God Forbid We Talk About Gun Control

Young children wait outside Sandy Hook Elementary School after a shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, REUTERS/Michelle McLoughlin

As I write this, AP is reporting 27 people were killed - 18 of them children - by one or more heavily armed gunmen who entered their Newtown, Connecticut Elementary school and began firing at students and school facilty.

But God forbid we talk about gun control.

If these reports hold, twice as many will have died today than in Columbine 13 years ago. In the interim, Americans now own over 300 million guns - one for nearly every man, woman, child and baby in this country.

But God forbid we talk about gun control. 

Eight states now allow firearms in bars. In Missouri it's even legal to carry a gun while intoxicated, and fire it, if acting in "self-defense." Kansas lets you carry concealed weapons in grade schools, and Louisiana allows them in houses of worship. Virginia repealed a law requiring handgun vendors to submit sales records and ordered the records they already had destroyed.

But God forbid we talk about gun control.

What's it going to take folks? What's it going to take to make our cowardly politicians stand up to the NRA and to gun manufacturers who profit off the death of young children?

If a classroom full of dead kids won't shock our country into action, I don't know what will. Or does a gunman have to shove a semi-automatic pistol up the uterus of a pregnant woman and pull the trigger before that happens?

The President responds.

Protesters Deliver Over 21K Signatures Demanding Villaraigosa Resign From Fix the Debt

In a sign that progressive push-back against Los Angeles Mayor Villariagosa's membership in the right-wing "Fix The Debt" lobbying group isn't abating, activists from MoveOn.org and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee delivered over 21,000 signatures to LA City Hall this afternoon demanding Villariagosa resign from the group's steering committee.

"They call themselves bipartisan because they're able to buy members of both parties," said Richard Eskow, a blogger for the Campaign for America's Future.

"The primary agenda for these folks is to lower taxes for millionaires, billionaires and corporations," he said.

In a scathing Huffington Post article about the Campaign To Fix the Debt's agenda, Eskow was even more blunt, "Let's be clear: This crowd doesn't really care about deficits. It never has. It's an anti-tax group which pursues its goals by fighting to downsize government programs and "reform" the Internal Revenue code.  Its natural allies are the Republican Party, the nation's mega-corporations, and billionaires."

Angela Garcia Combs with petitions

Besides MoveOn.org and the PCCC, the Calfornia-based Courage Campaign has also called on Villaraigosa to resign from the group.

"The so-called 'Campaign to Fix the Debt' is nothing more than a front group to protect tax cuts for the wealthy while balancing the budget on the backs of the poor and elderly," said founder Rick Jacobs.  "The fact that Mayor Villaragosa, or any other Democrat that claims to want to protect Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid, would join this effort is nothing short of shameful....Mayor Villaragosa should resign immediately."

Last week, Villaraigosa defended his decision to join fix the debt. "I am a Democrat and a progressive, but you know what? The country is evenly divided.  They won too," Villaraigosa told CNN, referring to Republican lawmakers.

Angela Garcia Combs, a native Angeleno and former volunteer for the Mayor who started the petition, said she decided to deliver the signatures today after staff from Villaraigosa's office told her it would take at least three months to schedule an appointment.

She promised today's action wouldn't be the end of it. "Any Politician that calls themselves a Democrat, Progressive, Centrist, Bipartisan, we are putting you on notice too. We are coming after you if you join this group," said Combs.

"Joining the Steering committee of Fix the Debt is like saying I'm joining the steering committee of the Titanic to help all those poor people in the water."

On Facebook, Villaraigosa again defended his membership in Fix the Debt, attempting to clarify his position on so-called 'entitlement reform'.

"Let me be very clear: I oppose the privatization of Social Security. I oppose turning Medicare into voucher care," said Villaraigosa. "I oppose dismantling Medicaid. I support letting the Bush tax cuts expire for the top 2%."

However, a spokesman for the Mayor's office told KPCC Villaraigosa was open to raising the retirement age for Social Security and other federal benefits.



More photos from today's action below the fold.

Courage Campaign Calls On Villaraigosa To Resign From Fix The Debt

As the petition calling on Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to resign from Fix the Debt approaches 13,000 signatures, progressive organizations in California are starting to weigh in.

Most notably, the 750,000-member California Courage Campaign announced this afternoon they would be joining in the effort to pressure Villaraigosa to distance himself from the right-wing lobbying group.

"The so-called 'Campaign to Fix the Debt' is nothing more than a front group to protect tax cuts for the wealthy while balancing the budget on the backs of the poor and elderly," said founder Rick Jacobs in a press release this afternoon.  "The fact that Mayor Villaragosa, or any other Democrat that claims to want to protect Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid, would join this effort is nothing short of shameful. Villaragosa should spend his time focusing on the needs of Los Angeles not working as a front man for corporate CEOs looking to protect their tax cuts. Mayor Villaragosa should resign immediately."

Despite intense media scrutiny, Villaraigosa seemed unfazed by the efforts.

"I am a Democrat and a progressive, but you know what? The country is evenly divided.  They won too," Villaraigosa told CNN, referring to Republican lawmakers

Watch the video.

CA Teetering On the Edge of The Fiscal Cliff: Garamendi and Villaraigosa Offer Starkly Different Visions

When it comes to the co-called Fiscal Cliff, the approach of two California Progressive Politicians couldn't be more different.

While Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa continues to defend his association with the right-wing lobbying group Campaign To Fix the Debt, CA Congressman John Garamendi had a far stronger message for our most vulnerable Californians.

"I'm not willing to solve the fiscal cliff by throwing seniors over the cliff."

In an op-ed published at Calitics, Garamendi strongly defended the social safety net and made no bones about how it's Republicans who want to use the current budget negotiations in DC to shred it.

I want to vote for a comprehensive bipartisan plan to address the fiscal cliff. I'm willing to take a tough vote. I'm willing to make sacrifices. I'm willing to feel the heat. But I'm not willing to solve the fiscal cliff by throwing seniors over the cliff. I draw the line at cutting benefits in Medicare and Social Security.

This week, House Republicans unveiled their fiscal cliff counter-proposal. While they continue to call for an extension of the Bush tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, they propose offsetting this cost by gutting Medicare benefits, including raising the age of Medicare eligibility to 67. I won't go there. As California's Insurance Commissioner for eight years, I know this would be horrible policy, throwing millions of seniors into the rapacious hands of an insurance industry interested only in profits for its shareholders.

Medicare is a promise we made to seniors more than four decades ago. When President Johnson signed Medicare into law, one in three seniors lived in poverty. Half of seniors had no health coverage at all. Today, less than one in ten seniors live in poverty and almost all have guaranteed access to affordable coverage. With medical expenses as high as they are, that's a remarkable improvement, and we have Medicare and Social Security principally to thank for it.

Contrast this with Villaraigosa, who told CNN "I am a Democrat and a progressive, but you know what? The country is evenly divided. They won too," Villaraigosa said. "We've got to work together."

The petition to demand Villaraigosa step down from the Campaign to Fix The Debt is up to 11, 545 signatures as of noon today. If you haven't already signed it, go to this link.

BREAKING: Villaraigosa Defends Membership In "Fix the Debt" As Online Petition Calling On Him To Resign Reaches Over 8K Signatures

Tonight LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa defended his decision to join The Campaign to Fix the Debt even as an online petition demanding he resign from its steering committee reached over 8,000 signatures.

"As a progressive Democrat, I joined the Campaign to Fix the Debt because Democrats and Republicans need to come together to find a balanced approach to our fiscal future," Villaraigosa said in a statement to the LA Times. "There are tough decisions ahead and the only way that we are going to find long-term solutions is by stepping out of our ideological boxes and reaching out to a broader coalition to get something done"

The Institute for Policy Studies has called Fix the Debt a 'Trojan Horse for massive corporate tax breaks'.  Scott Klinger, who wrote the IPS report critical of the lobby group said, "They're simply taking advantage of the so-called 'fiscal cliff' to push the same old agenda of more corporate tax breaks while shifting costs onto the poor and elderly."

Founded by deficit hawks Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson (co-chairs of Erksine/Bowles 2010 deficit-reduction commission) the Campaign to Fix the Debt claims to be a "bipartisan" interest group, yet touts the very Republican "core principles" of keeping tax rates low for the wealthy while slashing Social Security and Medicare.


Klinger's report paints a stark picture of what Villaraigosa has signed up to defend:

• Make permanent the Bush tax cuts for the top 2%.

• Cut corporate tax rates and shifting to a “territorial tax system” that would permanently exempt from U.S. taxes all offshore income earned by U.S. corporations.

• “Reforming” earned-benefit programs by raising the retirement age and means-testing Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security benefits.

In only 24 hours, over 8,000 people have signed on to a petition begun by a former Villaraigosa campaign volunteer demanding he resign.

"As somebody who volunteered and knocked on doors to help elect for Mayor Villaraigosa, I feel disappointed and betrayed, " states Angela Garcia Combs in the petition. "As former chair of the Democratic National Convention, it is inappropriate that Villaraigosa use his position to help this corporate backed group gut Social Security and Medicare, which many of us will need someday."

The politically ambitious Villaraigosa is termed out of office in 2013, and has made noises he wants to run for Governor of California in 2014.

But by signing on as a progressive "beard" for corporate interests, he'll be on the wrong side of the "core principles" of another interest group. Namely the coalition of working Californians, public sector unions, and progressive organizations fighting for economic justice who've traditionally backed Villaraigosa.

The LA Weekly immediately picked up on Villaraigosa's hypocrisy when they ran with the story yesterday afternoon.

Set aside for the moment the balls required for Villaraigosa to pretend to be a deficit hawk. His handling of L.A.'s municipal finances is a matter of record.

Let's instead look more closely at the "balanced approach" advocated by Fix the Debt, especially its "pro-growth" tax reform ideas. What counts as "pro-growth"? Well, any reform that "broadens the base, lowers rates, raises revenues, and reduces the deficit."

Wait wait wait, go back. Lowers rates? Is this a deficit-cutting plan or a tax-cutting plan? Let's turn it over to Paul Krugman: 

That last part makes no sense in terms of the group's ostensible mission, but makes perfect sense if you look at the array of big corporations, from Goldman Sachs to the UnitedHealth Group, that are involved in the effort and would benefit from tax cuts. Hey, sacrifice is for the little people.

In the same vein, Matt Yglesias argues at Slate that Fix the Debt is not really that concerned about fixing the debt: "What they believe in, instead, is the overwhelming importance of rate-cutting tax reform and reduced spending on retirement programs."

You'd think that Antonio Villaraigosa, an ostensible liberal, would want to pay attention to those voices. Evidently not.

Perhaps he will if we all shout a bit louder.  Click on this link to sign the petition

Backlash Against Villaraigosa and "Fix The Debt" Reaches Critical Mass

After "Venice For Change" broke the story that "progressive" Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa would be joining the Campaign to Fix the Debt - a high-profile lobbying group whose "core principles" include keeping tax rates low for the wealthy while slashing Social Security and Medicare - backlash over Villaraigosa's involvement seems to be reaching the boiling point.

In less than 24 hours, over 5,000 Angelenos have signed on to a petition begun by a former Villaraigosa campaign volunteer demanding he resign.

"As somebody who volunteered and knocked on doors to help elect for Mayor Villaraigosa, I feel disappointed and betrayed, " states Angela Garcia Combs in the petition. "As former chair of the Democratic National Convention, it is inappropriate that Villaraigosa use his position to help this corporate backed group gut Social Security and Medicare, which many of us will need someday."

(You can sign the petition here.)

The Institute for Policy Studies has called Fix the Debt a 'Trojan Horse for massive corporate tax breaks'.  Scott Klinger, who wrote the IPS report critical of the lobby group said, "They're simply taking advantage of the so-called 'fiscal cliff' to push the same old agenda of more corporate tax breaks while shifting costs onto the poor and elderly."

The LA Weekly immediately picked up on Villaraigosa's hypocrisy when they ran with the story yesterday afternoon.

Set aside for the moment the balls required for Villaraigosa to pretend to be a deficit hawk. His handling of L.A.'s municipal finances is a matter of record.

Let's instead look more closely at the "balanced approach" advocated by Fix the Debt, especially its "pro-growth" tax reform ideas. What counts as "pro-growth"? Well, any reform that "broadens the base, lowers rates, raises revenues, and reduces the deficit."

Wait wait wait, go back. Lowers rates? Is this a deficit-cutting plan or a tax-cutting plan? Let's turn it over to Paul Krugman: 

 

That last part makes no sense in terms of the group's ostensible mission, but makes perfect sense if you look at the array of big corporations, from Goldman Sachs to the UnitedHealth Group, that are involved in the effort and would benefit from tax cuts. Hey, sacrifice is for the little people.

In the same vein, Matt Yglesias argues at Slate that Fix the Debt is not really that concerned about fixing the debt: "What they believe in, instead, is the overwhelming importance of rate-cutting tax reform and reduced spending on retirement programs."

You'd think that Antonio Villaraigosa, an ostensible liberal, would want to pay attention to those voices. Evidently not.

Perhaps he will if we all shout a bit louder.  Click on this link to sign the petition

CD11 Candidate Mike Bonin Releases New Video, "I Believe In Los Angeles"

If you follow this blog, you already know I'm supporting Mike Bonin to be our next representative in LA City Hall for CD11.

With the release of Mike's first video, which I produced for his campaign, now you'll know why.

Titled, "I Believe In Los Angeles", Mike introduces himself to the voters of CD11 by sharing his personal story and his vision to move Los Angeles forward.

Have a look, then check out Mike's website at www.mikebonin.com

Mike Bonin 2013 "I Believe In Los Angeles" from Mike Bonin on Vimeo.

 

Villariagosa Partners With Wall Street To Throw Californians Off The "Fiscal Cliff"

Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

The last time Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa made national headlines he looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming semi as the Democratic National Convention he chaired descended into chaos.

This time he's making national headlines for joining the steering committee of "Fix the Debt", a high-profile lobbying group whose "core principles" include keeping tax rates low for the wealthy while slashing Social Security and Medicare.  Founded by deficit hawks Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson (co-chairs of Erksine/Bowles 2010 deficit-reduction commission) the Campaign to Fix the Debt claims to be a "bipartisan" interest group, and is trying to influence ongoing fiscal cliff budget negotiations taking place in Washington D.C. right now.

"If we're serious about long-term economic growth, we need a balanced approach for reducing the federal debt," said Villaraigosa in a press release. "That approach should include spending cuts, raising revenue and reforms that put our entitlement programs on a sustainable footing. The Campaign to Fix the Debt is dedicated to reminding all Americans that we can't reduce the debt and create the conditions for long-term job creation without working across party lines to find practical solutions."

If you want to know what some of those "practical solutions" Villaraigosa will be lobbying for might look like, follow the money.  Fix The Debt's $42 million war-chest is funded almost exclusively by Big Business CEO's notorious for underfunding their employee's pension plans, Wall Street executives who support privatizing Social Security, and virulent anti-tax lobbyists. 

"These CEOs paint a stark picture of hypocrisy," said Scott Klinger of the Institute for Policy Studies, who co-authored a report which called Fix the Debt a 'Trojan Horse for massive corporate tax breaks'. 

"They're simply taking advantage of the so-called 'fiscal cliff' to push the same old agenda of more corporate tax breaks while shifting costs onto the poor and elderly."

Klinger's report paints a stark picture of what Villaraigosa has signed up to defend:

• Make permanent the Bush tax cuts for the top 2%.

• Cut corporate tax rates and shifting to a “territorial tax system” that would permanently exempt from U.S. taxes all offshore income earned by U.S. corporations.

• “Reforming” earned-benefit programs by raising the retirement age and means-testing Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security benefits.

The politically ambitious Villaraigosa is termed out of office in 2013, and is no doubt fishing around for his next gig.  With limited options in California, perhaps he thinks The Campaign to Fix the Debt will burnish his national profile and launch him into a cabinet position with the Obama administration. 

Perhaps. But by signing on as a progressive "beard" for corporate interests, he'll be on the wrong side of this fight in the eyes of the coalition of working Angelenos, public sector unions, and progressive organizations fighting for economic justice who've traditionally backed Villaraigosa.

"Fix the Debt is a creature of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and the Wall Street Engineers of the the economic crisis we elected Barack Obama to get us out of, " said Rick Jacobs,  founder of the California Courage Campaign.  "I hope the President will pay attention to the voters and not those who put us into this mess."


UPDATE: Villaraigosa's constituents have gathered nearly 4,000 signatures in the last 24 hours demanding he resign from Fix the Debt. You can sign the petition at this link.

Robert Downey Jr. Lights Up Venice

I love Venice during the holidays.

As the days get shorter, if you can float it, light it, sing to it, drink to it, or set it on fire (sometimes all at once) Venetians will do it to celebrate whatever winter holiday we care to acknowledge.

And so it was last night. For the first time in a hundred years, the historic Venice sign display at Windward and Pacific was lit with red-and-green colored bulbs to welcome the holiday season. 

Conceived by Venice restaurateur Daniel Samakow, the Inaugural Venice Holiday Sign Lighting and Windward Crawl featured performances by Suzy Williams, Brad Kay, Jeremy Parker, Rachel Toczko, the Band Venice and the Jingle Bell Rockers, followed by the ceremonial flip of the switch by Councilman Bill Rosendahl and actor and Venice resident Robert Downey, Jr.

Attendees were encouraged to bring new, unwrapped children's toys to benefit "The Muscle Beach Toy Drive", a Venice tradition sponsored by the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division. Police will distribute the toys to Westside families on December 15th (for more information on how to donate, click on this link)




Here are my photos from the evening