Well, it’s time to face the facts. The election will be held next November, ready or not. And on the one hand, I’ve already started to miss the Obamas, not just because of the President’s politics but because of the family’s unfailingly admirable comportment. It’s been such a welcome relief not to have to be ashamed of the behavior of one or more members of the First Family for eight years. Besides, Barack Obama has gotten a lot done.
In this space we’ve talked about the field of candidates for the presidency, and we probably will again. Last week, for the very first time, I watch complete debates, not just clips, for both the Democrats and the Republicans. Nothing I saw changed my mind.
Between Clinton and Sanders, I could live with either. On the Republican side, OMG.
Just for starters, not a one of the Final Four speaks like an educated person, despite some of them having attended some expensive schools somewhere along the way and all of them claiming to be native born Americans. Evidently this week’s Republican show was tame, even genteel, compared to the earlier ones, from which I saw only the money clips. If any one of them should be elected President, we’re in deep trouble. (No, I will not resort to the kind of vulgarism Donald Trump enjoys.)
On the other hand, here in Berkeley, regime change can’t come too soon. When I look around and see how Berkeley has deteriorated in the 12-year Bates era, it’s sobering. Under Bates, Berkeley is turning into Speculation City, no longer the human-scale home town we used to be proud of.
On every corner, it seems, an ugly box is being constructed, built right out to the sidewalk, for “luxury” apartments, cheaply built but expensively marketed to wealthy San Francisco escapees and international flight capital. One of the speculation buildings constructed in the Bates era has already killed a bunch of Irish kids when it collapsed under them, and more are at risk. Dwellers in older moderate rent buildings are being displaced.
The Maudelle Shirek Old City Hall has been allowed to deteriorate to the point of Demolition by Neglect, and the Berkeley City Council is blithely just moving out with no plans for fixing it. It’s reminiscent of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, where everyone gets up and moves around the table to a new place when they want a clean cup.
The warm pool at Berkeley High has been demolished, and the Southside public pool at Willard Park has been filled in with dirt. The Berkeley Municipal Pier is falling down. The Rose Garden is collapsing.
The streets are ever more perilous. Residents without homes are sleeping in doorways and parks, at least until they’re rousted by security guards hired by downtown commercial property owners.
Civil rights demonstrators have been assaulted by Berkeley police.
And that’s just a few of our problems.
The local election will be on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, along with the national and state races.
The Berkeley offices to be elected are Mayor, City Council Districts 2, 3, 5, 6; the Berkeley rent stabilization board (4 seats) and the Berkeley school board (2 seats).
So far, here’s the preliminary line-up, with links to the candidate’s web site if I can find one, or to press reports about their candidacy if not.
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