Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Zuma Dogg Candid Memo On His Decision To Endorse Chris Essel Over Paul Krekorian (AND REALLY, REALLY FEELS Paul MUST Be Defeated/Essel Must Win!)
Here's the question from ZD: "How would you like to be a cd 2 voter? Who would you vote for between the two?"
ZD Opinion Leader: Zuma, I don't take sides in elections. But from my perspective, the two issues I am waiting for people to bring up Krekorian's backdoor budget team decisions in with Karen Bass and the Democratic Caucus as State Assemblymember, or Essel's actual activities to push SB 1818 while with CCA.
9/28/09 1:41 PM, "Zuma Dogg" wrote: Thanks, I'll focus on "look into Krekorian's backdoor budget decisions with Karen Bass and as ASSembly leader," because I guess I have to over-look Essel's actual activities to push SB 1818 while with CCA.
Since it lost a legal judgment recently, and more bad legal news on the way...AND, if this election is the unions (Krekorian) vs Developers (Essel) at least developers are shut down, for now (no money for these big projects), the emergency budget talks were over UNIONS bankrupting the city, not developers.
I can only hope the community keeps pressure on Chris once she's in office-- and there is NOTHING worse than a shady, slimey ASSemblymember in MY opinion. Forget that he used his ASSembly position and staff to run for THIS office and walk away from his commitment and at least Chris didn't do that. THAT ALONE would not be enough to COMPLETELY nix him, but it's the starting point...and again...I know that you know better than I do, what a bunch of bankrupting slimebags that the Krekorian ASSembly crew is. THIS GUY COULD BE WORSE THAN ALARCON, IN MY OPINION.
I know saying nothing (not supporting Essel so vocally and so early) would have been more popular for me, but I just got pissed at a lot of the nutty stuff people fall for, and at least I REALLY admire Chris (am jealous) over her administrative and executive abilities and think she's "better" than the other professional career do-nothing (except Parks) in the horseshoe.
So hopefully, you don't think I am being a sucker.... IT'S BETWEEN THE TWO PEOPLE ON THE BALLOT.
REPLY FROM ZD OPINION LEADER: Zuma, Your analysis is a smart one. You're right, developers play the lesser role in what you describe below. Interesting times! Someone said to me last weekend Krekorian is The Cadaver because he has clammy hands, no warmth, and a cadaver-like face. Anyway, things will get ugly now.
UPDATE: Zuma Dogg asked Chris about the stuff mentioned above. Here's my response based on what she told me:
I spoke with Chris and she told me personally, that she has already said that SB 1818 doesn't work for the Valley. And I grilled her in the way you know Zuma Dogg does on her role at CCA (Central City Association) and she told me that she DID NOT vote for, or have any role in the creation of the "push" movement. She was participating with CCA on behalf of Hollywood production and their needs -- and wasn't part of the housing issue that this is part of.
So when she says, "SB 1818 doesn't work for the Valley," and didn't vote on any of the SB 1818 that was part of a Downtown organization (not CD 2 Valley group) ; in a position she held toward the goal of trying to help downtown be more Hollywood production friendly."
I know who Krekorian rolls with in the Assembly; and they push for shady loopholes that would allow Verdugo Hills golf course to jam in the 229 housing units. THAT'S WHO IS SUPPORTING KREKORIAN (Fuentes). But you people like to fall for what he says...WHEN YOU ARE FORGETTING HE JUST PROMISED A BUNCH OF STUFF TO SUPPORTERS RECENTLY, AND HE HOPES TO WALK AWAY FROM ALL OF THAT. And NOW, you are falling for it, AGAIN! I bet you are the type of people who would look at detective photos of your spouse in a hotel room cheating on you with someone else, behind your back (which is what Paul is doing to his constituency) and you would say, "Oh no...he's not cheating on me, he's just sharing that shower with that other woman to help conserve water under DWP mandatory conservation.
YOU JUST WANT TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU WANT TO BELIEVE AND FORGET ABOUT REALITY!
So let's just say Essel is on a secret agent Downtown development mission. She just said SB 1818 (density bonus) doesn't work for the Valley, so let her go jam up Downtown with a bunch of stuff there is no money for anyway and you can keep an ASSembly member where he belongs. FIXING the mess he created and honoring his promises to the people who supported him.
MORE ON CHRIS ESSEL vs PAUL KRACKWHORIAN:
What Zuma Dogg Wants You To Know About Chris Essel...
Why I Am Supporting Christine Essel for CD 2 City Council ...
Councilmember Bill Rosendahl ENDORSES CHRIS ESSEL & Zuma Rants For Chris over Paul..
CHRIS ESSEL, the Outsider/Grass Roots Candidate, this time, in the run-off: Last time there were several outsider, grass-roots candidates, and since Chris Essel raised a lot of money (even though it was as an outsider, it was not while sitting in an elected seat) so people like Zuma Dogg and Kevin James were more hard on Chris Essel, because we wanted some of the other smaller (no money) candidates to win the seat. But the Top 2 money makers DID make it in, and again, a decision has to me made. So it seems to be shaking out, this time around, for the early December run-off, which candidate may get the "grass roots" support. Looks like it could be Chris Essel. Not that Kevin James has endorsed either candidate, and he probably won't until after he interviews the candidates on the air and in potential debates. But on Wednesday night, first of all, Kevin noted that Chris Essel has agreed to go on his show, this time for both and interview and in debates (if Paul accepts). So the relentless hammering Essel took for NOT going on Kevin's show, last time, is gone. But now, Kevin was reading an article in Sacramento Bee about ASSemblyman Paul Krekorian and his status as #2 gift taker in the California State ASSembly including things like sports tickets, fine wine, fancy clothes and all the Fabian Nunez type gift taking that they say is not illegal, although highly un-ethical and just looks REALLY bad, and sure as hell pissed off Zuma Dogg to call into Kevin's show. And Kevin took ZD's call as he was doing the segment, and it was a lot of fun as ZD sat on the line like and made side comments like an Ed MacMahon type of guy. It was HILARIOUS with a lot of rim shots...and ZD got to rattle off a nice ANTI-KREKORIAN rant on how he represents everything that is WRONG as a City Council member. (The podcast should be posted tomorrow night on the KRLA website and I'll post the link when available.) So looks like Essel who took a hammering from ZD and James in the primary are giving her the pass and going after Krekorian.
ZUMA DOGG ALERT: Time To Support This Blog Today (I HOPE SOME PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO HELP ME KEEP THIS BLOG GOING )
THURSDAY UPDATE: Good morning! Hope all is well. Call me if needed. ZD
THURSDAY 2p UPDATE: The bar was set pretty low. I said, "if there is NO show of support," and said, "five bucks a day," and unfortunately a couple people (as in two) took me literally.
(And someone else says they want to buy a five day subscription to this blog.) So I posted a little something on top of this post to meet my minimal obligation. And I posted a comment for the one wacko, nut case who cares about all of this A LOT more than anyone else. So they can read it.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
VIDEO: PUBLIC COMMENT NOW! Angry Crowd Forces L.A. City Council Into Recess
I expect much more outrage like this and expect City Hall will have to add more cops in council chambers and it could get much uglier as people become more desperate.
Click here for original video.
(Better audio for radio broadcasters! It's cued to the start point.)
LA Times article
Councilmember Bill Rosendahl ENDORSES CHRIS ESSEL for L.A. City Councilmember! (Thanks for standing up to the political machine, Bill!)
So there was ONE councilmember I personally contacted via voice mail to see if he was going to be making an endorsement between Krekorian and Essel, and mentioned I hope he could go against the Democratic Party and endorse the candidate I KNEW he would really want to support, if he could.
So Bill just called to let me know that he announced, last week, that he WAS endorsing Chris Essel!
I thanked him for his "against the grain" position from his Democratic Party (who is endorsing Krekorian, and another bad sign).
CM Rosendahl said, "I've gone against them (the Democratic party) a lot. On Prop 11 (re-disrticting), the party was against it, but I was for it." Adding, "I don't knee jerk. The Democratic party has as many problems as the Republican party. I don't buy one party over the other. It depends on the issue. How it impacts people."
Regarding his decision to endorse Christine Essel over the party's pick of Paul Krekorian, "We don't need career politicians every step of the way. Chris is from the private sector, with a career's worth of experience. We need that type of outside experience in local government."
"Secondly, " adds Rosendahl, "she's a woman," and noted how we could always use more of that in the horseshoe, with only 2 of 14 CMs being women, currently."
Additionally, Bill said, "Chris already has an independent knowledge of City Hall as a outside business executive, not a career politician.
Bill told me he feels she will be a more independent councilmember in the way Rosendahl is. (And maybe you don't like his politics, but TRUST ME...the guy is a troublemaker in the Councilmember world and DOES go against party orders and will bring up all the wrong questions, from their standpoint.)
And he added that he didn't run for office until he was 60, and we need people like Chris with a long career in the business world -- here in the city -- as a private citizen and not more career/party politicians. The city gains a lot of experience and more people should do it.
SO THANK YOU BILL FOR DELIVERING ON THE REASON I PUT YOU IN YOUR OWN CATEGORY SEPARATE FROM THE OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS. Parks is good on budget and prudence, but Bill is the only CM who I actually LOVE as a person, and was hoping -- AND EXPECTING for him to go with Chris; and I was just hoping he would be stand up and take a stand, without worrying about anyone thinks. (In other words, Bill is the only CM I feel you can go to as a "human being," not calculated politician.)
Just think, if EVERYONE did that, the right person would make it into office, once in a while.
CHRISTINE ESSEL FOR L.A. CITY COUNCILMEMBER.
Zuma Dogg added, "I've had enough career politician, clown ASSemblymembers destroying the city and it's general fund for their pals in Sacramento. And Krekorian having NO PROBLEM -- EVEN THINKING about running this early into his term, just tells you EVERYTHING, people.
But you DUMMIES WANT to believe what a real, live, slick Assemblyman says during an election.
I've watched a bunch of people (THE L.A. VOTERS) fall for every trick, every step of the way, and I have been on the front lines debunking the bullshit and making decisions based on detached neutrality and I try not to be a jealous crybaby in my decisions.
AND YOU SAME OLD DUMMIES BETTER NOT BLOW IT BY FALLING FOR THE SAME OLD POLITICAL TRAPS YOU ALWAYS DO.
I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE PEOPLE I KNOW, WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE POLITICALLY SAVVY, ARE EVEN THINKING OF KREKORIAN OVER ESSEL?
AND YES, IT'S BETWEEN THOSE TWO...and you cannot wait until 2011 for a better candidate. It will be too late.
You have a BANKRUPTING, DO NOTHING...BIGGEST PART OF THE PROBLEM, STATE assEMBLY MEMBER WHO IS HOPING TO STAB HIS SUPPORTERS IN THE EYE BY WALKING AWAY FOR ANOTHER GIG, AFTER DEMONSTRATING THROUGH HIS VOTING RECORD (that I wonder if you looked at) WHAT A FULL OF SHIT, PHONY THIS GUY KREKORIAN IS.
YES, I AM SAYING THAT.
I NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE PROACTIVE HERE PEOPLE...
YOU KNOW ME....
YOU KNOW WHAT I STAND FOR...
I WANT THE EXPERIENCED BUSINESS WOMAN WHO IS OBVIOUSLY SMART ENOUGH TO GET PROMOTED ALL THE WAY UP AT PARAMOUNT IN THE FINANCIAL DEPARTMENTS.
YOU PEOPLE ARE TOO DUMB FOR YOUR OWN GOOD THAT YOU DON'T SEE THIS, WHEN IT'S ESSEL vs KREKORIAN.
AND YOU HAVE TO FACTOR IN THAT IT IS ZUMA DOGG SAYING IT!
And every time I call someone I respect most on the Essel vs Krekorian issue, EVERYONE is telling me I made the smart decision. I wish I could tell you these people's names, but they have to stay out of it professionally. But there is a reason I am calling certain people. And in MY poll of people ZUMA DOGG respects the opinions of (which is why I am calling them), it's been UNANIMOUS so far.
Sorry Paul, you are being thrown under the bus HARD by people who don't base their decision on puppies and cookies.
READ THIS: Christine Essel Campaign Speech by Zuma Dogg
CITY COUNCIL LOSES CONTROL OF MEETING AND HAS TO RECESS DURING EMERGENCY BUDGET HEARING
AND DON'T TELL ME THAT YOU KNEW, TOO. EVERYONE SCOFFED AND SCORNED ME WHEN I MADE THESE PREDICTIONS...BUT MAINLY...IT DOESN'T COUNT IF YOU ARE JUST AGREEING WITH ZD WHILE YOU ARE WATCHING HIM ON TV...Check the record...there is ONE concerned citizen who figured it out and alrerted the masses and explained it on-the-record before council. THEY CANNOT SAY THEY DID NOT KNOW. They were warned by Zuma Dogg and CLA Gerry Miller, every step of the way. You didn't do aaaany-theeeeeeeeeeeeng! Nobody did no-thiiiiiiiiiiing.
This budget guy (Interim CAO) is just breaking as much bad news as possible. We've heard a lot on how bad it is, but this guy speaking can barely get the words out and he is sweating and swallowing hard because this is VERY HARD STUFF TO SAY, and I know if there were ever a time they wish the meetings were not televised, it's right now. I've been saying this is where we would be for exactly two years...and the guy on TV just confirmed EVERYTHING I said.
For example, they were expecting recipets to be down by 9%...but it was 27%...OOOPS...slightly off. So as I've said all along, the budget is based on unrealistic projections and it is going to be much worse than accounted for -- and I'll post the video after the meeting, once it is posted on the city web site.
All I know is I tried to do everything I could to warn the masses and warn council. I know it was fun to watch on TV. More of you should have been joining me. Have fun dealing with it now.
It's 11:35am and City Council has lost control of the crowd and the meeting and this is the trend of what I have said is coming. A riot crowd that council cannot control. TOTAL OUTRAGE!
COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO HAVE 10 COPS AT EVERY MEETING FROM NOW ON. THE MEETING WILL BE ADJOURNED.
THIS IS THE DAY WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR...THE PEOPLE OF L.A. SHUT DOWN THESE SHADY, HELP-LESS, DO-NOTHING, JOKERS!! SO LONG LOSERS...YOU ARE ALL DONE!!!
THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN...NOW GO THE HELL HOME LOSERS! I MEAN YOU COUNCIL!!!
UPDATE: Clowncil took back control of the chambers and are continuing to announce all the bad news while they take ZERO actionable measures. There's still a LONG way to go before these helpless clowns take hold of the reigns.
CLASSIFIED AD:
Wanted: Leadership and action inside L.A. City Hall to avert public safety disaster. Mr. Kotter encouraged to apply.
Monday, September 28, 2009
L.A.'s ban on new digital billboards and supergraphics is upheld by Federal Judge
A federal judge denies Liberty Media Corp.'s request for an injunction to block the city's newest outdoor advertising law.
A federal judge refused Monday to halt enforcement of the Los Angeles City Council's newest outdoor advertising law, which bars the installation of new digital billboards and multistory supergraphic signs across the city.
read more
TEAR EM DOWN, NUCH!
VIDEO TRAILER: Michael Jackson - "This Is It!"
All the money that is going to be made off of this movie, while City of L.A. picked up the tab for the AEG/Staples Memorial event, is gonna make Nuch & ZD's head explode! "This Is It!" (As in the profits SONY was waiting for. Aren't they in Culver City?)
By the way, speaking of NUCH and AEG MJ Memorial Event...look for Nuch to follow up on his, "criminal elements" with a shoe to drop soon. (YES, the name of THAT movie trailer is called, "It Ain't Over"...and ZD says you may hear something while this movie is in theaters.)
But for now..."Whoooooooo! Whoooooo! Na-na-na, na-na-na...na-na-na, na, naaaa, na-na...
Bank suspends dealings with ACORN housing entity
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Bank of America Corp. is suspending its work with the housing affiliate of embattled community organizing group ACORN.
The decision comes as three Republicans in Congress ask Bank of America and 13 other financial institutions to give Congress a complete accounting of their dealings with the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now or its affiliates.
In a statement, Bank of America said it would not enter into any further agreements with ACORN Housing Corp. until the bank is satisfied all issues have been resolved. ACORN Housing Corp. and Bank of America have worked together for years on mortgage foreclosure issues.
"We completely understand why our lending partners like Bank of America want assurances that the recent allegations against us won't happen again," ACORN Housing Corp. said. "We are taking a number of steps to ensure this, including providing ethics training to all of our staff."
Long a target of conservative critics, ACORN employees were caught on videotape recently giving advice to a woman posing as a prostitute and to a man posing as her pimp about cheating on taxes and operating a brothel with underage immigrant girls.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on Bank of America pulling back from working with ACORN Housing Corp.
On Friday, GOP Reps. Spencer Bachus of Alabama, Darrell Issa of California and Lamar Smith of Texas sent a letter to 14 banks requesting disclosure to the House Financial Services Committee of all financial arrangements with ACORN and its subsidiaries or affiliates.
Each of the three congressmen is the ranking Republican on a House panel: Bachus on the House Financial Services Committee, Issa on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee and Smith on the Judiciary Committee.
"The Republicans are trying to intimidate banks that have stepped up to help stop the foreclosure crisis," said ACORN chief executive Bertha Lewis. "These same Republicans ignored ACORN's warnings about predatory lending and the foreclosure crisis, then gave Wall Street free rein and are now obstructing efforts to help families."Associated Press
Saturday, September 26, 2009
City Council Run-off Election Challenge: Phone Call Banks and Mailer Fatigue: I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN TAKE ANOTHER ROUND OF FLIERS AND PHONE CALLS???
No, you don't get it...you have to pay me to STOP saying something!
If I'm not on the payroll, then I am just a free individual to say what I want, and I am like the evil mad strategist, who is here to simply post whatever pops into my head for all to see...and hope it doesn't rock the boat too much!!!
So here are some things I will be hoping to see in this election:
I was speaking with a friend who was doing some phone banking in the CD 2 election. And they told me people on the phone were saying things like, "If I get ONE MORE call for this election, I will vote AGAINST the candidate." A lot of of phone call fatigue.
AND, with the mailer blizzard that hit voters, they ain't too happy about that, either.
AND, NOW is when the REAL blizzard starts to move in.
SO YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MUCH FATIGUE THERE IS GOING TO BE WHEN EVEN MORE FLIERS GO OUT, BECAUSE THEY JUST HAD A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION...MAYORAL...CITY ATTORNEY...CONTROLLER ELECTION...THE CD 2 SPECIAL ELECTION...
AND NOW THE RUN-OFF.
So that becomes a problem for my gal, Christine, who is in the run-off against State Bankrupting Assemblymember Paul "Mr. Burbank" Krekorian (which sure beats Krackwhorian).
So how do you address the flier fatigue issue? (And I bet the political operatives don't even care about this, and will just move ahead with more of the same from round one...just more of it...and even uglier.)
Well, ZD feels you CAN'T just send out the same kind of fliers, this time!
ANSWER: This is where I really should stop, because even though I am not getting paid, the answer really would be able to help out Paul, too, just as much.
And maybe Chris' people won't even do it, and then it would be used against her. And then that would reflect poorly on me since I am supporting Chris.
So guess I'll stop here for now. But if you see some really innovative campaign fliers that you WANT to get and WAIT for...YOU'LL KNOW WHERE THEY CAME FROM. (Maybe I'll have to make my own independent expenditure mailing for Chris!)
Why It's Much Better To Have Zuma Dogg's Support In An Election Than It Is To Have Him HAMMERING AWAY At You (Ask Some Who Have Been Hammered)
"Zuma Dogg tweeted me back. This is the greatest thing to happen in my life ever. That and Van Nuys Civic Center and the San Diego Sports Arena."
I wish she could have left it at that and not have to lump me in the Civic Center and Sports Arena, but at least they are multi-million dollar municipal facilities. ZUMA DOGG: A one-man, walking municipal facility!
Yes, it's been a good week for quotes that I love so much, because I am so bitter:
"You are an artist and a civic treasure." - Unsolicited email from voter
"There has to be an end to this oligarchy. We are close to having no rights. And we need to find a way for ZD to earn a living and still have time to harass them. He has brought awareness to the city processes like nobody else. I must take the time to tell him." - Elaine (Mary Benson supporter)
"Zuma Dogg, who is smarter than and knows more about city government than most Council members, has become something of an urban folk hero, skewering City Hall foibles and failures in his frequent public comment appearances broadcast on Channel 35. His campaigns for mayor and now CD2 attracted respectable numbers of votes for a candidate who not only is penniless but homeless." - Ron Kaye
"David Saltsburg, best known as Zuma Dogg, the sometimes-homeless City Hall provocateur, is no amateur. He actually does understand how City Hall works and catches the Los Angeles City Council at bad behavior. It's a big job for a guy without a permanent address, to watchdog a richly paid City Council best known for its bumbling." - LA Weekly
"Zuma Dogg has done a lot of good for the people of Los Angeles. He's a good man." - Dennis Zine
"Local legend, Zuma Dogg speaks the truth. He's been fighting for you for years." - Doug McIntyre/KABC radio
"Zuma Dogg understands City Hall. Zuma Dogg is passionate. It would be great to have the tenacity and bravery of Zuma Dogg in the horseshoe." - Kevin James/KRLA radio
"Zuma Dogg is not only one of the most recognizable figures at City Hall, cordially greeted by passersby, including security guards and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, he also has the ear of high-level insiders, who feed him information in the hope that he’ll expose, and possibly stop, one questionable government project or another. In his first years on the scene, he was quietly derided by insiders, including a gaggle of journalists who attend council meetings. His persistence, and now, even critics must admit, his growing expertise on city policy and city government, have changed all that. Masked avenger: Once derided, Zuma Dogg earned respect on public access TV." - LA WEEKLY
YES, I may have tanked in the election myself, because everyone who liked me backed either their long-time community members or one of The Big 3 (to beat one of the other Big 3), but I think a lot of the people who supported other candidates, and are thinking of who to select between the two, don't mind knowing what I am thinking, just like a "Siskle & Ebert" movie review (who gets the thumbs up and who gets the thumbs down). And the reason people care what I think is because they have been FORCED to follow me over the past three years on TV 35, radio and blogs...and let's just face it people...ZD is bigger as a public advocate blogger/gadfly than translates into a council election.
I still did well, relatively speaking, because I didn't do a damn thing besides attend the candidate forums. I mean, I didn't pass out a flier, I didn't go to one farmers market or mall to work the crowd and meet voters. I didn't go to one NC meeting. I just did what I have been doing anyway, as an activist (calling radio and council meetings), but I didn't do a thing.
So I was about parody with the people who lived there and worked on the NCs and had signs and robo calls and ran all over the place and worked the whole community, and pushed so hard.
So my mere name on the ballot alone, puts me mid-pack. BUT, the real thing the spin-losers forget to tell people is that many of the people who supported Tamar, Paul and Chris -- really actually like ZD and know I'm not easy to sell and people know I go to great lengths to come up with my feelings and decisions.
SO REGARDING CHRIS VS PAUL...ALTHOUGH I WAS HOPING TO BE BITTER AND SAY, "NOPE! I put ZD on the ballot because I thought ZD was the best and far better than the other 9, and it was either, "Pick me, or live with any of the other inferior losers," luckily, I'm not as big of a baby as I thought I was, or figured I would be and things just played out the way they did and we have a result.
AND TO BE HONEST: It does kind of sicken me that I am supporting the candidate with the most money who just breezed in with mailers and I'm the homeless guy who is already hungry thinking about the next hour, and I'm going into "Zuma" mode over this, and I know Chris and her supporters are happy...but I can't be a crybaby and stay out of it for the wrong "sour grapes" reasons, because there is someone else on the ballot, too.
So don't be fooled, spin-losers: The reason why Zuma Dogg being able to like a candidate in this election is the BEST endorsement is because I don't think there is anyone that MORE people like, second, who voted for someone else. I don't think there is ANYONE ELSE in the city or district that reaches more Tamar, Paul, Mary and other candidate supporters, at once.
I had a lot of people apologizing to me for supporting others, while thanking me and telling me what a good job I'm doing out there and hoping I continue at City Hall. (See quotes above.)
So whether ZD just swayed the election, or didn't even budge the meter, I think it probably feels a lot better having ZD say nice things about you because he felt like it in this situation, than to be hammering away at you. I know Paul probably isn't ready to concede the election, yet. But it probably would have been more fun to have ZD hammering away the other person, instead of supporting them, and hammering away at YOU.
And again, I have decided I like Chris and am supporting her and am hoping for the best...but the reason this came out fast, is because there is NO WAY I WOULD EVER BE ABLE TO SUPPORT PAUL. But that's just me. And I ended up liking Chris, so why wait?
HERE'S A VIDEO TO CELEBRATE THE GRASS ROOTS LOVE!
Why I Am Supporting Christine Essel for CD 2 City Council (by Zuma Dogg)
ELECTION STRATEGY: Zuma Dogg Writes His Own Christine Essel Campaign Speech (based on his own probing interview with her on the phone.)
(In response to people saying ZD should wait on all this up-front, early support for Chris Essel.)
Sorry that Krekorian and Essel made it into the run-off, but those are the two options and I do not agree that you can just sit out and not vote. You have two distinctly different candidates and a decision must be made.
So now we have a fresh slate, and I am not going to take the easy way out and just say, "Forget it...not going to vote/say anything."
And people know I have been kicking the tires on Chris Essel because I wasn't taking a good look at her during the primary because I was supporting another grass roots candidate (me).
And I have already made the decision I am not going to support Paul Krekorian and I have given the reasons why. So for the purpose of this blog post, I am going to focus on reasons why...I guess I have to come out and say it...why I am supporting Christine Essel in this run-off -- in the context of Chris alone, and not at the expense of Paul.
People tell me I am supposed to "play both sides" and try and set up meetings with both sides; and don't say anything yet; and don't give it away for free; and see what you can maybe negotiate first, and all of that.
And if anything good comes out of my support down the line, then that would be nice and I'm sure a lot of people would be happy for me.
BUT the MAIN thing is...neither candidate, nor any candidate could get me to support them publicly if I didn't feel comfortable.
And Zuma Dogg suffers from "the-clock-is-always-ticking, frenetic energy syndrome."
Kevin James was hammering her in REAL TIME, this week on his radio show.
The other candidates and opinion leaders are making their decisions as we speak.
And I know it would be easier for me to say nothing at this point and see how things play out; and calculate things; and not offend people who will be mad at me for being supportive of Ms. Essel because of the Central City board position, people who donated to her campaign, and her support from Wendy (yes, some of us think that's a negative) and the whole Anti-Essel sentiment out there at the ZD community activist level.
But again, it is surprising to me, as well, that I feel it is important that Chris makes it into the seat over Paul. And I am factoring in all those things that turn off people like ZD in my support when contrasting between the two candiadates on the ballot.
So what was it then that has caused me to look at the money and connections of both candidates and go with Essel.
(Gag alert): She just impresses the hell out of me as an outstanding career business woman and has a good vibe and energy and I admire her as an individual. (She can write sheet music and that's not something anyone can do. A lot tougher to master than baking cookies!)
And she tells me she wants to do all the good community-based things she said during the campaign and I am just going to have faith that the short year and a half term will cause her to actually take on the challenge of representing the community spirit, at least MUCH MORE than we are used to seeing in the horseshoe.
And again, I wasn't SEEKING out to support anyone, and was maybe not going to get involved, even though I think YOU, as individuals need to make a decision for yourself and vote. I just wasn't going to be public and get involved and go into "Zuma Dogg" mode for either of these two.
But first, Chris was very warm and friendly to ZD during the forums, even though I would hammer her at times. Now the other Big 3 were nice and friendly to ZD, too (Paul and Tamar), but Chris really put out the most "down home" vibe and just that pure joyous personality that people like ZD and Tamar and Wendy have to fake to put on. A lot of times people are nice to ZD but it has a fake, political vibe and you know they would loosen my brakes if they could get away with it.
Here's how I started to get sucked into feeling good about Chris Essel:
Chris was making the rounds calling the other candidates and community opinion leaders and asking for their support in the run-off.
She asked me, flat-out, "Can I count on your support?" I said, "HELL NO, you can't COUNT on it," but since you asked, let's talk and I'll see.
So I called her later in the evening to set up a time for coffee somewhere...but you know me...I couldn't wait, so I just started firing away questions, asking her what I was curious about.
I ended up typing up highlights from the conversation in my blog post from Friday where I wrote a speech in her voice of the things that impressed me most. Things about her career achievement that didn't come out in the primary.
Chris needs to work on getting fired up and sticking up for herself and selling people on her career path and achievement as a woman rising through the ranks in Hollywood at Paramount.
So later in the evening, after the phone call with Chris that really impressed me, Kevin James was on the air, just before 11pm and was hammering Chris, once again, for not appearing on his show and he was hoping she wasn't going to dodge him, this time (in the run-off) -- and it was going south, real quick.
So Zuma Dogg calls Chris at 11pm on her cell phone, and she picks up, and I immediately start in, at frenetic Zuma Dogg pace, "Kevin is HAMMERING you on the air...are you going to go on the debates, this time? You HAVE to...if not...(blah, blah, blah)..." And I add, "You gotta call in!" (Hey Garcetti, what's your cell phone number, again?)
It didn't occur to me that she might have been sleeping at 11pm the night after the election wrapped up, and she said, "I can't, right now, I'm sleeping."
SLEEP???...WHO CARES...BETTER TO GET OUT THERE SOUNDING SLEEPY, THAN TO CONTINUE TO GET HAMMERED UNTIL YOU SOUND FRESH. (I literally was saying that.)
But...I have to remember...not everyone can do interviews in their sleep like Big ZD, so I said, "Well can I call and tell him you'll do it, so he'll stop saying you won't."
She gave me the green light and told me I could call in.
So I called Kevin and they are working it out and Chris says she will be on Kevin's show for the run-off.
SO THAT'S GOOD!!! ZUMA DOGG WAKES HER UP AT 11PM, AND SHE LISTENED TO ZD AND THE OTHER CANDIDATES WHO TOLD HER SHE SHOULD DO IT, AND SHE AGREED!!! AND...ZUMA DOGG WOKE HER UP AT 11PM, AND SHE IS STILL TALKING TO ME!!! Imagine if I called Wendy at 11pm at night on her cell phone.
I think it's a very good sign that I already like Chris a lot more than I ever liked Wendy and even before Wendy REALLY hated me....she was never warm and nice to me and never would accept feedback, like this.
So I think the fact that Chris is NOT a career politician; and kind of green in some GOOD ways means she may be a little more vulnerable in having to rely on the community and will need to do a lot for the people during this short term. And if she turns out to be insincere, we can vote her out in a year and a half.
AND THE PEOPLE HAVE TO KNOW...Zuma Dogg is always EXTREMELY skeptical listening to ANYTHING a candidate has to say during an election, and I'm pretty harsh in my scrutiny and that's what people LOVE about me.
BUT SOMETIME, that can cause you to throw the baby out with the bathwater, and that is something I am ALWAYS...MOST CAREFUL not to do. And when I see other people doing it, it sometimes makes ME look harder (which I did with Chris, since she asked me to) and I was pleased at what I have seen so far, so the guy who hates to be bamboozled, DOES have to do what he HATES to do in politics....HAVE A LITTLE FAITH that the person before me is the sincere, warm person who intends to do what she says.
I always have negative nicknames for other people, and Chris' new on is "Samsonite" cause she's got a lot of baggage. And in the future, I'll address some of the concerns I had that I have to get over in this election, because this is supposed to be about positive things about Chris, in this post, without attacking Paul Krekorian...but again, that factors in. Because if it was Chris Essel versus Pete Sanchez, I would probably be pushing hard for Pete.
But it's Essel vs Krekorian, and Zuma Dogg IS supporting the outsider, grass roots candidate in this election: Chris Essel. I hope it doesn't come back to bite me in the butt in two years if she stinks as a CM. But the things I am concerned about with Chris are problems you have to deal with when you have a upscale, classy lady on your hands who isn't used to shamless campaigning.
And seriously, Chris IS the outsider, grass roots candidate. She's just successful at it because she raised a lot of money and has the endorsement of the previous councilmember. OF COURSE a candidate like Chris is going to go for Wendy's endorsement. I heard Wendy DID wait because Lisa Sarkin and some others were thinking of running. But when some of the others didn't run, Wendy went with Chris. It's not like Wendy called Chris and said, "Chris, Wendy Gruel. I need someone to take over for me and do everything I say and be my puppet and screw the community."
If Zuma Dogg is finally seeing Chris for the outstanding business leader that she is, at least as a career woman...I can't blame Wendy for endorsing her.
Not to say she is going to tell Wendy to go screw herself, either.
But I think with Chris, she's a sincere and nice person who doesn't have that "political grandstanding juice" running through her like Wendy, Garcetti, Zuma, Krekorian, Alarcon.
So in this case all we can do is support her, be all over her the second she walks in the door, she seems to be listening to things I am trying to tell her.
So maybe we have a "Good" Wendy in Chris. And if not, then she get the Academy Award for suckering Zuma Dogg. She can't be THAT good. She may have worked at Paramount, but it was on the financial/business side.
I know a lot of people may be surprised I feel this way, and I was told to wait, but I don't like to hold back and be calculated in this stuff. It's not about YOU and what YOU get out of it. If the position of Councilmember is important to the future and the lives of the people...then the clock is ticking and no time for game playing on my end. And I HATE when people pull certain "cards." And ZD NEVER picks a candidate on if they are a man or woman...but man, this is THE "Girl Power" candidate if I ever saw one. And luckily not JUST because she is the female candidate. (Janice Hahn PLAYS that card, but Chris really IS.)
What can I tell you, now ZD got way too sensitive and his feminine side came out too much from all of you ladies who made ZD your little "fixer upper project" during the candidate forums. YOU TURNED ME INTO A SENSITIVE YOU KNOW WHAT!!!! LOOK AT THIS!!! Oh no...where's my AC/DC "Back in Black" LP.
Zuma Report "Week In Review" (A lot of NEW Content...New Blog...New Perspective...NEW!)
ELECTION STRATEGY: Zuma Dogg Writes Christine Essel Campaign Speech (based on his own probing interview with her on the phone.)
The Challenge For Chris Essel in CD 2 City Council Run-off with Assmeblymember Paul Krekorian
My Argument AGAINST Nutty City Charter Ballot Amendment Cutting City Council Salaries in HALF!
Neighborhood Council Summit To Address A Host of Wide Ranging Issues at "Action Summit"
Why City Attorney Carmen Trutanich Has To Read Deming's 14 Points (Quality & Productivity) According To Daily News Report
If I Learned ONE THING Speaking With Politicians During Elections...
Zuma Dogg's NUMBER ONE CALL For City Hall Reform (And I Don't Care If You Don't Like It!)
Zuma Dogg Calls For The Community To Turn Their Backs On BIG MONEY"Professional Office Jumping" Elected Officials: Treat Them like "Blood Diamonds"
He has brought awareness to the city processes like nobody else. I must take the time to tell him.
"Zuma Dogg, who is smarter than and knows more about city government than most Council members, has become something of an urban folk hero"
Chris Essel To Debate Krekorian On Kevin James KRLA
Should Zuma Dogg Endorse Either Christine Essel or Paul Krekorian, or neither?
More Downtown Real Estate Bankruptcy As City Council Stand Helpless And Cowardly As City Heads Toward Bankruptcy Iceberg (Drop The Bond Rating)
STAPLES CENTER PRESENTS SPAM EMAIL FOR: MICHAEL JACKSON -- THIS IS IT (The PAID Movie)
Zuma Dogg Activist Training Excersice: Watch This Video (Especially City Council Clowns Who Only TALK About Compassion)
ZUMA REPORT: Marketing Strategy...IT'S EVERYTHING IN PRODUCT AND POLITICS
"Zuma Dogg, The City Hall Era" (4/4/06-9/22/09)...LET THE NEW ERA BEGIN!
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Challenge For Chris Essel in CD 2 City Council Run-off with Assmeblymember Paul Krekorian
Although I was a grassroots candidate who was running against the top money raiser in the election, I still felt really bad for her in the way she was received by the local community at these forums that are attended by many of the more politically aware community members, as opposed to the people who voted for her based on fliers. (Tough rooms.)
But she certainly didn't really go into Zuma or Tamar mode where you really pour it on and stick up for yourself.
And I teased Chris throughout the campaign, "Like you really need this? Like you need to sit here and schlep it out with Zuma Dogg and Miriam Folger at these forums. You had NO idea it would be like this, did you?"
And despite what she said in response each time (at least she appreciated my humor and wasn't offended by it, like some other uptight politicians)...it's true!
Chris may be good at what she is good at, but that doesn't mean she is an experienced political campaign debater. She doesn't have that slick Assemblyspeak ability like Alarcon, Wesson, Villaraiogsa and Krekorian.
She isn't good at firing back with slick, smooth answers like the career politicians.
Chris called me to personally let me know she appreciated my blog post from yesterday where I wrote a campaign speech ZUMA DOGG thinks she should say, based on a phone conversation I had with her that turned into a Zuma Dogg "grill-fest" where I fired away with the questions on things I was interested in knowing in my decision about her as a city council candidate.
And as I previously mentioned, it didn't come across in the forums or in fliers the way it came across in a real phone conversation; and it was just that...a conversation. It wasn't before a crowd and it wasn't part of an official conversation. I called her on her cell phone to let her know it would be good if she went on Kevin James' show, this time. (More like it would be disastrous if she DIDN'T.) And as we were wrapping it up, I just asked her some questions about her career at Paramount, because I'm interested in the industry know it's a tough nut to crack. And when I hung up, I felt THAT was the stuff that people should be hearing in the way that she was saying it.
So the fact that she isn't a slick politician with a lot of experience in front of debate crowds like experienced and trained politicians like Krekorian and Galatzan (and Alarcon and Garcetti and Villaraigosa and the rest of them) might make her a bad candidate, but doesn't mean she would be a bad councilmember...even though I'm not saying it means she would be a good one, either.
I really think Chris just isn't used to having to be a shameless self-promoter like like Garcetti, Greuel, Dogg, Hahn and the rest of us. Maybe she has a little class and dignity and didn't want to describe her career achievement publicly the way Zuma Dogg was able to get her to admit to.
So next thing I can tell you in my evaluation of Chris as City Councilmember: I think she's a lot more on the ball and far more outstanding and impressive than just about all the other current councilmembers, including Wendy. (Sorry Wendy.) I can see her outshining most (if not all) of the other current councilmembers.
I know people are concerned about city hall connections and contributions from developers and whatnot, and that's still to be evaluated and weighed.
But seriously, must be pretty frustrating for Ms. Essel who has such a distinguished career at such a high level to have to be dragged through the muck with ZD, Miram and all the haters who like a good WWE show.
I think we have someone who is inexperienced at running in elections, who hired the same old tired political hacks to make it happen for her. And these outside candidates, like Chris don't know how to run a campaign so they are beholden to the advice of their political advisers. And the consultants tend to scoff at and discount the grass roots crowd.
So ZD has been trying to get to Chris to try and let her know the value of things like Kevin James' show and that I hope her operatives don't blow it, this time around, because it's a different dynamic and different election entirely now, and her political consultants didn't get out any of the things that impressed me most about Chris based on the phone conversation.
Chris told me she is going on Kevin's radio show, and she knows she tanked in the forums. So, I told her to watch some Zuma Dogg "public comment videos" from City Hall and try to be more outgoing and shameless like the rest of us because you HAVE to be able to turn it on and deliver when the room is DEAD and AGAINST you. (Just ask ZD!)
Maybe I'll take Chris to the library and make her sing "I Will Always Love You" in front of everyone. Or walk through a shopping mall singing and dancing like Justin Timberlake in the food court. THEN, maybe she'll be fired up and ready to be herself and stick up for herself in public forums and on the radio. (Maybe she can sit in with me and Matt Dowd at Venice Beach for a song...she's a musician!)
So for now, there is a lot of vetting for the community to do on Essel vs Krekorian. But I really do feel a lot of community members are overly nutty and wacky and irrational and that always causes me to dig deeper and not get reverse-bamboozled and throw the wrong candidate under the bus because a bunch of Jerry Springer fans like to see a bunch of chairs thrown around.
SUMMARY: At this point, in my evaluation of Christine Essel in the context of HER only, not contrasting her to Krekorian, but on her own merits, I feel she must be one hell of an outstanding individual to rise through the ranks in the business world the way she did. WOW...Corporate Hollywood on the financial side...NOT an easy crowd to impress. I mean, common people, seriously...look around the room at these forums who is passing judgement on HER. LOL! She really DOES have a hell of a lot of class for not just telling off the whole room.
And when I look around the horse shoe, I'd rather have her on my team than about 13 others. In other words, I think she possesses the skill and ability lacking most in council chambers.
I know this sickens a lot of my fans and readers that I am saying nice things about Chris and not hammering her. But the other opponent isn't Zuma Dogg or a grassroots canidate, it's Paul Krekorian, so you are going to have to do better than, "She's endorsed my Wendy." I don't think Krekorian is some guy who is going to be standing up to the machine or saying "No" to anything. So I don't think I'm exactly screwing it up for any true reformer. If anything, an argument can be made that Krekorian is much worse than Essel.
But for now, this post is just called as seen from a political strategy standpoint. And I'm just trying to pass along what I am finding, as I am finding it out, as someone who is taking time to research my decision by going direct to the source, as usual, instead of having everything filtered.
Organic political info: ZumaReport.com
The Difference With Zuma Dogg's Blogging Now That He Had Retired From DAY-TO-DAY PUBLIC Activist Duties
Those who know me in my personal life know that I have been trying get off the day-to-day public activist treadmill for a long time now, and this summer, when the heat was 100 degrees at the Beach at the same time the bottom fell out of a lot of my other living conditions (stuck on the street not eating properly, with the intense heat)...it became more critical that I somehow hop off the treadmill that I have been having a hard time hopping off (due to all the daily feedback from random strangers on the street).
And that was the same time the signature petitions were released for the CD 2 City Council election. People who were treated to early morning, midday, evening and late night Zuma Dogg rants over my deteriorating conditions in the heat felt the LAST thing I needed to do was take on the added pressure of gather signatures.
AND THEY WERE RIGHT. It was the LAST thing I needed, but I couldn't NOT go through with it. So I had to push, even harder, and I was never worse.
But it all worked out in the end, because the spotlight of being a candidate forces me to try and pretend I am professional and I stopped blogging personal crisis posts about my situation on my blog and went into "candidate" mode.
And only through the help and support of a few community members, I was able to maintain the "candidate persona" and maintain the haircut and suit and gave the people the "toned down" Zuma as "Dave" and performed on radio and in the forums and on TV 35 at the council meetings as people expected in the way people wanted me to.
After three years of intense activity, taking on way too much energy from the outside community and expending way too much energy, it's finally FEELS like it has run it's course as so many of my friends have been hoping for, and it's only been two meetings away, but it FEELS different this time, so I hope it continues.
So people are wondering why I did so much blogging today, since I retired from day to day activist duties.
Now, I am just blogging as a private citizen, not a public advocate trying to best represent the consensus voice of the community. I might have felt ONE way, personally, but I was "Voice of the Pueblo," so I was trying to represent a consensus voice. So there are things I was saying that I wouldn't be saying as a private citizen. (Wasn't necessarily giving MY opinion or information.) And I think that may be reflected in my blogging today.
I am not taking on the role of being the public ticker tape for fraud, waste and abuse and take on the challenge of alerting the masses via the media.
So now, some people may be finding out what I REALLY think about any specific issue and what I find to be most important.
AND, retiring from day-to-day activist duties also means (besides day-to-day council meeting attendance), I am not SEEKING OUT community issues to represent; I am not taking phone calls, or reading emails on issues people want me to look into or take on as an issue for the blog and comments and overall "heat" that I bring when I get passionate and worked up over the community injustices.
I will still be pointing out things that miff me about council, perhaps or blog about city departments, but it will be stuff that catches my attention in my regular day, but won't be "fighting" for or blogging about stuff other people bring to my attention, because I don't want everything brought to my attention. (So to compare it to a rock group, it's like a member of the Eagles going solo...it still sounds like the Eagles, but a little different. Don Henley Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh solo stuff still sounds like and fits in at Eagles concerts.)
That has been the problem. People have been jamming me with every negative problem in the city and due to my nature, it keeps me cranky and constantly "on" in Zuma Dogg "HULK" mode, round the clock, seven days a week, Holidays and Sundays included.
So if nothing else, now Zuma Dogg is just like everyone else who wakes up everyday, tries to live their life, and is interested in the city and has opinions on the way things are going, just like everyone else.
But now I'm just a mere mortal, just like everyone else. It feels great! The community fought for three years to take the Zuma Dogg beast and strip it away and have Dave come to the forefront and just drop the shtick.
Unfortunately, to those who would like to see me continue at the council meetings, that was also the fuel that fired the machine. And now the fire has been extinguished and Dave can emerge from the smoke and ashes and try to carry on. That may be bad news to some people, but it's the best news in three years and five months for me.
And some have noted my blogging has been more "off the hook" (more of it) than ever. That's because a lot of the time and energy I was spending with others and running all over the place and attending meetings was taking time and energy (draining me), so for now, the freedom has allowed my creative energy to flourish in another direction.
I never said I was walking away from Zuma Dogg and said that I never could. But I HAVE walked away from day-to-day activism. And there IS a difference and hopefully the obsessed weirdos who sit around and comment on this stuff understand the difference. Let's hope it stays this way.
ZumaReport.com
My Argument AGAINST Nutty City Charter Ballot Amendment Cutting City Council Salaries in HALF!
It's promoted as, "a bold grass-roots attempt to find out if the traditional Congress of Neighborhoods could be organized in a way that gives a stronger and more meaningful voice to the councils." Proming, "less talk and more action, giving you a chance to speak out on real city issues that are too controversial to be on the program at the Congress of Neighborhoods. These are, in many ways, the issues that City Hall doesn't want you to discuss."
The major issues include:
1. Purising a City Charter Amendment for the ballot that would cut the salaries of city elected officials in half.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT 1. And when I say talk, I mean perhaps surprise some people. And it's not something I could say while running for office. Not because it would look like I didn't want to take the cut myself (because publicly and in all interviews I said that I "WOULD" take the cut), but because you would think I was only saying it as someone who didn't want to take the cut, as a candidate running for the seat to be cut in half.
SO THE ELECTION IS OVER AND I CAN SPEAK FREELY ON THE ISSUE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME:
I THINK IT IS A WACKY, CHILDISH, IMMATURE, NUTTY, JEALOUS, PETTY, WASTE OF THE TIME, MONEY AND ENERGY IT WILL TAKE TO GET THE MEASLY $1.2 MILLION IN SAVINGS ON THE BALLOT.
And this is coming from the person who has spent more time telling the whole city how inept, irresponsible and shady they are. BUT I'M NOT SOME JERRY SPRINGER, YAHOO, MOB-MENTALITY ACTIVIST LIKE A LOT OF THE OTHER NUT CASES WHO JUST LIKE A GOOD BATTLE AND ENJOY THE SOCIAL COMMUNITY SPIRIT AT ALL THE MEETINGS THIS WILL TAKE...AGAIN, for a lousy $1.2 million.
It will cost about a million to get it on the ballot. Why not just raise the same amount of money and stick it in the general fund.
Because do you really want the people who are in charge of all the money and safety and quality of your life pissed off and angry because they just had their livelihood cut in half by the people depending on them.
I know people feel $189,000 is a lot of money and people LOVE to repeat over and over how they are the highest paid council in the country. So what? Someone has to be the highest paid and L.A. is the biggest city from a geographic standpoint (because NYC may be more populated, but is a tiny, geographically.) SO SOMEONE HAS TO BE HIGHEST PAID AND THE BIGGEST CITY WITH THE BIGGEST JOB IS THE HIGHEST PAID. It's not like the Cincinatti City Council is highest paid and you live in Cincinatti.
Secondly, I know public employees think the position of City Council is just a public service position like any other city worker. GIVE ME A BREAK. It's not like hiring someone to do electrical wiring or clerk work. It's a highly specialized job and even though it's an elected position, if it were in the private sector, it's not like you could just take out a classified ad and interview people off the street. (Although I know a lot of people think you can do that, based on what I heard in this past election campaign season.)
If this job were in the private sector and you evaluate how much money (size of the economy being overseen); the type of responsibility and time required including weekends and all the material and items you have to stay abreast of.
It would probably pay $250,000 MINIMUM in the real world. So maybe and argument could be made for $150,00...$125,000 since it's a public service job...but give me a break...HALF?
NUTTIVILLE!
AND, if ANYTHING, you would have to make it for all future elected officials, because I really don't think you can cut their salaries in half while they are in office because the job was offered at that rate. YOU KEEP RE-ELECTING THEM. THEY ALL GET RE-ELECTED. AND YOU ELECT THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE. YOU SHOULD CUT YOUR OWN SALARIES IN HALF.
Imagine if there was the right candidate with all the experience and would turn your district into Disneyland as Councilmember. Wouldn't it be worth paying them $189,000? They spend millions on meaningless surveys that don't do a thing. So it's not the amount of money.
And it is a lot of effort for only $1.2 million in savings when you have billions in low hanging fruit out there.
But a move like cutting salaries in half isn't something you do to punish a bunch of irresponsible losers who can't take charge because they are all greedy cowards with no souls. Because there will be others who we have to assume and hope will come along and $90,000 isn't fitting, in my opinion.
AND IF YOU COULD EASILY CREATE A MOTION TO CUT IT WITHOUT ALL THE EFFORT OF A BALLOT MEASURE, I GUESS I WOULD SUPPORT IT, BECAUSE IT MIGHT MAKE SOME OF THEM RESIGN, OR NOT RE-RUN. BUT, when you add up all the time, money and effort for the "drip in the bucket" incidental savings versus the billions that needs to be addressed...it's a HELL NO, CRYBABIES!
Can you PLEASE pick something of actual community benefit instead of something to please a bunch of Jerry Springer fans who can't agree on anything beside the obvious, "Cut em in half!" Now THAT'S something EVERY wacko can agree on.
NOTE: Thanks for making my post on Deming's 14 Points the MOST CLICKED post today in the State of California on BlogNetNews.com's ranking of 100 California news blogs. ;0)
Today's Most Clicked - BlogNetNews.com (State of California)
Zuma Dogg's NUMBER ONE CALL For City Hall Reform (And I Don't Care If You Don't Like It!)
—L.A. Daily Blog (ZumaReport.com)
Neighborhood Council Summit To Address A Host of Wide Ranging Issues at "Action Summit"
Dear Friends:
The Neighborhood Councils Action Summit on October 3 is shaping up to be an interesting, unique, and productive event.
All of the information about the Summit can be found on the wiki at http://NCActionSummit.wetpaint.com
It will start at 8:00 a.m in the Faculty/Staff Center at Los Angeles City College, 855 N. Vermont Ave. in East Hollywood, and last until 3:30 p.m. Free parking and food will be available. The wiki includes maps to Lot 4 at the school, a campus map to the Center, the program, and information about each of the issues to be discussed and voted on.
This will be a bold grass-roots attempt to find out if the traditional Congress of Neighborhoods could be organized in a way that gives a stronger and more meaningful voice to the councils.
Do not confuse this event with the October 10th Congress of Neighborhoods that is organized by City Hall, and which has now been blended with the initial meeting of the Mayor’s Community Budget Day process at City Hall. Information about that event can be found at http://www.lacityneighborhoods.com/nccongress_10_09.htm.
The Neighborhood Council Action Summit promises less talk and more action. It also gives you a chance to speak out on real city issues that are too controversial to be on the program at the Congress of Neighborhoods. These are, in many ways, the issues that City Hall doesn't want you to discuss.
The major issues include:
1. Purising a City Charter Amendment for the ballot that would cut the salaries of city elected officials in half. [ZD: This is the most shallow, nutty, do-nothing, waste of crybaby loser effort imaginable. All that time and effort to save $1.2 million? It will cost more than that to get the signatures for the Charter Amendment. Why not just take the money and put it into the general fund? Just admit it: You are mad at the shady-losers who are doing a terrible job and you want to poke them in the eye. But if you are going for reform, go for billions, or you are just clowns, yourself. More on this later.]
2. Creating more accountability and transparency at the Department of Water and Power by creating an independent ratepayers’ advocate.
3. Medical marijuana shops.
4. Asking the mayor and City Council to act in a more fiscally responsible way by adopting balanced budgets into future years as many other cities do.
5. Giving the City Council the responses it is requesting from neighborhood councils on a variety of options for cutting into the 83-year backlog of sidewalk repairs. We will be joined by the popular Director of the Bureau of Street Services, Bill Robertson.
6. Supporting the Cyclists' Bill of Rights.
Additionally, you will have an opportunity to vote on several polling questions that will be asked throughout the day, including: how you feel about the City Council motion that would move Public Comment time to the end of the City Council's agendas; involving neighborhood councils in the selection and performance evaluation of general managers; once again printing Community Impact Statements on the city's agendas; making public the attendance records of City Council members; and whether or not City Hall should require neighborhood council bylaws to all be the same.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, YOU ARE ONCE AGAIN GOING TO TAKE A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE WITH A ROOM FULL OPINIONS AND TRY TO TAKE ON JUST ABOUT EVERY ISSUE IN THE CITY. WAY TO FOCUS!
MEANWHILE...I don't think the Summit should talk about ANYTHING other than ONE issue: How the people in the room better organize and create the community advocate infrastructure to make their voice heard in an effecitive way and become competitive with the political machine that is pushing against them.
AGAIN...I see a list of way too many goals unless it's a weekend retreat. AND, I do not think the community or NC system is prepared to take on all of these goals. I don't think they are prepared to take on any two of them.
I SPOKE ABOUT SOME OF THE METHODS DURING THE RECENT CAMPAIGN. A LOT OF IT CAME FROM RON KAYE AND MICHAEL COHEN. (All of it, actually. I just liked it and rolled with it.)
So please...stop banging your collective heads against the wall. I know a lot of good comes out of these meetings, but I am so certain, in my opinion that there is only ONE issue to be addressed. But there is NO WAY you are going be able to resist anything other than addressing a host of issues when you don't have the lines of commuication and infrastructure up and running yet.
Zuma Report: Marketing Strategy Applied To Christine Essel's City Council Campaign (How does THIS look?)
And unlike Paul Krekorian, who's real world business experience is that of an attorney, I have a long career working at Paramount Pictures in a very competitive and high stakes business environment, where it isn't just politicians who have the luxury of wasting endless amounts of money in the most inefficent way possible.
So you won't be electing a career politician with a history of beuaracracy and waste. I'm the candidate who will bring my real life accounting and financial experience to the office.
Why City Attorney Carmen Trutanich Has To Read Deming's 14 Points (Quality & Productivity) According To Daily News Report
When it comes to bad morale, poorly trained staff and having to do more with less, there is only one way that I know of to address these issues: "Methods for Management of Quality & Productivity." D.C. consultant Ed Deming has a 14 Point plan that addresses these issues, and it is my belief that nothing will change until the office embraces and implements these principals.
Nuch, please read the 14 points and hire a consultant to work with your staff to implement this management philosophy. I know Nuch can be an upbeat, good guy and I'm SURE his team will be trying to run around and boost morale. But based on the assessment below, you will NEVER, EVER...EVER accomplish the goal without the 14 points. I know this sounds very over the top...and I am serious: Good intentions will only turn into actually accomplishment the if the 14 points are implemented. I'm not kidding...it's the ONLY way. You may as well hang out with ZD at Venice Beach today and watch my free show and hang out all day with the Venice Vagrants if you are trying to move ahead with ANYTHING positive, without walking THIS, first.
Trutanich faces low morale, poorly trained staff
City Attorney Carmen Trutanich inherited an office from predecessor Rocky Delgadillo that is rife with morale problems and needs a major investment in staff training and other resources, according to a report authored by his transition team. [Investment in staff training and other resources is #1 principal of Deming's 14 Points.]
Trutanich, who took office July 1, assembled the team of more than 100 volunteer outside attorneys to examine the agency's operation, identify problems and recommend solutions.
The 156-page report also urges Trutanich to set "Big Hairy Audacious Goals" to improve the office, which has 540 attorneys and wide civil and criminal prosecutorial powers. Among those goals were improving morale and training and increasing the budget. [I do not think you can improve morale of an office like that one without the "training" being understanding of the 14 Points for all staffers.]
John Franklin, a spokesman for Trutanich, said the city attorney is combing through the report and its recommendations. [NUCH! ZD may be Gilligan, but he's the Skipper, cause he's gonna turn the ship around! I think eventually they will secretly read the 14 Points and start doing them!]
"The city attorney is taking this very seriously," Franklin said, "and it talks about problems that cannot be fixed overnight or even in six months." [Sad to say, it cannot be fixed overnight, but you SHOULD be able to have improved morale that Daily News can report on in six months. But you need the 14 Points for that. It might take twenty minutes to read "Interpreting Deming's 14 Points," though.]
But Franklin said many of the recommendations might have to be delayed because of the city's ongoing financial crisis and the cuts Trutanich must make to his department's $97.8 million budget. [Yes, many...but even more reason why 14 Points must be implemented. The entire goal is to improve efficiency through management of quality and productivity. (How to do more with less and navigate around what you cannot control.]
"We are taking an 18 percent hit," Franklin said. [Well, Rocky's office was 100% inefficient, so you are coming out ahead by 82%!!!]
The committee working in the transition team's Law Firm Management group "was advised repeatedly that morale in the office is low," the document said. [Yes, because it is much more stressful to be doing bad jobs instead of good jobs and it isn't the people in the office's fault, just their problem. People just give up and pass the buck.]
"Low morale compounded by inadequate funding and current job insecurity may hinder the overall effectiveness of the office and the ability to accomplish the policy goals of City Attorney Trutanich." [Yes, that is ALWAYS the challenge. I agree it is important to make these challenges, but I do not want to hear words like, "may hinder." That's just a synonym for "crybaby excuses." But I agree it's bad, but morale is one thing you can improve FOR FREE. And I said, "improve," not fix entirely, immediately. But good morale is an internal office grass roots campaign, as well.]
The report said there were a number of reasons for the malaise, including the city's budget problems but also the lack of transparency in promotions, the assignment of cases and the lack of proper equipment. [The first two problems may have already walked out the door with Delgadilldo.]
For example, the department's attorneys have to share 129 outdated Blackberry devices. There are no laptop computers for the attorneys and, even if they had them, there has been no training in how to best use them in court. [Oye!]
Attorneys now receive little formal training when first hired and have few continuing-education opportunities. Many of the less-experienced attorneys learned on the job what was expected of them, with little correction offered by supervisors. [14 Points, 14 Points, 14 Points. I really have to forward this article to Deming experts and consultants across the globe, because these are textbook quotes. You have NO idea. I might even be able to sue for plagiarism, that passage is so cliche. I LOVE IT! I can just make a new internationally acclaimed article based on this one.]
One of the issues Trutanich campaigned on was creating an Academy of Justice, which would provide training for new attorneys in the office and help keep experienced prosecutors up-to-date on the latest techniques and laws. The proposal was wholeheartedly embraced by the transition team. [If you mean continuous training and retraining of employees...YES! See 14 Point excerpt below on this post. I don't know about "Academy of Justice. Why not just, part of your day sometimes will be re-training (education) on an ongoing basis. I would have NUCH and trainers make YouTube videos as part of ongoing training. THAT'S FREE! ZD can even do it for them, it is so free.]
Judges also weighed in to the transition team, saying many of the criminal attorneys came to court in improper attire, were ill-prepared or were forced to delay court proceedings as they checked with superiors on proposed settlements. [14 points will break down barriers and reduce bureaucracy and inefficiency and empower the attorneys to prevent these types of expensive delays.]
At least one political expert said the report was unusual for the extent to which it criticized Trutanich's predecessor.
"Usually when you do have a transition team you never see reports on what they're recommending and usually they are kinder to the person in office," said Bob Stern, president of the Los Angeles-based Center for Governmental Studies. [That's because you want to make sure you let the whole world know it isn't your fault and it's so bad you shouldn't even be expected to succeed. And Rocky was especially F'd up, so I don't blame them.]
"But I think this is a good idea and I wish more officials would let us know what they're planning to do once they get in office."
But one of the co-chairs of the transition team, former county District Attorney Robert Philibosian, said the report was not intended to cast blame on Delgadillo.
"This was from people with an unbiased view," Philibosian said. "What this is meant to do is point out what's the current situation, here's some new ideas and here's some innovations that should be looked at." [O.K., he wins the spin. You can't argue with that. 14 points says to do that. To what extent it has to be publicized isn't really of benefit, but oh well...you can't keep a secret in this town!]
Philibosian said he helped write a similar transition report for Delgadillo eight years ago, looking at the department's criminal branch.
Former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, who also co-chaired the transition team, said it will set a bar for Trutanich.[Yeah, sounds like a low one.]
"Law practices have changed a lot and we were looking at what would be the most modern law practice out there," Hertzberg said. "We have set challenges for him to deal with, to make the changes that are necessary and the voters can decide in four years if he has met that goal." [Oh no, don't paint him into a box like that Bob! It's a nearly impossible goal because I don't think you guys are going to go with the 14 Points. So don't say, "in four years voters can decide." You need to say, "We are going to show the people of Los Angeles constant and never-ending improvement throughout his term."
Hertzberg said the biggest problem facing the office is financial, but that can be met by winning liability cases. [NO, the biggest problem facing the office is psychological. You have proven that all the money in the world can't fix things.]
"Hopefully, the city is smart enough to reinvest that money in this office to allow it to do more," Hertzberg said. [That's out of the Deming 14 Points! (See below) Good one, Bob!]
Jane Usher, a special assistant to Trutanich who served as executive director of the transition team, said many of the issues raised - such as morale and personnel issues - will not require major outlays of funds. [Yea! That's what I think, too!]
"What we are trying to do is change the culture of the office," Usher said. "That comes from leadership and effective management." [YES IT DOES! And the first thing you need to ask (based on the 14 points) is, "by what method?" You can't just SAY you are going to do it unless you have methods of achieving the goal. I AM NOT SAYING YOU DO NOT...I AM JUST SAYING I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE SOMETHING BESIDES EXHORTATIONS.]
As an example, Usher said criminal attorneys complained about a lack of support for their efforts, with simple things such as having digital cameras to take pictures of evidence or video cameras to record interviews. [Deming: 5. Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service, to improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly decrease costs. Forget about investing in solar panels, looks like we have something else that needs investing. When all hell is breaking loose, you are not going to call the solar panel department. The City Attorney's office is protecting the city treasury...not solar panels or any of the other nutty stuff the city flushes money down the toilet over. I think all the wasted money you flush down the toilet is what is making the DWP pipes burst.]
Throughout the report, Trutanich is urged to appeal to large law firms in the city to assist with advice on everything from handling cases and training to information technology needs. Also, the report said a number of firms would provide pro bono help with cases. [That's good.]
"The city has a number of world-class law firms, corporate and non-profit law departments, law schools and schools of management," the report said. "The City Attorney should reach out to these resources to form a permanent management advisory group." [I LIKE IT!]
The advisory group would help Trutanich sort out the various recommendations and make sure they are implemented. [NO, the advisory group is good for feedback, but only a leader can make sure it is implemented and it never works with a bureaucratic advisory group. But I need to hear more.]
City Controller Wendy Greuel recently started an audit of the city attorney's workers' compensation program and the use of private attorneys. Greuel , spokesman Ben Golombek said the work on it has just begun. [And with Ben on the case, that's the way it will stay...just begun. Hi, Ben! Whatever Wendy is working on, it's toward the goal of proving why she should be mayor.]
In examining the overall issues of private attorneys, the transition team said the hiring of private attorneys needed to be more closely monitored with checks on the expenses for the firm. [Yes, it IS good to monitor performance through statistics.]
OH YES, a 14 Point EMERGENCY, no doubt! A point for every exhortation. Everything that was said by the City Attorney's office and transition team really does sound good. A lot of good things were said. But it IS a nightmare, and I think the outside consultants shouldn't be legal consultants, but "Methods for Management of Quality and Productivity" consultants. See if Kosaku Yoshida is available. I trained under him, attending his classes and can vouch for him.
OVERALL: This could turn into a nightmare if they just talk and don't fix...but they ARE saying a lot of all the right things at this point. I DO hear a lot of Deming 14 point talk in there. Maybe there's hope. I mean, they WANT to get it right.
HERE ARE EXCERPTS FROM THE 14 POINTS:
6. Institute training on the job.
U.S. Management (and Government) is VERY BUSY. They don't have time for these kinds of details. Managers view training as an expense because they view employees as a commodity -- not an asset. When new employees show up for work on the first day, how many times does a coworker show them what to do?
Management wants the job done right. They institute the rules, regulations and procedures. Each time one employee teaches the next, more is lost in the translation. Mistakes are passes down the line. What gets left out? One person should be responsible for teaching everyone the same skill.
7. Institute leadership. The aim of leadership should be to help people and machines and gadgets to do a better job. Leadership of management is in need of overhaul, as well as leadership of production workers.
Deming on leadership: "What is a leader? As I use the term here, the job of a leaser is to accomplish the transformation of his organization. How may he accomplish transformation?
First, he has a theory, a vision of his organization as it would be if transformed. He understands why the transformation would bring gains to his organization and to all the people that his organization deals with.
Second, he is a practical man. He has a plan, not too difficult. A leader must guide his organization through the stages of transformation. But what is in his head is not enough. He must convince and change enough people in power to make it happen. He possesses persuasive power. He understands people." [ZD: Sorry Deming kept saying "he", ladies. He was born in 1900 and probably meant "he" as in "MANkind."]
8. Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company.
Fear is a cause of un-measurable waste and loss. Someone who is fearful takes whatever action necessary to remove the source of fear. These actions do not reflect the company's best interest. Fear robs people of pride and joy in their work and kills all forms of intrinsic motivation. It prevents people from thinking for themselves. They instead concentrate on removing the source of fear (getting the fear "off their back").
For example, a factory worker must build 100 widgets by week's end. His boss tells him, "If you don't finish all these widgets, you're fired!" So, of course the worker gets then done, and they're shipped off to the customer. (Twenty-five are defective, but the employee still hit the quota and has his job.)
Managers who rely on fear believe those working under them are not capable, and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Management must create a work environment where workers can take pride and joy in their work. Don't blame the individual -- fix the system for them.
9. Break down barriers between departments. People in research, design, sales and production must work as a team to foresee problems of production and in use that may be encountered with the product or service.
Have departments work together at all production stages. Everyone must share knowledge in a cooperative (not competitive) effort. In the United States, departments work independently of each other. In Japan, departments work interdependently at all production stages. It doesn't do any good to design a flawless product the sales department can't sell ot the production department can't produce. [ZD: Massive City Hall applications here.]
For example, an automotive design team makes a minor adjustment in the design of their 1995 model. This change would require the production department to make a major overhaul in their process that is not possible. So the design must be sent back and reworked. Meanwhile, production is delayed and time is spent reworking the project. Had both departments cooperated and involved each other from the start of the process, this inefficiency could have been presented.
10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations and targets for the work force asking for zero defects and new levels of productivity. Such exhortations only create adversarial relationships, as the bulk of the causes of low quality and low productivity belong to the system and this lie beyond the power of the work force.
Management likes to hang up a lot of posters with such exhortations as "Zero defects!", "Safety is YOUR responsibility!", or "Our goal is to please the customer at all times!" These slogans seem harmless enough, until they backfire.
How about the company demanding "zero defects", not realizing that a 12-to-15 percent margin of error (defects) is a built-in function of the system, no matter how hard the worker tries. Deming tells of a poster he saw claiming, "Safety is YOUR responsibility", next to a set of factory stairs that had no railing and steps that needed repairing.
To further illustrate, I look back to an experience I had with a rude salesperson. When I asked, "What about the sign over there that says, 'Customer satisfaction is our number one goal", he replied, "I don't know anything about that sign, my boss hung that up."
Management would like to think such exhortations take the responsibility off them and put it on the employee. However, there is no substitute for leadership. Defect elimination, a safe workplace, customer satisfaction, all start in the boardroom. [ZD: In this case, YOUR office, y'all.] It is management's responsibility to improve the system for the individual.
[This is an excerpt that was widely praised in this current form, as written in 1989, so the passage was left in it's original form, because it also captures the tone of Deming, as well, using specific examples from his own seminar. I guess from here, I should get to work and try apply the 14 points to City Hall, specifically. I probably won't be able to prevent myself...stay tuned.]