Getting involved in local races

Our longtime friend, Ira Ruskin, is running for state Assembly District 21 here in the Bay Area. He's running against a real snake, a snarky businessman named Steve Poizner. Yes, pronounced "Poison-er." Poizner, a millionaire Silly Valley business-type, is a true phony. He founded and sold a company, then taught at a high school for one year. THIS qualifies him to represent the Silicon Valley in Sacramento? Um, I don't think so.

He calls himself a "pro-choice", "pro-environment" Republican (I have yet to find a true Republican who REALLY subscribes to this). He has no record of any public service whatsoever. He has been mailing out total lies about Ira. In fact, I called his office myself and had them take me off their mailing lists.

Ira has a long record of public service, including nine years as a City Councilman in Redwood City (the largest city in the Assembly district) and two years as mayor. He was THE leader in upgrading and modernizing media centers in all RC schools, and was THE leader in getting a state law passed that gives San Francisco more control over its water supply. He has the full endorsement of the Sierra Club and the Committee for the Green Foothills, two influential environmental organizations. He was THE leader in getting Redwood City to start a municipal savings account in 1999, before the bubble burst. As a result, city finances -- very dependent upon IT companies in town -- were not affected badly in the last four years of the downturn.

Is there any comparison between these two guys? Not when it comes to civic leadership.

So, we're going to walk the precinct this weekend, as we did for Ira twice before in City Council races, and get people out to vote. What a voting day it will be on Tuesday. With all the new youth voters coming out for the first time, it's going to be very interesting indeed.

A prediction: Kerry-Edwards in a bigger victory than the polls say over Dumb and Dumber -- Dubya and Dick "Halliburton" Cheney.

And, Steve Poizner, there's the door. Don't let it hit you in the ass on the way out.