and minorities turned out in huge numbers at an election precinct at the Calvary Temple church in Hillcrest on Nov. 4th. They were largely the key to President-elect Barrack Obama's stunning success.

And, while Obama's election is being celebrated, several local races are causing depression

AGUIRRE DEFEATED: The so-called "power-of-the-press" was grossly abused by the San Diego Union Tribune and its mainstream media allies in kicking Michael Aguirre out of the city attorney's office.

The U-T flexed that traditional power honorably when it went after the corrupt Congressman Randy Cunningham. Indeed, it received a Pulitzer for it.

But, the U-T dis-honorably used the "power-of-the-press" as it viciously and repeatedly published hit pieces against Aguirre. Many of those "hit" pieces violated the fundamental Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Our staff at San Diego News Service have worked closely with many of the U-T's working reporters and senior staff. They are good people and professional journalists. And, they had to write those "hit" pieces even though they disliked violating the ethics of professional journalists.

For example, the U-T published a report that Aguirre had an odd tape recording of F-D-R constantly rolling in his office. That was totally false!

The city attorney is primarily a litigator in court, in both civil and criminal (misdemeanor) cases. But, our new city attorney (what's his name?) has never litigated a case in court. While he has been a judge, sitting on the bench and quietly listening to lawyers litigate their cases is vastly different than working in front of the bench and actually litigating a case.

We now have a city attorney who has NO experience as a litigator.

He will have to learn on-the-job, at taxpayer expense. Without the U-T's massive support for the judge, it is highly unlikely voters would have supported a man who is inexperienced as a litigator, to be the city's chief litigator.

Our system of city government relies on checks-and-balances to keep the two, key branches (legislative [city council]) and executive [mayor] in balance.

That's why voters back in the 30's decided to make the city attorney an elected office, rather one appointed by the mayor or city council. They wanted the city attorney's office to function totally independent of the city council or the mayor.

And, that's how Aguirre ran his office.

He was not beholden to the mayor. But, Mayor Sanders didn't like that, nor did the U-T or the city's powerful downtown establishment. So, in the same manner that they conspired to support Sanders when he was challenged by council member Donna Frye (another strong independent); those forces conspired to remove Aguirre and put a "man" into office who would do what they wanted.

And, he wears a rug (toupee). That says something about what the new city attorney thinks about himself.

PROP-8 PASSES: GAY RIGHTS GETS MAJOR SETBACK

Mormons donated tens of millions to pass Prop-8 that amended the state Constitution and abolished gay marriages.

The amendment becomes law "the day after the election" is certified by the California Secretary of State, under Article XVIII of the state Constitution.

Wealthy Gays and Lesbians did not match the Mormon money. Indeed, some very wealthy Gays - like the publisher of the Union Tribune, David Copley, Jr. - reportedly gave nothing to defeat Prop-8. While it was largely common knowledge privately among many of the U-T's staff that Copley was Gay, it became public knowledge after he was "outted" by the famous Nicole in the Gay & Lesbian Times where he called Copley a "tired old queen."

The TV ads supporting Prop-8 were aggressive and tough. However, they were also false, as a matter of law.

The TV ads opposed to Prop-8 were largely timid and seemed to be afraid to use the phrase "gay marriage." They talked about discrimination, etc.; rather than openly explain to the electorate the advantages of gay marriages. Some wonder if those producing the opposition's TV ads were really closeted, and unwilling to openly discuss gay marriage.

The professional Gays and Lesbians in the state largely failed to electrify their community to oppose Prop-8, as President-elect Barrack Obama succeeded in mobilizing most of the nation.

With the passage of Prop-8 causing a serious setback to the progress of gay civil rights, maybe it is time to get rid of some of those ineffective professional Gays and Lesbians.
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Copyright 2008 by San Diego News Service (619) 757-4909 leopowerhere@msn.com