Contra Costa County Democratic Party chair
Chuck Carpenter, and Nadine Peyruicain
at Antioch, CA picnic
The Contra Costa County Democratic Party had a picnic in Antioch Saturday, August 13, 2011, to get the 2012 campaign kickstarted even though it does not formally start for a few more months. The local issue right now is formation of new elections districts because of redistricting required by law.
Former Antioch City Councilperson Martha Parsons was greeting picnickers near the barbeque pit, accompanied by her huge black labrador who recently had knee surgery. She said he was as good as new, though he had gone from 175 pounds down to 145 pounds, which she said was a good thing.
U.S. Representative Miller (D, Martinez) http://georgemiller.house.gov/ (he also has a Facebook page) was there to give a rousing speech, and turn on his considerable amount of charm and good looks which have graced the local scene for many years. He mentioned a straw poll. "We could have a straw poll right here," he said, referring to a televised speeches in an advertising format by Iowa Republican candidates which were shown on national television that evening. Miller questioned whether it was legal to start the presidential campaign this early. "Eighteen months is a long time," he said.
George Miller currently represents the East Bay cities of Richmond, San Pablo and El Cerrito, which are separated from the rest of the county by mountains. He also represents Concord, Pittsburg, Vallejo in Solano county, and Vacaville. Vallejo includes the Mare Island shipyards. Richmond includes the Chevron Richmond refinery. Martinez is the county seat and is considered to be the middle of the county because it is halfway through the mountains.
Congressman George Miller (D Martinez)
California State Assemblymember Joan Buchanan (D, Alamo) http://www.asmdc.org/members/a15/ also gave a short talk. She was recently elected to the State legislature after being a Contra Costa County supervisor.
California Assemblymember Joan Buchanan (D Alamo), center
Congressman Jerry McNerney was also there. http://mcnerney.house.gov/ McNerney's current district encompasses most of San Joaquin county and some of other counties, including the heavily populated cities of Stockton and Pleasanton, and Brentwood in Contra Costa County.
U.S. Representative Jerry McNerney
State Senator Mark DeSaulnier, http://www.markdesaulnier.com/ (D Concord) who ran for Congress a few years ago, but was defeated by Rep. John Garamendi, http://www.garamendi.org/ (D Walnut Grove) was also there. DeSaulnier represents eastern Contra Costa county, including Concord, Walnut Creek, and Lafayette, which are high income suburban communities of people who commute to San Francisco to work, clogging up the freeways with cars which put more pollution into the air than any refinery every dreamed of doing. His district includes the Concord Naval Weapons Station which has been picketed many times by east bay churches.
CA State Senator Mark DeSaulnier (in sunshine).
Garamendi wasn't at the picnic. Garamendi currently represents a huge area of eastern Contra Costa County cities of Concord, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, plus a lot more, and puts its tentacle down into El Cerrito, including the El Cerrito Shopping Center, all the way to the Central Avenue off ramp of I 580.
Garamendi's residence became an issue in the 2009 campaign, and it almost seemed as though he had made it an issue himself, even though it is legal to run for Congress while living outside the district. Garamendi ran for a Congressional seat vacated by Ellen Tauscher when she went to work for the Obama Administration. The first elected insurance commissioner for the State of California, Garamendi is universally admired for working as a separately elected Democratic Lieutenant Governor next to CA Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger after Arnold became governor following the recall of duly elected Democrat Gray Davis, thereby preventing an uprising with unpredictable consequences. More than one redistricted map has been published by reputable sources on the internet. Various redistricting deadlines have been published, the latest one being Monday, August 15, when all will be explained to us by the citizens redistricting commission, including why they drew district guidelines taking away from us our representatives whom we have had for years, who presumably care about us and whom we care about also.
Listening to speeches.
Listening to speeches.
Listening to speeches.
Listening to speeches.
The weather was ideal. Antioch even provided a few flies and yellowjackets at their nice little community park on James Donlon Blvd. near Highway 4. Some of these candidates were Republicans before they became Democrats.
I think the Republicans hold their picnic September 13. They call it the Economic Summit 2011 and it's sponsored by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. That is where I met the Republican who ran against Congressman Miller the last time he was elected. I will probably go to it again this year. It costs me $50 to attend and write about it for my blog, but the entry fee includes breakfast and lunch. So far Ωi have spent $75 going to Democrat events. This is getting to be another expensive hobby. Featured speakers will be Dr. Chris Thornberg of Beacon Economics and Sunne Wright McPeak, former Contra Costa County Supervisor, who served in the Schwarzenegger Administration. However, McPeak is a Democrat. I hope my husband's relatives read this.#
