• Candidates Forum

I got to the venue early so I could set up the video camera. The first contestant to arrive was Gary Andre. He wanted it clear that he cannot take any narcotics for his chronic back pain and showed me his doctor's instructions and asked me to post it... seems that the topic had been batted around a bit on FaceBook.

FaceBook... Ugggh! Don't get me started on that one. ☺

Next in the building was Ben Benoit, followed by Israel Leija, Tim Walker and then Marsha Swanson.

Just before the mic check, about a half an hour before the event, Israel Leija shakes hands with Tim Walker.

I went up to all the candidates and asked for their autographs on the program... I told them it was going to be a collector's item and I was going to put it on ebay as soon as I got home; so far the bid is up to 11¢.

When I approached Gary Andre he let me know that he wasn't happy that I've been less than complimentary to him in my blogs. I told him that he was getting a bit of collateral damage due to those that back his candidacy [people I call APEs aka AIP... the people that look to sue everything that wiggles in this town].

Reminds me of the Aesop's Fable I used to read my kids called →

THE STORK AND THE CRANES

A FARMER placed his nets on his newly sown plough lands, and caught a quantity of Cranes, which came to pick up his seed. With them he trapped a Stork also. The Stork, having his leg fractured by the net, and was earnestly besought the Farmer to spare his life.Pray, save me, Master, he said, and let me go free this once. My broken limb should excite your pity. Besides, I am no Crane, I am a Stork, a bird of excellent character; and see how I love and slave for my father and mother. Look too, at my feathers, they are not the least like those of a Crane. The Farmer laughed aloud, and said: "It may be all as you say; I only know this, I have taken you with these robbers, the Cranes, and you must die in their company."

Moral:
Birds of a feather flock together.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, he's a nice enough fellow when I talk to him. Even tonight, though he wasn't pleased with me, he made it clear he'd rather be friends than enemies. I agreed, and told him we should be able to have our different views on the way the city should be run, and NOT allow the differences to get to a personal level. That said, I am not going to shy away from pointing out said differences, and that means I'm going to feel free to lampoon a person that is asking for it.

He mentioned in the forum that he'd never sued anyone before... before his first lawsuit here that is... watch the video and you'll see that he has been a supporter of more than one lawsuit against the city [skip to 29:30 of the first video].

If he wants to run with the APE's, he's going to get the same lack of respect they get. It's not personal, it's business.

Also, I've already created a mock TV ad for the Andre campaign, and it isn't very nice. Sorry Gary, but it's already out there. Thing is, I've got plans for doing "Mock Political Ads" about the other candidates too, and I hope they don't have thin skin, or I might be run out on a rail before I know it.

So, to wrap up the Andre angle, I offered him a No Sandbag guarantee blog, where he can just tell me who he is and why he wants your vote. Though at first he didn't want to give me his autograph, it turned out he was the first to sign my program... which I appreciated.


You'll hear audience applause in places. I joined in once... when Israel Leija asked for applause.

Here's how I see what went down... you watch the video and let me know if I'm too far off.

Gary Andre said many of the right things, but he didn't give straight answers when questions about lawsuits came up. He also seemed to be in favor of Walmart, which is something I wasn't expecting.

Although he just did the document dump at the last city council meeting, where legal action was threatened over improving Bundy Canyon, he did seem to agree that Bundy Canyon should be improved at the forum... which was nice to hear, but rather confusing at the same time.

Ben Benoit was the most prepared and delivered his responses with adroitness and aplomb. A pros pro and I'm glad we have him in Wildomar. He took the opportunity to mention the need for more policing more than once. I'd love to take a swipe at him, but there isn't anything to be miffed at with him. [But I'm still planning on a mock political ad for him so I'll have to come up with something soon]

Israel Leija was in over his head, but based on his answers, I can say that his head is in the right direction, he just needs some seasoning. Which would include learning the community more by delving deeper into it.

Marsha Swanson gave good answers and kept to the questions that were asked and didn't wander away from the topics. She showed good vision for where she'd like to see Wildomar in the future. As she noted, without rooftops (more houses) you won't be able to attract businesses here. Most businesses want customers to be present when they open their doors. Without businesses, the revenues stay low and city services stay at a starvation level (my paraphrasing).

Tim Walker Showed passion when speaking on the topics, and one time asked for the question to be reread... not because he didn't remember it, but because the previous person's answer was well off topic and he wanted to remind the audience what it was. Another time he started off into a danger zone. He made a comparison to presidential politics. He didn't mention President Barky O'Bambam by name, but you could detect his "conservative" leanings just the same.

FTR: in 2012 I "threw away" my vote by voting against both
O'Bummer and Mittens and voting Libertarian.

*_*

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After the forum, I went up to Gil Rasmussen, a blogger that has moved away, extended my hand and said, "How's it going Out of Town Blogger".

If looks could kill, you'd be reading my obituary. We went around and around, about the comments that have shown up at the bottom of my recent blogs.

Nothing like a good Kodak moment.

In the end I agreed that some of the comments were way over the line, especially the ones about Sheryl Ade in reference to a condition she has. I also told him that I'd been chastising those that left such comments and that it was pretty lame when people would then NOT be upfront enough to also leave their names. So, when I got home I did some house cleaning in the old comment section. I couldn't delete particular words, so entire comments went bye-bye.

Some people have said, "Yeah, but he is far, FAR worse than you've ever been, and he wants a double standard?"  Yeah, and I'm good with it. My motto has long been "I'm better than you are" and now and then I need a reminding of it. I don't want to lower my standards to that of a person with a less than stellar reputation on such matters.

A note on the double standard in question. 

If I was hearing correctly, over the din of the crowd, as he was telling me that the ADA doesn't look to kindly over people being teased, referring to the disrespect Sheryl Ade got from some comments (though never by name)... he lobbed a gay insult my way.

He suggested that I had some, shall we call it mayonnaise, on my upper lip. So let's get this straight... I'm responsible for people that leave anonymous comments on my blogs, but it's ok to use gross sexual innuendo against me... all the while it's a well known fact that my 27 year old son is GAY. Somehow I'm thinking this double standard runs deep. Thing is, as I told him, who cares what anonymous people say... it seems he does. Good thing I have skin on par with an elephant, and such things don't bother me.

Oh well, enough of that. I don't need to be chums with everyone, but it's nice to be able to say hello and discuss things. The fact that local politics of Wildomar's early cityhood actually turned into something that got really nasty, tells me that a lot of people really are lacking.

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On a different note:

Hey, did you know that the Freedom Swing is almost installed... and this Saturday there is a ribbon cutting ceremony at Marna O'Brien Park at 5:30pm. 

Getting ready to pour the concrete.

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The road to resolution starts with doubt...

The best way home's the farthest way about.

Wildomar Rap implores you to show good sense when commenting. It's not really that much to ask is it?