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Posted by Gustavo Arellano in Main, Naranja News, Notes from the Banana Republic

December 24, 2007 10:03 AM

Permalink | Comments (7)

If there's one thing that Orange County Register editorial writer Steven Greenhut hates more than Sheriff Mike Carona, it's city-controlled urban planning, and he ripped SanTana officials a new one and then some yesterday in a piece blasting the city's much-ballyhooed Renaissance Specific Plan. Proponents say the Renaissance Plan will transform the city's downtown; opponents say the same, except use the word "gentrification." Greenhut, in one of his increasing moves to the Left, sides with the opponents and even injects race into the argument with this wonderful line:

Why aren't Santa Ana residents up in arms at an effort to gentrify the downtown, in a fairly obvious effort to replace the city's Mexican-themed atmosphere with something more in keeping with a yuppie clientele?

Where the heck is the outrage?

Steve, 'mano: have you been to a Green Party meeting lately?

My challenge to all lovers of liberty after the jump:

Thanks for jumping the jump. Today, Los Angeles Times reporter Jennifer Delson (the best SanTana reporter EVER) writes about the embarrassment that is the SanTana City Council's decision to publicly air only one council meeting a month. Or, rather, mayor-for-life Miguel Pulido's decision. Why the wallflower approach. Apparently, Papi Pulido doesn't think his ducklings are ready for their close-up:

Pulido said at the meeting that he preferred to limit viewing because cameras made some council members nervous.

"The best job in many cases involves learning off-camera in an informal setting," Pulido said.

LAME. LAME. LAME. Hey, Pudillo el Caudillo: at least make the excuse your city can't afford the technology like councilmember Claudia Alvarez did. And then remember a council member is a PUBLIC official, not the First Presidency.

Until Delson publishes an article stating that the SanTana City Council will televise ALL its meetings, the Weekly will record all meetings and upload them to our website. It's not particularly groundbreaking: former city council candidate George Collins has done this for a while on his website. However, I challenge anyone who cares about open government to attend and record SanTana City Council meetings until Papi Pulido reverses himself. Camcorders of Orange County, unite!

One final note: according to Delson, SanTana is the largest city in California that doesn't air all its meetings. For crying out loud, even Fresno airs all city council reunions. FUCKING FRESNO. You're going to let Fresno beat you in a non-poverty category, Papi Pulido? And you whine about SanTana not getting any respect...

Comments (7)

Steven Greenhut says:
December 24, 2007 11:04

Thanks for linking to the column, Gustavo!Remember, libertarians aren't Left or Right, we're, well, libertarian ... we don't like government when it wages war, spies on us, wages the drug war, redevelops downtowns, socializes health care, regulates business, regulates lifestyles, destroys property rights, etc. I have focused more on the left/libertarian issues lately, which is normal given that Republicans have been running things for so long and given that the old "leave us alone" conservatism has largely been banished from the party. Just wait until Hillary is president!
--Steven Greenhut

Debby Bodkin says:
December 24, 2007 11:22

Thank you again and again to the OC Weekly, Greenhut and those at the LA Times who report and expose the true underlying POLITICAL influences that are often disguised by political do-gooders, pretending to work in the interests of the public's common good. Sadly, there is and will be no public OUTRAGE in OC when POLITICS and corruption are allowed to continue as self-serving prophecies of those leading government, religious and law enforcement, without corrective action.

It is a known fact that those who speak out with OUTRAGE in the OC soon find themselves victims of OC's Master Plan of Hate Crimes, Retaliation and Harassment that will destroy and attack the personal, business, religious and financial worlds of those expressing OUTRAGE publicly.

Is anyone paying attention??? Not likely that anyone in a position to investigate or take corrective action will become outraged and take corrective action. Afterall, the OC District Attorney, the OC Sheriff, the OC Board of Supervisors and the County's largest religious organization, the Diocese of Orange, share common political advisors, attorneys, business, religious, government, financial, investment, law enforcement and social ties... forming powerful good 'ol boy networks that are far more powerful than Goliath ever was.

OC's only hope is for ethical and dedicated journalists and investigative reporters to continue exposing political corruptions and twisted interpretations of the law. Maybe then, public outrage will follow. God bless all who are doing the right thing in the interests of freedoms of speech, press, opinion, protections of children, employees and the common good -- YOU ARE ORANGE COUNTY'S ONLY HOPE!

Without justice, there will never be peace. Without peace, faith and our country's laws are empty.

Art Pedroza says:
December 24, 2007 13:25

Gustavo,

Gracias to you and Steven Greenhut, as well as Jennifer Delson, for letting Pulido and his cabal have it. If there is one thing Pulido and company HATE it is being exposed by the media.

For me all of this media attention is the best regalo I could have this Christmas!

Cesar Madrid says:
December 24, 2007 13:47

What a surprise that this HAPLESS Mayor once again comes out of his hibernation to voice such a lame excuse... But then again that's the way he prefers his underlings to be: behind the scenes with the lowest profile possible, something he personally has perfected. Hey, Mayor Pulido, you pinchi pendejo little puppet, grow some you-know-what and prick yourself out of your personal egg shell. You are, indeed, a sad HAPLESS individual.

art lomeli says:
December 25, 2007 12:21

Debby Bodkin,

Your assesment is right on the mark. Denying information to the public that is necessary to form a sound decision is the reason for examples like not televising council meetings.

Many decisions are made for various reasons by public servants. In this case the driving force is to limit an archival record of votes and comments by the council. This has and will give the council the ability to make decisions without accountability of contradiction and hypocrisy.

Independently televising the council meetings as George Collins is doing and Gustavo plans to do is the way to counteract their strategy.

Bob Squalonero says:
December 26, 2007 05:15

One of my favorite Jewish proverbs is, "Choose your enemies wisely, for you will become like those whom you despise."

I mention this in relation to "el Alcalde Pulido" because the way he seems to be running SantAna city government, is no different from the way the government was run in the old, now defunct, Soviet Union, aka the U.S.S.R. (but then again, it seems much of government in the OC seems to be run like the former Soviet Union).

And of course, we all know what happened to the U.S.S.R., don't we. ;-)

Anonymous says:
December 28, 2007 23:12

it is sad that the people who run what could be a great city, only think of themselves. what a shame and a loss of time and energy.
this whole "plan" makes me scared.

i hope the people of Santa Ana can follow those who actually act on what they preach. i would have a lot more respect for the Major and Sarmiento if they were really a part of the plan...is it that much to to participate like other businesses are forced to do? we all know that this is not the only source of income and it is not like either one of those pieces of property are in dire need of aesthetic assistance. God take a stand! how do you expect the people to follow if you do not yourself?

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