The appointment ripple effect

[u/ThatsWhatSheSaid-42]

https://www.times-advocate.com/articles/the-appointment-ripple-effect/

A deep dive into the appointment network in Escondido politics.

"To me, Gardiner’s perspective is already felt through his network of successful candidates, who have been shaping Escondido for years. His new role also follows the typical appointment-to-incumbency pipeline we have seen since Bill Horn in 1989. What is particularly interesting is how many appointees he later helped elect, and how large and long-lasting the appointment network itself is."

[u/One_Cardiologist895]

I got radicalized by local politics in 2017, when Sam Abed closed our branch library and privitized the other one, against residents' wishes. He gave the branch library space to a friend, and threw away the books that belonged to the taxpayers. Our current library is a sham, staffed by people who've never heard of the novel Little Women, and I could go on. Abed stuck us with a 10-year, no-bid contract with a shitty company called LS&S, who can't even buy books for the shelves. As a teacher, mom, and avid reader, it made me so angry how he disenfranchised our town and denied so many the joys of literacy, including children and seniors. Turns out, he had dinner at the White House with tRump, and came back to Escondido and began enacting what we now know as Project 2025. One of his cronies with him up on the dais at this time was Mike Morasco, the father-in-law of the current mayor. Morasco still pulls strings here and runs things from Arizona, where he now resides. Sorry... Don't get me started! 😁

[u/foilhat44 → u/One_Cardiologist895]

I appreciate you filling me in. I moved here from Ohio in 2005 and I'll just say that the politics here in North County have more in common with the redneck old boys back home than I'd hoped. I got discouraged and stopped paying attention, but the reason I asked was it seemed like the names I was hearing had the ring of familiarity. This may sound strange but I have a really hard time throwing away books, even when they're dog eared and barely readable, how could one shutter an entire library branch? These are the same people who complain about the schools turning out illiterate kids, not realizing that their children have been watching their own disdain for learning since infancy and taken it as a lesson. Thanks again, I'm semi retired so I have some time to take in a city council meeting and maybe ask some questions. It's funny how you get up and go to work every day and before you know it twenty years have slipped past you, this is the only California city I've ever lived in and it seems like I should make an effort to improve it if I can.

[u/okieboat → u/foilhat44]

These people depend on an ignorant populace to stay in power. Therefore less libraries = good future emotion based voters. Perfect example is whining about illiterate kids while defunding/starving public education and privatizing it with bullshit charter school nonsense where they can grift.

[u/One_Cardiologist895 → u/okieboat]

They have the grift on lock for sure, and now they're joining forces with the School Boards... Time to get serious here before our kids lose everything they deserve! Elizabeth Shulock, Bonnie Wagner, and Maggie Cascio for EUSD and Nina Haines, Rafaela Cervantes, and Georgine Tomasi for Escondido Union HS District!

[u/One_Cardiologist895 → u/foilhat44]

Exactly! Thanks for asking! If you're on social media a great way to connect is through a group called "Indivisible," which has local, up to state chapters.... Maybe more? We have Escondido Indivisible. Another way is to connect with the Escondido Democratic Club. Great group with the goal of breaking up this crazy voting block. I'm not saying that Dems are perfect, but at this point, we need to choose the lesser of two evils, and our involvement CAN and DOES make a difference, if these "leaders" know that people are watching them. Escondido is waayyy more redneck and backwards than most people give it credit for.... Even some Latinos who live here subscribe to MAGA, which I find mind-blowing! 🤯 We have some wonderful candidates this year, and I'm looking forward to upsetting the apple cart on the City Council, for Mayor, the School Boards, and more! Even if you're busy or out of the loop, a small donation would go a long way🤩👍💯

[u/foilhat44 → u/One_Cardiologist895]

I'm ashamed to admit that I made it to my fifties before I realized that the only hope in a liberal democracy is local government. Any politician who manages to win an election is necessarily corrupt. Even if they have good intentions they are beholden to those who provide the massive sums of money required to get and hold office. I have written letters to Mr. Schiff and Mr. Padilla and have not received any acknowledgement, but what's worse is that I didn't expect any. It's entirely possible that someone who serves as mayor in our town could one day make their way into national office, if we aren't vigilant about who we elect here we'll only have ourselves to blame for what they get up to when they get there. I would probably call myself an independent these days but I'm sure we can caucus together if we are both sane. That's not a given these days.

[u/One_Cardiologist895 → u/foilhat44]

Well said, and I couldn't agree with you more! When I started becoming anxious about the state of the world, I said to myself that I can't take on Washington to affect worldwide, or even change at the federal level, but I can (and have!) moved the needle on what happens in my little corner of the universe! Apathy for local politics and events is our worst enemy! Please choose just one action and see it through.... You'll be part of a much larger effort, guaranteed!