Posted on 04/14/2008 11:29:19 AM PDT by mdittmar
BERKELEY, Calif. -- A bill punishing the City of Berkeley for its "anti-Marine" actions is scheduled to come up for a hearing and a vote Monday afternoon before the Assembly Transportation Committee at the Capitol.
Bay Area Assemblyman Guy Houston's measure would suspend $3 million in transportation funds slated for Berkeley.
The money is usually spent to fix potholes and other road problems, NBC11's Mike Luery reported.
Scores of activists have poured into the city for protests in recent months as the City Council prepared to consider rescinding a letter it drafted to the recruiting center telling Marines they were not welcome in the city.
The letter said the Marines at the recruiting office were "uninvited and unwelcome guests."
The letter was never sent.
The city has gained widespread criticism for designating a parking spot for the anti-war activist group Code Pink directly in front of a Marine recruiting station in downtown Berkeley.
Houston has said the parking designation limits the public right of way and is discriminatory because only one group is allowed to park there.
The Republican Assemblyman will hold a news conference at the Capitol with retired Marines and the group Blue Star Moms.
"What they have done in Berkeley is they have set aside a parking spot and in my opinion a public right of way, a public transportation corridor, specifically for a private organization -- in this case Code Pink -- to harass and annoy the United States Marine Corps and their recruiting efforts," said Houston. "We think that playing around and having an agenda with the public right of way is subject to ramifications. There is $2.3 million in proposition 1B transportation dollars. We think that should be in jeopardy."
In a series of widely publicized protests, Move America Forward demonstrators waved flags and held signs including "Boycott Berkeley for Bashing Our Boys" and "Support our Troops."
On the other side, protesters with Code Pink held bouquets of flowers and waved signs saying "Peace Now" and "Bring Our Troops Home."
Code Pink members have made their organization infamous by intentionally getting arrested at protests and congressional hearings.
The recruiting office opened in Berkeley in late 2006. It operated quietly until four months ago when Code Pink began holding regular protests.
$3M! ... I think I can just make out a slightly audible, ‘Ooooops’ coming form the the Berkley City Council.
It is not surprising that Berkley views US Marines the same way the NAZIs did.
Should we give FR to the Mexicans as well ... after all it is absed in california ...
absed = based ... stupid keyboard always inputs what I type and not what I meant to type
Now, now, it’s not all of California like everyone seems to believe. The big cities i.e. L.A., SF and the surrounding burbs are the problematic areas.
FR belongs to Jim. Ask him.
It would serve both of them right.
The manufacturers of Absolut vodka already thought of that:
http://www.boycottabsolut.com
Indeed - but as a start, I’m in the process of emailing all members of the Trans. Committee supporting the measure and my own Assemblyman as well.
Why are local potholes a federal problem anyway? California taxpayers can pay for California's roads and potholes, Nevada can pay for Nevada's, Ohio for Ohio's, etc. There is nothing positive about sending a big stack of money to Washington, having some if it skimmed off by the federales and the leftovers returned to you (unless you live in West Virginia and have a highway, street or goat path named after Sen. Byrd.)
I believe those are California transportation funds that are being withheld - the result of a 65-cent a gallon gas tax and $4 bridge tolls in the Bay Area.
There are 58 counties in California, and if you look at a map showing which counties voted either Republican or Democrat you'll find that a large number of counties voted overwhelmingly for Republican candidates. Thus, treating the entire state as if we are all like those loons in Berzerkely is not only wrong, but insulting as well. If you wish to give back to Mexico the areas of the state which are overwhelmingly liberal, be my guest.
Many of us in California aren’t cowards. What state are you going to run to when the liberals start taking over yours.
Sorry. My part of the comment was only the Absolute vodka portion. I didn’t make that clear in the formatting.
They’re still at it, too. You don’t see protesters out there every day anymore, but most days.
http://www.protestshooter.com/20080419WCW/
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.