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 ...
Have you asked all those seemingly regular people about their actual politics? The saddest thing is the case of Pombo. That is the archetype of what has happened to California and what will happen to the entire nation if action is not taken. We've gone from cowboys to Chomsky readers.
Check out / Google a book titled "The Clustering of America." The book was way ahead of its time when it was written back in the 80s. Specifically check out "Urban Gold Coast" and "Money Brains and Power."
The saddest thing is, the typical Leftist voter out here is both highly educated and wealthier than 98% of other Americans.
Point of fact, most of our friends out here are fairly apolitical. Of course, they vote how the San Francisco Comical or the Contra Costa Crimes tells them, which is not good.
Pombo's problem is that the last Gerrymandering (aka re-districting) put the fringe of the moonbats in Lamorinda in his district along with the ranchers of Tracy and the Central Valley.
I almost pity McNerney, when he does a Tracy townhall meeting in his Armani suit. Well, maybe not.
If history is any guide, we will indeed suffer from future natural disasters, will capture absolute national media attention after, then will become a great sucking sound drawing in everyone's tax dollars. Witness what occurred in 1989. After that, firestations that had a couple of things knocked off of shelves got 100 grand and higher checks from FEMA.
...as long as they agree with you. If they don't, you'll take nasty to a new low to shut them down. I've seen your 'tolerance' and 'diversity'.
I was born there, and lived in and around the city for about forty years. My father was born there, as was his father and his before him. SF has always been a bit wild and different, but the Moonbats that came flooding in from everywhere else since the Sixties destroyed it. Much of my youth was spent in Marin- that's gone, too.
My finding has been that supposedly apolitical people tend to go Left when the rubber meets the road. The demographic where you live is nearly identical to the one where I live. It reminds me of some of the wealthy suburbs of Boston in an odd sort of way.
And the perimeter keep expanding. The northern San Joaquin Valley is a goner.
Not true for everyone, *Mary*.
I, for example, think *you* are as dumb as a rock.
But that's all.
Now to get my broker on the phone & dump all stock I'm holding for shopping cart manufacturers.
...I can read the tea leaves.
I'm pretty sure David Gold is here in Texas . . . but just in case, I've pinged him.
I live in the East Bay, too. While I may not love the prevailing political views around here, I don't like it when our community gets trashed. It's a cheap shot, like saying Dallas values equals favoring assassination or West Virginia values equals incest. SF does not equate to NAMBLA.
You got that right. Lived in Newton in 1977-1979, native of Brockton. To this day, I've STILL never figured out how the people there could be so stupid to vote for the likes of Teddy Kennedy, Tip O'Neill, Gerry Studds and Barney Frank.
Of course, when I lived in Newton, we had the first Congressman to be booted out by the Vatican (I forget the Reverend's name who was our congress critter).
I left in 2003- people were commuting from Tracy to the Silicon Valley every day- that's like what, three plus hours in the car every day?
I still miss the Bay Area though, in spite of the moonbats.
Sorry, but when the SF Board of Stupid-visors passes some of their lunatic bills and proclamations, it becomes difficult to NOT get trashed.
Reminds me of the Israeli guy I worked with in New York years ago. We were discussing the merits of buying some clothes at one place or another and he looked at me with a straight face and said "What do you want from me? I never buy retail!"
I'll bet the city council of Havana, Cuba is more conservative than San Francisco's.
What makes you say that?
; )
Choice | Votes | % | ||
Yes | 90,937 | 59.4% | ||
No | 62,036 | 40.6% |
99% of precincts reporting | Updated 11/07 11:41PM |
Read it and weep.
Read Cinnamon Stillwell. She's a writer from SF, writes for the San Francisco Chronicle I believe. She is a liberal turned conservative; bright, witty, and a good columnist.
Last time I was there I was followed down the street by stinky, ragged, threatening panhandlers. Or maybe they were local politicians. What a delightful place.
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.