Lies

If you've been reading you know I've been off the grid on vacation in Europe for the last few weeks.  As is usually the case, when I leave the country and either read international newspapers or watch local/international TV, it is difficult to not realize what a feckless and incoherent national security policy/apparatus that we have.   At least according to the international press.  Fundamentally we are viewed as at best weak and at worst unreliable by the international community.  Only one guy to blame for that.  But that's not the subject of the post.

One of the things about going on vacation is that you can (somewhat) remove yourself from the everyday craziness in the news.  It's sort of nice to just live in the moment and not think about all the societal, political, and social woes.  But upon return it can slap you in the face!  I really had forgotten we have an election (an important election!) in only about 6 weeks time.  Well, upon return I was aggressively reminded of this upcoming election.

Here in San Diego we have one of the key Congressional races in the U.S.  Incumbent Democrat Scott Peters is being challenged by Carl Demaio.  Now, full disclosure is that I am a registered Republican and tend to lean to the principles espoused by that party.  But I am by no means a guy who votes the party line.  When it's time to vote, I pride myself on investigating the candidates and the issues, and then voting what I believe.  So it's not a lock that I would favor Demaio.

Here's the thumbnail sketch on these guys.  Peters is a party guy.  He kowtows to the Democratic establishment.  He was a member of the San Diego City Council when the horrific pension mess came to light.  I don't think it's too much of a stretch to believe he had a lot to do with creating and perpetuating the mess.  In Congress, he's been pretty invisible.  He pops his head up every now and then and votes with Harry Reid.  His main goal seems to be to get reelected.  Demaio has been an up and comer in Republican circles for several years.  He was also on the City Council but he was one of the guys that brought the pension mess to light and he actually helped devise the solution.  He is a self made man and has built a business from nothing to a point where he has the resources to enter politics to "give back".  Is he perfect?  No.  Does he try to do the right thing?   It appears that the answer is yes.  He had a knock down, drag out battle for the Mayorship of San Diego.  He didn't win, but he gave it a good shot.  Oh yeah...he's gay.  But that  doesn't matter.

So when I get home I'm inundated by attack ads by Peters and the Democratic party stating that Demaio is in the pocket of the Tea Party and is fully engaged in the "war on women".  I won't repeat all the charges and all the lies, but it's pretty extensive.  The thing is...who believes this crap?  Do they think that people who live in San Diego and have watched him rise to prominence by cleaning up the pension mess will actually be gullible enough to believe this "war on women" bullshit?  Especially about Demaio?  It is literally a gross insult to our intelligence.  Of course, we are the city who elected Bob Filner as Mayor.  So maybe there are a bunch of folks out there who would believe it.

Here's the bottom line.  Peters is a sleaze!  He is the worst form of what our politics have become.  He can't talk about his record because he has none.  And he can't talk about his party's record, because it's a disaster.  So he goes on the attack.  Sleazy.  Yuchy!  The power of incumbency is a big deal.  When someone gets in, it's hard to get them out.  But man, this guy is a sleaze.  I hope that he gets what's coming to him.