As Republicans were talking about energy prices to an empty House Chamber Monday, our Representative Buck McKeon released a new animated website in which the seven term Congressman talks up drilling, tax credits, and alternative energy as part of the so-called “American Energy Act.”  Read the rest of this entry »

The husband of Democrat Jacquese Conaway, the Barstow Democrat who’s running for Buck McKeon’s seat this fall, has written a letter to the editor of the Victorville Daily Press, bemoaning the potential Cemex land swap deal McKeon engineered earlier this year.

The letter, posted online and published today, was sent by one “Bob Conaway” of Barstow. Although it’s possible there’s two “Bob Conaways” in Barstow, I don’t find it likely. Bob Conaway once ran for Congress against McKeon and lists his wife as Jacquese, the current candidate.

Back to the letter: Conaway says the City of Victorville ought to reconsider its recent resolution in support of McKeon’s HR 5887, the same resolution the City of Santa Clarita is urging its residents to support:

 I urge the City of Victorville to withdraw its resolution in support of HR (House Resolution) 5887 and for citizens to write Congressman Buck McKeon and Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein to withdraw their support for HR 5887, a land swap deal.

Conaway says the resolution amounts to a raw deal for Victorville, which he claims already suffers from excess diesel emissions, chromium problems at a PG&E facility, and nitrate problems. He notes that the CEMEX facility in Santa Clarita would have been only “400 acres,” while under the terms of McKeon’s bill, CEMEX will get 5,000 acres in Victorville, which he thinks would only add to health and pollution issues in the High Desert.

Why is it OK that we get a project that pollutes the air and water — and even more to the point, why is the Victorville City Council saying that increasing the risk of serious health problems for us is OK?

The people in the Barstow and Mojave Valley area stand a four times greater chance of contracting lung cancer from the diesel emissions from trains in the area, we still are still suffering from chromium problems from the PG&E facility (despite claims of remediation efforts underway), nitrate problems in our water, chromium in the air from concrete aggregate crushers in the Oro Grande to Helendale area, VOCs and PM-10s above the levels allowed by the EPA throughout the Mojave Valley, and now you want to add a polluting mining operation that will add to the toxic and noxious air quality?

He ends with some closing words about Buck McKeon and asks why the Victorville city council is so “hell bent” on pleaseing the “wealthy” people in Santa Clarita.

First thoughts from this political novice:

It appears to me that the Conaway campaign (again, assuming the Bob Conaway letter writer is the Jacquese’ husband) is trying to divide and conquer CA-25 by using the poisonous topic of a CEMEX Mega Mine (insert scary music here) to put Buck on on the defensive.

So if it works, how does Buck McKeon defend himself from what might be hordes of angry Victorville and High Desert residents who think he’s selling out their health/future/water/air quality for the rich jerks down in Santa Clarita?

I imagine the Conaway’s strategy is aimed at getting more High Desert residents to the polls in November to offset whatever advantage McKeon has in Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valleys, where residents strongly trend Republican.

It could be very effective, could it not? The narrative becomes that  Buck McKeon sold out Victorville and the High Desert for his old stomping ground in the SCV, but a vote for Jacquese Conaway could stop all that.

It’s not clear (or at least I’m not clear) on what CEMEX plans to do with the thousands of acres of land it would obtain under McKeon’s land-swap deal, which still has to pass Congress. But as we saw in Santa Clarita, the mere mention of an aggregate mining facility with all the fears and NIMBYism that imagery entails can be more than enough to get residents outraged.

For what it’s worth, this is the only criticism of the deal I’ve seen in the VV Daily Press, let alone anywhere else. Maybe that’s an indication that there’s no outrage up there in the desert over this deal and McKeon need not worry.

Link to letter

Scores of Santa Clarita residents are using the presumptive Democratic nominee’s website to organize campaign and party events in Santa Clarita, at least five in the next few weeks by my count.

The events are spread out across the SCV. One takes place in Stevenson Ranch, another at Vincenzo’s in Newhall, and two are scheduled in Canyon Country.

What’s interesting about these events is that it’s not the “usual suspects” who are sponsoring them. We’re all familiar with the SCV Democratic clubs and groups that meet regularly to discuss politics and have fun, but other Santa Claritans who may not be members of those groups seem to be organizing their own Barack Obama events.

The largest of these groups is the “Santa Clarita Valley for Obama” group, which counts some 180 members. A man named Roger in Newhall started the group way back in January of 2007, but it continues to grow, adding at least a dozen members in the last few week.

This group is sponsoring or co-sponsoring at least three get togethers for Obama supporters.  They range from the typical to an oddly spiritual meetup.

For instance, on June 19 at 7pm, the group will host a get together at Vincenzo’s in Newhall. And on Saturday, June 28, a group will hold a breakfast meeting at the Saugus IHOP to support Obama. And on June 22, an associated group will hold an “energy convergence” meeting in Canyon Country where participants will “commit to send light and energy to the noble cause of getting Barack Obama elected President of the United States.”

Hey it takes all kind to get a person elected President right?

Members of the SCV for Obama group have also been writing a blog on the website. Posts range from local issues such as the MRF to national topics from a liberal point of view.

But what about Santa Clarita residents in favor of John McCain? Aren’t they organizing and holding parties of their own?

I checked the Republican Senator’s campaign website, but when I searched for local events, I got this message: “We are currently building organizations across the country so please stay tuned for more information about your state.” The site asks volunteers to sign up to help.

That’s a bit odd- McCain locked up the nomination in March, way earlier than Barack Obama. Why doesn’t he have a local events section like Obama’s site yet?

I checked the California page of McCain’s website and the only events listed are three stuffy Finance events, one in Fresno, another in Newport Beach, and another in Riverside.

There doesn’t seem to be any way for McCain boosters to link up organically through his campaign website, the way Obama supporters have found each other on the Illinois Senator’s website by simply typing in their zip codes.

Maybe it’s not fair to expect that McCain’s website will be as advanced as Obama’s…afterall, the campaign manager responsible for Howard Dean’s internet success in 2004 told Time magazine last week that his online operation was like the Wright Brothers first flight, while BarackObama.com is akin to landing on the moon.

It appears SCV voters have found a good use for the site; I may attend one of these events and report back to you.

Trash hauler Burrtec will withdraw its application for a Materials Recovery Facility at the Sierra Highway site that inspired opposition from neighborhood groups and residents, the city announced today. Full press release after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Carole Lutness, the Santa Clarita Valley liberal activist who’s running for the 38th Assembly District seat against Cameron Smyth, has written an editorial on economics and the state’s budget crisis. Read the rest of this entry »

You’ve seen the City Council Candidate signs everywhere by now, and local videographer/blogger Sterling King wants you to know it’s not cool to abuse or mark up the signs with your political thoughts. Read the rest of this entry »

So the primary results are in nationwide, and what did Californians do with our newfound power in deciding candidates for president? We chose the establishment candidates. Instead of risking our votes on underdogs, we voted the same way most of the country did. Georgia was more interesting tonight than California. Color me disappointed. Read the rest of this entry »

Just how Republican is the Santa Clarita Valley? It’s an important question ahead of next week’s Super Tuesday vote. We already know, for instance, that contributions to GOP candidates outpace contributions to Democratic candidates by a factor at least 4 to 1 in Santa Clarita based on public Federal Election Commission data, but that’s just a dry, boring statistic. You read SCVTalk and therefore you want more. Read the rest of this entry »

On Monday, stock markets around the world imploded. Some estimates say $5 trillion (yes with a T!) in value was wiped out during the global sell-off. Today, the Fed slashed its rates three quarters of a percent amid concerns that the US, and therefore the world, are slipping into a recession. And at the White House and in Congress, Democrats and Republicans met to press forward on the President’s $150b “stimulus” plan which could give taxpayers up to $1,600 in play money by the summer. And here in Santa Clarita, home prices continue to fall, foreclosures are on the rise, gas prices remain high, and a Presidential primary looms.

In other words, it’s the perfect time for our representative, Buck  McKeon, to release a pro-life statement of support for some marchers the rest of the media ignored today!

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) released the following statement Tuesday regarding the 35^th annual March for Life:

“More than 200-thousand Americans marched on Washington, D.C. today to pledge their unwavering commitment to the protection of innocent human life and the quest to see Roe v. Wade overturned.

“While we have seen much progress over the past 35 years, most recently by passing a ban on partial birth abortion, there is still much to do. Until we see a reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion on demand, the fight must continue and the horrific effects of abortion must be mitigated.

“I commend the men and women, mothers and fathers who traveled across the country to be here today to celebrate life and to draw Congressional attention to such a noble cause.”

Last year, McKeon co-sponsored H.R. 618, The Right to Life Act, which declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being. It also defines “human being” to encompass all stages of life, including but not limited to the moment of fertilization or cloning. For more information on the legislation, please click here.

Color me cynical, but does this strike anyone else as a way to throw gas on the so-called “culture war” fire ahead of the Feb 5 primary? I thought I would have seen a word of support for President “Let the Free Market Prevail unless it harms GOP chances in November” Bush’s stimulus plan out of McKeon but apparently the abortion horse can be beaten even in a time of economic crisis.

Speaking of the primary, it’s only two weeks out. I suspect we’ll be hearing a lot more from McKeon (and Smtyh possibly) as they both come back to their home districts to campaign for Romney and Giuliani, respectively. As for George Runner, our state senator, he’s suddenly lost his candidate, Fred Thompson, who dropped out of the race today.