Posted on 11/09/2006 11:03:29 AM PST by SmithL
Gay weddings in the U.S. Capitol. Hippie gatherings on the Mall. Hempfest along the Potomac.
Republican campaign strategists have evoked such images to mock the Democrats and especially San Francisco's Nancy Pelosi, who has represented Babylon by the Bay since 1987 and now stands poised to become speaker of the House.
But in the district where Pelosi was re-elected Tuesday with more than 80 percent of the vote, constituents say that Middle America has nothing to fear from San Francisco and that the city has more variety than its most colorful elements might suggest.
"They think we are tree-huggers and granola eaters," Mary Graves, 47, a self-described mainstream Democrat, said with a laugh. "I explain that I'm just tolerant and love diversity and having everyone get along and respect each other."
San Francisco is, without a doubt, the nation's unofficial gay capital and a bastion of the far left and the radical fringe. But it is also the home of cutting-edge businesses, rich Internet entrepreneurs and other buccaneering capitalists, and a monied class that thrives on fine dining and the arts.
The results of Tuesday's municipal election, in which Pelosi's Republican challenger got more votes than the Green Party candidate, capture San Francisco's political complexity. Residents approved a measure requiring employers to provide sick pay to hourly workers. But they rejected a proposal to raise taxes on parking garages.
Aaron Peskin, president of the city Board of Supervisors, said San Francisco has such ethnic, cultural and political diversity that its elected officials must be masters of consensus-building.
"The kinds of skills you need to be an effective decision-maker on the local level in San Francisco — having to compromise between various constituencies — makes someone very well situated for doing that in our nation's capital," he said of Pelosi.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Translation: "As long as you conservatives, you Christians, and you patriotic Americans:
shut up,
bend over, and
take what we're gonna shove w/o lubricant...
why, everything will be fine," as a gaily-smiling Mary says with a laugh.
I don't think the AP will ever get around to reporting facts.
(the city has more variety than its most colorful elements might suggest.)
Someone should tell the AP that the election is over and to stop with the propaganda. Extremists on the right are monsters, on the left they are "colorful". Notice that there isn't anybody on the right who gave an opinion. That's diversity for you! I don't believe anything you say aobut yourself, I believe what others say about you. The fact that they don't allow military recruiters in San Francisco is a telling action. The fact that they wanted to have a radio personality fired because he made an "insensitive" remark is a telling action. They are very tolerant as long as they agree with you. Yet they are the biggest fascists if you disagree with them. They have a wide range of diversity between left and far left!
(the city has more variety than its most colorful elements might suggest.)
Someone should tell the AP that the election is over and to stop with the propaganda. Extremists on the right are monsters, on the left they are "colorful". Notice that there isn't anybody on the right who gave an opinion. That's diversity for you! I don't believe anything you say aobut yourself, I believe what others say about you. The fact that they don't allow military recruiters in San Francisco is a telling action. The fact that they wanted to have a radio personality fired because he made an "insensitive" remark is a telling action. They are very tolerant as long as they agree with you. Yet they are the biggest fascists if you disagree with them. They have a wide range of diversity between left and far left!
Limousine Liberals.
Look, this is a fact, San Francisco has the LOWEST percentage of citizens attending church or temple regularly of any major city in America.
The number? At last report, a couple of years ago, was 10%.
To me, this says rather a lot about the city.
I love to visit friends there, and SF is a beautiful place. But as the old saying goes, "what ain't fruits is nuts."
It isn't hearts that are bleeding in San Francisco.
This is a paradox? They happily voted to force big rich business to do some new paying, but when an issue came up to have to directly pay more themselves they're solidly against it.
Liberalism in three words: Other People's Money.
SF has the lowest % of children of any major city in the US.
< rimshot!> Besides, it's hard to play the game with nothing but tight ends and wide receivers...
Oops. Yes I meant Simpson--the "babe in the bunker."
I guess your point is that "San Francisco values" does not refer to places like Mill Valley or Berkeley. The greater Bay Area is represented by people like Barbara Lee, Lynn Woolsey, Tom Lantos, Ellen Tauscher, Pete Stark, and George Miller.
LOL
Not disputing that, but it tends to be less concentrated the further you get away from the inner slum (er, city) of San Francisco. I live in Walnut Creek, and the 25 mile difference between here and San Francisco is quite amazing.
Yes, we're sorta dominated by the Democrats here, but they are by and large regular people. Tauscher is almost a right-winger compared to the other moonbats you noted.
Ahh yes...the loaded language. Tolerance, diversity, ...if only these people would do a little bit of logical thinking and define their terms at least to themselves. But alas, it remains a gooey mishmash of feel-goodism in their heads.
Let's see. That's where a little boy stuck his finger in a dike? I've seen a lot of things in Golden Gate Park, but I don't go there anymore.
Wouldnt have been a girl who stuck her finger in the dike in San Fran?
I believe it has the lowest percentage of children as well. IF you want to see an adult playground simply go the Belden Lane on a Friday or Saturday Night. That is but one, there are many, many more. Essentially a more mild weather version of Manhattan south of about 80th.
Don't forget Anna Eshoo. Interestingly, if one were to canvass her district, one would find mansions and high end vehicles in abundance. Large number of PhDs per square mile. A number of C-levels of big name high tech firms. The reality is, rich business leaders can be very far to the Left and, if not as freaky looking as the cafe denizens of the Haight, certainly as freaky minded.
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