Politics

Berkeley IGS Poll: Defeat For California Prop 16, Diversity, Prop 21, Rent Control, Unless Young Voters Show

by
nstitute of Governmental Studies, University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley IGS Poll: Defeat For California Prop 16, Diversity, Prop 21, Rent Control, Unless Young Voters Show.

Was just passed a wake-up call press release on a UC Berkeley Institute Of Government Studies poll that, once again, points to the need for California to split into two states, something that may never happen in this blogger’s lifetime. Cut to the chase: Prop 16 and Prop 21 are in trouble unless young people get out and vote in large numbers.

Close Elections Forecast for Proposition 15 (Split Roll Property Taxes) and Proposition 22 (App-based Drivers)
Prop. 16 (Diversity) and Prop. 21(Rent Control) trail

by Mark DiCamillo, Director, Berkeley Institute Of Governmental Studies Poll

The final pre-election Berkeley IGS Poll finds that Californians are closely divided on two of the most contentious of this year’s state ballot propositions. These include Proposition 15, the “split roll” initiative to tax commercial and industrial properties based on current market value instead of its purchase price, and Proposition 22, the app-based drivers initiative whose aim is to classify such workers as independent contractors rather than employees. In both cases slightly more of those polled said they either already had or were intending to vote Yes than were voting No. However, neither initiative had reached the 50% plus one voter threshold needed for passage two weeks before Election Day at the time the poll was completed.

The poll found 49% of voters in favor of Prop. 15 and 42% on the No side, with 9% undecided. Yet, this lead was less than half the 15-point advantage found in a similar Berkeley IGS Poll last month. When comparing the two polls, the proportion of voters opposed to the initiative had increased 8 points, while support for Prop. 15 was stagnant. If history is any guide, when late campaign shifts toward the No side are observed in heavily contested and well-financed ballot measures like Prop. 15, its lead tends to reduce further in the closing weeks, resulting in a closer outcome.

With regard to Prop. 22, 46% of the voters polled were voting Yes to have app-based drivers be treated as independent contractors, while 42% were voting No to classify them as employees. A sizable 12% were undecided. The early mid-September Berkeley IGS Poll found 39% of likely voters intend to vote Yes on Prop. 22 and 36% are on the No side, with 25% undecided. The relatively large proportions of undecided voters in both polls suggest that many voters were having a difficult time reaching a final decision on this initiative. How these late-deciding voters ultimately come to judgment will likely determine its fate.

The poll finds less support for two other, closely watched measures on the statewide election ballot. These include Proposition 16, an initiative to bring greater diversity into public employment, education, and contracting decisions and overturn a previously approved 1996 ballot initiative, Proposition 209, that banned such affirmative action programs, and Proposition 21, an initiative to expand the authority of local governments to enact rent control laws on residential property. Both measures trailed by double-digit margins in the latest poll, with each receiving less than 40% support.

IGS Co-Director Eric Schickler commented that “the fates of Propositions 15 and 22 will be important signals of whether the state’s Democrats can translate their electoral advantage into substantive policy changes in taxes and corporate governance.”

Berkeley IGS Data
Berkeley IGS Data

Voters in conflict over competing arguments relating to Proposition 15

In an attempt to better understand voter motivations behind the vote on Prop. 15, the poll asked voters whether they agreed or disagreed with two statements that have been made about Proposition 15, one by initiative proponents and the other by its opponents. The results demonstrate the conflict that many voters face when making a final voting decision on this initiative.

When asked the statement that Prop. 15 will bring much needed revenues to the state’s public schools, community colleges and local governments, 47% of voters agree, while 37% disagree. Opinions about the need for these additional revenues were highly correlated with voting preferences on Prop. 15, with those voting Yes overwhelmingly in agreement (79% to 8%), while No voters disagreed 76% to 13%. Significantly, undecided voters were more likely to agree than disagree, 40% to 13%, although nearly half (47%) had no opinion.

On the other hand, an even larger majority agree that the proposed changes to the way commercial and industrial properties are to be taxed under Prop. 15 would only be the first step in bringing about similar changes to the way residential properties are taxed in the future. A 56% majority of likely voters agreed with this statement, while 19% disagreed and 25% had no opinion. Voters opposed to the initiative overwhelmingly concurred with the statement, 72% to 13%. And even a plurality of Prop. 15’s supporters agreed (47% to 24%), although many had no opinion.

Voting preferences on Prop. 15 vary across major segments of the electorate

The poll finds clear partisan and ideological divisions in voter preferences on Prop. 15. Democrats and self-described liberal voters were favoring the initiative by large margins, while Republicans and conservatives were one-sided in their opposition.

Homeowners were intending to vote No by 10 points, while renters were supporting Prop. 15 by 25 points. Regionally, support for the initiative was greatest among voters in Los Angeles County, the San Francisco Bay Area, while majorities of voters in Orange County and the Central Valley were opposed.

Opinions on Prop. 15 also varied by a voter’s age and educational background. Voters under age 40 were among the initiative’s strongest backers, while pluralities of voters age 50 or older were voting No, especially those age 75 or older. Majorities of voters holding a bachelors’ degree and those who had completed post graduate work were lining up on the Yes side, while pluralities of non-college graduates were voting No.

Subgroup variations on Prop. 22 (App-based Drivers)

Republicans were supporting Prop. 22, the app-based drivers initiative 71% to 21%, while Democrats were opposed, although not by as large a margin, 52% to 34%.  No Party Preference and minor party voters were closely divided on the initiative.

Views of Prop. 22 also differed by political ideology as large majorities of conservatives were voting Yes and majorities of liberals were voting No. Significantly, the poll found self-described political moderates backing the initiative by thirteen points, 49% to 36%, with 15% undecided.

There were also big differences in voting preferences by age.  The poll found majorities of voters under age 40 on the No side, while pluralities of voters age 50 or older were in favor, in particular, those age 75 or older, who supported it two to one.

On a regional basis, Yes side voters were outnumbering No voters on Prop. 22 across all regions of the state with the exception of the San Francisco Bay Area where it trailed by twenty points and Los Angeles County and the counties north of San Francisco where voters were divided.

While differences were also evident between voters living in union-affiliated households and those in non-union households, these differences were not as large as might be expected given the nature of the initiative and the fact that the state’s labor unions are among its strongest opponents.  Voters living in union-affiliated households were opposing the initiative by 51% to 40%, while voters in non-union households were voting in favor 47% to 41%.

In addition, the poll found the state’s Latinos and Asian American voters closely divided on the initiative, while Black voters were backing it by 20 points and whites favoring it by 5 points.

Voting preferences on Prop. 16 (Diversity in Public Employment, Education and Contracting)

When asked how they would vote on Prop. 16, the poll found just 38% of voters backing the measure, while 49% were opposed.  While Democrats were supporting the initiative by a nearly two-to-one margin (57% to 26%), Republicans were nearly unanimous in their opposition, with 86% voting No and just 6% voting Yes.  Majorities of No Party Preference and minor party voters were also lining up on the No side.

Voting preferences also differed widely by a voter’s self-described political ideology, with more than eight in ten conservatives voting No, and large majorities of liberals voting Yes.  However, political moderates, a major swing voting bloc, were opposing Prop. 16 by twenty-three points.

Opposition to Prop. 16 was broad-based across the state’s major geographic regions, with majorities or pluralities of voters in nearly all regions voting No.  The lone exception was the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area, where voters were narrowly in favor, 48% to 40%.

While Prop. 16 was being backed by the state’s Black voters by twenty-five points, the state’s Latino voters were about evenly divided.  On the other hand, the poll found Asian American voters now joining whites in opposing the initiative.

IGS Co-Director Cristina Mora noted that “the absence of strong Latino support for Proposition 16 is surprising given that the community remains significantly underrepresented in higher education and public employment in California and would stand to benefit from the Proposition’s passage.”

Women voters, another key segment, were closely dividing their votes, with 41% voting Yes and 44% voting No.  By contrast, men were heavily on the No side, 54% to 35%.

In addition, the poll found differences in voting preferences by education, with voters non-college graduates opposing Prop. 16 five to three, while voters who had completed post graduate work were backing the initiative by eleven points.

 

Voter preferences on Prop. 21 (Rent Control)

With regard to Prop 21, just 37% of the voters polled were on the Yes side, while 48% were voting No, and another 15% undecided.  Just two years ago California voters rejected a similar rent control ballot initiative 59% to 41%.

The partisan divide in voter preferences on Prop. 21 resembles that of Prop. 16. While Democrats were supporting the initiative roughly two to one (53% to 29%), Republicans were overwhelmingly opposed, 83% to 9%.  Pluralities of No Party Preference and minor party voters were also lining up on the No side.

In addition, conservative voters were solidly opposed, while liberals, especially those describing themselves as very liberal were voting Yes.  Political moderates were also voting No by seventeen points.

As would be expected, big differences are seen between renters and homeowners on the rent control initiative, with renters backing the initiative 50% to 34%, but homeowners opposed by an even greater 61% to 26% margin.

Preferences on Prop. 21 were also tied to the income level of voters.  Majorities of voters at the upper end of the income scale were voting No, while pluralities of voters at the lower end were on the Yes side. Middle-income voters, those whose households earned between $40,000 and $100,000 annually, were also narrowly on the No side.

The poll found the state’s whites opposing the rent control initiative by a wide margin. Black voters were backing the rent control initiative greater than two to one. Latinos were also supportive by a narrower 10-point margin; while the state’s Asian American voters were narrowly on the No side.

There were gender differences on Prop. 21 as well, with male voters opposed by seventeen points (52% to 35%) and women about evenly divided.

About the Institute of Governmental Studies Survey

The findings in this report are based on a Berkeley IGS Poll completed by the Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) at the University of California, Berkeley. The poll was administered online in English and Spanish October 16-21, 2020 among 6,686 California registered voters, of whom 5,352 were considered likely to vote or had already voted in this year’s election.The survey was administered by distributing email invitations to stratified random samples of the state’s registered voters. Each email invited voters to participate in a non-partisan survey conducted by the University and provided a link to the IGS website where the survey was housed. Reminder emails were distributed to non-responding voters and an opt-out link was provided for voters not wishing to receive further email invitations.Samples of registered voters with email addresses were provided to IGS by Political Data, Inc., a leading supplier of registered voter lists in California, and were derived from information contained on the state’s official voter registration rolls.  Prior to the distribution of emails, the overall sample was stratified by age and gender in an attempt to obtain a proper balance of survey respondents across major segments of the registered voter population.To protect the anonymity of survey respondents, voters’ email addresses and all other personally identifiable information derived from the original voter listing were purged from the data file and replaced with a unique and anonymous identification number during data processing.  In addition, post-stratification weights were applied to align the overall sample of registered voters to population characteristics of the state’s registered voters.  Likely voters were identified based on a voter’s stated interest in and intention to vote in the election and factoring in their history of voting in past elections.

The sampling errors associated with the results from the survey are difficult to calculate precisely due to the effects of sample stratification and the post-stratification weighting. Nevertheless, it is likely that findings based on the sample of likely voters in the election are subject to a sampling error of approximately +/-2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

Detailed tabulations reporting the results to each question can be found at the Berkeley IGS Poll website at https://www.igs.berkeley.edu/research/berkeley-igs-poll.

Question wording

PROPOSITION 15:  INCREASES FUNDING SOURCES FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES BY CHANGING TAX ASSESSMENT OF COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY.  INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Taxes such properties based on current market value, instead of the purchase price.  Fiscal impact:  Increased property taxes on commercial properties worth more than $3 million providing $6.5 billion to $11.5 billion in new funding to local governments and schools.  (If the election were held today how would you vote on Proposition 15?) (How did you vote on Proposition 15?)

PROPOSITION 16:  ALLOWS DIVERSITY AS A FACTOR IN PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND CONTRACTING DECISIONS.  LEGISLATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.  Permits government decision-making policies to consider race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in order to address diversity by repealing constitutional provisions prohibiting such policies.  Fiscal Impact:  No direct fiscal effect on state and local entities.  The effects of the measure depend on the future choices of state and local government entities and are highly uncertain. (If the election were held today how would you vote on Proposition 16?) (How did you vote on Proposition 16?)

PROPOSITION 21:  EXPANDS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS’ AUTHORITY TO ENACT RENT CONTROL ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. INITIATIVE STATUTE.  Allows local governments to establish rent control on residential properties over 15 years old.  Local limits on rate increases may differ from statewide limit.  Fiscal Impact:  Overall, a potential reduction in state and local revenues in the high tens of millions of dollars per year over time.  Depending on actions by local communities, revenue losses could be less or more. (If the election were held today how would you vote on Proposition 21?) (How did you vote on Proposition 21?)

PROPOSITION 22:  EXEMPTS APP-BASED TRANSPORTATION AND DELIVERY COMPANIES FROM PROVIDING EMPLOYEE BENEFITS TO CERTAIN DRIVERS.  INITIATIVE STATUTE.  Classifies app-based drivers as “independent contractors,” instead of “employees,” and provides independent-contractor drivers other compensation, unless certain criteria are met.  Fiscal Impact:  Minor increase in state income taxes paid by rideshare and delivery company drivers and investors.  (If the election were held today how would you vote on Proposition 22?) (How did you vote on Proposition 22?)

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? (order of statements rotated)

  1. “The proposed changes to how commercial and industrial properties are taxed under this year’s Proposition 15 ballot initiative are only the first step to making other similar changes to the way residential properties are taxed in the future.”
  2. “The additional tax revenues that Proposition 15 would bring to the state’s public schools, community colleges and local governments are needed given the large revenue losses these institutions are facing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.”
About the Institute of Governmental Studies

The Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) is an interdisciplinary organized research unit that pursues a vigorous program of research, education, publication and public service. A component of the University of California system’s flagship Berkeley campus, IGS is one of the oldest organized research units in the UC system and the oldest public policy research center in the state.  IGS’s co-directors are Professor Eric Schickler and Associate Professor Cristina Mora.

IGS conducts periodic surveys of public opinion in California on matters of politics and public policy through its Berkeley IGS Poll. The poll, which is disseminated widely, seeks to provide a broad measure of contemporary public opinion, and to generate data for subsequent scholarly analysis.  The director of the Berkeley IGS Poll is Mark DiCamillo. For a complete listing of stories issued by the Berkeley IGS Poll go to https://www.igs.berkeley.edu/research/berkeley-igs-poll

Berkeley Councilmember Ben Bartlett Tells How Mom’s Landlord Problem Pushed Him To Politics

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Ben Bartlett And Jeremy Gardner – Smart Path

Ben Bartlett and Jeremy Gardner – Smart Path
From YouTube Channel: May 2, 2018 at 02:49PM

ONN – Berkeley Councilmember Ben Bartlett Tells How Mom’s Landlord Problem Pushed Him To Politics

The podcast-turned-YouTube video has a misleading title. It should be about how Berkeley Councilmember Ben Bartlett got into politics. In the interview, Councilmember Bartlett tells the story of how his mother’s tenants rights were violated, and how that pushed him to run for Berkeley City Council.

He also talks about Smart Path, and other tech-oriented ideas, but the start of the interview is about how Councilmember Ben Bartlett‘s political career started.

This is part of the sponsored “The Bartlett Files”, formed to distribute the vast amount of already-identified, but not well-known, online content related to his work.

Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a YouTube channel. When the video is “liked” by Zennie62 YouTube, then it is automatically uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective here, on top of our is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours – is the use of the existing YouTube social graph on any subject in the World. Now, news is reported with a smartphone and also by promoting current content on YouTube: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary, or having a camera crew to shoot what is already on YouTube. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGBb44BNGBk

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Delivers Weekly Democratic Address

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Congresswoman Barbara Lee

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee of California delivered the Weekly Democratic Address. In this week’s address, the Congresswoman discussed the disturbing disparate impact of the COVID-19 health and economic crisis on communities of color and House Democrats’ demand for COVID relief that crushes the virus and helps working families. Video and audio of the Weekly Democratic Address can be downloaded here.

Below is a full transcript of the address:

“Hello, I’m Congresswoman Barbara Lee. I’m privileged to represent California’s thirteenth Congressional District, which includes Oakland and the East Bay area.

“I serve on the Appropriations Committee in the House of Representatives, Co-Chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee and I serve as the Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.

“Today, I’d like to talk to you about what House Democrats are fighting for in order to crush the COVID pandemic and provide Americans with much needed economic help.

“Over 215,000 people have lost their lives to this pandemic, and unemployment rates are reaching record highs.

“This pandemic isn’t impacting everyone equally. If you are poor, Black, Latinx, Asian American, Pacific Islander or Indigenous, you know you’re at much greater risk – both from the virus and from the disparate economic impact. Indeed, while the stock market continues to deliver value for wealthy Americans, many working families are struggling.

“A recent study shows eight million more Americans – many of them Black and brown – have been forced into poverty since May, which can be directly linked to Republican inaction. And contrary to the talking points from across the aisle, the majority of working-age adults on SNAP have employment. This pandemic has made an even bigger impact on America’s working poor.

“American families are in desperate need of leadership. The Trump Administration has utterly failed in its response to this crisis. The President and Mitch McConnell have stalled negotiations, played politics with people’s lives and refused to compromise.

“House Democrats have risen to the occasion and passed two pieces of legislation to achieve two goals: save lives and assist working people and their families, especially for our most vulnerable communities.

“This pandemic has had a terrible impact on communities of color. Black people are dying at two and half times the rate of white people in the United States. Indigenous and Latinx people are both 50 percent more likely to die from COVID than white Americans. Mortality rates within the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are also so high. Between January and July, the AAPI death rate rose 35 percent, compared to an increase of 9 percent for white Americans.

“Alongside Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, our Native American Democratic Members, and my House Democratic Colleagues, I have worked diligently to ensure that this does not go overlooked.

“We are fighting to ensure the COVID-19 testing and tracing efforts, which were included in the Heroes Act, are made specifically available for medically underserved communities and communities of color. It’s crucial that these communities receive support from organizations and non-profits that have experience and relationships with the people living in the communities they serve – people that live in their neighborhood and speak their language.

“But we know that this is an economic crisis just as much as a public health crisis. Families need direct payments, Unemployment Insurance, small business loans and much more to weather this catastrophe. As more time passes, the relief millions and millions of Americans have relied on to keep them afloat has dried up, and the White House and Senate Republicans have looked the other way.

“One way to reduce poverty is to expand the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit, which provides critical support for working families. However, Republicans and the Trump Administration would rather continue providing tax benefits for some of the wealthiest in America than give relief to those most in need.

“The latest White House coronavirus relief proposal takes one step forward but two steps back – it is not only insufficient; in many cases it would make matters worse.

“We urge Republicans to get serious about the health and economic crisis devastating millions, and join us to save lives, livelihoods and the life of our American Democracy.

“Thank you for listening, and please continue letting your representatives know how you feel. We are in this together.”

Post based on press release from The Congresswoman to Zennie62Media.

Re-Elect Rebecca Kaplan Over Sidebotham, Johnson For Oakland City Council At-Large In 2020

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Rebecca Kaplan Oakland City Council At-Large

In the 2020 Oakland Elections, Oakland City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan is facing a major challenge from friend and perennial campaigner Nancy Sidebotham, and newcomer Derreck Johnson.

Nancy is an incredible member of the Oakland political world, but her main advantage is in pointing out problems, less than offering solutions. I like Derreck Johnson, and his run represents a need for more black male participation in Oakland politics. That said, he has no previous Oakland political experience at all, and no knowledge of municipal governance. As much as his efforts and his errors in business are good teachers for him, and for anyone entering politics, and draw media racism he’s not ready to lead Oakland at this point in time, Moreover, he’s the latest manchurian candidate offered up by my godsister Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. Libby should just work to make friends with Rebecca. I’ve said that before, I’ll say it again.

Anyway, when I think of Rebecca, I think of what I contend is her signature, lasting effort. The one that shows good Oakland City Council work in action: The Broadway Free Transit Shuttle that’s now an Oakland institution.

I also think of the many ideas she’s formed to help Oakland’s budget, as well as the many, many small efforts she has made to ease the lives of Oaklanders. It does not matter if it’s a City Council motion that passes, or co-authoring legislation to get Oakland’s speeding problem under control, the fact is, the total number of legal changes she has made for Oaklanders has not been effectively chronicled. The point is, experience matters.

The Oakland City Council faces the very real prospect of having a membership consisting of no one with over one year of experience. And that’s in the middle of a Pandemic. Rebecca must be re-elected to assure the maintenance of institutional memory, so that current political biases don’t cause a misunderstanding, and there fore a mishandling, of government. How to work with Oakland City Staff is more important than anything. Hiring the right people to represent the councilmember is equally more important than anything. We’re in the dark with Derreck Johnson, and even my friend Nancy Sidebotham – but not with Rebecca Kaplan, the Oakland City Council President.

With all of that, why is Rebecca opposed? Well, I will say that she gained the backing of the Democratic Party, as well as a list of notables the party pointed to: “SEIU Local 1021, the Sierra Club, Block by Block Organizing Network (BBON), Former State Assemblyman Sandre Swanson, California Nurses Association (CNA), Firefighters Local 55, Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, Black Women Organized for Political Action PAC, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), Alameda Labor Council, Alameda County Building Trades Council, Sprinkler Fitters Local 483, Former Mayor Elihu Harris, Vice Mayor Larry Reid, President Pro Tem Dan Kalb, Councilmembers Sheng Thao, Nikki Fortunato-Bas and Noel Gallo, Oakland Port Commissioner Michael Colbruno, Founder of She the People Aimee Allison, Pastor J. Alfred Smith Sr., Reverend Harold Mayberry, California Young Democrats National Committee Representative Igor Tregub, Cat Brooks, and many more endorsing Rebecca Kaplan.”

I add myself to that list, and I am proud to endorse my long time friend. Rebecca and I have three things in common: first, we’re both ostracized to some extent for being ourselves, me as a straight, black, tech-oriented guy with a Jewish last name who “talks white”, she for being butch lesbian and Jewish. Then, we’re both urban planning and economics grad school grads from MIT for her and Berkeley for me, and we both love Oakland.

Vote for Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Public Ethics Commission Complaint On Lane Partners Not About Lynette Gibson-McElhaney

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City of Oakland

This Oakland Public Ethics Commission Complaint comes under the subhead-line of ‘bone-headed reports by fake news folks with racist agendas” and refers to an Oakland Public Ethics Commission Complaint that was filed against a firm called Lane Partners, represented by Andrew Haydel. The matter was before the Oakland Public Ethics Commission, and in it’s agenda for October 5th 2020.

What happened was that Lane Partners was encouraged to make a contribution to the Lynette Gibson-McElhaney Legal Defense Fund, and not by anyone directly connected to Lynette, but by, according to PEC records, my friend (at least I think we’re still friends, but in this town shit gets weird for weird reasons) Greg McConnell, the founder of the Oakland Jobs and Housing Coalition. A 2018 email reported McConnell’s plan to get donations for her 50th Birthday.

And Now This Aside…

Now, if you go an assume that Lynette herself established that plan, then you know less about Oakland politics than you think, and are contributing to the crab-barrel, game-playing that causes Oakland to lose out big on matters like retaining sports teams. Oakland has a major-league loser mentality that has to be addressed. Character assassination is sport in Oakland and I find that it’s a proxy for professional competence. But that aside, there are any number of political players in Oakland and San Francisco wiling to, what we call on the streets, “run a game” on someone. Some of them rest in the media.

Seriously, there are some media-types who live for documents that make black Oakland elected officials look bad, but when the elected official is white, they look the other way. Want evidence? Go back to 2013 and the claims of Oakland City Staff Tampering that were leveled against Oakland Councilmember Larry Reid of District 7 and Desley Brooks of District 6 – claims that, as former Oakland City Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente will tell you, apply to every Oakland City Councilmember in history. But when the white media got involved, they didn’t want to see that, and just saw a chance to paint black elected officials as bad, and so they did.

The trouble with a lot of black folks here in Oakland and in America is they complain about the white media types but are by inaction afraid to counter them, and don’t back black media. And so we get the social climate painting black folks so negatively that the result is George Floyd’s death.

The Los Angeles Times recently took itself to task for decades of racism, but I was waiting for San Francisco Bay Area white mainstream media to follow its lead. I’m still waiting and I’ve made some accounts in the process.

Anyway Back To The Action, I Mean The Oakland PEC Complaint

The Oakland PEC Complaint about Lane Partners reads, in part, this way:

Respondents violated the Oakland Campaign Reform Act by contributing $1,000 to Lynette Gibson-McElhaney Legal Defense Fund in October2018 at a time when they were subject to the City’s ban on contributions from City contractors to candidates, in violation of Oakland Municipal Code section 3.12.140

And here’s the rest:

In June 2019, Commission Staff initiated a pro-active investigation after Andrew Haydel’s lawyer called to report that Haydel, a commercial real-estate investor and principal at Lane Partners LLC, “may have made a contribution” to an Oakland political candidate’s defense fund during a time when he and Lane Partners, a City contractor, was subject to the contractor campaign contribution ban.
Between 2016-2018, Lane Partners was involved with several different development projects with the City of Oakland. One such project was the Eastline project.

PROCEDURAL FACTS:

The Respondent and Staff reached a settlement agreement in February 2020. Staff prepared a Stipulation recommending that the Public Ethics Commission (PEC) impose a penalty of $2,000. In the Matter of Haydel was scheduled on the PEC’s March 2020, Agenda. At the PEC’s March meeting, the Commissioners rejected the recommended penalty of $2,000 and instead informed the Respondent that a $5,000 penalty was a more appropriate penalty based on the facts and experience of the Respondent. The PEC instructed Staff to renegotiate the Stipulation with a penalty of $5,000. Staff reached out to the Respondent who initially agreed to sign a revised Stipulation and pay the increased penalty of $5,000.

Oakland Public Ethics Commission vs Lane Partners Case Summary by Zenophon Zennie Abraham on Scribd

As a note, this is way not the first time Lane Partners has made a donation that was viewed as having violated Oakland’s Campaign Reform Act, but the simple fact the PEC caught this means good for the future. I must also report that there have been so many alleged violations of the type that Lane Partners is accused of, that it may be time to revisit the law from the perspective of laws that cause entrapment. Because one can replace Lynette Gibson-McElhaney with the Mayor or any other Oakland City Councilmember, and some idiot with a keyboard (who may be running a smear campaign on behalf of another Oakland City Councilmember) would jump to the conclusion that Libby did something wrong, when she had nothing to do with the action.

Anyway, it goes on to report via documents like this one that Lane Partners acted on the advice of their lawyer, Zack Wasserman (Another long-time friend of mine who now former Oakland City Attorney John Russo used to call “Zack-A-Potatos”). Wasserman is asking for the PEC to consider his error to his client, and also for the standard $5,000 fine to be reduced to $2,000, and Lane Partners would pay it.

And there’s the real story. A true mistake admitted to.

The point of all of this: it’s really important to look before one takes any leap and makes negative assumptions about someone else. Also, some electeds in Oakland should be real careful about passing information they deem negative about someone else. After a time, that crap will back fire. God does not like ugly.

Just saying.

Stay tuned.

John Russo On Politics: Stranded in Centerfield #3: No Monopoly On Misogyny

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Stranded In Centerfield #3: No Monopoly On Misogyny

Stranded in Centerfield #3: No Monopoly on Misogyny
From YouTube Channel: October 3, 2020 at 02:35PM

ONN – John Russo On Politics: Stranded in Centerfield #3: No Monopoly On Misogyny

John Russo is the former Oakland City Council Member (District Two), and was its first elected City Attorney. He’s also the former City Manager of Alameda, Riverside, and Irvine California. John is now the Founder and President of Synchronicity Associates.

Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exa7LSMm3oA

Chan Gailey: In 1996 Oakland Raiders Said He Was An Offensive Genius, Now He’s Miami Dolphins OC

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Chan Gailey: In 1996 Oakland Raiders Said He Was An Offensive Genius, Now He’s Miami Dolphins Oc

Chan Gailey: In 1996 Oakland Raiders Said He Was An Offensive Genius, Now He’s Miami Dolphins OC

ONN – Chan Gailey: In 1996 Oakland Raiders Said He Was An Offensive Genius, Now He’s Miami Dolphins OC

Al Locasale Oakland Raiders
Al Locasale Oakland Raiders

In February of 1996, when I held the title of Economic Advisor to Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris, I was approached by Al LoCasale, who was Executive Assistant To Al Davis and The Oakland Raiders. While the reason for Al LoCasale’s approach was to use political channels to re-establish the 49ers / Raiders Preseason Game, I also learned a lot of what could be called “NFL Politics”. I was also introduced to a man that LoCasale told me “they were grooming to be Commissioner. Roger Goodell”. I also learned what was on the collective mind of the NFL.

We would meet at Raiders Headquarters and go for lunch at Linguine’s in Alameda (1508 Park Street). Awesome Italian cuisine. During one of our talks (which also included a lot of football strategy discussions) Al LoCasale said “What do you think of Chan Gailey?” I offered that I knew little about him. Al LoCasale said that many around the NFL considered him a genius, though he did not detail why that was.

Now, after many jobs, including Georgia Tech Head Coach, Chan Gailey stepped out of retirement at 68 to serve as Offensive Coordinator for Brian Flores, Miami Dolphins Head Coach. It was Gailey who directed the Dolphins’ win over the Jacksonville Jaquars, with Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm of the offense. It was a lesson in the application of good old basic smash-mouth running concepts, paired with a nifty play action passing attack, sprinkling in a little read-option.

What I realized is that Chan Gailey, who now forgot more football than most people know, is a genius in that he knows how to teach the game, and instruct players in what to do. He may not be an innovator like Bill Walsh, but Coach Gailey understands what concepts work, when, and why.

I think Al LoCasale intended to say that, but he was enjoying the lasagna too much!

Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

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Lyft Spends $100K On TV Ads Against Rebecca Kaplan In Oakland City Council At-Large Race

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Rebecca Kaplan Oakland City Council At-Large

Oakland – Just hours after it was announced that Lyft had dumped $100K into television ads against Oakland City Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan, allegedly lying about her record on housing, the At-Large Councilmember has received a number of new endorsements in the fight to stop the oligarchs from buying Oakland.

“This is not about housing,” Kaplan said of Lyft’s financial contribution to the campaign committee opposing her. “This is about a billionaire corporation that doesn’t want to pay its fair share in taxes and wants to abuse its workers.”

Rand Shaw – journalist, and pro-housing advocate – endorsed Rebecca’s re-election saying in an email, “Rebecca, I am absolutely horrified that YIMBY’s are using Lyft money to oppose you. I never make Oakland endorsements but feel compelled to show my support for you. So please list me as an endorser. Thanks, and on to victory!” and then followed with a tweet denouncing the lies by Lyft “IN 2018 @Kaplan4Oakland sought to increase housing density on transit corridors and upzone Rockridge. Yet some East Bay YIMBY’s have taken $100K from Lyft to help defeat this strong housing advocate. Terrible move.“

Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez who is a champion for working people and their families and who was the Primary Sponsor of Assembly Bill 5 which is now being fought by Lyft in a statewide ballot measure – Proposition 22 – funded by the same oligarchs that are running attack ads on Rebecca also endorsed her re-election to the At Large seat.

Finally, Assemblymember Ash Kalra, who was a co-sponsor of Assembly Bill 5, re-tweeted his colleague and showed support for Rebecca’s campaign.

These types of dirty campaign tactics should be unacceptable in Oakland politics. Oaklanders deserve better. What is most important right now is to help people make a plan to vote. It is so important to mail your ballots early this year or find your local drop box. Ballots drop on October 5th so people should be checking their mailbox, and if they plan to mail their ballot to get it in the mail by October 10th to assure it makes it to the Registrar in time.

(https://kaplanforoakland.org/how-to-vote-by-mail-and-more/)

Rebecca is proud to have the endorsement and support of many community organizations, leaders, grassroots advocates, and residents. For endorsement information please visit http://kaplanforoakland.org/endorsements/.

Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan is an honors graduate from MIT, and holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School. Kaplan was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember, she was re-elected in 2016, Rebecca is Oakland’s first openly LGBTQ+ elected official and she serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC).

Follow Council President Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland and Facebook.

Oakland City Council 2020 Race: Union Committee To Replace Lynette Gibson McElhaney With Carroll Fife, Kaplan, Formed

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Oakland District Three Councilmember Lynette Gibson McElhaney

The 2020 Oakland City Council race gets stranger and stranger as documents show (it’s always “documents show”, huh) that the Alameda Labor Council and the AFL-CIO have formed a committee called “Oakland 2020 Committee to Replace Lynette Gibson McElhaney And Elect Carroll Fife and Rebecca Kaplan to the Oakland City Council, sponsored by Alameda Labor Council, AFL-CIO”. (For those of you who need a map, Lynette Gibson McElhaney is the currrent Oakland District Three Councilmember and Rebecca Kaplan is the current At Large Councilmember and President Of The Oakland City Council.)

According to the page I found on the Open Disclosure Oakland website, the organization has raised $293,000 to date. The contributors are all, strangely, union:

Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Candidate PAC Small Contribution Committee — — 95814 $90000 2020-09-10
Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Candidate PAC Small Contribution Committee — — 95814 $82000 2020-09-10
Unity PAC a Sponsored Committee of the Alameda Labor Council AFL-CIO Committee — — 94621 $50000 2020-09-16
Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Candidate PAC Small Contribution Committee — — 95814 $30000 2020-09-01
Unity PAC a Sponsored Committee of the Alameda Labor Council AFL-CIO Committee — — 94621 $25000 2020-08-20
Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104 Political Committee Committee — — 94583 $5000 2020-09-07
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS LOCAL 595 PAC Small Contribution Committee — — 94568 $5000 2020-09-03
Steamfitters Local 342 Political Action Committee Committee — — 94518 $5000 2020-08-27
ESC Local 20 IFPTE Lou Lucivero Legislative Education & Action Program (LEAP) Sponsored by Engineers & Scientists of California Local 20 Committee — — 94607 $1000 2020-09-07

I write “strangely, union” because there’s no other contributor listed.

Conversation With Carroll Fife – Progressive For Oakland City Council, District 3
Conversation With Carroll Fife – Progressive For Oakland City Council, District 3

The Alameda Labor Council’s slate card shows, with respect to Oakland and the City Council races, the following choices:

Dan Kalb for District One
Carroll Fife (with no rank-choice #2, which normally would include the incumbent) for District Three
Noel Gallo for District Five
Treva Reid and Marchon Tatmon – Dual Endorsement for District 7
Rebecca Kaplan for At Large

For the Oakland School Board, the union group picked Sam Davis, VanCedric Williams, Michael Hutchinson, Ben Tapscott, and Measure QQ and Measure Y.

What’s Really Up With The Alameda Labor Council / AFL-CIO Union’s Decision To Back Carroll Fife Over Lynette Gibson McElhaney?

Oakland Councilmember Lynette Gibson Mcelhaney
Oakland Councilmember Lynette Gibson Mcelhaney

But the decision to back Carroll Fife over Councilmember McElhaney is the focus of talk around town. While others have a point of view that reflects the sour taste of last year’s California State Democratic Convention outcome and the idea that the unions are trying to “take out” black women (an interesting view considering the backing of Fife and also Jovanka Beckles), I think it has more to do with Bernie Sanders.

Carroll Fife and a number of members of the Alameda Labor Council were big time Bernie Sanders backers, whereas Lynette’s a supporter of Joe Biden for President (and Fife has not come out in open support of Biden, even as he’s the Democratic Party leader and former SF District Attorney Kamela Harris is his running mate). And the Alameda Labor Council’s office space was used to help Fife during the Moms 4 Housing effort.

Still, the ties between the 2019 California Democratic Party election where Los Angeles labor leader Rusty Hicks won the party chair position, and held off a powerful drive from Richmond activist Kimberly Ellis, and the current Oakland City Council race, are not to be denied. There’s a lot of state-wide bad blood between a number of black female elected officials and the largely white AFL-CIO in the wake of Ellis’ loss. Last year, Both Lynette and Kimberly served on the board of Black Elected Officials Of The East Bay, with McElhaney, as Special Advisor to the Board according to The Oakland Post. (Note, Ellis texted me via Facebook “I was hired as a consultant to the org, I never served on its board.” A point of information not reflected in the year-old Oakland Post entry which served as reference.)

Carroll Fife should be careful who she partners with in this race. Her approach thus far is to discriminate in seeking political partnerships rather than cast a big tent and sell herself, explaining why she’s the best candidate, and to everyone, of every stripe. That strategy does not serve any elected official well when it comes to deal-making in office. Just consider how some in the Oakland City Council reacted to the allegedly immature behavior of one newcomer when that person did not get their way after a vote. That person’s efforts were largely marginalized during the last session.

Plus, Carroll could wind up being looked at as against any black woman who’s not exactly aligned with her agenda. At a time when a number of black women in California politics feel like they’re under attack, that’s not a good position for Ms. Fife to be in, and could be used against her in a big way. It is also a bad look for the Alameda Labor Council to have: the appearance of picking and choosing black female candidates in the wake of the Hicks / Ellis vote of last year. Indeed, it’s a problem that extends even to Kamala Harris herself.

The Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate is a part of the SF Bay Area Political Family, and so is very well known. I first met her in 2007, and even met up at Harry’s Bar on Fillmore for an early dinner. But, as her political career grew, it took on a pattern that many black women in the SF Bay Area Political Family don’t see as beneficial to them. Famed local lawyer Pamela Price put it this way in her blog:

In California politics, with very few exceptions, Kamala has not supported progressive Black women running for office. In 2017 and again, in 2019, we fought to elect Kimberly Ellis as the Chairwoman of the California Democratic Party. Kamala did not support Kimberly Ellis in 2017 or 2019.

In 2018, 2 Black women ran for Oakland Mayor. Kamala did not support either one of us. In the 2018 race for Assembly District 15 to represent Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond and West Contra Costa County, there were 3 Black women running for State Assembly. Kamala did not support any of them. As a result, today, there are no Black representatives from the Bay Area in the California Legislature.

In three local races in 2018, Oakland Mayor, Assembly District 15 and Alameda County District Attorney, Kamala provided major support for all of the white women who won.

The Lesson: Make Friends With Everyone, And Not Just A Small Group Of People You Like

Oakland’s real problem is that too many so-called progressive and democratic socialist candidates are also too eager to make enemies where they really don’t exist. I am calculating the over-under on when this post of mine will be mischaracterized for political gain. One will say it’s anti-Lynette and the other anti-Carroll, and someone else will come up with some other crap. All will be wrong. Note: it’s a trap!

Word of warning: you’re elected to serve all of the people of your district, not just the ones you like.

UPDATE:

Oakland District Three Councilmember Lynette Gibson McElhaney posted this entry on Facebook, tagging myself and this post:

Stay tuned.

Time To Stop The Left / Right Coal / No Coal Divide And Fix Oakland And America’s Economy Now

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Time To Stop The Left / Right Coal / No Coal Divide And Fix Oakland And America’s Economy Now

Time To Stop The Left / Right Coal / No Coal Divide And Fix Oakland And America’s Economy Now

ONN – Time To Stop The Left / Right Coal / No Coal Divide And Fix Oakland And America’s Economy Now

Time To Stop The Left / Right Coal / No Coal Divide And Fix Oakland And America’s Economy Now

Hi Allen Michaan,

The time to worry about that came in 1975 for me, when I read Limits To Growth as a teen, and then when I made my first computer-based SD model: 2002. The system dynamics models and literature have warned of this, long ago. We are 10 years behind because that was when zero population growth was to occur.

Allen, the problem is population, okay. We have too many fucking people on the planet, and the best way out of this is to just slow population growth rate. The best way to do that is via promotion of and financing of education worldwide.

Any good bioeconomist will tell you that even if we reach zero emissions, we will not, and I repeat not, stop climate change. Why? Too many people.

Also, wanting to kick people out of their jobs is not only evil, baseless, and lazy (sorry don’t mean to offend), it guarantees Trump a second term. Wake up, my friend. I have a broader view of the nation that you or Dan, or the stupid-assed white supremacist Sierra Club. The white coastal elites are hated by the South and Middle America, and for good reason. People like Dan who want them to lose their jobs and say so, just piss them off.

So, as I said to Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb, we have to fix this. The Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal provides low skill well paying jobs. The homeless in Oakland need them, and so do many in six different states (which have the coal industry). Tom Steyer is playing hedge fund against American society, and it shows. I am committed to forcing America to get back to economic planning without regard for politics. It’s what we did with the Defense Industry, and now we’re not doing it at all. The economic whole of our nation has been TORN because of this.

So, stop Allen. Stop supporting something that has already hurt us. Also, Dan mentioned the lone black person in this – the token. This matter is regarded by a silent majority as a whole as a group who thinks its smarter than others – and are telling them what to do. The fact that this is racially split, in itself, shows that institutional racism has set in.

Engineering – low emissions systems that can transport all bulk commodities including coal are in order. Right now, Allen, Oakland has one of only five low-emissions train engines in the World and for the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal. We can do this, Allen. We will do this. Moreover, we will do this in a way that does not help Trump get four more years.

Pushing workers out of jobs is not something I went to school for, and I will not stand for it today. Economic retention and tech training is the key.

Get on the right side Allen – you’re on the wrong one. Climate change is here, we have known this. But we STOPPED the ethic of fixing the problem, and now just want to say no. Not me. No way. Do the hard thing. And then keep doing the hard thing. No lazy thinking. We were supposed to have a DAMN space station colony called L5. Then, nothing. All of the ideas and plans I grew up with went away. It’s time to bring them back. Yelling “no coal” when that industry is still a Worldwide operating culture and making steel to make cities makes me think someone’s doing too many drugs.

We need to fix that industry, where the USA is number three in the World, and move forward. I’m not letting Tom Steyer devalue coal so he can buy up the reserves for himself. Bullshit, man. Bullshit. Don’t drink his fucking kool-aid, okay?

Thanks.

Be well.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://youtu.be/ygktob6Ng3E

Economic Renewal Agenda: Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins Senator Markey, Rep. Haaland, Grassroots Coalition

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Congresswoman Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins Senator Markey, Rep. Haaland, Grassroots Coalition in Announcing Economic Renewal Agenda

Today, Rep. Barbara Lee joined U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Deb Haaland (NM-01) and a coalition of grassroots groups; labor unions; Black, Brown and Indigenous leaders from across the country to introduce a bold plan for economic renewal known as the Agenda to Transform, Heal, and Renew by Investing in a Vibrant Economy, or THRIVE Agenda. In the Senate the resolution is led by Senator Markey, Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-Ore.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). In the House of Representatives, the resolution is led by Rep. Haaland, Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Donald McEachin (VA-04), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Raul Grijalva (AZ-03), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), and Ro Khanna (CA-17).

Eighty members of Congress across both chambers have already endorsed the THRIVE resolution as original co-sponsors. THRIVE lays out the unifying principles necessary to build a society that enables dignified work; increased racial, economic, gender, and environmental justice; healthy communities; and a stable climate. The THRIVE agenda is built on eight pillars, which span from creating millions of good, safe jobs with access to unions to averting climate catastrophe while investing in Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities.

A copy of the THRIVE Agenda resolution can be found HERE. A one-page overview of the THRIVE Agenda can be found HERE.

“The current COVID-19 crisis once again illustrates the legacy that racism and white supremacy has had in our country, and the desperate need to address the inequality that continues today,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. “We cannot change 400 year old systems of oppression without a fight. This resolution is an important step in addressing the issues of economic inequality, climate change, and empowering workers.”

“The solutions to help rebuild from the current health and economic crisis will help combat another – the climate crisis. The THRIVE Agenda is the kind of economy-wide job and justice creation mobilization we will need,” said Senator Markey. “We can and must do more than simply rebuild our economy, we must transform it — into an economy and a democracy that works for all Americans and saves the planet. We can thrive as we recover, and I thank Rep. Haaland and my Senate colleagues for their partnership on this important agenda.”

“The promise of the American dream should be available and accessible to everyone, but right now, our country is facing crises that are fatefully intertwined: tens of millions of people are unemployed, the COVID-19 pandemic rages, racial and economic injustice are rampant , and the climate crisis is accelerating,” said Congresswoman Deb Haaland, Vice Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. “I grew up in a culture that welcomes everyone, a culture in which we support each other in times of need so everyone thrives. We have an opportunity to not just recover from these interlocking crises, but to thrive by creating millions of good paying, union, clean, green jobs while building a more just, healthy, and stable economy that leaves no one behind.”

Senate Co-sponsors

“COVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated many of the inequalities in our country, from racial injustices to economic inequity and exposure to pollution,” said Senator Booker. “We still have so much work to do to stop the spread of this virus, but as we prepare for the long recovery ahead we must ensure we are laying the foundation to address climate change and build a more just country for everyone.”

“Climate change exacerbates the racial and economic inequalities the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare, and with millions out of work and at risk of losing their homes, their health care, and their loved ones, the time for bold, forward-thinking action is now,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. “While President Trump and Congressional Republicans continue to ignore climate change, I am proud to work with my Democratic colleagues and many advocates and progressive groups on the THRIVE agenda. Even in the face of a global pandemic, we can and must develop solutions to the climate crisis that create good jobs, invest in communities, and ensure healthy lives for everyone regardless of your zip code.”

“Our economy works for the wealthy and well-connected instead of struggling families, especially families of color,” said Senator Warren.“These unprecedented public health and economic crises have only made these longstanding injustices worse and we need big, bold structural solutions. I am thrilled to be introducing the THRIVE Agenda with my colleagues and dozens of grassroots groups to revive our economy and tackle the ongoing crises of COVID-19, climate change, racial injustice, public health, and economic inequity.”

“We are currently facing the worst health and economic crisis in modern history,” said Senator Sanders. “Climate change is a global emergency already devastating our communities and threatens the future of our planet. Half-measures are not going to get us out of this. Now is the time to act boldly— to work from the ground up to transform our society and economy to work for all of us. What this resolution says is that we must and we will create an America based on the principles of justice. Economic justice. Racial justice. Social justice. Environmental justice.”

“While progress has been made over the years, significant work remains to achieve true equality and justice for all,” said Senator Wyden.“Congress must take deliberative and decisive action to tear down systemic barriers and invest in those communities that are often oppressed or forgotten.”

“Oregonians and Americans in every corner of our country are hurting in so many ways. They’re crying out for racial justice, while also fighting to pay their bills and stay safe from raging wildfires and the coronavirus,” said Senator Merkley. “If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the administration’s handling of the pandemic, it’s that big problems don’t go away if you ignore them. Our communities need a blueprint for a better future that tackles climate chaos and systemic racism and builds back a stronger, more inclusive, sustainable economy. We can turn the page, rise to the moment, and solve big problems, and the THRIVE agenda shows the way.”

“The disregard for communities of color in environmental decisions has had lasting and devastating consequences on their economic opportunities and public health. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the THRIVE resolution, which lays out a strong agenda that will help our economy recover with good-paying jobs and a healthy environment, clean air, and clean water for everyone,” said Senator Gillibrand.“As we work to rebuild our economy, we must prioritize the economic well-being, health and safety of all Americans, no matter their zip code, by investing in long-term, sustainable solutions rooted in environmental, racial and economic justice.”

“The staggering effects of climate change have been laid bare this week with the horrific fires and record-breaking temperatures,” said Senator Blumenthal. “This environmental crisis, alongside the ongoing public health and racial injustice crises, demands immediate action and leadership – absent from this administration. I am proud to support the THRIVE resolution to put our country on a path toward a more just, healthy, and equitable society every American deserves. Its guiding principles will help revive our country’s economy while tackling climate change, racial injustice, public health, and economic inequity.”

“Marginalized communities—communities of color, low-income communities and Native communities—often bear the worst consequences of environmental pollution that profits the rich and powerful,” said Senator Udall, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. “Native American Tribes are still waiting for restoration owed to them from many decades of environmental exploitation, while air, water and toxics pollution caused by big corporations disproportionately affects minority and low-income communities every day. Moving forward, we must chart a new path forward to achieve broader prosperity and environmental justice and prevent the worst effects of climate change by including and empowering those who are most affected. The THRIVE Agenda is designed to create a more just and sustainable future, and we must use this framework to work for an equitably-shared recovery from the intersecting crises we are facing.”

“The THRIVE Agenda provides a visionary framework for economic recovery and climate action, while simultaneously taking on the generational, systemic challenges of racial injustice and economic inequality,” said Senator Heinrich. “That’s why I am proud to support this vision for putting millions back to work building a more fair, resilient, and clean economy for all Americans.”

House Co-sponsors

“Like no other time in our nation’s history, we are facing multiple intersecting and compounding crises that threaten public health, our economic future, and the health of the planet for future generations. The THRIVE Agenda puts forth a bold, transformative vision for our society, economic renewal, racial injustice, public health, and mitigating climate change. I am proud to co-lead this resolution with my House and Senate colleagues, as well as all the groups backing this effort and their tireless fight to address the long standing economic and racial inequities that have plagued us for too long.” – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell

“The current COVID-19 crisis once again illustrates the legacy that racism and white supremacy has had in our country, and the desperate need to address the inequality that continues today. We cannot change 400 year old systems of oppression without a fight. This resolution is an important step in addressing the issues of economic inequality, climate change, and empowering workers.”- Congresswoman Barbara Lee

“To get our country back on track, we need to think big. Now is the time for New Deal-like programs, and the THRIVE Agenda outlines exactly what we need to support the American workforce while advancing an environmentally stable platform. It bolsters unions to ensure these jobs have high wages and strong benefits. It ensures we address the injustices from racist policies that have set back vulnerable communities for generations. And it progresses us towards a sustainable future by mitigating climate change. I’m excited to co-lead this effort and work with the large coalition of supporters to bring the THRIVE Agenda to fruition.” – Congressman Brendan Boyle

“The multiple crises we are facing are deeply intertwined. We need a bold, holistic solution to revive and rebuild our economy in an equitable way that prioritizes people and our environment over corporate interests. I am proud to co-lead this resolution with not only my Democratic colleagues but also with the many advocates and progressive groups working together to create a movement. A return to normal after this pandemic is not enough. The THRIVE Agenda is the renewal plan we need to achieve racial, environmental, and economic justice.” – Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro

“It’s long past time for Congress to take bold action to protect our families, jobs, and planet. At a time when the global pandemic has destroyed lives and livelihoods across the US and exacerbated the inequalities that are impacting our communities, it is more important than ever to tackle this crisis in a comprehensive and equitable form. The THRIVE Agenda puts people first. It creates millions of union jobs, invests directly in Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities, addresses our climate catastrophe, and reinvests in public institutions. It’s time to invest in solutions that meet the scale of the challenges we face.” – Congresswoman Ilhan Omar

“As communities across the nation navigate intersecting crises threatening public health, equal justice under the law and the future of our planet, this much is clear — America cannot go back to normal because normal was never good enough. These compounding crises demand that our response fulfill the promise of America as a ‘garment of shared destiny.’ In that spirit, I am pleased to join my colleagues in introducing the THRIVE agenda, a historic call-to-action for Congress to turn this moment of national pain into the power needed to foster much-needed economic renewal while upholding principles of equal dignity, healing institutionalized harms affecting our communities and making bold investments in a vibrant, green future.” – Congressman Donald McEachin

“As we navigate the COVID-19 crisis, we cannot forget there is another massive crisis looming—climate change. Solving the environmental issues before us requires a whole-of-government response, involving comprehensive policy changes to a myriad of issues before us. I’m proud to join with Congresswoman Haaland on the THRIVE agenda, which will bring together a broad coalition of policymakers to mitigate the impacts of climate change and make sure that our future economic recovery efforts prioritize the needs of the environment,” – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree

A new poll finds that the eight pillars of the THRIVE Agenda are broadly popular across the country. Additionally, a new economic analysis from the University of Massachusetts Amherst finds that a bold economic renewal plan, as outlined in the THRIVE Agenda, would create nearly 16 million new jobs. Under this agenda, these 16 million new jobs would offer safe workplaces, family-sustaining wages and benefits, and access to unions. These workers would be part of a national agenda to deploy clean and affordable public transit, replace lead pipes for clean water, expand wind and solar power, care for our children and the elderly, retrofit buildings to cut costs and pollution, expand manufacturing of clean technologies, restore our wetlands and forests, and grow food sustainably on family farms.

The THRIVE Agenda is supported by more than 200 national and local organizations, including the American Federation of Teachers, Center for American Progress, Church World Service, Climate Justice Alliance, Color of Change, Communications Workers of America, Green New Deal Network, Indigenous Environmental Network, League of Conservation Voters, Movement for Black Lives, People’s Action, Service Employees International Union, Sierra Club, Sunrise Movement, United We Dream.

“To meet this moment, we cannot accept short-term solutions that pretend our problems are siloed and don’t seek to transform the systems that harm Black people,” said Karissa Lewis, National Field director, Movement for Black Lives. “We can’t stop police from murdering Black people, without divesting from policing and investing in Black and Brown communities through secure jobs with living wages and benefits. We can’t address a pandemic that is ravaging Black and Brown people without ensuring access to quality health care and the basic right of not living with or drinking toxic pollutants. Everything is connected, and we do ourselves a grave disservice by maintaining normality when momentum is on our side and the people are demanding more.”

“Indigenous peoples know that everything in life is connected and related,” said Tom BK Goldtooth, Executive Director, Indigenous Environmental Network. “This is also the case with the issues humanity are facing today. The THRIVE Agenda addresses the climate crisis, racial injustice, mass unemployment, economic injustice and the global pandemic while recognizing the importance of recognition of our Indigenous and tribal sovereignty and treaty rights. Indigenous knowledge provides a path forward, acknowledging any form of economic recovery must respect the sacred relationship to Mother Earth, to assure nature and ecosystems are not viewed as capital in a carbon and conservation offset market system and THRIVE recognizes that.”

“We’re thrilled to see so many forces uniting behind this agenda, which delivers a clear mandate for the next administration and Congress to get started on a Green New Deal to tackle climate change and lift us out of economic recession,” said Varshini Prakash, Co-founder and Executive Director, Sunrise Movement. “Between now and November we’re getting to work mobilizing our generation to defeat Trump and elect a new generation of leaders to Congress who will fight to make this vision a reality.”

“Communities across the country cannot afford incremental and piecemeal solutions to the dire intersectional issues we face, including the climate crisis, racial injustice, mass unemployment, and the deadly pandemic, to name a few,” said Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club. “Our government must rise to the moment and enact the bold, large-scale solutions outlined in the THRIVE Agenda, which lays out a forward-thinking vision that creates millions of secure jobs, supports cleaner air and a more stable climate, takes aim at racial injustice, and invests in the health of frontline communities. The Sierra Club calls on members of Congress to take immediate action and invest in a healthy, just, equitable economic recovery for all.”

“Black, brown, white, and Asian Pacific Islander working-class families are more likely to live in zip codes with hotter temperatures, dirtier air, or more polluted water,” said Rocio Sáenz, International Executive Vice President of the Service Employees International Union. “That’s not an accident. It’s the outcome of policies that force working people to suffer the worst consequences of a changing climate. As frontline service and care workers, SEIU members will fight for the THRIVE Agenda because we want policies that create a secure, livable future for our kids and grandkids.”

“As our nation confronts a global health pandemic, a recession, and as fires rage in California and a White House bent on division and fear rather than confronting the long needed reckoning with racial, environmental and economic justice, the THRIVE agenda helps lay out a plan to meet this moment,” said Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers. “It includes investing in equitable public education opportunities, including career and technical education pathways that prepare students for high-quality jobs of the future, and providing for the critical social, emotional academic and digital supports kids need to learn and thrive. After decades of neglecting our schools and other critical public institutions, it’s clear we must put investment at the center of the agenda, and demand the federal government take action to fund our future. THRIVE contains important building blocks in our journey toward a more just and equitable future for all.”

This post based on a press release by Congresswoman Barbara Lee to Zennie62Media.

Black men 8 times more likely to be stopped by Oakland police than White men, data shows

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Black Men 8 Times More Likely To Be Stopped By Oakland Police Than White Men, Data Shows

Black men 8 times more likely to be stopped by Oakland police than White men, data shows
From YouTube Channel: September 8, 2020 at 11:00PM
ONN – For one Oakland man, the stop happened in his own driveway. For another, it was a stop while riding his bike that led to two nights in jail with a $5,000 bond: https://abc7ne.ws/2Fbc3sZ

If something happens that impacts where you live or improves life where you live, ABC7 will be there to share that story. And we don’t just report what happens, we care about what happens — because we live here, too.

When you see news happen #whereyoulive, share it with us by tagging your social posts, video, and photos #ABC7Now, and you might be featured on our social media pages, website, app or TV.

DOWNLOAD: The ABC7 News app is the best way to stay up to date on Bay Area news, weather, events, traffic, politics, crime, life and more. You can customize your push notifications so you get just the alerts you want. Download it for free and check out the rest of our apps here: https://ift.tt/1MBiHjH

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Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel — thanks for stopping by!

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnJRMqCaj9I

Is Oakland Politics Bugged By Astroturfing? Here’s How To Spot A Fake Movement

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Astroturfing: How To Spot A Fake Movement

Astroturfing: How To Spot A Fake Movement
From YouTube Channel: May 29, 2020 at 10:00AM

ONN – Is Oakland Politics Bugged By Astroturfing? Here’s How To Spot A Fake Movement

If you’ve ever wondered if protests and groups in Oakland are real or fake, this post and video above that I spotted on YouTube is for you.

If the Reopen America protests seem a little off to you, that’s because they are. In this video we’re going to talk about astroturfing and how insidious it is.

Astroturfing: How To Spot A Fake Movement – Second Thought

Some Resources:

Domains registered to Dorr brothers and other interests:
https://ift.tt/352imr8

Analysis of the Reopen domains
https://ift.tt/2Khqo6d

Study on Astroturfing:
https://ift.tt/35oIM8V

Jeff Nesbit’s book on the Tea Party:
https://ift.tt/3hnABvZ

Operation Earnest Voice:
https://ift.tt/1huZb8N

Citizens for a Sound Economy:
https://ift.tt/2rEiWao

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3hFfbIXpg4

Iowa Derecho Storm Explained By Bailey Harmston On TikTok – NowThis On YouTube

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Iowa Natural Disaster Explained By Tiktoker | Nowthis

Iowa Natural Disaster Explained by TikToker | NowThis
From YouTube Channel: August 25, 2020 at 08:59AM
ONN – Iowa Natural Disaster Explained By Bailey Harmston On TikTok – NowThis On YouTube

20-year-old Bailey Harmston realized that few national news organizations covered the derecho storm that devastated Iowa lastweek — so she turned to TikTok to help spread the word.
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#BaileyHarmston #Iowa #ClimateCrisis #Weather #TikTok #News #NowThis #NowThisNews

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NowThis is your premier news outlet providing you with all the videos you need to stay up to date on all the latest in trending news. From entertainment to politics, to viral videos and breaking news stories, we’re delivering all you need to know straight to your social feeds. We live where you live.

http://www.youtube.com/nowthisnews
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Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAxPtK_7IMM

Insight Terminal Solutions Oakland Bulk Terminal, Utah Coal Industry: Salt Lake Tribune Tricks Seen

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Insight Terminal Solutions Oakland Bulk Terminal, Utah Coal Industry: Salt Lake Tribune Tricks Seen

Insight Terminal Solutions Oakland Bulk Terminal, Utah Coal Industry: Salt Lake Tribune Tricks Seen

ONN – Insight Terminal Solutions Oakland Bulk Terminal, Utah Coal Industry: Salt Lake Tribune Tricks Seen

Wow.

So, at first glance, the “letter to the editor” in the Salt Lake Tribune, and called “Letter: Coal port is not worth Utah’s money”, would appear to be by some random reader of the paper and website owned by the publication, right?

But then the letter contained the same tired words I have seen again and again. That’s because my company, Zennie62Media, is the content development consultant to Insight Terminal Solutions. It’s a role I personally sought after and not just to tell the truth about the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal (OBOT), but to use the vast network of interconnected blogs, video channels, and social media to the work the mainstream media will not do.

And I made the decision long ago that I would say who my clients are. The reason is simple: I believe that there’s no such thing as “objective journalism”, and the best way to attack what I consider to be the big lie, is to be direct and in your face about who we rep. I mean, you watch commercials for products, you know who the spokesperson is, you make the decision whether to hear the news or not.

So, when I was reading “Letter: Coal port is not worth Utah’s money”, something in my head said “Who is Micki Moulton?” So, I went to Google her name and saw this: “Search Results. Web results. Micki Moulton | Salt Lake Tribune Journalist | Muck Rack”. Turns out Micki Moulton is not a random resident who happened to chime in on the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal, but a listed journalist with the same Salt Lake Tribune.

Yes, the same Salt Lake Tribune, where I wrote this:

Basically, the Utah Legislature is to vote on an action that will result in something like $20 million being invested, to some degree, in OBOT – the ultimate result will be the maintenance of coal industry jobs in Utah, due to the operation of the multi-commodity bulk terminal (not strictly a coal terminal) in Oakland, opening up trade routes for the transport of bulk commodities, coal in this case, to the Pacific Rim.

That should be a simple story, but the work to scare people away from coal (as if other bulk commodities were cleaner, and they’re not) and by the spending on politics and media by people like Tom Steyer (who spent millions of dollars in investments in California and Oakland elected officials, non-profit political organizations, and media efforts), and Paul Huntsman, in this case, have made the matter complicated. To wit, both Steyer and Huntsman have investments in renewable energy, with Mr. Huntsman both owner and manager of The Salt Lake Tribune, while also serving as President and CEO of Huntsman Family Investments. In turn,The Salt Lake Tribune has taken a wild stance against the planned Utah Legislature action to help the coal industry via an investment in the OBOT.

I wonder if this kind of Paul Huntsman “two-step” caused Jennifer Napier-Pearce to resign as Salt Lake Tribune Editor, earlier this month?

The Salt Lake Tribune is consistently putting out the message that it wants coal workers to lose their jobs in the middle of the Pandemic, get job training, and then go for jobs that, drum-roll-please, will not be there. If you look at the data the largest job loss numbers in Utah are in service industry-related firms, not in transportation, manufacturing, or mining.

Climate Change Is A World Population Growth Problem, Not So Much A Traditional Energy Product

The conventional wisdom is that climate change is completely the product of using traditional energy sources. But the fact is, climate change is really the byproduct of world population growth. To put it simply, we have too many people on this planet, and we need to slow the rate of population growth – a rate reduction of perhaps by 50 percent going forward.

It has been said by a number of researchers that reducing carbon emissions to zero would not stop the climate change problem. And then consider how we got here:

According to the United Nations Population Fund, human population grew from 1.6 billion to 6.1 billion people during the course of the 20th century. (Think about it: It took all of time for population to reach 1.6 billion; then it shot to 6.1 billion over just 100 years.) During that time emissions of CO2, the leading greenhouse gas, grew 12-fold. And with worldwide population expected to surpass nine billion over the next 50 years, environmentalists and others are worried about the ability of the planet to withstand the added load of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere and wreaking havoc on ecosystems down below. – “Does Population Growth Impact Climate Change?”: Scientific American, July 29, 2009

Meanwhile, coal demand worldwide has suffered the same problems as other industry sectors, and renewable energy has suffered even worse in many cases. But the fact is, coal is used to make steel, and 70 percent of the urban development in the World comes from it, and demand to use it to do that is not going away. The move should be to make traditional energy cleaner in operation, launch a Sputnik-level of investment to do so, and we need to slow the rate of world population growth. We have to stop the disconnect between jobs and the environment, and get back to a “Star Trek” mentality that asks what technology can make the world better? Then do that tech.

But, back to the Salt Lake Tribune. Something else is up. Why do I get the idea that this effort works to the benefit of Huntsman Family Investments? What will the Utah Legislature think when it gets wind of this? What about Utah’s coal workers?

Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://youtu.be/WqcsUKiRPEM

Gov. Jerry Brown on DNC, Biden, Trump, Climate Change & More (Full, Unedited Interview)

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Gov. Jerry Brown on DNC, Biden, Trump, Climate Change & More (Full, Unedited Interview)
From YouTube Channel: August 22, 2020 at 02:29PM
ONN – Jerry Brown served as California’s Governor 4 times, and also served as California’s Secretary of State, Attorney General, Mayor of Oakland, and ran for President 3 times.

During this DNC week, we kicked off this week’s conversation by talking about the virtual nature of this year’s event.

“It worked, in fact, you could hear the speeches a little better, and hear the content, the expression, without all the atmospherics, the applauding, the hijinks, and all the rest,” Brown said, admitting that going virtual did remove some of the excitement.

The conversation turned to the Democratic nominee himself, former Vice President Joe Biden.

Brown and Biden entered elected office within two months of each other, Biden as a member of Delaware’s New Castle County Council in November 1970, and Brown as California’s Secretary of State in January 1971.

Both men have also run for President three times apiece,.

“You see what you get, you get what you see,” Brown said of Biden. “He’s had a lot of experience, he’s not flamboyant, he’s not a show-horse.

One other trait the two men share is their more advanced age: Biden is 77, Brown is 82.

Given the fact that Biden, should he win, would be the oldest first-term President in US history, the question of age has cropped up occasionally throughout the campaign.

So, is Biden too old to be President?

“No,” Brown laughed. “I don’t think I’m too old to be President. I’m 82… I feel I’m at the peak of my understand and experience.”

“Remember, energy is good… being young, and not knowing everything, you’re bolder, you’ll take risks, you’ll innovate,” Brown cautioned. “But as you get older, you understand things, you’ve made your mistakes, so you’re wiser… Biden looks pretty good, he’s got at least four years in him, maybe more.”

From electoral politics, the conversation turned to matters of the state.

First, on the environment, and the tumultuous week that the Golden State has experienced, from record heat in Death Valley and rolling blackouts, to some 500+ wildfires that have ravaged the state, with no major signs of containment or slowing down.

“Climate is getting warmer, it’s changing… we’re going to have more of this, this is just a little taste of what’s coming,” Brown warned. “Wherever you are in the world, we have to pull together, and climate change, like this virus, ought to be something that brings us together, because we’re all facing the same thing.”

Brown said that people have a “call to arms,” that the increased temperatures and fires will only get worse over the next five years, so the answer must be to get to zero-carbon emissions in society by 2045.

“We need radical change in the way things are going on.”

Also continuing to hammer California? Coronavirus.

To date, California has experienced more than 659,000 confirmed cases, the most of any state.

Brown, who serves as an advisor on Governor Newsom’s economic recovery task force, echoed the sentiment of his predecessor, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who in an August 9 appearance on The Issue is claimed that the state may have reopened too quickly

“Obviously we opened too soon, because the virus expanded,” Brown said. “But I have to say, as a Governor, this thing is complicated. People are yelling and screaming, ‘we’ve gotta work,’ ‘we’ve got to get to school,’ ‘we’ve got to get to our jobs,’… we’ve got millions of people who, without the money, can’t make it, can’t feed their families, so the Governor had a tough decision to make, things looked better, and, as it turned out, he had to turn back.”

While California could have reacted differently, Brown said the ultimate problem was the response at the federal level, blaming President Trump for not having mobilized manufacturing to ramp up testing capacity.

“[The President needs] to have mobilized manufacturing so that we could have had millions of tests a day,” Brown said.

“We should have closed down completely for four months and had the federal government pay the difference, then we could have gotten over it.”

The conversation wrapped up with a discussion of the future after this presidential election.

“No matter who’s President, we have a big challenge, because we’ve been spending all this money, we have a lot of unemployment, we have a lot of businesses that went out of business and aren’t coming back.”

If President Trump wins re-election, Brown said he believes that there will be enormous polarization and discontent. If Biden prevails, Brown admits that miracles won’t be performed, but that there will be calm and bipartisanship brought about by Biden’s skill and empathy.

“The Issue Is:” with Elex Michaelson is California’s only statewide political show. Watch full episodes at TheIssueIsShow.com

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YouP0d0V0DU

Ben Bartlett Berkeley City Council Member On Connection Between “Cabrini Green” And Racism In Politics

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2020 02 04 Ben Bartlett City Council

2020 02 04 Ben Bartlett City Council
From YouTube Channel: February 19, 2020 at 01:30AM

ONN – Ben Bartlett Berkeley City Council Member On Connection Between “Cabrini Green” And Racism In Politics

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02DFJH6U4l8

New Convention Video Showcases Friendship Between Joe Biden and John McCain, And Demonstrates Why We Must Put Country Over Party

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Democratic National Convention 2020

Joe Biden and the late John McCain featured in “An Unlikely Friendship,” produced by Davis Guggenheim MILWAUKEE—Tonight, in a new video released at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, the voices of longtime friends Vice President Joe Biden and the late Senator John McCain remind us of the power of the kind of leadership that puts … Read more

Democrats Announce Faith Leaders Participating in 2020 Democratic National Convention: “Uniting America”

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Democratic National Convention 2020

MILWAUKEE—The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today announced the faith leaders who will give the invocation and benediction during each night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention. At the convention—which will take place over four nights from August 17-20 and air from 9:00-11:00 PM Eastern—Democrats will celebrate our nation’s collective strength, diversity, and humanity and prepare to unite … Read more

Salt Lake Tribune Takes Govt PPP Loan, Denies Oakland, Coal Industry Aide; Paul Huntsman’s Two Step?

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Salt Lake Tribune Takes Government Ppp Loan, And Deny Coal Industry Aide; Paul Huntsman’s Two Step?

Salt Lake Tribune Takes Government PPP Loan, Yet Denies Coal Industry Aide; Paul Huntsman’s Two Step? From YouTube Channel: August 15, 2020 at 11:45PM ONN – Salt Lake Tribune Takes Government PPP Loan, And Denies Oakland OBOT, Coal Industry Aide; Paul Huntsman’s Two Step? The Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal (video), of which its co-developer … Read more

Cat Brooks Blasts Oakland Coalition For Police Accountability In Ginale Harris Ouster From Police Commission

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Cat Brooks Talks Her “the Black House” Short Play, Oakland Politics, And Kamala Harris

Caught Cat Brooks for a 37 minute interview from her mountain perch and via the Zennie62Media network. The actress that become activist, and almost the Mayor of Oakland (I still think Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Cat must have lunch and really get to know each other, but I digress), was in, as she told … Read more

Cat Brooks Talks Her “The Black House” Short Play, Oakland Politics And The Police Commission

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Cat Brooks Talks “her The Black House” Short Play, Oakland Politics, And Kamala Harris

Cat Brooks Talks “Her The Black House” Short Play, Oakland Politics, And Kamala Harris From YouTube Channel: August 12, 2020 at 08:01AM ONN – Cat Brooks Talks Her “The Black House” Short Play, Oakland Politics, And Kamala Harris Oakland creative and activist Cat Brooks, who ran for Mayor of Oakland in 2018, comes on to … Read more

LEAKED: Oakland Budget Meeting With Libby Schaaf – Parody By “Real Oakland Politics”

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Leaked: Oakland Budget Meeting With Libby Schaaf

LEAKED: Oakland Budget Meeting with Libby Schaaf From YouTube Channel: June 9, 2020 at 07:55PM ONN – LEAKED: Oakland Budget Meeting With Libby Schaaf – Parody By “Real Oakland Politics” This is a single video from “Real Oakland Politics” YouTube channel, that was posted June 9th. It is the only video on the channel, and … Read more

2020 Academy Film Scholars By The Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences

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Oscars-AMPAS

Los Angeles – Racquel Gates and Rebecca Prime have been named 2020 Academy Film Scholars by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Their respective book projects, Hollywood Style and the Invention of Blackness and Uptight!: Race, Revolution, and the Struggle to Make the Most Dangerous Film of 1968, explore in depth the topic … Read more

Harm To Journalism Industry Featured In Historic Tech Giants Antitrust Hearing

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Save Journalism Project

Washington – One year after the initial hearing highlighting the damage tech giants have done to the journalism industry, the House Judiciary Committee brought down the gavel against CEOs from the biggest tech companies, Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon. The Committee had done their homework and they grilled these CEOs with facts and evidence of … Read more

Almost Shot Twice in Oakland

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Almost Shot Twice In Oakland

Almost Shot Twice in Oakland ONN – Watch this story time of me reliving the time I almost got shot not once but twice. Where you ask only in the Bay Area. Hope you enjoy. :::::::::♡ New Videos EVERY WEDNESDAYS AND SUNDAYS ♡::::::::: ↓LETS BE FRIENDS↓ ?Instagram: https://ift.tt/2OPpBLV ♥ Check out my other Videos ♥ … Read more

Is It Time To Change The Structure Of Oakland Government? – Phil Tagami Files

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Fred Blackwell On Oakland Bulk And Oversized Terminal OBOT Oakland Army Base Project By Phil Tagami

Oakland, By Phil Tagami – Perhaps the time has come to realize that the experiment of professional career politicians failed Oakland – this cohort has “pooched” it pretty bad. Deficit Municipal budgets after a decade of record revenues year after year and the policies have not made us safer, healthier, or prosperous, solved a housing … Read more

Mary Trump: ‘Of Course I Did’ Hear Donald Trump Use Racial Slurs | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

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Mary Trump: ‘of Course I Did’ Hear Donald Trump Use Racial Slurs | Rachel Maddow | Msnbc

Mary Trump: ‘Of Course I Did’ Hear Donald Trump Use Racial Slurs | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC ONN – Mary Trump: ‘Of Course I Did’ Hear Donald Trump Use Racial Slurs | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC Mary L.Trump, the niece of Donald Trump, talks with Rachel Maddow about her new book, “Too Much and Never … Read more

Morgan DeBaun Talks Blavity, Leadership, And The Future Of Black News With NPR

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Morgan Debaun On Leadership And The Future Of Black News | How I Built This | Npr

Morgan DeBaun on Leadership and the Future of Black News | How I Built This | NPR ONN – Morgan DeBaun Talks Blavity, Leadership, And The Future Of Black News With NPR Moreover, what’s “black news” to a publication like Hearst Corporation is, in my view, news about helping poor black people, always showing us … Read more

Margy Wilkinson City Of Berkeley Planning Commission Mtg 2019 : Adeline Corridor, Ashby BART

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Margy Wilkinson City Of Berkeley Plang Com Mtg 2019 Re Adeline Corridor, Ashby Bart & Flea Market

Margy Wilkinson City of Berkeley Plang Com Mtg 2019 re Adeline Corridor, Ashby Bart & Flea Market ONN – Margy Wilkinson City Of Berkeley Planning Commission Mtg 2019 : Adeline Corridor, Ashby BART Our Margy Wilkinson of Berkeley, CA advocating for the our environment and the most needy And Berkeley Councilmember Ben Bartlett is more … Read more

Zennie Abraham One Of 1st Bloggers To Cover 2008 Democratic National Convention: Google Covers It Up

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Zennie Abraham One Of 1st Bloggers To Cover 2008 Democratic National Convention: Google Covers It Up

Zennie Abraham One Of 1st Bloggers To Cover 2008 Democratic National Convention: Google Covers It Up ONN – Zennie Abraham One Of First Bloggers To Cover 2008 Democratic National Convention: Google Covers It Up But Not Bing. This is techno-racism. If I type “zennie abraham 2008 democratic national convention blogger barbara”, in Google Search, I … Read more

ILWU “Bloody Thursday”1934 General Strike Commemoration At SSA Terminal Port Of Oakland

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Ilwu “bloody Thursday”1934 General Strike Commemoration At Ssa Terminal Port Of Oakland

ILWU “Bloody Thursday”1934 General Strike Commemoration At SSA Terminal Port Of Oakland ONN – The ILWU, other unions, community activists and supporters commemorated the “Bloody Thursday” when 2 strike supporters were murdered by the San Francisco police in 1934. It led to the San Francisco general strike. The commemoration also discussed the recent racist attacks … Read more

ILWU Juneteenth Voices Speak Out At Port Of Oakland

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Ilwu Juneteenth Voices Speak Out At Port Of Oakland

ILWU Juneteenth Voices Speak Out At Port Of Oakland ONN – Participants in the ILWU Juneteenth rallies and marches spoke out about the police terror, systemic racism and the role of the unions in this fight. This took place on June 19, 2020 at the Port of Oakland where the first rally took place. Additional … Read more

Oakland Police Department 2020 Police Racial Discipline Study: Black Officers Treated Poorly

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Oakland Police Department Racial Disparity Study

Basic conclusion of the Oakland Police Department 2020 Police Racial Discipline Study is that “black officers were more likely to have an investigative case sustained against them than officers of other races.” Zennie62Media digitized the text from the entire study so it can be read “in the raw”. It is below. The page numbers corespond … Read more

Live: George Floyd’s Brother Testifies at House Hearing on Police Brutality | NBC News

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Live: George Floyd’s Brother Testifies At House Hearing On Police Brutality | Nbc News

Live: George Floyd’s Brother Testifies at House Hearing on Police Brutality | NBC News ONN – George Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, testifies at a House hearing on racial profiling and police brutality. » Subscribe to NBC News: http://nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC » Watch more NBC video: http://bit.ly/MoreNBCNews NBC News is a leading source of global news and information. … Read more

Ed Fitzpatrick, Oakland’s First African-American Dealership Owner, Passes. Ray Leon Remembers Him

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Benjamin Edward “ed” Fitzpatrick

The Passing of my good friend Ed Fitzpatrick. By Ray Leon Well, it’s been a little over 10 days, and I’ve finally found the strength to speak openly about the passing of my dear friend, Mr. Ed Fitzpatrick (owner of Coliseum Lexus). I’ve struggled in trying to find the words that would appropriately describe not … Read more

Live: Demonstrators Gather for George Floyd Protests Across the Country | NBC News

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Live: Demonstrators Gather For George Floyd Protests Across The Country | Nbc News

Live: Demonstrators Gather for George Floyd Protests Across the Country | NBC News ONN – Watch live coverage as protests over the death of George Floyd are held across the country. » Subscribe to NBC News: http://nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC » Watch more NBC video: http://bit.ly/MoreNBCNews NBC News is a leading source of global news and information. Here … Read more

Mayor Of Oakland Part Of The Problem, Must Accept Responsibility – Phil Tagami Files

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Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf

Oakland – I cannot get over the fact the Mayor or her “handlers”, in her recent letter to supporters, attempted to coop the whole series of recent events Protests to dancing in the streets as if she guided, orchestrated them all and should be embraced as a unifier and praised for it. What was well … Read more

Mayor Of Oakland Economic Recovery Council Shows She Doesn’t Get The Immediacy Of Our Problem

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Mayor Of Oakland Economic Recovery Council Shows She Doesn’t Get The Immediacy Of Our Problem

Mayor Of Oakland Economic Recovery Council Shows She Doesn’t Get The Immediacy Of Our Problem   ONN – Mayor Of Oakland Economic Recovery Council Shows She Doesn’t Get The Immediacy Of Our Problem The Mayor of Oakland sent a press release via her assistantpress release via her assistant that I still can’t get over. It … Read more

Small Business, Marketing, Payment Protection Program – With Beth Schnitzer Of Spritz Marketing SF

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Small Business, Marketing, Payment Protection Program – With Beth Schnitzer Of Spritz Marketing Sf

Small Business, Marketing, Payment Protection Program – With Beth Schnitzer Of Spritz Marketing SF ONN – Small Business, Marketing, And Payment Protection Program – With Beth Schnitzer Of Spritz Marketing in San Francisco On Facebook, Beth captured what we’re all feeling about and experiencing with the Payroll Protection Plan Bailout Program when she wrote this: … Read more