JUST HOW STRONG is the Democratic Party in California? I hear a lot of talk about it every election cycle, and the conventional wisdom is that this is a solidly “blue” state — which means if you’re not a Dem, you’re mud.
This is the basis of criticism against party-switchers like Mike Kasperzak, who last year dumped the GOP because he didn’t like where his party was headed. Detractors say Kasperzak, who on Tuesday termed out as a city council member, only switched because he knows he’ll never obtain higher office as a Republican. How they claim to know that is beyond me.
Of course, being a Republican didn’t seem to hurt Arnold Schwarzenegger any, which proves either that movie stars are allowed to break all the rules, or that voters are actually more interested in the person than the party.
I tend to think both are true.
Anyway, all of us non-movie stars may as well join a party and get involved, etc., which is where Steve Chessin comes in. Chessin, a Mountain View resident, is an organizer for the state Democratic party, and he wrote in recently to invite local Dems to attend the upcoming “election meeting” this weekend, to help select delegates for the California Democratic Party’s state convention, to be held April 27-29 in San Diego. Here’s the lowdown, per Mr. Chessin:
“The meeting for Democrats who live in the 22nd Assembly District, represented by Sally Lieber, will take place Sunday, January 14th, in the Mountain View City Hall Council Chambers, 500 Castro Street in downtown Mountain View. Registration begins at 2 p.m. and closes at 3 p.m., when the meeting itself will begin. Participants will be asked to pay a $5 registration fee, but may request a waiver if this constitutes an economic hardship. The meeting is open to the public, although only Democrats registered in time for the November election may vote.”
Chessin went on to explain what will happen at this meeting:
“The Assembly District Election Meetings will elect 12 people (six women and six men) to be members of the Democratic State Central Committee. These 12 people will represent their Assembly District for both the 2007 and 2008 State Conventions. As well, they will elect one person to represent the AD on the State Party’s Executive Board.”
People often talk about “democracy in action,” and mean all kinds of things, but this is the real deal. Even Republicans (regardless of your level of disgruntlement) ought to go. Maybe Kasperzak — who is planning a run for Lieber’s Assembly seat — will be there, and if so you can try and lure him back.
NEVER MIND DONKEYS, let’s talk ponies. I mean the Los Altos-Mountain View PONY Baseball League, which begins tryouts this Saturday.
“The purpose of tryouts is to evaluate players’ skills to ensure they are placed in the appropriate division as well as to form balanced teams,” wrote Rich Siegel, who is responsible for league promotions.
The league has different divisions based on age, and Mustang (ages 9-10) tryouts begin this Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Oak Field. Then on Sunday the Pony (ages 13-14) tryouts are 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rosita Field. And Bronco (ages 11-12) tryouts are next Saturday, Jan. 20, 9 a.m. to noon at Oak Field. Visit www.lamvpb.org to reserve a tryout time slot.
Don Frances can be reached at dfrances@mv-voice.com.
